Nutritious Baby Cookies

2 / 15 / 172 / 27 / 17

I love, love, love making nutritious treats for my bubbas and thank goodness for that! While I really wouldn’t mind buying more and saving myself some time, I find that most of the treats and snacks currently marketed towards kids are filled with sugar and other unnecessary ingredients… Even the baby aisle is a scary place! With the exception of Love Child Organics products {which we absolutely love!}, I’ve noticed that most all baby puffs, teething biscuits, fruit / yogurt melts, and finger cereals contain added sugar. Even the stuff labelled as 6 or 7 months and up. Whhhhy?

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {31}

5 / 16 / 135 / 21 / 13

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with Anita’s Organic ancient grains breakfast boost.

Breakfast // Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast with all-natural peanut butter. Berries. Chinese pear slices. Satsuma slices.

Breakfast // Crispy brown rice cereal with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and almond milk.

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with strawberry slices, almond slices, and chia seeds.

Lunch // Wholewheat couscous with steamed asparagus, edamame, baby green peas, feta, and herbs.

Lunch // Grilled chicken, spinach, and brie on wholewheat flax seed bread. Green grapes. Red pepper slices.

Lunch {for 2 on the go} // Homemade carrot zucchini muffins. Almond butter, oat, hemp heart, and chia multi-grain roll-up. Baby cucumbers. Avocado. Orange pepper slices. Seedy crackers. Apple slices. Grapes. Mango. Mixed raw nuts.

Lunch // Quick Gracen-made pizza (all-natural apple chardonnay chicken sausage, orange pepper pieces, asparagus chunks, and grilled onions).

Lunch // Mixed brown rice bowl with grilled corn, onions, peppers, black beans, fresh avocado, fresh mozzarella, and sour cream.

Lunch // Baby potatoes, asparagus, snap peas, cucumbers, green onions, and chickpeas in plain yogurt and dill.

Dinner // Mexican black bean salad. Asian noodle salad. Edamame salad.

Dinner // Sweet potato hash, asparagus chunks, grilled onions, spinach, and all-natural herb and garlic chicken sausage with a dollop of sour cream.

Dinner // Grilled coconut chicken. Avocado chunks. Rocket and harvest grains salad. Strawberries.

Dinner // Wholewheat roasted veggie calzone.

Dinner // Wholewheat spaghetti with ground turkey and tomato basil spinach sauce. Roasted beets.

Dinner // Grilled chicken. Warm beet salad. Warm baby potato salad.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {30}

5 / 6 / 135 / 9 / 13

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with homemade granola and frozen blueberries.

Breakfast // Scrambled eggs. Fruit salad. Wholewheat oatmeal flax pancake with all-natural peanut butter.

Breakfast // Hot oatmeal with almond milk, fresh blueberries, and chia seeds.

Breakfast // Wholewheat sourdough french toast with all-natural peanut butter. Plain organic yogurt for dipping.

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with homemade granola, fresh blackberries, and fresh strawberries.

Breakfast // Scrambled basil parmesan eggs. Sweet potato hash. Pink lady slices.

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with fresh mango, unsweetened coconut, and chia seeds.

Snack // Edible rainbow made out of strawberries, sharp cheddar, yellow peppers, edamame, blueberries, and banana slices.

Snack // Roasted garlic parmesan chickpeas.

Lunch {on the go} // Steamed beets. Cottage cheese. Blackberries. Satsuma slices. Pistachios and cashews. Yellow pepper slices. Baby carrots. Unsweetened banana slices. Organic yogurt-covered raisins (the queen of all treats in our house!)

Lunch // Potato leek soup with chickpeas, baby green peas, and fresh parmesan.

Lunch {on the go} // Avocado. Banana coins. Seedy crackers with sharp cheddar. Cashews. Apple sandwiches filled with almond butter, oats, and chia. Baby carrots. Broccoli florets.

Lunch // Wholewheat pita pockets filled with almond butter, banana slices, and chia seeds.

Lunch {on the go} // Strawberries. Blackberries. Starfruit. Mini wholewheat flatbread. Seedy crackers. Avocado. Miniature chickpea patties.

Dinner // Lentil & veggie pasta and cheese. Steamed broccoli.

Dinner // Coconut encrusted chicken. Roasted sweet potato. Roasted Brussels sprouts. Steamed beets.

Dinner // Ravioli soup with fresh parmesan. Roasted broccoli.

Dinner // Roasted sweet potato, cauliflower, beets, and carrots with pan-fried onions and all-natural apple chardonnay chicken sausage.

Dinner // Baked potato. Barbecued chicken and veggie skewers. Green salad.

Dinner // Baked spinach pasta and cheese with turkey and green peas.

Dinner // Chicken and bean ‘soft tacos’ with sautéed peppers, cheddar, avocado, and black beans on the side. Sour cream and green salsa for dipping.

Dinner // Homemade pizza (roasted veggie and barbecue chicken). Spinach salad with apples, feta, and sunflower seeds.

See all of our Toddler Food posts here.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {29}

4 / 24 / 134 / 26 / 13

Another week, another Toddler Food post. ☺ Admittedly, I’m still catching up, so these photos were from quite some time ago… Uh, probably from around Valentine’s Day given all of the heart-shaped food. Oy. Either way, here’s some of what Miss G’s eaten semi-recently.

Breakfast // Scrambled organic egg with fresh parmesan and basil rolled in a wholewheat flatbread. Strawberry slices and black grapes.

Breakfast // Yogurt parfait made with homemade granola, organic plain yogurt, fresh strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, and a tiny drizzle of pure maple syrup.

Breakfast // Wholewheat flax pancakes with all-natural almond butter. Kiwi slices.

Breakfast // Wholewheat bagel with all-natural cream cheese and hemp hearts. Strawberry quarters and blackberries.

Breakfast // Wholewheat rye toast with all-natural cream cheese and avocado slices. Fresh pear.

Breakfast // Organic oatmeal topped with strawberry slices, freshly whipped cream (unsweetened), and chia seeds.

Snack // Chocolate coconut banana muffin.

Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Banana berry muffin. Dill havarti slices. Raw almonds and kamut puffs. Seedy cranberry breakfast bar. Cucumber slices. Carrot sticks. Edamame beans. Alphabet pretzels.

Lunch // Wholewheat couscous with avocado, red and orange peppers, black beans, red onions, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lime.

Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Banana berry muffin. Heart-shaped strawberry crispy rice treat. Mixed nuts and organic o’s. Carrot hearts. Veggies and all-natural cream cheese on seedy wholewheat. Strawberries.

Lunch // Tuna and avocado in mini wholewheat pitas. Red pepper slices. Baby carrots. Cucumber slices.

Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Pear chunks. Strawberry halves. Kiwi slices. Mixed nuts. Wholewheat flax pancakes. Heart-shaped strawberry crispy rice treat. Carrot coins. Cucumber slices.

Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Apple slices. Strawberry halves. Red grapes. Red pear. ‘Gracen mix’. Orange pepper slices. Edamame beans. Chickpeas. Watermelon strawberry fruit chews. Avocado, hemp hearts, and all-natural cream cheese rolled in a wholewheat tortilla.

Dinner // Turkey zucchini spinach meatloaf. Pesto tortelini with fresh parmesan, spinach, garlic, and olive oil.

Dinner // Quinoa ‘mac n’ cheese’ with broccoli, red peppers, and leeks.

Dinner // Southwest chicken chili with grated sharp cheddar, sour cream, and avocado.

Dinner // Wholewheat fusili with zucchini turkey tomato sauce and fresh parmesan.

Dinner // Veggie soup with harvest grains and chickpeas. Avocado and all-natural cream cheese in an Ezekiel wrap.

Dinner // Squash and ricotta-filled pasta with homemade spinach pesto, baby green peas, and pine nuts.

See all of our Toddler Food posts here.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {28}

4 / 14 / 134 / 19 / 13

Whew! It’s been a while… A very long while since our last Toddler Food post. Realistically, here’s some of what Miss G ate a month or two ago. ☺

Breakfast // Cinnamon french toast made with wholewheat shepherd’s bread, stewed blueberries, and chia. Orange slices.

Breakfast // Coconut chia pudding with strawberry slices and raw sliced almonds.

Breakfast // Oatmeal with raw sliced almonds, chia, hemp hearts, and frozen blueberries. Orange pepper slices.

Breakfast // Organic brown rice cereal with sliced almonds, hemp hearts, loads of cinnamon (she’s obsessed!), and almond milk.

Breakfast // Toasted squarely bread, colby cheese, and a scrambled egg.

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt, homemade granola, freeze-dried strawberries and blueberries.

Breakfast // Old-fashioned oats with granny smith apples, almond butter, and cinnamon.

Breakfast // Star-shpaed scrambled organic egg. All-natural peanut butter and old-fashioned oat banana bites.

Green smoothie // Banana, old-fashioned oats, all-natural peanut butter, coconut milk, vanilla, and spinach.

Green smoothie (though not actually green) // Banana, apple, avocado, kale, frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries, chia, and water.

Smoothie // Banana, pear, apple, frozen blueberries, steamed beets, chia seeds, and water.

Snack // Homemade apple carrot pear fruit leather.

Snack // Homemade wholewheat cheddar crackers.

Snacks & Lunch {on the go} // Baby carrots. Orange chunks. Homemade banana berry fruit leather. Cashew pieces. Avocado. Hard-boiled organic egg. Orzo with feta.

Lunch {on the go} // Mixed fruit. Homemade banana berry fruit leather. Homemade wholewheat cheddar crackers. Raw almonds. Avocado, cucumber, and cream cheese roll-ups.

Lunch // Tuna and avocado on wholewheat rye. Baby carrots.

Lunch // Red lentil pasta and cheese. Baby peas and corn with dill.

Lunch // Grilled all-natural peanut butter and no-sugar-added jam sandwich (an oddly delicious favourite from my childhood).

Lunch // Curried tuna apple salad on a wholewheat croissant. Strawberry chunks. Grapes.

Lunch {on the go} // Red pepper slices. Cucumber slices. Grapes. Strawberries. Avocado. Edamame crackers with organic cheddar.

Dinner // Personal turkey meatloaf. Mashed potatoes. Roasted carrots. Roasted Brussels sprouts.

Dinner // Homemade chicken tenders. Steamed carrots and snap peas with fresh herbs. Roasted baby potatoes. Homemade honey mustard sauce.

Dinner // Wholewheat fusilli with fresh spinach and all-natural chicken sausage in a clear sauce.

Dinner // Harvest grains, edamame, steamed carrots and snap peas with grilled prawns.

Dinner // Homemade mulligatawny with granny smith cubes.

Dinner // Wholewheat couscous. Mini chickpea/veggie patties. Hummus.

Dinner // Spinach tortellini with carrots, broccoli, edamame, onions, and fresh parmesan.

Dinner // Potato and leek soup with chickpeas and feta. Grilled cheese on wholewheat shepherd’s bread.

Dinner // White bean chicken chili with colby jack, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

See all of our Toddler Food posts here.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {27 – Valentine’s Edition}

2 / 14 / 132 / 18 / 13

Breakfast // Heart-shaped wholewheat flax oat pancakes with a tiny drizzle of pure maple syrup. Strawberry hearts.

Special drink // Frothy strawberry milk (made with freeze-dried strawberries) with heart-shaped milk ice cubes.

Lunch // Veggie and wild rice soup with heart-shaped carrots (aka “love soup” according to Grae).

Dinner // Roasted veggie and feta pizza on a thin wholewheat crust.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {26}

1 / 31 / 139 / 16 / 13

The one question I get asked as a mom, far more than anything else is, “How do you get Gracen to eat the way she does?” And the usual follow-up questions include, “Has she always been open to trying new foods and flavours?” and “Is there anything she doesn’t like?!”

While I’ve given my take on it here and there in the comments sections of my Toddler Food posts, I’ve never included the answer in an actual post because the truth is, I don’t really know how she became such a good eater. {And perhaps I’m a wee bit afraid of talking about it too much and jinxing it all. ☺} Is it because of the way we introduced food to her? Is it because of the way we currently handle meal times and eating in general? Was she just born a good eater? Likely it’s a combination of all of those things… But I can’t be sure.

That being said, since I continue to get requests for eating tips each week, I’m going to share what we did and what works for us.

It all started while I was pregnant actually… Other than the first few weeks, I had a really good pregnancy. I felt well and could eat {small portions} of anything I wanted (other than meat) without feeling sick, so I made sure to nourish our growing baby the best I could while she was still in the womb. Right away, I cut out all refined sugars, caffeine, and unhealthy fats. I filled my diet with healthy fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and nuts, and ate a variety of flavours, spices, herbs. (Did you know that your baby tastes the flavours of what you eat through the amniotic fluid? They do! Cool, eh?) And I continued to do the same once she was born so that she’d still be experiencing a wide variety of flavours through the breast milk she was drinking.

When she was 6 1/2 months old and we decided to introduce solids, I made all of her food at home and included those same herbs, spices, and flavourings she’d already become accustomed to into her first foods (bananas with cinnamon, carrots with dill, spinach with nutmeg, and curried chicken were some of her favourites). During our brief time with purees, I also made sure to vary the textures of the foods so that everything wasn’t always just smooth – some were slightly chunky, others were quite chunky, and she got used to them all from the get go.

After eating purees for about a month, we basically transitioned her over to a baby-led weaning style of eating. I ensured that our food was fresh, flavourful, and full of variation, as well as free of salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, and she began eating chunks of our family meal (no separate “kid food” here!) from about 7 1/2 or 8 months on.

There have definitely been things she hasn’t liked along the way. Potatoes (of any sort) were a big flop for a long time, she had a short stint of not enjoying cheese, and she’s never liked raw tomatoes (but then again, I don’t blame her for that one – they’re one of the few foods I despise also!) Right now, she’s not a fan of raw leafy greens though she happily ate them from the age of 1 until just after 2. Do we force her to eat the things she doesn’t like or want? Absolutely not. But we don’t stop offering them either. To this day, I’ll still put a grape tomato on her plate if they’re part of the meal we’re eating. And no, she never eats the whole thing, but sometimes she does try them, which is just fine with me.

There are a few other things we do that I think help Miss G to remain a good eater… First off, she’s involved in a lot of the cooking and food prep in our house, and I always feel like kids are more likely to eat foods that they’ve helped make. Secondly, I make one meal and we all sit down and eat together as a family. No Gracen eats first and we eat once she’s in bed, no separate kid meal, and no television on during meals. She sees us trying new things and she’s usually happy to try them too. And lastly, and I hope it doesn’t sound too harsh, there’s no other option available if you don’t want to eat the meal that’s been prepared. She never has to eat if she doesn’t want to, but we won’t give her a bowl of yogurt or a banana or something else in place of the meal she has in front of her. If she wants to be done and hasn’t eaten a whole lot, we simply save the meal for her to come back to later when she’s feeling hungry.

Now we just have to hope that I haven’t jinxed it all and she continues to be a fantastic little eater. ☺

Alright, so after that long-winded explanation, here’s some of what our little lady has eaten lately…

Breakfast // Wholewheat bagel with cream cheese and avocado slices. Kiwi slices. Red grapes.

Breakfast // Baked blueberry oatmeal with organic milk.

Breakfast // Wholewheat oat flax pancake. Scrambled eggs with garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and feta. Plain organic yogurt.

Breakfast // Organic multigrain cereal with hemp hearts, chia seeds, frozen blueberries, and organic milk.

Breakfast // Toasted sovital with all-natural peanut butter. Banana coins. Honey mandarin.

Breakfast // Scrambled parmesan basil eggs. Panfries. Honey mandarin. All-natural chicken sausage.

Snacks {on the go} // Raw almonds. Fresh avocado. Red grapes. Snap peas. Old cheddar. Organic wild rice sticks.

Lunch // Wholewheat rotini with toasted almonds, sautéed spinach, and feta.

{Weekend} Lunch // Assorted crackers with baked garlic and sun-dried tomato brie. Avocado, Asian melon, and celery with mediterranean hummus. Kiwi quarters and pomegranate seeds.

Lunch // Organic egg salad in a mini wholewheat pita. Carrots, snap peas, peppers, and avocado with all-natural dip.

Lunch {on the go} // Peppers and carrots. Baby mandarin. “Lulu mix” (almonds, kamut puffs, organic raisins, freeze-dried raspberries, and organic o’s). Almond butter and hemp hearts on wholewheat pumpkin seed yogurt bread. Cheddar cubes. Black beans.

Lunch // Harvest grains. Sauteed kale. Grilled chicken breast. Steamed beets.

Lunch // Spicy tomato soup with fresh parmesan and parsley. Multigrain crackers. Carrot sticks and humus.

Lunch {on the go} // Boiled organic egg. Tofu cubes. Plain yogurt with cinnamon. Apple sandwich with almond butter, chia seeds, and old-fashioned oats. Pepper strips. Avocado.

Lunch // Tuna salad and sprouts on flax seed bread. Avocado. Apple and kiwi slices. Baby mandarin.

Lunch // Black bean veggie quesadillas. Kiwi slices. Watermelon spears.

Dinner // Mulligatawny soup. All-natural turkey, spinach, colby, and avocado on multi-seed bread. Cucumber slices.

Dinner // North Shore Mama‘s salmon tacos. (YUM!)

Dinner // {Turkey} Lasagna soup.

Dinner // {Turkey} Shepherd’s pie.

Dinner // Israeli couscous with steamed veggies and feta. Grilled chicken breast.

Dinner // All-natural apple chardonnay chicken sausage. Steamed broccoli. Dilly carrots. Roasted potatoes.

Dinner // Ravioli with a spicy cream sauce. Coleslaw with fresh herbs and sunflower seeds. Veggies and humus.

Dinner // Brown rice with steamed veggies and tofu.

Dinner // Potato and leek soup. Spinach salad with edamame, avocado, and sunflower seeds. Grilled white cheddar on Ezekiel 4:9 bread.

Dinner // {Take out} Thai green curry on coconut rice.

Dinner // Grilled chicken with tzatziki. Garlic and parmesan roasted Brussels sprouts. Roasted baby potatoes.

Dessert // No-sugar peanut butter chia cookies.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {25}

1 / 18 / 131 / 19 / 13

Breakfast // Organic shredded wheat cereal with hemp hearts, frozen blueberries, fresh raspberries, and organic milk.

Breakfast // French toast (made with omega seed bread) with plain organic yogurt, frozen blueberries, a TINY drizzle of pure maple syrup, and a sprinkling of cinnamon.

Breakfast // Wholewheat cinnamon raisin English muffin with all-natural peanut butter. Kiwi slices. Fresh raspberries.

Breakfast // Parmesan basil scrambled eggs. Homestyle potatoes with onions and peppers. Flaxseed toast.

Breakfast // Wholewheat raspberry scone. Kiwi slices. Fresh raspberries. Raspberry tea.

Breakfast // Flaxseed toast with all-natural peanut butter, chia seeds, and hemp hearts.

Breakfast // Wholewheat ‘Gracen’ pancakes.

Lunch // Southwest turkey chili with sour cream. Avocado couscous salad.

Lunch // Black bean veggie quesadilla on an Ezekiel 4:9 tortilla with sour cream and fresh avocado.

Lunch // Parmesan and avocado toast. Carrot sticks and hummus. Apple slices.

Lunch // Wholewheat elk pasta with baby peas, edamame beans, and fresh parmesan.

Lunch // Chicken, tofu, and veggie stir-fry on fresh rice noodles.

Lunch // Curried tuna and apple salad on a tomato wrap. Red pepper slices. Roasted squash.

Lunch // Potato and leek soup with chickpeas and veggies. Wholewheat naan.

Dinner // Wholewheat spaghetti with spicy turkey tomato sauce and fresh parmesan. Roasted Brussels sprouts.

Dinner // Creamy corn and veggie soup. Multi-seed flatbread with humus.

Dinner // Harvest grains, steamed veggies, and sesame tempeh.

Dinner // Parmesan and walnut encrusted chicken. Roasted Brussels sprouts. Roasted golden beets with feta. Cheese ravioli with herbs and spices brought home from Italy.

Dinner // Tuscan sausage soup with shell pasta, spinach, and white beans. Parmesan rye spears.

Dinner // Homemade pizza (BBQ chicken and roasted veggie and feta).

Dinner // Wholewheat penne with tomato basil turkey sauce and feta.

♥

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Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {24}

11 / 21 / 1211 / 21 / 12

Another week, another Toddler Food post… But before we get on with the photos, here’s a question I received last week:

What is Miss G’s eating schedule? How many meals does she eat per day? And how much milk does she drink? Do you limit it?

Alright, this one is actually pretty simple. Gracen eats 3 full meals a day, plus morning and afternoon snacks. As far as a schedule goes, she eats breakfast a little while after she wakes up, which normally ends up being around 7:30 a.m. Then, a couple of hours later, around 9:30 or 10:00, she has a small snack… Usually something like fruit slices, raw veggies, or nuts. By the time noon rolls around, she’s ready for lunch. We eat, clean up, do our regular nap time routine, and then she goes to sleep. She normally sleeps from about 1:00 to 3:00 p.m., and when she wakes up, she’s ready for her afternoon snack. Later on in the evening, normally just before 6:00, we have dinner, and that’s her last meal for the day.

As far as milk is concerned, yes, we absolutely limit her intake. She loves good, healthy foods, but that’s not to say that she wouldn’t fill up on milk if it was limitless. She has milk 3 times a day – with breakfast, after her nap, and with dinner. For each serving she gets a small cup, about half full, and other than that, she drinks water.

Alright… I hope that answers that! Now onto what Miss G’s been eating lately…

Breakfast // Wholewheat lemon poppy seed pancakes with stewed raspberries.

Breakfast // Organic multigrain o’s with sliced almonds and frozen blueberries (a Gracen favourite).

Breakfast // Wholewheat banana blueberry muffin. Kiwi slices.

Breakfast // Avocado omega seed toast. Granny smith apples with all-natural peanut butter.

Breakfast // Wholewheat flax oat pancakes (she asked for FIVE and ate every last bite). Kiwi slices.

Breakfast // Banana blueberry baked oatmeal with organic milk.

Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with sliced almonds and pomegranate seeds.

Lunch // Mexican couscous with black beans, veggies, and fresh avocado. Shredded chicken breast.

Lunch // Homemade chicken veggie soup. Broiled parmesan multigrain toast.

Lunch // Cheese ravioli with basil, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta. Roasted carrots with fresh dill.

Lunch // Southwest turkey chili with organic sour cream. Cilantro lime couscous salad with red peppers and avocado.Lunch // Chicken wild rice soup.

Dinner // Roasted garlic broccoli. Cheese-filled veggie tortellini with chicken tomato basil sauce.

Dinner // Spinach ricotta veggie lasagna.

Dinner // Chicken, tofu, and veggie stir-fry with fresh asian noodles.

Dinner // Roasted herbed chicken. Potato crisps. Roasted butternut squash and carrots. Stir-fried garlic asian melon.

Dinner // Butter chicken on brown rice, black barley, and daikon radish seeds. Garlic naan. Steamed broccoli.

Dinner // Roasted herbed chicken. Brown rice medley. Snap peas. Steamed beets.

Dessert // Frozen banana bites.

♥

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {23: Halloween Edition}

11 / 6 / 1211 / 6 / 12

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, St. Patricks Day, or Halloween, one of the things I love most about holidays is preparing special themed meals and snacks for our little lady. Here is some Halloween-inspired food she enjoyed this year…

Breakfast // Wholewheat flax spiderweb pancakes. (Just put your pancake batter into a squeeze bottle, use it to draw an asterisk, then connect the points with swooped lines.)

Snack // Jack-o-lantern oranges. (G seriously couldn’t get enough of these. Simply draw a face on a room temperature orange with black Sharpie. I did mine just before giving them to her – I don’t know what I’m talking about, but I’m not especially keen on the possibility of the marker fumes seeping through the peel.)

Lunch // {A slightly scary-looking} Jack-o-lantern quesadilla. (Just 2 red or orange tortilla shells cut by hand – think kitchen scissors – some cheese, black beans, and veggies.)

Snack // Home roasted pumpkin seeds.

Dinner // Roasted pumpkin soup with goat cheese, fresh parsley, and a grilled cheese on the side. (Not overly Halloween-ish, but you see what I’m going for, right?)

♥

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {22}

11 / 4 / 1211 / 4 / 12

Breakfast // Wholewheat oat flax pancakes with all-natural almond butter and fresh strawberries.

Breakfast // Spinach, sun-dried tomato, and garlic organic eggs. Kiwi slices. Avocado spears. Omega seed toast.

Breakfast // All-natural peanut butter banana bites topped with freeze-dried raspberries, raisins, organic o’s, and freeze-dried blueberries.

Breakfast // Cinnamon pumpkin seed breakfast cookie. Green grapes.

Breakfast // Peanut butter banana oatmeal.

Breakfast // Poached organic egg on omega seed toast. Green grapes. Berry kale smoothie.

Lunch // Quinoa veggie soup. Grilled cheddar sandwich on multigrain flax.

Lunch // Pasta with green beans, toasted pine nuts, and feta.

Snacks & Lunch {on the go} // Raw almonds. Organic egg salad roll up. Banana. Apple. Red grapes. Homemade cinnamon crisps. Carrot sticks. Purple pepper slices.

Lunch // All-natural low-sodium turkey, cheddar, and spinach on omega flax bread. Orange segments.

Lunch // Wholewheat couscous and black bean salad with cheddar, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

Lunch // Black bean veggie quesadilla with sour cream and tomatillo salsa. Avocado chunks.

Lunch // Vegan potato leek soup with chickpeas and baby green peas.

Dinner // Chicken and veggie stir fry on brown rice.

Dinner // Creamy turkey tortellini and fresh feb soup. Grilled cheddar on omega seed bread.

Dinner // Spicy veggie laksa.

Dinner // Southwest turkey chili with cheddar, fresh cilantro, and avocado.

Dinner // Smashed garden potatoes. All-natural spinach and feta chicken sausage. Edamame and carrot coins. Steamed broccoli with feta.

Dinner // Salsa baked chicken. Steamed garden carrots. Orzo with feta and toasted pine nuts.

Dinner // Roasted halibut. Beet walnut salad. Herbed harvest grains.

Dinner // Amita’s Indian curry on brown rice, black barley, and daikon radish seeds.

♥

Whole Wheat Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

10 / 21 / 122 / 5 / 19

I’ve made these pancakes for special occasions few times before, and let me tell you, they are delicious. Super healthy, however, they are not. So this morning, my little sous chef and I set out to make a healthier, wholewheat version, sans refined sugar and butter. I’m happy to say, they turned out amazingly well! While not the fluffiest pancakes in the world, they were light, tender, and full of lemony flavour, just the way we like them.

Now, I must admit, I was being a little bit chicken and didn’t go for all wholewheat flour this time around (don’t know what got into me – using white flour is not normally even an option in our house!) Next time, I’d just go all in and use wholewheat flour only. Here’s the version we made this morning…

Wholewheat Lemon Poppy Seed Pancakes

1 1/2 cups of wholewheat flour
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teeny tiny pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup of poppy seeds

2 cups of skim milk
2 tablespoons of white vinegar
2 organic egss
1/4 cup of pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon of your favourite oil
1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla
zest of 4 large lemons
1/2 teaspoon of pure lemon extract (optional)

Pour milk into a measuring cup or bowl. Add vinegar and stir gently. Set aside. (Or just use store bought buttermilk instead.)

Measure out all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix well.

In a separate bowl, add all of the wet ingredients, including the homemade buttermilk and lemon zest, and mix well.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and gently mix until just combined (this is important – do not over mix!)

Cook on a 300 degree griddle, flipping when bubbles begin to form.

Serve with berries and pure maple syrup.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Since making these the first time, we now always use only wholewheat flour, and the end result is just as delicious. Cutting the pure maple syrup down a little too doesn’t hurt a thing and when in a pinch, chia seeds make for a great poppy seed replacement.

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {21}

10 / 11 / 1210 / 11 / 12

Another Toddler Food post! I’m still playing catch up a little bit, so many of these photos are from the end of summer when our house was ridiculously hot and my motivation to cook was nearly non-existent. Now that autumn is officially here though, I’m looking forward to spending more time in the kitchen again, experimenting with some new meal ideas and whipping up some old favourites with my favourite little sous chef. ☺

Breakfast // Plain organic whole milk yogurt with diced apples and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon.

Breakfast // Peanut butter and apple salad (chopped apples, grapes, and bananas topped with all-natural peanut butter/plain yogurt/vanilla ‘dressing’ and peanuts).

Breakfast // Organic whole grain low-sugar cereal with raw walnuts, frozen blueberries, and organic whole milk.

Breakfast // Overnight coconut chia pudding (coconut milk, chia seeds, and vanilla stored overnight in the fridge and topped with almonds in the morning – adding mango is delicious too!)

Snack // Local pears.

Snack // No added sugar banana nut muffin.

Snacks & Lunch {on the go} // Apple and orange slices. Marble cheese cubes. Wholewheat flax blueberry muffin. Shredded chicken. Garden peas. Cottage cheese.

Lunch {on the go} // Tofu cubes. Apple chunks. Orange slices. Baby cucumber. Almond butter roll-up. Red pepper slices.

Lunch // Wholewheat veggie mac and cheese (the sauce is made of all-natural sharp cheddar, carrots, zucchini, squash, onion, and herbs).

Lunch // Veggies and jalapeño humus. Leftover homemade pizza. Fresh fig.

Lunch // Wholewheat red lentil mac and cheese. Roasted rainbow carrots. Steamed beets.

Lunch {on the go} // Raw almonds. Chicken and Israeli couscous salad. Freeze-dried bananas and berries. Ice water. Fresh peaches.

{Picnic} Lunch {for two} // Raw almonds. Apple slices and peach chunks. Veggies and roasted red paper humus. Fruit and veggie bars. Turkey and avocado roll-ups.

Dinner // Turkey tortellini with homemade veggie-packed tomato sauce.

Dinner // Turkey, spinach, and pasta soup.

Dinner // Roasted carrots and green beans. Lemon and dill salmon. Smashed potatoes.

Dinner // Southwest turkey chili with fresh avocado. Kale chips.

Dinner {on a ‘our house is too hot to actually cook’ night} // Curried pea and almond salad. Turkey, spinach, and feta Israeli couscous salad.

Dinner // Baked chicken tender. Homemade honey mustard sauce. Corn on the cob. Veggie mac and cheese.

Dinner // Broccoli, green bean, and almond Israeli couscous salad with grilled chicken.

Dessert // Blueberry popsicle.

Dessert // Strawberries and freshly-picked blackberries with cream.

♥

Toddler Food: What Miss G Eats {20}

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Wow… It’s been a while… A very loooong while since I put together a Toddler Food post, but here’s hoping they’ll be posted on a weekly basis again. Here’s some of what Miss G has been eating in {semi} recent days…

Breakfast // All-natural cream cheese on a 4 seed wholewheat bagel thin. Cantaloupe sticks.

Breakfast // Bear toast (multigrain flax bread, all-natural peanut butter, bananas, and raisins).

Breakfast // Plain organic whole milk yogurt with fresh strawberries, blueberries, and sliced almonds.

Breakfast // Baked blueberry banana currant oatmeal with whole organic milk.

Breakfast // Eggs ole. Country-style potatoes. Toasted squirrelly bread.

Breakfast // Shredded organic wheat with walnuts, almonds, strawberries, and blueberries.

Breakfast // Toasted omega seed bread with all-natural cream cheese and strawberry slices. Raw almonds.

Breakfast // Low-sugar organic cereal with walnuts and frozen blueberries.

Snack // Apple chunks. Wholewheat pita crisps broiled with havarti.

Snack // Nectarine apricot apple sauce.

Lunch // Turkey, rice, spinach tomato soup.

Lunch // Wholewheat pasta with spinach asiago pesto and baby peas.

Lunch // Roasted salmon and mozzarella sandwich. Veggies and dilly yogurt dip.

Lunch // Greek wholewheat couscous salad with avocado. Orange slices and grapes.

Lunch // Curried apple tuna on omega seedy bread. Red peppers and blueberries.

Lunch // Spicy Asian noodle salad with grilled breaded chicken. Sugar snaps and avocado spears.

Lunch // Organic veggie shells and cheese with tuna, steamed broccoli, and carrots.

Lunch // Greek rice. Steamed broccoli. Avocado. Chicken souvlaki. Lemon roasted potatoes.

Snacks & Lunch {on the go} // All-natural peanut butter and granny smith sandwich. Fresh strawberries and blueberries. Sugar snaps. Raw almonds and walnuts. Old cheddar cubes. Red pepper slices.

Lunch // Veggie sandwich on multigrain (cream cheese, cucumber, red onion, red pepper, and avocado). Watermelon sticks. Gouda cubes.

Dinner // Spicy black bean and chicken rice bowl with avocado and sour cream.

Dinner // Steamed broccoli, beets, and carrots. Lemon and herb salmon. Fresh spinach pasta.

Dinner // Chicken souvalki. Pita. Greek salad. Lemon roasted potatoes. Greek rice.

Dinner // Roasted Carrots, onions, and garlic. Wholewheat couscous. Lemon and herb roasted chicken.

Dinner // All-natural turkey kolbassa. Cottage cheese perogy with sour cream. Roasted brussel sprouts. Steamed spinach with balsamic and feta.

Dinner // Tempeh and veggie stir fry on brown rice.

Dinner // Wholewheat couscous. Barbecued chicken and veggie skewer. Fresh avocado with cilantro dressing.

Dessert// Two ingredient ice cream with a strawberry on top.

Dessert // Two ingredient strawberry creamsicle.

Dessert // Vanilla, peanut butter, and jam ice cream.

♥

Mini Fruit Skewers

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Today, after a trip to our fruit and vegetable market, Grae and I came home and put together some fun mini fruit skewers. We washed the fruit together, I did the chopping, and Gracen did the assembling. Grae had a ton of fun poking the fruit pieces onto the toothpicks and sliding them along to make room for more. As she created her snack masterpieces, she counted the pieces and named the fruits in her singsongy voice, adding each skewer to the plate when finished.

Now although we could have just mixed up our chopped fruit and eaten it as fruit salad, everything is better on skewers, right? Not to mention, making them was the best part – just look at that proud little face. Plus, they’d be great finger snacks for a play date or party… Or just as dessert for a mama and a babe. ☺

♥