Dirty Dozen vs. Clean 15

As you all know, I try to give Eliana as much organic produce as possible. But, my mom was telling me that some types of produce are grown with less pesticides than others. So, not all produce I give her needs to be organic. I decided to look into it. I found the website of the Environmental Working Group. Yearly, they publish a list of the "dirtiest produce" (most pesticide-laden) and the "cleanest produce" (grown with least amount of pesticides.) They call this list The Dirty Dozen and the Clean 15. 

I was a little surprised by some of what I saw. I knew apples were full of pesticides but I was surprised to find out that potatoes were as well. Or that onions and corn were on the "clean" list. Thanks for the advice Mom!

On another note, because I can't resist posting photos of Eliana, here is a photo from last night. We are in Florida with my parents right now and my brother and his family are visiting as well. All ten of us went out to eat last night and here is Eliana with her cousin David who is 8 months old.

Hi David! Want some of my apples?

And today Eliana tried her first popsicle. I wasn't prepared for it as you can see by her lack of an appropriate bib. (Who am I? Didn't I write a WHOLE POST about how she needs a bib at all times??) Thanks to my sister-in-law, Mariana, for being ever prepared.

You can just tell I'm worried about staining both our yellow shirts, right?

Live and learn, huh?

Sweet and Spicy Apple Sticks

Apples are one of Eliana's favorite foods. They have been since she first tasted them at 4 months old. Because of that, I tend to use applesauce as a base from which to play around with different combinations and flavors. I end up with things like Sweet and Spicy Apple-Carrot Puree or Apple-Spinach Puree or even my "mistake" Applesauce with Kale-Potato Puree. (Here's the recipe for the Kale-Potato Puree.) These creations are fun to make but, as you know from reading my posts recently, Eliana is much more excited to feed herself than to be fed. She is very independent. Also, I want to encourage her fine motor skills, so I'm giving her more finger foods to help her strengthen those muscles. Since she loves apples, what would be better than making apples into a finger food?  So, the other day I tried cutting them into sticks and steaming them. I figured that if they didn't work as a finger food, I could always turn them into a batch of applesauce.

I hadn't planned on spicing them up at all because apples are yummy by themselves. But, once they cooked, I couldn't help myself. Since apples aren't technically in season, they needed a little sprucing up. And, okay I will confess, I love to see Eliana's reactions as I give her kooky-seeming flavor combinations. So, I sprinkled on the cinnamon and chili powder and put some in a little container to take with us on our lunch date with our friends Meghan and Miles.

And you know what? Steamed apple sticks made a perfect finger food. Eliana even shared some with Miles.

On our lunch date!
(Meghan and I were quite proud of ourselves for making it happen.)

Here's the recipe:

Sweet and Spicy Apple Sticks

- 1 Organic apple (Gala or Fuji), peeled and cut into ½ inch sticks

- Cinnamon and chili powder to taste

Steam* apple sticks until tender- around 7-10 minutes. Remove to a bowl and add cinnamon and chili powder to taste. Toss and let cool slightly before serving to baby.

*If you don't have a steamer (I cheat and use my Beaba Babycook), you can put the apple sticks into a small pot with around ¼ cup of water. Simmer for around 5 minutes until apples are tender.

Happy Cooking!

Potato Leek Soup with Quinoa

I made this soup for Eliana when she was around 7 months old and froze some of it for later. Now at 10 months old, Eliana prefers to feed herself rather than allow me to spoon-feed her. And you know I’ve barely let her hold the spoon to practice using one! (I’m absolutely getting better at reforming my crazy Helicopter Mommy tendencies. But, there is only so much progress I can make at this point.) So, since she prefers finger foods, I’ve been working on ways to make soups and purees into something she can handle. Today I was inspired to try using quinoa for texture. I mixed it with the warmed soup and Eliana loved it! Here’s the soup recipe. It was still easier for her to eat the mixture off the spoon, but she got to play with it on her tray and did get some of it into her mouth.

Quinoa is yummy!

Potato Leek Soup with Fennel
-2 organic Russet potatoes, skin on, chopped
- 4 large leeks, white parts only, chopped
-1 small bulb of fennel, white parts only, chopped
-1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
-2 tablespoons olive oil
-Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large pot on medium heat. Sauté leeks, fennel and a pinch of salt for around 5 minutes. Add broth and potatoes and bring heat up to a boil for 5 more minutes. Simmer mixture for 15 minutes until potatoes are tender. Blend and season with salt and pepper.

Let cool slightly before serving to baby.

I do let her practice with the spoon. For about 1.5 seconds at a time before I snatch it back.

Don't mess with me, Woman! That was MY spoon.

Happy Cooking!

Baby Food Recipes 4/16/12

Here are some current recipes:

 White Bean Hummus with Spinach

-1 can white beans, drained and rinsed

-1 handful organic baby spinach

-Chopped garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne pepper to taste

-Juice of one lemon

Put beans, spinach, garlic, olive oil and half of lemon juice in blender and blend until smooth. If needed, add more olive oil or lemon juice to make it creamier. Add salt, pepper, cumin and cayenne. Blend again. Adjust seasonings and olive oil/ lemon juice as needed. Serve alone or on wheat toast.

I tried dipping a baby carrot in the hummus and handing it to Eliana because I assumed she would just lick it off. Nope. It just got all over her hands, face and hair instead.

Pureed Peaches

-1 cup organic peaches, thawed if frozen

Puree until only a few small chunks are left.

The chunks of peaches would have been great if Eliana had been able to pick them up. But, they were way too slippery. She loved it so much she actually allowed me to feed it to her on the spoon. I think she realized that was the only way it would get into her mouth!

These peaches are so good. If only I knew how to lick them off my chin.

But I do know how to stick my whole hand in my mouth for more peachy goodness!

Sweet and Spicy Apple-Carrot Puree

-2 organic apples, peeled and chopped

-3-4 baby carrots, chopped

-Cinnamon and chili powder to taste

Steam apples and carrots, reserving some of the liquid. Puree and add liquid as needed. Add cinnamon and chili powder to taste. Let cool slightly before serving to baby.

Variations: Mix with oatmeal or cottage cheese, or serve on toast.

I know this sounds like a wacky combination, but she loved it! Even the kick of the chili powder!

Mmm- sweet and spicy.

Happy Cooking!

ttfs TTFs

teeny tiny foodie’s Top Ten Favorites (so far)

Now that Eliana has been tasting and eating a variety of solids for a little while now, a few favorites have emerged. Her "favorite" is hard to determine because she will taste something and then do her "Happy Flappy" move of arms flapping, heavy panting and butt-bouncing for a bunch of foods. Sometimes a food warrants that reaction one day, and not another. But, here is the list of foods that she has definitely been excited to eat. 

In no particular order, here are teeny tiny foodie's Top Ten Favorites:

Guacamole

Holy Guacamole!

Black beans and brown rice with cumin

The beans and rice are mixed with tilapia on her tray.

String cheese 

Food hanging out of her mouth. Classy.

Oranges

Smashed sweet potatoes with spinach 

Lentils with cumin

I served this to Eliana with some fried egg whites.

Eggs

My ttf loves eggs in many ways. This is part of a frittata with parmesan cheese, zucchini and onions.

Swiss chard soup

I hold the spoon!

Apples

A few months ago, I could hand her an apple wedge and she'd go to town sucking on it. Now, I wouldn't dare because she would break off pieces of the apple and I'd worry about her choking. Only cooked apples for now.

Pan fried trout

And, a list of This Mommy’s Life-Saving-Quick-Fix Foods

-String cheese

--A quick and easy “meal” that I peel into strips and break into smaller pieces for Eliana to eat. I learned the hard way that she loves it so much (she is a cheese-aholic like her Mommy) she shoves it all into her mouth at once. I need to pace her by putting only a few pieces on her tray at once. I give her Polly-O brand with 2% milk because that’s what I snack on. Full-fat is possibly preferred by her doctor but I think it is fine to keep her on these for now.

-Baby carrots

--An easy item to grab from the fridge and I don’t need to worry about it being a choking hazard. Not yet, at least. She doesn’t use her two teeth to actually bite. She gums her food. She does scrape off little bits of carrot to eat. I like Cal-Organic brand. Another way I serve them to her is to steam them and then add a touch of salt and cut them into little disks which I mash a bit so that she can pick them up but they will easily breakdown in her mouth. 

-Oranges

--Another quick food that she loves. I used to be able to give her a wedge and she’d just suck on it. Now she actually rips pieces off- including parts of the rind. (She seems to actually like it! So strange.) So, my husband figured out that cutting little pieces is a good solution. She gums them a bit and then they slide easily down her throat. No rind or skin pieces to be a potential choking hazard.

Totally eating the peel!

-Bananas

--Banana sticks. Love them!

It's pretty funny to watch the banana pieces slip and slide all over as she tries to grab them.

-Plain Instant Oatmeal

--Matt and I both eat oatmeal most mornings so I put a little bit of mine aside and mix it with one of the sweet purees for Eliana to eat. It is easy for her to pick up and she likes it a lot.We like the brand Arrowhead Mills.

She will eat it plain like her Daddy or mixed with a fruit puree. 

And now, some photos of items Eliana LOVES to eat but that are not food. 

The teething toy would be fine. But, no. Eliana eats the string that attaches it to her clothes. 

Her sunglasses.

The carrier. A definite favorite.

Um, yeah. That's the door to the deck.

Aah, paper. Yum!