Category Archives: Kids

Baked Apple & Almond Oatmeal

Posted on by

IMG_4327

Hello 2013!

This is my first post for 2013, and to start the year off I thought I would share our mornings with you. They are very simple, easy going and luckily not usually rushed.  Mornings I will miss and dream of when I start working days again, which right now has no set date yet.  It never occurred to me we had a morning ritual until I came across a post on apartment therapy that got me thinking about it. I realized I was taking for granted this nice, comforting and enjoyable time of the day when we know automatically what happens next.

IMG_4328

A typical morning for us starts around 6:30am.  Somedays 6am (or earlier), which thankfully means play time with dad.  Some days 7am, but not usually later.  First stop is getting Calla changed and freshened up.  Then she’ll help me feed Cliff and let him out.  We’ll start coffee and in my somewhat sleepy state, stare at the fridge for breakfast ideas.  Continue reading →

Pear, Orange & Yogurt Babycakes

Posted on by

You know in all honesty, I think I like making pancakes more than Calla likes eating them.  So many different kinds from Classic, Wholegrain, Buttermilk to Yogurt.  With or without fruit in them or on them. Served with maple syrup, honey, yogurt or jam.  The options are endless, and they are relatively easy (and fun) to make. One day maybe I’ll even venture into making different shapes, letters or adding a little food coloring to make some fun colored ones. Right now, I’m just not that creative, so the traditional circle (of all sizes) is my specialty.

Calla will take a bite or two out of the pancake, then proceed to grab it in her hands, squish it together, break it apart, poke at it and eventually fling it off the highchair. Or very innocently dropped it off the side with a mischievous ‘Oh!’.

For these particular ones, instead of grating or dicing the pear and adding it to the batter, I sliced them then placed a piece on the uncooked side before flipping them. They stayed super moist with the orange juice and yogurt, and small since I only used about 1/4 cup of batter for each one.

I froze about half the pancakes for a later date when I’m in need of a quick breakfast or snack.

Pear, Orange & Yogurt Babycakes
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Eggs
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup milk
Zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp butter for frying, or oil
1-2 Pears, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and set aside.  In a separate bowl, lightly whisk eggs.  Add remaining liquid ingredients to eggs and stir well to combine. Pour wet mix into dry mix and gently fold together until just combined. If you find the batter a little too thick, add more milk. A little to thin and runny, add a bit more flour. Heat a saucepan over medium heat. Slice pears and set next to pan.

Brush pan lightly with butter.  When it sizzles, at 1/4 cup of batter to pan, in the shape you desire.  Add one or two slices of pear to each pancake.  When small bubbles appear on the uncooked surface and edges begin to dry, flip over.  Careful they don’t land on each other or sides of pan in the flipping process. Cook a few minutes more then remove from pan. Add a little butter and continue with remaining batter.

Serve with a little maple syrup, fruit puree or on their own.

A Cherry Crumble with Rhubarb

Posted on by

Summertime is long gone.  The days of warm sunny weather, no jackets, toques or wishing I had a car starter.  Even the days of Calla staying still long enough for me to go a little camera happy and snack a couple (or 50) photos of her playing with food.  In particular cherries were a delight, it’s a wonder how I forgot about these photos.

Totally fascinated with the stem and intrigued by the taste, she’d always get covered in red cherry juice.  She loves them even more as a little snack frozen. One of the best fruits to eat, cherries are high in antioxidants, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, Vitamin A, C, K and folate.

Super easy to carry around for a snack, but be sure to brings wipes or napkins since they can make a bit of a mess.  They’re also great mixed with oatmeal, yogurt, or mixed in with a fruit salad. No teeth yet?, just steam them for a few minutes them blend together with some water, milk, and mix with banana, couscous or chicken.

As your little one gets bigger though and their teeth come in, they acquire new tastes and you get to bridge the gap between purees to small bites to bigger bites. Try this recipe out on your little one. If you’re not interested in the tartness of the rhubarb you can add more cherries or opt for strawberries instead. I love to add a few extras so the flax meal, hemp hearts and almonds give it a little extra nutritional boost.  Serve as a breakfast with plain yogurt, a snack or a tasty treat with a little vanilla ice cream.

Cherry Crumble with Rhubarb
(adapted from Two Peas and their pod)

3 cups cherries, pitted
2 cups rhubarb, chopped
1 tbsp corn starch
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp flax meal
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 tbsp hemp hearts
1/2 cup quinoa flakes

Preheat oven to 375. Grease an 8×8 inch baking dish with butter and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine cherries, rhubarb and corn starch. Stir until well coated and set aside.
In a seperate bowl, combine rolled oats, quinoa flakes, flax meal, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well. Mix butter into oat mixture, rubbing together with your fingers, until crumbly.  Mix in half the almonds and hemp hearts and stir. Drizzle with honey and stir.
Pour cherry mixture into baking dish, cover with oat mixture. Then sprinkle remaining almonds and hemp hearts on top. Bake 30-35 minutes or until fruit is soft and crisp is bubbly. Serve warm with greek yogurt or vanilla ice cream.

Toddler Tip

Posted on by

Try offering small pieces of frozen fruit or veggies to ease teething pain. Always with supervision, and only if your little one is good with solids.  These mesh teething feeders work great as well, however Calla prefers to pick each one up separately. Blueberries, diced strawberries, pitted and halved cherries, corn, peas and diced peaches are some examples.  Blueberries and cherries being favorites in our house.

Calla turns 1

Posted on by

Last week Calla turned one. I had envisioned her first party to be something magical.  Decorations everywhere, a cute theme with matching food to nibble on, and a spectacular cake to smash and eat.

Time got the best of me, as it usually does, and the party went on in a smaller, simpler scale.  A delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting for the guests, and an individual Carrot Frosted Cupcake for Calla to smash and taste.

Heirloom tomato & Boccocini salad, Quinoa Black Bean and Corn Salad, Greek Layer Dip, Spinach and Bacon Dip, Pasta Salad, some veggies, candies and Chocolates, and a few Pizzas ordered last minute, was the menu.

It was a warm September evening, friends and family mingled on the deck, and a few kids played amongst us. Calla, unaware the celebration was in her honor, had fun chasing the other kids, checking out the new toys and didn’t mind one bit as everyone watched her attack her cake inquisitively and lick the creamy sweet icing.

Over this last year, the phrase ‘this too shall pass’, has never rung so true. From laying, rolling, crawling and walking. To squealing, giggling, gibbering, laughing and talking. And of course, cuddling, playing, hiding and hugging.  The moments pass too quickly. Change comes and more excitement is welcomed. Each day is fun.  There is frustration, there are tears, some confusion, and doubt.  But there is also pride in being a mom, joy in playing with Calla, gratitude in having a healthy little girl, and love. So much love.

The only thing I know about this next year is that it will bring more of the above, in greater amounts. I know there will be some hard days, and some incredible days.  I don’t really know what to expect, but I can’t wait for it.

To Calla, the cutest, happiness little girl I know.  I’m so proud to be your mom and so grateful to have you in my life. I love you! xoxo Mom

I went back and forth deciding what kind of cake to make for Calla.  Healthy, no sugar, no fat, no excitement?  Well a first birthday is a pretty special occasion, one that happens only once, and so we decided a little sugar would be fun.  So we went with an incredibly moist carrot cake.

Carrot Cake  (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Makes 2 – 9inch cakes

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups finely grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350F

Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter, then lightly flour them.
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. In a large bowl, whisk sugar and oil until blended. One at a time, whisk in the eggs. Then combine flour mixture to wet mixture. Stir in carrots.

Divide batter between two cake pans, as evenly as possible.

Bake for about 40 minutes, or until a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto cooling racks. Let cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
2 pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
pinch of salt

With an electric mixer, blend together cream cheese and butter until combined and smooth.  Mix in vanilla and salt.  Gradually add powdered sugar one cup at a time, and beat on high until light and fluffy.  For a sweeter icing, add more sugar if desired.