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Tag Archives: eats

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {19}

8 / 8 / 129 / 16 / 13

Here’s our 19th round of Toddler Food…  Crazy!  I got a question a little while ago, and I thought I’d share.

I know that your daughter eats healthy foods, but can you share your “food philosophy” when it comes to feeding her? What do you try to avoid? Does she ever get treats? If so, what?

This question kind of made me giggle because I can just see my brother and sister-in-law rolling their eyes as I explain what’s important to us when choosing what to feed Gracen.  Of course, I believe that every parent has the right to make the choices that they feel are best for their children, but this is a loose explanation of our ‘food philosophy’…

When it comes to feeding Grae, we quite possibly could be referred to as tree-huggin’ granola crunchers (yes, we’re those parents).  We do our very best to ensure that she eats nutritious, whole foods and balanced meals.  We try to avoid added sugar and added salt at all costs and choose organic products when we can.

Other than sugar and salt, we try to avoid pre-made and packaged foods that are often filled with preservatives, chemicals, colours, and ingredients that are hard to pronounce. We don’t do fast food and although we’ve allowed her to try organic fresh-squeezed juices a couple of times, we don’t normally do juice either (she’s not a fan, which makes this very easy).

On the topic of treats… Yes, Gracen certainly gets them! But here’s the thing… The word ‘treat’ is very subjective and can mean different things to different families.  It’s all about what you know well and eat regularly.  For Grae, treats include no-sugar-added dried fruit, freeze-dried fruit, healthy homemade popsicles, two ingredient ice cream, crackers, homemade muffins, no-sugar added fruit leather, blueberry milk (her regular milk with frozen blueberries blended in), and anything else that is sort of out of the ordinary.  While other kids may not consider these things treats, Gracen does because they are things she only has once and a while.

I hope that covers the question!  Now onto the food…

IMG 6694

Breakfast // Zucchini fritter. Okanagan cherries. Banana almond oatmeal smoothie (with added chia).

IMG 6718

Breakfast // Pumpkin pie steel cut oats with plain organic yogurt and crushed pecans.

IMG 6920

Breakfast // Toasted wholewheat fruit and nut bread with all-natural peanut butter.  Red plum slices.

IMG 7074

Breakfast // Banana walnut steel cut oats with organic whole milk.

IMG 6904

Snack // Crispy asiago edamame beans.

IMG 7042

Snack // Garden mint (yes, she eats it on its own – weirdo). Garden strawberries.

IMG 7060

Snack // Berry yogurt popsicle.

IMG 7073

Snack // Red plum slices.

IMG 6643

Lunch // Chicken enchilada. Refried beans. Avocado salad.

IMG 6719

Lunch // Egg salad on omega sprouted grain bread. Veggie almond Israeli couscous salad. Fruit salad with lime mint dressing.

IMG 6910

Lunch // Organic veggie pasta with roasted red pepper sauce and freshly grated asiago. Crispy asiago edamame.

IMG 6661

{A random} Lunch // Edamame beans. Avocado. Mary’s Organic Crackers and jalapeño jack cheese. Blackberries. Mini wholewheat flax pancakes. Walnuts.

IMG 6721

{Picnic} Lunch // Apple curry tuna salad in a wholewheat wrap. Crackers and cheese. Snap peas. Apple and orange slices. Odwalla Superfood Smoothie.

IMG 6650

Dinner // Herb encrusted chicken breast. Wholewheat gnocchi with roasted red pepper sauce. Stewed garlic spinach.

IMG 6692

Dinner {on a very hot day} // Quinoa fruit salad with lime mint dressing. Fresh veggies.

IMG 6717

Dinner {on another very hot day} // Veggie almond Israeli couscous salad.

IMG 6919

Dinner // Turkey oat sliders with fresh avocado, onion, garden lettuce, and old cheddar.

IMG 6957

Dinner // Barbecued chicken. Green salad with seeds.  Roasted peppers, potatoes, and onions.

IMG 6651

Dessert // Two ingredient mango ice cream (made using the same technique as regular two ingredient ice cream, but with fresh mango and yogurt).

IMG 7071

Dessert // Banana almond oatmeal popsicle.
 ♥
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Healthy Two Ingredient Ice Cream (& a PBJ Twist)

8 / 6 / 128 / 6 / 12

There’s no doubt that we’ve jumped on the one ingredient ice cream band wagon feet first this summer.  Only we like ours made with two ingredients…

IMG 7983Here they are.  

I know, when I first heard about bananas turned ice cream, I was a little skeptical too.  But trust me – it’s sweet, creamy, and perfectly satisfying on a hot day.  Here’s how we like to make our two ingredient soft serve…

IMG 7990In the morning, peel a few bananas. (Grae loves this part.)

IMG 7995Then slice them up.

IMG 7997Place the banana coins on a parchment-lined baking sheet and pop them in the freezer for at least a few hours. 

IMG 8064In the afternoon, once they’re completely frozen through, take the bananas out of the freezer.

IMG 8065Place approximately 1/3 of the banana coins into a good food processor. 

IMG 8071Mix through the chunky stage, past the crumby stage, and right into the smooth, soft serve texture stage. You may have to stop the processor once or twice to mix things up a little with a spatula, but it’s not always needed.

IMG 8073Once the mixture is thick and creamy, stop the food processor and add a capful of good vanilla.

IMG 8076Plus another 1/3 of the banana coins and mix to bring to a soft serve texture again.

IMG 8082Then, add the last batch of banana coins and blend again.  If you’re feeling like a vanilla-flavoured treat, you can stop here and serve immediately, or put the ice cream into the freezer for a while for a more hard ice cream texture.

IMG 8084BUUUUUUT, if you want  peanut butter and jelly neopolitan-esque treat, divide your ice cream into thirds, leaving one portion in the food processor.  Place the two other portions in the freezer in the meantime.

IMG 8086First up, make the jelly flavoured ice cream.  Add a spoonful of no-sugar-added fruit preserves…

IMG 8090And a few frozen strawberries.

IMG 8092Then blend until smooth.  Pop the berry ice cream in the freezer and give your work bowl and blade a quick rinse.

IMG 8094Remove one of your vanilla-flavoured ice cream portions from the freezer, pop it in the processor, add a heaping tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter, and mix. When blended, transfer the peanut butter ice cream back into your bowl and pop it in the freezer.

IMG 8099While you tidy up a tad, let your toddler ferociously lick the bowl and spoon.

IMG 8103If possible, let your soft serve firm up in the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.  Or, if your toddler is like mine, serve immediately to appease the begs for “iceth cleam”.

IMG 8105Enjoy!

7 Comments

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {18}

7 / 27 / 127 / 27 / 12

Some of the things Miss G has been eating as of late…

IMG 6182Breakfast // Breakfast sandwich (organic egg and aged cheddar on a multigrain thin bun). Black plum slices.

IMG 6577Breakfast // Coconut chia cereal (chia seeds and organic coconut milk).

IMG 6421Breakfast // Cantaloupe. Cottage cheese. Birdie toast with all-natural almond butter.

IMG 6269Breakfast // Seedy bagel thins with all-natural peanut butter and cream cheese. Strawberry slices.

IMG 6634Breakfast // Breakfast sandwich (wholewheat English muffin, jalapeño jack, and an organic egg). Blackberries. Orange slices.

IMG 6179Snack // Garden peas (a new favourite!)

IMG 6226Snack // Homemade strawberry applesauce.

IMG 6425Snack // Organic brown rice cakes with toppings (all-natural peanut butter and apple slices, mashed avocado and extra old cheddar, all-natural cream cheese and strawberry slices).

IMG 6352Snack // Garden strawberries.

IMG 6386Snack // All-natural almond butter and raisin roll-up.

IMG 6395Snack // Garden carrots.

IMG 6327Lunch // Smashed avocado and chickpea roll-up. Kale chips. Blackberries.

IMG 6353Snacks & Lunch // Dried apricot and apple rings. Strawberries and blackberries. Mary’s Organic Crackers and cheddar cheese curds. Almond butter and apple roll-up. Garden peas and carrots.

IMG 6399Lunch // Chicken and veggie soup. Mary’s Organic Crackers.

IMG 6614Lunch // Herbed chickpea and garden veggie pasta salad.

IMG 6176Dinner // Southwest shredded chicken chili with old cheddar and fresh cilantro. (Similar recipe here.)

IMG 6408Dinner // Salsa-baked chicken on orzo, toasted pine nuts, and feta. Steamed broccoli. (A meal idea stolen from my sister-in-law.)

IMG 6350Dinner // Grilled chicken. Corn on the cob. Kale chips. Fingerling potatoes with fresh dill.

IMG 6357Dinner // Veggie and tofu stir-fry on wholewheat soba noodles.  Corn on the cob.

IMG 6409Drink // Watermelon lime slushie.

IMG 6575Drink // Strawberry flax smoothie.

IMG 6637Drink // Fruit water.

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{No Sugar Added} Nectarine Apricot Applesauce

7 / 23 / 129 / 1 / 14

Gracen’s been talking about applesauce {and the fact that her Mama may have eaten what was left of our strawberry applesauce during nap time one day a few weeks back} for a long time now, so I decided we’d make a new batch today.

There were a ton of yummy nectarines laying around Grandma Charlotte’s kitchen and we just picked up some local apricots during our most recent visit to Davison Orchards, so we decided to switch things up a bit… This time around, it was going to be nectarine apricot applesauce. Sounds yummy, right?

IMG 7287

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s our list of ingredients… A few apples, a couple of small nectarines, a couple of apricots, a little water, and some of the most delicious smelling Mexican vanilla you’ve ever come in contact with.

IMG 7300You’ll have to excuse our ‘vacation look’… Messy hair, no make-up and comfy clothes is the way to go when in relaxation mode. Plus, you don’t have to look nice to whip up a delicious snack, now do you? ☺

To get started, wash, peel, and chop all of your fruit.

IMG 7313And put it in a pot.

IMG 7315Next, pour in a little water…

IMG 7316And a capful of really good vanilla.

IMG 7318Give everything a little stir…

IMG 7319And pop it on the stove. Cover the pot and let the mixture simmer on medium low for the better part of an hour.

IMG 7320When the fruit is nice and soft, remove it from the heat.

IMG 7325After it’s cooled for a few minutes, arm your little one with giant oven mitts and get mashing.

IMG 7328Eat it while it’s still warm, or transfer it into a mason jar and store in the fridge for later.

 

{No Sugar Added} Nectarine Apricot Applesauce

  • 3 small apples
  • 2 small nectarines
  • 2 apricots
  • 3 – 4 tablespoons of water
  • 1 capful of good vanilla

Wash, peel, and chop all fruit. Put it in a pot with the water and vanilla. Give the mixture a quick stir, then cover and simmer over medium low heat for 45 minutes to an hour. When the fruit is good and soft, remove the pot from the heat. Mash until your desired consistency is reached. Serve warm or refrigerate for future use.

Enjoy!

1 Comment

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {17: Vacation Edition}

7 / 21 / 127 / 21 / 12

Last month (yes, I’m a wee bit behind!) we spent a glorious 10 days at “home” in the Okanagan with family and friends which is why these photos look a little different than the ones usually on my Toddler Food posts.  Here’s some of what our little lady ate during our trip…

IMG 5457Breakfast: Organic wholewheat waffle with a dollop of plain organic yogurt and fresh strawberry slices.

IMG 5831Breakfast //  Organic “Cheesy eggs” (Papa’s specialty) and garden strawberries and banana slices.

IMG 5541Breakfast // Multigrain french toast. Mango slices.

IMG 5572Breakfast //  Multigrain toast with all-natural peanut butter and Crofter’s All-Natural Fruit Spread. Raspberries, mango, and fresh pineapple. 

IMG 5723Breakfast // Mango oatmeal with flax seeds, sunflower seeds, and whole organic milk.

IMG 5968Breakfast // Organic cheesy eggs. Avocado smashed on wholewheat toast. Grapes and blackberries.

IMG 5421Snack // Strawberry slices and mango chunks.

IMG 5573Snacks {on the go} // Dried nothing added mango. Raw walnuts and almonds. Baby rainbow carrots. Granny smith slices. Fresh raspberries.

IMG 5437Snack // Baby rainbow carrots (Grae’s choice of farmer’s market treats).

IMG 5809Snack // Two ingredient ice cream turned raspberry sorbet {simply by reblending with frozen raspberries added}.

IMG 5836Snack // Fresh cherries.

IMG 5458Lunch // Egg salad on organic multi-seed flat bread. Steamed rainbow carrots. Fresh mango, pineapple, and strawberries.

IMG 5721Lunch // Seedy turkey meatballs. Mexican quinoa salad.

IMG 5835Lunch // Brown rice avocado maki.

IMG 5432Lunch // Wholewheat rotini with sautéed spinach, steamed garden green beans, and garlic shrimp.

IMG 5830Dinner // Lemon roasted salmon. Smashed baby potatoes with rosemary. Mexican quinoa salad. Veggie salad.

IMG 5557Dinner // Grilled chicken. Pear and pecorino ravioli. Steamed asparagus. Steamed broccoli with cheese sauce.

IMG 5850Dinner // ‘Knock your socks off’ chicken (chicken, peppers, and onions in a spicy sauce) on brown rice. Sautéed mushrooms.

IMG 5542Dinner // Whole wheat rotini with steamed broccoli, grilled chicken, and fresh parmesan. Sauteed onions and yellow peppers.  Kale chips.

IMG 5966Dinner // Grilled chicken. Greek green salad. Curried pea salad. Mexican quinoa salad.

IMG 5722Dessert // Two ingredient ice cream with fresh raspberries.

5 Comments

Healthy Homemade Strawberry Creamsicles

7 / 19 / 127 / 20 / 12

During the last couple of weeks of gorgeous weather, our popsicle supply has been hit hard.  With one lone popsicle left in the freezer, it was time to replenish our supply.  I came across this idea a while back on Super Healthy Kids and loved the simplicity of it. Just two ingredients? Yes please.

IMG 7093Here is everything you need to whip up a batch of your own… A bowl of strawberries (washed and hulled), plain organic full-fat yogurt (the thicker the better), a food processor (or good blender), and some popsicle moulds (these are my makeshift moulds that I love because of their small size – cheap containers with slits cut in the lids). Ooh – and a spoon. Can’t leave that out.

IMG 7094Get started by putting your strawberries into your food processor.

IMG 7097Let them mix until they start to turn into a puree.  You can stop while the mixture is still chunky, or blend a little longer for a smoother texture, depending on your child’s preferences.

IMG 7098Take a little taste.  If desired, you can add a touch of pure maple syrup or honey at this point and then mix again, but Grae’s enthusiastic “Mmmmmm” and request for more told me that ours was plenty sweet.  (Keep in mind that the finished product will be slightly more tart.)

IMG 7102Transfer your strawberry puree into a measuring cup for easy pouring.

IMG 7103Now you’re ready to put the popsicles together. Start by adding a little scoop of yogurt into each mould. (We used plain yogurt because it’s what Gracen is used to eating, but if you don’t mind the added sugar, you could easily use a vanilla, honey, or berry flavoured yogurt. If possible, try to pick a thicker yogurt as it will make the ‘layering’ easier. Greek yogurt would be perfect.) 

IMG 7105Next, cover the yogurt with strawberry puree.

IMG 7107Then add another spoonful of yogurt.

IMG 7108Continue layering until your moulds are nearly full.

IMG 7110Secure the lids onto your moulds and add the popsicle sticks (if needed).

IMG 7111Done! Place your strawberry creamsicles into the freezer overnight (or at least for a few hours)

IMG 7113And now for the best part – let your munchkin slurp up the remaining strawberry juice if there is any. Yuuuuum.


Healthy Homemade Strawberry Creamsicles 

  • Approximately 15 large strawberries, washed and hulled
  • Approximately 1 cup of plain organic full-fat yogurt

Place strawberries in food processor or blender and mix until they form a puree, then transfer mixture into a measuring cup for easy pouring. Fill your popsicle moulds with layers of yogurt and puree until nearly full. Freeze overnight.

Enjoy!

1 Comment

Homemade Spinach Walnut Asiago Pesto

7 / 16 / 127 / 16 / 12

When I was gifted my first ever {decent} food processor for my birthday, I had two things I knew I needed to make asap. The first, two ingredient ice cream, got taken care of while we were still on vacation.  The second was fresh pesto. I returned home eager to whip up my first batch of the delicious green sauce, only to find that both of my basil plants had been badly eaten while away.  Phooey. The project got put on the back burner for a little while until it was time to whip up lunch today and my giant container of organic baby spinach reminded me of something I’ve seen numerous times online… Pesto made with spinach!  Brilliant, really.  Who doesn’t love adding another way to sneak loads of spinach into their family’s meals? So spinach pesto it was. I gathered up my sous chef and a good amount of the basil I did have left in the garden, and got busy.

IMG 6922First, we gathered our ingredients – organic baby spinach, olive oil, sea salt, asiago cheese, basil, lemon, a couple of cloves of garlic, and some walnuts. (I did consider using the pine nuts I have stashed away in the freezer, but those things are like gold nowadays, so walnuts it was. On the plus side, my mom, a health fanatic of many, many years recently told me that everyone should be eating a few walnuts a day, so there you go. Our walnut intake for the day is covered.)

IMG 6926Start out by placing your clean, dry spinach leaves directly into your food processor.

IMG 6930Next, add the walnuts…

IMG 6934And asiago. (Parmigiano would obviously be the more traditional choice here, but I like to change things up now and then.)

IMG 6937Next, add a couple of whole raw garlic cloves.  Just be warned that the finished result is quite garlicky. If you prefer a more subtle garlic flavour, I suggest just adding one.

IMG 6938Next, give your fresh basil a good whiff…

IMG 6941And then add it to the food processor.

IMG 6942Grind in just a touch of sea salt.

IMG 6946And add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

IMG 6947Give everything a couple of pulses first, then turn it on while slowly drizzling the olive oil in.  Blend until your desired consistency is reached. We made ours quite smooth this time around, but slightly chunky is just as good.

IMG 6952Next, take a little spoonful and let your toddler dip her finger in.

IMG 6953When you receive enthusiastic nods of approval and shouts for “More!”, you know you’re done.

IMG 6956Transfer into a mason jar for storage in the fridge, or use immediately for lunch (in this case, a warm orzo salad with spinach pesto, roasted red peppers, and toasted pine nuts).

Homemade Spinach Walnut Asiago Pesto

  • 3 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach
  • 1 handful of fresh basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup of asiago cheese, grated
  • 1/2 cup of raw walnuts
  • 2 large cloves of garlic
  • juice of 1/4 of a lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
  • 1/3 cup of olive oil

Place all ingredients except olive oil into a food processor and pulse a couple of times.  Turn food processor on and drizzle in olive oil as the mixture blends. Stop the food processor when the sauce reaches your desired consistency. Transfer into a mason jar and store in the fridge or use immediately on pizza, pasta, crackers, or bread.

Enjoy!

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{Healthy} Frozen Banana Pops

7 / 15 / 127 / 20 / 12

With a freezer already full of two ingredient ice cream, frozen bananas waiting to be turned into smoothies, and a few beginning to speckle bananas in the fruit bowl, I decided we’d try something new today… A much healthier version of one of my childhood favourites – frozen chocolate-dipped bananas from Dairy Queen (does anyone remember those?)

IMG 6878Our line up of ingredients: bananas, all-natural peanut butter, wooden popsicle sticks, and toppings. (Grae picked sesame seeds, organic raisins, sunflower seeds, and organic brown rice puffs, but almost anything would work… Dried cranberries, chopped nuts, and granola would be yummy too.)

IMG 6883To get started, peel a couple of bananas.

IMG 6884And then chop them roughly in half.

IMG 6886Now for the messy part… Spread your peanut butter on the banana halves. (Gracen started by spreading peanut butter on one side, then I’d insert the popsicle stick, flip the banana over, and gently cover the other side.)

IMG 6889It doesn’t have to be perfect, but you want most of your banana covered in a layer of peanut butter by the time you’re through.

IMG 6892Next, take your banana and roll it in the topping(s) of your choice.  Larger items, such as raisins, can be added by hand afterwards.

IMG 6894Place your pops on a tray and pop them in the freezer for at least an hour or so.

IMG 6901In the meantime, let your little munchkin {messily} lick the spoon and snack on the leftovers.

IMG 6916Once they’re at least semi-frozen, serve them as a snack or for dessert.

IMG 6898Or heck, why not breakfast?! If there’s ever been a breakfast-appropriate popsicle, this has got to be it.

{Healthy} Frozen Banana Pops

  • Bananas
  • All-natural nut butter
  • Toppings of your choice
  • Wooden popsicle sticks

Peel your bananas and chop in half.  Gently cover the bananas in nut butter and insert your wooden popsicle sticks. Holding onto the stick, roll your banana in the desired toppings.  Place on a tray or baking sheet and freeze.

Enjoy!

3 Comments

Crispy Asiago Edamame Beans

7 / 15 / 127 / 15 / 12

This afternoon we did something I’ve been avoiding for much of the week… we used the oven {the perks of a much cooler day}.  When I came across this recipe from allrecipes.com on Pinterest a little while back, I knew it would be right up my little edamame lover’s alley. We tweaked the original recipe just a tad, and it turned out great.

IMG 6852The best part is that it’s really simple.  Here’s everything you need: edamame beans, olive oil, fresh-ground pepper, sea salt, and some cheese (we used asiago).

IMG 6854First things first, run your beans under some cool water for a few minutes to thaw them.

IMG 6856Next, have your sous chef place them all in a large mixing bowl.

IMG 6864Add a drizzle of olive oil…

IMG 6865Your cheese…

IMG 6868A generous grinding of pepper…

IMG 6870And just a tiny touch of sea salt.

IMG 6871Then mix everything together.

IMG 6876Lay your beans out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (who doesn’t love easy clean up?!) and pop them in the oven, flipping them once about half way through.

IMG 6902Take them out when they’re golden brown and have a good crunch to them.

IMG 6905Let cool for a few minutes and serve while still warm. Mmmmm!

Crispy Asiago Edamame Beans

  • 1/2 a package of thawed, shelled edamame beans
  • 1/4 cup of finely grated asiago
  • 1 teaspoon of olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of freshly-grated pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon of sea salt

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir well. Lay beans on a parchment-lined baking pan and bake for approximately 30 minutes at 400 degrees, flipping once about halfway through.  Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm.

Enjoy!

1 Comment

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {16}

7 / 13 / 127 / 13 / 12

Well, I’m finally caught up on our vacation posts and I can get back to doing regular things like Toddler Food and Small Style posts – yay! It’s been a while and I have a lot share, so there will probably be a couple more of these coming very soon…

IMG 5308Breakfast // Cinnamon broiled grapefruit (surprisingly yummy!) Wholewheat walnut bread with all-natural peanut butter.

IMG 4978Breakfast // Wholewheat oat flax pancakes. Bananas and berries.

IMG 5217Breakfast // Strawberry flax smoothie. Mitten toast with all-natural peanut butter, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and organic raisins.

IMG 5385Breakfast // Wholewheat oat flax pancakes with organic whole milk yogurt and fresh blueberries.

IMG 4812Breakfast // Organic o’s, homemade granola, toasted almonds, and banana coins.

IMG 4970Snack // Strawberries and a baby carrot straight from our backyard. ☺

IMG 4797Snack // Veggie-packed muffin.

IMG 5244Snack // Organic no-sugar-added mango. Unsweetened unsulfured apple rings.

IMG 5403Snack // Fruit cars.

IMG 5306Snack // Raw red onion pieces (not actually a snack, but the girl came back for handfuls of onion so many times while I was prepping dinner that I finally gave her a little bowl. So so so strange, this one).

IMG 5074Lunch // Organic veggie shell pasta and steamed veggies in a creamy garlic sauce.

IMG 5310Lunch // White tuna and old cheddar on multigrain flat bread. Steamed broccoli. 

IMG 4911{Picnic} Lunch // Fresh berries. Roasted red pepper hummus, veggies, and, and seedy flatbread. Watermelon chunks. Fresh pineapple. Rice seed crackers and old cheddar.

IMG 4798Lunch // Cheddar-broiled chickpea patty on a multigrain thin slider bun. Steamed asparagus.

IMG 5075Dinner // Roasted chicken. Organic veggie shell pasta and steamed veggies in a creamy garlic sauce. Spicy sautéed zucchini. Grape skewers for dessert.

IMG 5216Dinner // Brown rice roasted chicken casserole. Green salad with seeds.

IMG 4811Dinner // Homemade pizza. (Top: BBQ black bean with fresh avocado / Bottom: asparagus, feta, and turkey bacon)

IMG 5407Dinner // Turkey veggie stew.

IMG 4976Dinner // Barbecued chicken. Grilled asparagus. Baked potato. Peaches and cream corn on the cob.

IMG 5307Dinner // Chicken veggie soup.

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Homemade {Toddler Approved} Kale Chips

7 / 5 / 125 / 26 / 19

If you’ve ever wanted your toddler {and the rest of your family} to eat kale, but didn’t know how to prepare it, or got the thumbs down on the way you did prepare it, this is for you.  Not only are kale chips fun to make with munchkins, but if your little ones are anything like Gracen, they’ll munch them up by the bowl full.  I’ve always liked kale, but I must admit, the first time I tried kale chips I was not a fan.  I’m not sure what it was, but I’m so glad I tried them again recently.  For me, the key to delicious kale chips is that they are very crisp (who wants to eat soggy chips?!), not overly oily, and slightly salted.  And eating them when they’re fresh out of the oven increases the deliciousness even more. Here’s how Miss G and I whipped up our batch this morning…

{Scroll to the bottom to see our updated method…  But in the meantime – Baby G – GAH!}

IMG 6288

 

First, start with a couple of bunches of kale. The fresher, the better.

IMG 6297

 

Fill your sink with cool water and give the leaves a good washing.

IMG 6303

 

Rinse your leaves under cool running water, shake them out, and place on a clean towel to dry.

IMG 6305

 

Place another clean towel on top of the leaves and pat gently to remove excess water.

IMG 6307

 

Next, remove the stems and chop the leafy parts into chip-sized pieces.

IMG 6308

 

Although the chopping part is obviously not toddler-friendly, while I did the chopping, Gracen’s job was to collect the soon-to-be chips and place them in a large bowl.  In order to keep her little fingers safe, we stuck with the same rule we always use – no touching anything on the chopping board.  This is something I’ve reinforced since I started cooking with her and she’s very good about waiting for me to move things onto the counter before she touches them.

IMG 6314

 

Next, drizzle a small amount of oil on the leaves (a little goes a long way). We used grapeseed oil because it’s flavourless, but olive oil works too.

IMG 6316

 

Mix well.

IMG 6319

 

With the oil evenly distributed, move about half of your leaves onto a large baking pan (Judging by her heaping pile, G got a little excited).

IMG 6322

 

Arrange them so that they are in as close to a single layer as possible…

IMG 6320

 

And grind just a very tiny touch of sea salt on top.

IMG 6324

 

Do the same thing with the other half of your leaves, and pop both pans into the oven.  Be sure to watch them quite closely and flip them every now and then to ensure an even crispness.

IMG 6325

 

Voila! Done.  They may not look like the prettiest things, but I promise they’re yummy.

IMG 6329

 

Serve them on their own as a snack, or in this case, as a side with lunch (smashed avocado and chickpea roll ups).

Homemade {Toddler-Approved} Kale Chips

  • 2 bunches of kale
  • 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt

Wash, rinse, and dry your kale. Remove stems and chop leafy parts into large chip-sized pieces.  Drizzle kale with oil, sprinkle on salt, and mix well until oil is evenly distributed. Using 2 large baking sheets, arrange leaves so that they are in as close to a single layer as possible.  Bake at 400 degrees, flipping them every now and then.  Remove chips as ready to avoid over-browning. Eat immediately or store at room temperature.

Enjoy!

UPDATE:  After years and years of making kale chips at home, a) they’re still a favourite and b) our method has changed just slightly.  First off, we’ve discovered lacinato kale – the kind that has fairly flat leaves {we get it at Nature’s Fare here in Vernon}.  WELL.  Game changer.  It cooks much more evenly which means that you always get the perfect, crisp kale chip.  We also add garlic powder {and sometimes nutritional yeast} because… YUM.  As far as prep goes, we now use a salad spinner (so much faster and easier) and we’ve switched to doing just one bunch of kale at a time which I think helps the chips crisp up better.  With two bunches / pans in the oven at once I was finding that it sometimes got steamy in there, which is not really what you want when making crisp chips.

Here’s our updated recipe {though the first one does still work just fine}…

Crispy Homemade Kale Chips (UPDATED VERSION)

  • 1 bunch of lacinato kale (approximately 10 leaves)
  • 1 tablespoon of olive or avocado oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
  • sprinkling of nutritional yeast (if desired)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash your lacinato kale leaves and dry them fully using a salad spinner.  Using a knife, remove the stems and cut each leaf into 4-6 big pieces.  Dump the kale onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner and drizzle the oil on top.  Use your hands to toss the leaves and evenly distribute the oil.  Sprinkle on the garlic powder, sea salt, and nutritional yeast if using, and toss them with your hands once again.  Arrange the kale in a single layer and pop them into the oven for 10 minutes.  When the timer goes, remove the pan, flip each individual chip, and bake for an additional 3 minutes.  

Serve fresh out of the oven or let cool completely and then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Enjoy!

 

2 Comments

Toddler-Friendly Strawberry Applesauce

7 / 4 / 127 / 6 / 12

Before going on vacation, I had washed, chopped, and frozen a bunch of fruit we hadn’t yet gotten around to eating. Well this morning, when a bag of strawberries landed at my feet as a result of opening the freezer door, I decided it was time to put some of that fruit to good use.  I did consider making a smoothie, but I wanted to try something we don’t make all the time already.  I ran through a couple of options and quickly settled on applesauce when I saw my dish rack full of apples from washing them the night before. Miss G really enjoys applesauce and although you can easily buy organic ‘just apples’ applesauce at most grocery stores, nothing beats the real thing.  I gathered my {always enthusiastic helper} and a few ingredients and we got busy in the kitchen.

IMG 6184

The line up of ingredients: strawberries, apples, pure maple syrup (optional), vanilla, and water.

IMG 6189Get started by peeling and coring your apples. (I haven’t yet taught Gracen how to peel things, so I peeled and cored our apples while she gathered all of the scraps and placed them in a bowl for composting.)

IMG 6196Next up, chop your apples into smallish pieces. (We both did this job – Gracen using a regular butter knife, of course. FYI: I’ve done this several times with my Kindergarten classes and decent-quality plastic/wooden knives work too.)

IMG 6199Then, chop your strawberries.

IMG 6208Dump everything into a large pot.

IMG 6211Add a little bit of water…

IMG 6214Just a touch of pure maple syrup… (Only if you want some extra sweetness – turns out ours could have easily done without.)

IMG 6215And a good amount of pure vanilla.

IMG 6217Give everything a quick stir and pop it on the stove at medium heat.

IMG 6221Slowly cook the fruit, stirring occasionally, until everything is soft and easily mashed with a fork. 

IMG 6222Remove from the heat and mash until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. If you like a smoother texture, an immersion blender works well.

IMG 6223Dish out a small bowl…

IMG 6228And give it to your extremely excited toddler. Watch her gobble it up and ask for more.

Strawberry Applesauce

  • 2 large apples (the sweeter they are the better – we used Fujis)
  • Approximately 10 strawberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 4 tablespoons of water
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pure maple syrup (completely optional – ours would have been plenty sweet without)

Peel, core, and chop apples. Chop strawberries. Add all ingredients to a large pot and cook over medium heat for approximately 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove pot from heat and mash or blend fruit until it reaches desired consistency. Serve warm or refrigerate for later.

Enjoy!

4 Comments

Garden Goodies

7 / 3 / 127 / 6 / 12

IMG 6178IMG 6179We returned home from vacation to a garden overflowing with goodies. Judging by the repetitive “More baby green balls, please!”, these are Grae’s new favourite.

♥

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Firsts

6 / 30 / 125 / 15 / 13

IMG 6002IMG 6004Two firsts occurred while visiting Gido up at Davison Orchards today – Gracen tried her first ever Appleanche (a delicious slushy drink made of Davison’s own fresh-pressed pure apple juice) and she sat on her first ever motorcycle (Gido’s). So much fun.

♥

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Okanagan Sun

6 / 27 / 126 / 29 / 12

I’m very happy to report that our Okanagan weather is finally back to normal. Thank goodness.  Perfect for lazy afternoons in the backyard just like today’s…IMG 5795

Snacks in the sunshine.
IMG 5798Testing the water.IMG 5800

Rides on Papa the pony.
IMG 5802Time to go in…IMG 5807

Chilly!
IMG 5810Our two ingredient ice cream turned 3 ingredient ice cream – a raspberry sorbet of sorts.IMG 5811

Deeeee-licious!
IMG 5817Doesn’t get much better.

♥

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