food for tot

pleasing picky eaters since 2007. kid-tested and approved recipes. follow @foodfortot on twitter

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Here's a compilation of some adorable snack ideas I've gathered on my Pinterest board in recent months. If they don't please the pickiest of picky eaters, I don't know what will! 

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If you're looking to add some fun or re-spark your little one's desire to spend time with you in the kitchen, pick up an item or two from Babble's well-compiled list of the best kitchen tools for kids. I especially like the learning tower (brilliant!) and guitar-shaped cutting board, and definitely plan to pick up the scrub gloves, PBJ bagel knife (perfect for neat freaks), and cherry chomper for my eager little helper. 

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Well I'm back and should probably explain my absence in the last 4 months (and perhaps a month or so prior) is directly attributable to my having a new baby boy (one, I hope, which won't be so hard to please in the food department).

The new little guy is pretty easy-going and surprisingly lets me do a bit of cooking and baking every now and again (I barely entered the kitchen for the first 6 months with my first son). I've made some simple stuff with my 4-year-old (popsicles, apple-cheese quesadillas, chocolate chip cookies, etc), and I've been stockpiling some very promising recipes I intend to get to as well. And this recipe for blueberry spelt bars by my new favourite Canadian food site is one I plan to get to very, very soon.

P.S. Now that the little guy is nearing 5 months and settling into a routine, I plan to update this blog much more regularly. Thanks for hanging in there! 

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats 1 cup spelt flour 1/3 cup packed natural brown sugar 1/8 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon 1/4 cup sunflower seeds 1/4 cup dried blueberries 1/2 cup sunflower oil 5 tbsp orange juice, divided 1/2 cup blueberry fruit preserve

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 and grease a 8×8 in. baking pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, sunflower seeds and blueberries. Add oil and 3 tablespoons of the orange juice. Mix well. Save a 1/2 cup of the mixture and press the rest of the oats into the prepared baking pan. In a bowl, mix the blueberry preserves with the last two tablespoons of orange juice. Spread preserve mixture over the oats then sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of oats. Bake in the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Source: Sweet Potato Chronicles

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What a sweet little idea sure to get the creative juices flowing and that should keep your kids busy for a spell. The ideas can be endless ... here's what the folks over at Sugar Loco came up with!

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I'm a huge fan of kale. When my son was younger and less wily, he even enjoyed a bowl or two. However now that he's a picky and opinionated 3-year-old, he defiantly resists it every time I offer it to him. That's why I love this idea for pesto... He loves pesto! He loves pasta too! And he might not even notice if I swap out the basil for kale... but I think I'll add some just in case.

Makes 2 cups, enough for about 2 lbs of pasta

1 bunch of kale 1 tsp olive oil, plus 1/2 cup 1 cup walnuts 1/2 cup grated pecorino 1 clove garlic Salt and pepper to taste

1. Lightly steam the kale.

2. In the meantime, heat teaspoon of olive oil in a small pan and use to toast the walnuts, stirring frequently. The walnuts are done when they turn golden brown and are fragrant.

3. Place steamed kale, toasted walnuts, pecorino, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Puree as you slowly drizzle remaining 1/2 cup of olive oil in a thin stream. Pesto is done when it’s pureed and creamy. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. Serve with pasta.

Source: The Family Kitchen, babble.com

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Ahh, Valentine's Day. Love it or hate it, when you have a little one, you kind of have to participate. My son's nursery school is already asking for contributions and I came across this lovely little idea from ingredients, inc. It looks super easy and I know my little guy would love to help decorate these.

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 tsp baking powder 1/8 tsp salt 2 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped 1/2 cup butter 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Red and white icing (optional)

Preparation 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. 2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in the flour mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. 3. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 8 x 8-inch baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire racks. Refrigerate for up 15 minutes before cutting into heart cookie cutters. Decorate with icing if desired.

Source: ingredients, inc.

[foodfortot]

The United States Department of Agriculture created a food pyramid of daily guidelines for kids. (It's available online at mypyramid.gov, although the guidelines are only applicable for children age two and up.) Some nutritionists feel the government should have been more strict; for instance, requiring all, not just some, of the grains to be whole grains, insisting on reduced fat when recommending milk and dairy products, and completely restricting sodas and sports drinks, rather than labeling them as drinks to be used occasionally. Essentially, a child's daily diet should be composed mostly of calories from complex carbohydrates and lean proteins and no more than 20 percent of calories from fat. Here are particulars about each category of food and the specific daily nutritional breakdown for preschoolers, elementary school children, and teenagers all derived from the U.S.D.A. and Institute of Medicine.

Daily Foods

Vegetables: Opt for bright and dark veggies. Spinach, sweet potatoes, and carrots are great choices. Starchy, whiter foods, such as baking potatoes and corn have lesser nutrients. 

Fruits: Choose vitamin-rich fresh fruits, such as strawberries, peaches, mangoes and apples. Fruit juices should be consumed as little as possible. When offering juice, make sure it is 100 percent real fruit juice with no sugar added. 

Grains: Use whole or multigrain flours, whole-grain breads, oatmeal, whole-grain low-sugar cereals, brown rice, and whole-wheat pasta. Ban white bread and white rice from your house as much as possible.

Meats and Beans: Serve lean proteins every day, such as beef, pork, chicken, fish, beans, tofu, or eggs. When preparing any protein-rich food, opt to serve it steamed, baked or grilled, not fried.

Dairy: Serve lean sources of dairy, such as low-fat milk (check with your doctor to determine whether your child should have whole or reduced-fat milk), low-fat yogurt, ricotta, or cheese. 

Oils: Use healthy oils, such as olive—preferably extra-virgin—safflower and vegetable oils. They provide vitamin E for healthy skin.

Fats and sweets: Limit intake of butter, cream, sugary cereals, soda, candy, and the like as much as possible.

To read more about daily requirements for Preschoolers, Elementary School Students, and Middle and High School Students, click here for a detailed chart. 

Source: Epicurious.com

Excerpt from Real Food for Healthy Kids by Tracey Seaman and Tanya Wenman Steel, © 2008, reprinted by permission of William Morrow/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

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Serving Size: 4 - 6

Ingredients:

Tomato soup

• 1 tbsp canola oil

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, chopped

• 1 small fresh jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 1 28-oz can whole peeled tomatoes, drained

• 1 quart store-bought low-sodium stock

• 1/2 cup light sour cream, plus 2 tablespoons, for garnish

• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Grilled cheese croutons

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

• 4 slices white bread or potato bread

• 4 oz sharp white cheddar, cut into slices

Method:

For the soup: Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add the onion, garlic, jalapeño, salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the tomatoes are soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Whisk in the sour cream and the lime juice and turn off the heat. Blend the soup until smooth with an immersion blender or a regular blender (if using a regular blender, wait for the soup to cool a bit, then hold the blender lid on with a kitchen towel while you puree). Return the soup to the heat on low; don’t let the soup boil, or it will curdle.

For the croutons: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Butter 2 of the bread slices on one side and place 1 slice in the pan, buttered side down. Add enough slices of cheese to cover the bread evenly, then top with the second slice of bread, buttered side up. Brown until golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip over to brown the other side. Remove the sandwich from the pan and let it cool. Repeat with the remaining 2 bread slices and the cheese. Cut the cheese sandwiches into quarters and cut each quarter into quarters again to make cubes 1- to 2-inches wide. Pile all the croutons onto a serving platter.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish each bowl with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Set the platter of croutons where everyone can reach.

TWIST IT

Cilantro croutons: Sprinkle a few whole cilantro leaves — no stems — on top of the cheese before you cover it with the second slice of bread. When you cut the croutons, you’ll see a subtle ribbon of green running through the centre.

Source: (Via Babble.com)

“American Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons” from Cat Cora’s Classics with a Twist by Cat Cora. Copyright ©2010 by Cat Cora. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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I've been on the hunt for healthier breakfast options, ones that will fill the kiddo up and keep him warm for a spell too. He's recently accepted pancakes and waffles (at long last - hallelujah!) so these are definitely coming up soon on the menu.

These waffles can be made ahead of time and frozen - perfect for those necessitated, hurried mornings.  

Ingredients

1 stick butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup fine cornmeal

1/2 cup quinoa flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 tbsp ground ginger

2 ripe bananas (plus more for garnish)

3 eggs, separated

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cup milk

Directions

Preheat your waffle iron. In a small saucepan, melt the stick of butter over medium-low heat and set aside.

Place the egg whites in the bowl of your mixer and beat on high, until the egg whites form stiff peaks. Gently scoop the egg whites out into another bowl. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork, and then whisk in the sugar, eggs yolks, melted butter and milk. Set aside. Next, combine the remaining dry ingredients, flour, cornmeal, quinoa flour, baking powder, salt, and ginger in the bowl of your mixer. When the dry ingredients are combined, fold in the wet, mixing just until combined. Finally, gently fold in the egg whites with a spoon.

Heat the oven to 200 degrees and place a large platter inside. Spoon 1/3 cup per waffle onto your iron, and cook until the waffle is golden brown. Remove the finished waffles to  the oven to warm. Continue until all of the waffles are cooked.

Serve with soft butter, banana slices and warm maple syrup.

Source: Babble Family Kitchen

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I've been compiling my Christmas baking list and came across these adorable mice cookies, perfect for the little ones to help with and devour. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup (175 mL) unsalted butter

1 cup (250 mL) packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

2-1/2 cups (625 mL) all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder

1/2 tsp (2 mL) cinnamon

1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground allspice

1 pinch ground cardamom

1 pinch salt

80 sliced almonds, (about 1/4 cup/50 mL)

40 currants, halved (about 1 tbsp/15 mL)

40 dried chow mein noodles, (about 1/4 cup/50 mL)

Preparation

Line 2 rimless baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. 

In large bowl, beat butter with brown sugar until fluffy; beat in egg and vanilla. In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, cardamom and salt ; stir into butter mixture in 3 additions. 

Form by scant 1 tbsp (15 mL) into egg shapes. Place, 2 inches (5 cm) apart, on prepared pans. Insert 2 almond slices for ears and 2 currant halves for eyes at narrow end. Insert 1 chow mein noodle for tail at wide end. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. 

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until light golden and firm, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 5 minutes. Reinsert almond ears if necessary. Transfer to racks; let cool completely. (Make-ahead: Store in single layers in airtight containers for up to 1 week.) 

Source: Canadian Living

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blueberry-banana smoothie with dates

Dates add an incredibly luscious sweetness when added to smoothies. The sweetest of fruits, they taste sort of like toffee and are loaded with fibre. Be sure to blend well as it takes a slight bit more effort to properly puree/disguise them.

Ingredients:

1 banana 1/2 cup blueberries 1/2 cup plain yogort 1/4 cup vanilla or regular soy milk 8-10 dates, halved

Directions:

Add ingredients to blender or magic bullet, then puree finely.

Serves 2.

[foodfortot]

healthiest mac & cheese

This must be the healthiest Mac & Cheese I've ever made! Over the weekend I whipped up a batch of white beans with kale using a recipe from Epicurious. The bean dish did double-duty when I turned the leftovers into a delicious soup, which I then used to coat the pasta in this dish before disguising it with milk and cheese. The little guy didn't know any better and gobbled it up! I love easy meals like this where you can pretty much provide all the food groups in one dish and add an insane amount of flavour too.

Alternately, you can swirl in some hummus if you don't have a homemade soup on hand - I normally keep hummus in the fridge and add to pasta, eggs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and other kid favourites for a protein/fibre kick. My son wouldn't normally eat hummus or bean soup on its own, but when it's hidden, he always comments on how yummy the food is.

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I'm simmering a pot of this heavenly-smelling soup right now. The munchkin helped me prepare it and is eagerly awaiting lunchtime! Bursting with flavour and vitamin C, this soup makes a lovely accompaniment or can be served as a main meal with whole grain bread.

Ingredients:

4 cups low-sodium vegetable or chicken broth 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped ½ cup red lentils, rinsed well 1 onion, chopped 1 kale leaf, chopped 1 clove garlic, chopped 2 tsp ground cumin
 1½ tsp ground coriander
 1½ tsp chopped fresh gingerroot 1 can (14 oz/398 mL) coconut milk
 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Combine broth, sweet potatoes, lentils, onion, kale, garlic, cumin, coriander, and gingerroot in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

2. Turn down heat and simmer, uncovered, until sweet potato is tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Stir in coconut milk and cilantro and purée until smooth.

Serves:
 6 cups (1.5 L)

Source: SweetMama (via Sprout Right by Lianne Phillipson-Webb. Copyright © 2010)

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Yield: 4

Ingredients

8 ounces of 70% bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup cream cheese

1 tablespoon sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

4 paper or foil muffin cup liners

Directions

Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a small pot of simmering water.

Using a pastry brush or new paintbrush paint chocolate onto the inside of the muffin cups.

Place them in a muffin tin for easier handling.

Paint a thick layer and then refrigerate until it has set hard.

Puree the peanut butter, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a food processor until smooth.

Spoon or pipe into the hardened chocolate cups and then pour a thick layer of the remaining melted chocolate over the top making sure the edges are sealed.

Put back in fridge until the tops have set.

Peel liners off before serving.

Source: Michael Smith, Food Network

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How cute are these mummy hotdogs (and easy too)! Head over to Picky Palates for the recipe and some other neat ideas. 

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(Makes 4 mini pizzas) 1 lb pizza dough (white or whole wheat) 1 cup olive tapenade 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated or shredded 1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. 2. If using prepared dough, leave the dough on the counter until at room temperature. 3. Cut the dough into four equal pieces and using your hands, shape into individual pizza circles. 4. Place on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet and cover each pizza with black olive tapenade. 5. Using the mozzarella cheese, create a “web” on top of the pizza (see picture above). 6. Bake for 15-18 minutes. 7. Serve.

Source: Weelicious

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rice krispy pumpkins

The boy and I made these adorable Rice Krispy pumpkins for his class Halloween party tomorrow. Oddly enough, I've never made Rice Krispy squares before but I imagine the recipe is similar to that. The unique part is to dye the marshmallow mixture with orange jell-o (seems a tad better than food colouring, no? Although admittedly, I added a couple squirts of orange food colouring to enhance the pumpkin colour) and roll into pumpkin-shaped balls.

A Tootsie Roll was used for the stem, and then in a moment of panicked confusion, I rushed out to the store to grab some of those candy spearmint leaves. Of course my husband questioned the green leaves and now I'm more confused ... pumpkins don't actually have green leaves, do they? Although I suppose they might on the vine. Oh whatever, they still look super cute and I'm sure the preschool kids will appreciate the extra candy.

These are a spin off the previously-posted Krispy Apple Treats, originally posted by Gourmet Mom-on-the-Go.

Makes 30

Ingredients:

6 cups Rice Krispies 1 pkg. large marshmallows 3 tbsp butter 1 small pkg. orange Jell-o powder 15 small Tootsie Rolls, halved 15 candy spearmint leaves, halved (optional) Baking spray or 1 tbsp oil Wax paper Orange food coloring (optional)

Directions: Place marshmallows and butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional minute. Remove from microwave and stir in jell-o powder. If desired, you can add a few drops of orange food coloring to make the pumpkins brighter. Add Rice Krispies and stir well. Spray hands with baking spray or dip in small bowl with 1 tbsp oil and roll mixture into balls (a little larger than a golf ball) and drop on wax paper.

After balls have set for a few minutes, use your thumb to press into the top to make an indent. Add a halved Tootsie Roll "stem" and halved spearmint leaf, if using.