Apple Spice Cake (no sugar, no eggs)

Mommy Rating: ***
Baby Rating: ***

As with any "non traditional" cake, the batter for this cake will not seem "right".
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup molasses
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1-3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp ginger

Directions:

Mix the molasses and applesauce in a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Bake in a nonstick 8 x 8-inch baking pan or one sprayed with a non-stick spray, in a 350° F for 30 to 45 minutes, or until it tests done.

Before

After

The batter may be a bit dry and you may need to add more applesauce or a bit of water. Try adding 1/4 cup of applesauce first then gradually add a bit of water by tablespoon.

Voila!

**Taken from wholesomebabyfood.com**

Pasta with Red Pepper Sauce

Mommy rating: ****
Baby rating: ***

This is super easy to make and its delicious!  This could easily become a family meal.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup pasta (I ended up using about 1 cup because I didn't think this was enough)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small leek, washed and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1/2 small zucchini, chopped
• 4 Tbsp chopped tomatoes, canned without added salt
• 1/4 clove garlic (I used 1 clove)
• 1 tsp chopped parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil (I used both)
• 1 Tbsp grated mild, hard cheese, such as Cheddar

Directions:

Cook the pasta in water, until soft, according to the instructions on the packet.  Drain well.  Heat the oil in a small skillet.  Add the leek and bell pepper and cook for about 5 minutes to soften.   

Add the zucchini, canned tomatoes, garlic, and dried herbs, and simmer gently for 15 minutes. 

Blend to a smooth sauce with hand blender or in a food processor. 

Stir in the cooked pasta and mash witha fork to break the pasta into smaller pieces (not necessary for an older baby).  Stir in grated cheese until it melts (I will do this before serving).

*Taken from The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children*

Roasted red pepper & goat cheese puree

Mommy Rating: ****
Baby Rating: ** (He couldn't decide if he liked it, but he didn't put up a fuss.)

This recipe would be great served on crackers for adults!

Ingredients:

• red bell pepper (1 large)
• pasteurized fresh goat cheese (1 1/2 oz)

Directions:

Preheat broiler. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil. Place whole pepper on pan and roat, turning every 3 minutes, until evenly charred and blackened on all sides, 12-15 minutes.

Remove pan from over, put pepper in a covered container, and let sit until cool enough to handle. (The steam inside the container will loosen the skin.)

Using your fingers or a paring knife (this was easier), peel off skin.

Cut pepper in half lengthwise and remove seeds and stem. Cut halves in half again lengthwise and puree in a food processor until smooth. Additional liquid will not be needed. Spoon goat cheese into processor and process with pepper puree until well blended and creamy.

*Take from Cooking for Baby*

Pasta with lentils

Mommy rating: ***
Baby rating: ****

This recipe could be a dish for the whole family!
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup lentils, rinsed
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1/2 small zucchini, diced
• 1/2 orange or green bell pepper, cored, deseeded, and diced
• 4 small button mushrooms, well washed and chopped
• 7oz canned, chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp diced mixed herbs
• black pepper to taste
• 1 cup pasta spirals
• grated cheese for topping (optional)

Directions:

Place the lentiles in a saucepan and add water to cover them.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.

Heat the oil in a skillet and add the onion, garlic, zucchini, bell pepper, and mushrooms.  Stir-fry for 5-10 minutes. 

Add the chopped tomatoes, herbs and pepper.  Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.  Drain the lentiles and puree or mash them. 

Stir into the sauce.   

Cook pasta according to instructions on the packet.  Mash into the lentil sauce. 

Serve sprinkled with grated cheese (optional).

*Taken from The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers & Children*

Roasted Vegetable Sticks

Ingredients:

• 1 small beet
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/4 celeriac
• 1 small parsnip
• 1 small potato
• 1/2 red or yellow bell pepper
• 1/2 small sweet potato
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2-3 Tbsp olive oil for brushing

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350*F.
• Peel all the vegetables (except the bell pepper) and cut all except the parsnip and sweet potato into the size of thick fries about 2in long.
• Make parsnip and sweet potato slightly larger.
• Wash bell pepper well, deseed them, and cut them into stripes about 1/2in wide.
• Stire the ground cumin into the oil.  Brush some oil onto a baking sheet and heat in the over for 2-3 minutes until hot.
• Plce the vegetable sticks on the baking sheet and brush each all over with oil.
• Return to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes until tender.
• When cooked, place stick on paper towels to cool and absorb any excess oil.

*Taken from The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers, & Children*

Sweet potato, chickpea and cauliflower mash

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 small sweet potato
• 8 small cauliflower florets

Directions:

• If cooking your own chickpeas, soak them overnight in cold water.  Drain and rinse them in fresh water.  Place them in a saucepan, cover with water, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for about 1 hour until the chickpeas are soft.  If using canned chickpeas, drain them well.  Puree with a little water as needed.
• Meanwhile, steam the sweet potato and cauliflower for about 15 minutes until tender.
• Mash the vegetables and mix in with the pureed chickpeas.

*Taken from The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers, & Children*

Spinach Dahl

Ingredients:

• red lentils (1/2 cup, rinsed and drained)
• Basmati or long grain rice (2 Tbsp, rinsed and drained)
• red bell pepper (1/2, cored, deseeded, and sliced)
• olive oil (1 tsp)
• pinch ground cumin
• pinch ground coriander
• pinch mixed herbs
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 2 Tbsp cammed tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

• Place lentils, rice, red bell pepper, oil, spices, herbs, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes until rice is tender.
• Take out 2 slices of red bell pepper.  Stire in the spinach and tomatoes and cook for a further 2-3 minutes, until spinach had wilted.
• Mash with a fork.  Serve with the 2 slices of bell pepper as finger food.

*Taken from The Big Book of Recipes for Babies, Toddlers, & Children*

Squah & Quinoa Pilaf

Ingredients:

• quinoa (1/2 cup)
• extra-virgin olive oil (2 Tbsp)
• baby's stock or water (1 1/2 cups)
• summer squashes or zucchini (2 small, coursely shredded)
• ground cumin (1/2 tsp)

Directions:

• In a saucepan, toss quinoa in 1 Tbsp of oil to coat.  Add stock and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to low, cover and summer for 20 minutes.  Quinoa will be translucent.
• While quinoa is cooking, in a small frying pan over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil.  Add squash and cumin and saute until tender, 3-5 minutes.
• Remove quinoa from heat.  Add squash to quinoa and mix thoroughly before serving.

*Taken from Cooking for Baby*

Millet & Zucchini Medley

Ingredients:

• millet (1/2 cup)
• zucchini puree (1/3 cup)
• apple puree (2 Tbsp)
• fresh basil (1/4 cup, finely chopped)

Directions:

• In a saucepan over high heat, bring 2 cups water to boil.  Add millet, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until water is absorbed, 35-45 minutes.
• Fluff with a fork.  You should have about 2 cups cooked millet.  Divide millet evenly between 2 containers and refigerate or freeze half for later use.  Stir zucchini and apple purees into remaining millet, let cool, and stire in basil just before serving.

*Taken from Cooking for Baby*

Asparagus "Risotto"

Ingredients:

• Arborio rice (1/2 cup)
• Baby's Stock or water (1 cup)
• extra-virgin olive oil or unsalted butter (1 tsp)
• fresh tarragon (2 tsp minced) - can substitute with margoram
• asparagus puree (1/3-2/3 cup)

Directions:

• Put rice, stock and oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook stirring once, until liquid has been absorbed and rice is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat, stire in tarragon, and let stand, covered for 10 minutes.  Fluff rice with fork, stire in asparagus puree.

*Taken from Cooking for Baby*

Barley & Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• pearl barley (1/2 cup)
• unsalted butter (1 Tbsp)
• garlic (1 clove, minced)
• cremini mushrooms (2 cups, finally chopped)
• Baby's Stock (1 cup)
• salt (1/4 tsp)
• pepper (1/8 tsp)
• thyme (1/8 tsp)

Directions:

• In a dry saucepan over mediam heat, toast barley, stirring often, until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.
• In same saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.  Add garlic and cook until aromatic, about 1 minute.  Stir in mushrooms and cook until they relase their liquid and become tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in barley, stock, 1/3 cup water, salt, pepper, and thyme.  Bring to a buil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until barley is tender, 30-35 minutes.

*Taken from Cooking for Baby*

Baby's Stock

Ingredients:

• asparagus (6 spears)
• leek (1 large, cut into chunks)
• sweet potato (1/2 peeled and cut into chunks)

Directions:

• Put 4 cups cold water in a medium pot.  Add aspargus, leek and sweet potato and bring to a boil over high head.  Reduce heat to maintin a gentle simmer, and cover pot.  Simmer until vegetavles are very soft and cooking liquid is lightly flavored and colors, about 1 hour.
• Strain the broth through a sieve, reserving vegetables.  The vegetables can be pureed or mashed for baby.  Serve stock lukewarm in a cup or bottle, or use in other recupies.

*Taken from Cooking for Baby*