Grilled Pesto Chicken Polenta

I was at the Italian Centre the other day and always love how many gluten free items they carry. Gnocchi and polenta can be hard to find in a gluten free version so I always pick some up when I am there. Usually we bake polenta, but being barbecue season, I thought we would try something a little different. Super simple dinner and lots can be prepared ahead.

To make the pesto, combine the following in a food processor, magic bullet or blender:

• 2 cups basil
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 tomatoe
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup goat cheese

Coat your chicken breasts with the pesto before throwing them on the barbecue. Slice the polenta lengthwise (we ended up with 4 long pieces) and grill on the barbecue with the chicken.  

In a frying pan sauté:

• 2 cups bell pepper
• 2 cups mushroom
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• Pesto to taste

Slice the cooked chicken and place on top of cooked polenta. Top with sautéed veggies and enjoy!

Southwest Salad

Time is precious when both parents work full time and you want to maximize time with your kiddo. That means leftovers, slow cooker meals and food that can be prepped the night before are all staples on the dinner menu. This one bowl meal is bursting with flavour and covers all your food groups quite nicely. 

We had BBQ'd extra chicken and corn on the cob over the weekend to use as leftovers for the start of the week. I decided to go with a variety of grains so cooked up 1/2 cup buckwheat and 1/2 cup millet in 2 cups of water. 

In a large bowl combine: 

• 3/4 cup diced cucumbers
• 1 diced Roma tomato  
• 1 cup corn (I shaved ours off the cob) 
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper and 1/2 cup yellow pepper
• 1 cup blackbeans
• 2 cups chopped chicken
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta  
• cooked grains

Toss well and store in fridge for a quick meal. Top with your favourite salsa, BBQ sauce or dressing. Enjoy! 

Roast Veggie Salad

Dave always makes fun of me because I love vegetables so much (I know...kind of weird but I crave fresh vegetables especially when we are traveling and they are in limited supply and/or not a safe recommendation to eat). Because of this, a lot of salads are made in our house with a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, grains and proteins (depending on the day!) Here is a side salad we had with salmon and rice the other night leftovers make a great lunch the next day.

Quantities will depend on how many people you are cooking for but in a bowl combine:

Spring mix
Chopped roasted red and yellow peppers
Chopped roasted beets
Diced roasted onion
Tomato
Crumbled goat cheese
Diced dates
Shelled edamame
Walnut pieces

Top with balsamic vinegar and enjoy!

Berry Breakfast Mini Loafs

Being Father's Day today, I thought we would try something new and special for breakfast for Dave. For my birthday, I got an awesome mini loaf pan and have made a couple loaves, but have been dreaming up something different for awhile. Thankfully my experiment turned out well this morning or we would have had to go out for breakfast. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  

In a bowl combine: 

• 3/4 cup almond flour (or ground almonds) 
• 2/3 cup quick oats
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• dash of cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix well and press into the bottom of the greased mini loaf tins.  

For layer two combine in a bowl: 

• 1/2 cup cottage cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 mashed banana

Equally divide mixture between the 6 loaves. Sprinkle fresh berries and blueberries on top. Mix together 1/3 cup rolled oats with 2 TBSP apple sauce and crushed walnuts. Crumble on top of fruit. 

Bake in the over for 20 min and serve hot out of the oven topped with a dollop of yogurt or on its own. Enjoy! 

Apple Zucchini Muffins

We like to give Z variety in the food that she eats for both her meals and snacks, so I am always coming up with new things to try in the kitchen. We do have puffs and a couple other snacks for on the go, but I find muffins and squares work just as well (and Z really seems to like them). Although Z loves her fruit and vegetables, if that ever changes, these muffins are a great way to sneak some in.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and in a bowl combine:

• 1 cup shredded apple
• 1 cup shredded zucchini
• 1 cup flour 
• 1/2 cup ancient grains baby cereal (if you are making for older kids or adults just add another cup of flour)
• 1/3 cup quinoa flakes (or oats if that is what you have)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup apple sauce
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• Dash of nutmeg

I used mini muffin tins and poured the batter into greased tins. Bake for 15-17 minutes. Enjoy fresh or freeze to pull out for a tasty snack later. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

We have pancakes pretty much every weekend in our house and to keep them exciting, I am always tweaking and trying something a little new. The sweet potatoes and apples give these pancakes a nice sweet touch without any added sugar.

In a bowl combine:

• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 1 TBSP flaxseed
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup egg whites
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 cup diced apples
• dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves

Pour batter into frying pan and cook until both sides are golden brown. Top with your favorite pancake topping (we had fresh blueberries). These are Z approved (she ate about a third of my pancake)! Enjoy!

Black Bean Cakes

I had some leftover black beans in the fridge and thought it might be fun to change things up for Z and make something a little different than just giving her beans. These little cakes were quick to make and Z loved them. I kept a couple out to use for Z's lunch over two days and froze the rest with a piece of wax paper in between. Depending on how big you make the cakes, this recipe will make 5-6.

Using an immersion blender, food processor or regular blender combine the following:

• 1 egg
• 1 cup black beans
• 2 TBSP salsa
• 1/4 cup quinoa

Once the ingredients are blended together, stir in 1/4 cup bread crumbs. Place mixture in patties on a frying pan and cook until both sides are golden brown. Enjoy!

Raw batter about to be cooked.

Banana Blueberry Breakfast Pizza

Since Z was born we have had a lot of pancakes, eggs and french toast for weekend breakfasts as they are meals that are Z friendly. As Z's eating skills have improved, mom gets to try slightly more complex foods. This breakfast dish was a big hit at our house this weekend. I included nuts in the topping, but pulled them off Z's piece.

Preheat the oven to 350 and in a bowl combine:

• 1/2 cup quinoa flakes (or you can substitute with oats)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup apple sauce

Flatten mixture onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread banana slices on top and then sprinkle with berries. 

For the topping combine:

• 1/3 cup oats
• 1/3 cup crushed walnuts
• 1/3 cup apple sauce 

Crumble on top of fruit and place in the oven for 20 minutes. Cut into slices and serve with a dollop of Greek yogurt on top. Enjoy!

Two Bite Black Bean Cupcakes

I wanted to see if I could make a cupcake without sugar and am happy to report that the attempt was successful! These little cupcakes are not only sugar free but full of fiber and good for you nutrients.

Using a hand mixer (or food processor), combine the following ingredients in a bowl:

1 can black beans (rinsed)
1 ripe banana
3/4 unsweetened apple sauce
1/4 cocoa powder
1 scoop chocolate Vega protein powder
1 TBSP vanilla

Once all the ingredients are combined, stir in 1/4 quinoa flakes and 124 cup chopped pecans.

Pour mixture into greased mini muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees for 20-22 minutes.

I also made a sugar free ‘icing’ for the cupcakes. Again, using a hand mixer combine the following in a bowl:

1 banana
1/2 avocado
3 TBSP cocoa powder
4 TBSP peanut butter
1.5 TBSP vanilla
1.5 tsp lemon juice

If you prefer your cupcakes to be a bit sweeter, you can add 2-4 TBSP of agave to the brownie batter and 1-2 TBSP to the topping. Enjoy!

Pranapple Muffins

When we first started to introduce solids to Z she loved her vegetables and protein, but wasn't a huge fan of fruit or carbohydrates. Fast forward a couple of months and most days Z will at least try just about anything (she now makes it well known when she doesn't like something - she lets it fall out of her mouth). Some days she isn't a huge fan of meat, so when I think she might be a bit low on iron these muffins are great as they have some baby oats mixed in.

In a bowl combine:

• 3/4 cup shredded apple
• 1 banana
• 128 ml prunes
• 1 egg
• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 2 TBSP apple sauce
• 1/2 cup baby oats
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup amaranth flour
• 1 tsp baking powder 
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pour batter into greased mini muffin tin and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 min. Let cool and store fresh to enjoy within a couple of days or freeze for a quick an easy snack. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Baby Birthday Cake

Our mom's group decided it would be fun to throw a first birthday party for the babies before too many moms were back at work. Life myself, many of the moms wanted to wait to give sugar filled cake until the actual first birthday party, so I offered to attempt a baby friendly cake. Luckily the random recipe I concocted in my head turned out quite well and I think the babies enjoyed their first 'cake.'

In a bowl combine:

• 1 cup mashed sweet potato
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Pour batter into a greased 9x9 pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 min. Let cool completely before 'icing.'

To top the cake I made a strawberry topping. Let 2 cups of frozen strawberries thaw and bring both the juice and strawberries to a boil in a pot. Reduce heat and let simmer until the strawberries are reduced and you have a thick jam like consistency. Add one tablespoon of nut butter to the reduced strawberries and once cool, use to top the cake. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Blueberry Bars

I had opened a can of pumpkin puree to make Z some play clay (a taste safe dough that she quite enjoyed poking and playing with) and had some left over so of course decided that meant it was time to bake. Z has not been as crazy about meat as she was a few weeks ago, so I find myself sneaking baby cereal into a few things to make sure that she is getting enough iron. If you are making these for older children (or yourself - I quite enjoyed them!), feel free to substitute the baby cereal with a flour of your choice.

In a bowl combine: 

• 1/3 cup baby oats
• 2/3 cup flour (I used an all purpose gluten free flour as that is what we had in the house)
• 1 cup quick oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup apple sauce
• 2 TBSP almond milk
• 1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 cup blueberries

Press batter into a greased 9x13 cake pan and bake in 350 degree oven for 20-25 minutes. Remove and let cool in pan before cutting into squares. Enjoy fresh or freeze to take out for a quick snack later. Z loves these and will often eat a couple in one sitting. Enjoy!

Chickpea Date Cookies

I have been trying to figure out what ails my stomach, so my doctor suggested I eliminate the main allergens from my diet and slowly add them back in to see if we can pinpoint what I am sensitive to. This has created some interesting challenges in the kitchen, especially when it comes to baking. A lot of my kitchen experiments have been centered around Z these days, so I thought I would take on the challenge of making a tasty cookie, free of eggs, sugar, artificial sweeteners, peanut butter, dairy, gluten and anything else on my list to avoid.

Using a food processor or hand mixer, combine:

• 1 540 ml can of chickpeas
• 1 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 cup apple sauce

Once you have a smooth, hummus like texture mix in by hand:

• 1/4 TBSP cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBSP ground flax seed
• 1/3 cup oats

I split my batter into two bowls to make two variations as I can't eat chocolate right now, but thought that Dave might enjoy them with it added in. Half the batter had 1/4 cup dark chocolate chunks and the other half had 1/4 cup blueberries and 2 TBSP pumpkin seeds.

Place batter onto parchment batter and slightly flatten the cookies. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 18-20 min. Enjoy fresh out of the oven or store in the fridge to enjoy later!

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Chickpea Sweet Potato Poppers

Some days I swear I have more fun trying to think of new food ideas and combinations for Z than trying to feed my husband and I. The lentil squash bites that I posted awhile back were such a big hit for Z (and so convenient to take when you are on the go) that I thought it would be nice to have another variation to mix things up a bit. 

In a bowl combine:

• 1 cup mashed chickpeas
• 1 cup ancient grain baby cereal (or baby cereal of your choice)
• 3/4 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato
• 1/2 cup cooked, mashed beet
• 1 TBSP olive or avocado oil
• 2 TBSP water

Thoroughly mix all ingredients together and form into small bite sized drops. Place on parchment paper and bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 min. Let cool and store in the fridge for use within a day or two, or freeze in baby cubes to pull out for meals/snacks later on. Enjoy!

Creamy Kale Blueberry Banana Smoothie

While Z may not be the best sleeper in the world, she is a great eater and enjoys trying new things. For the most part we try to feed her what we are eating, as we have learned that if we don't, she wants whatever we are having. The other day I was in the mood for a smoothie and I knew that it wouldn't matter what I put in front of Z, she'd want some of mine. This recipe makes a very creamy smoothie that is easy to enjoy with a spoon and is a nice combination of fruits and vegetables. In a blender, magic bullet or other smoothie creating device combine the following:

• 1/2 cup frozen blueberries
• 1/2 cup frozen kale
• 1 banana 
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/2 cup water, almond milk or your favorite liquid

Blend until smooth. This was 100% Z approved (I swear she would have eaten most of it if I would have let her. Enjoy!

Another popular combination in our house is:

• 1/2 cup dark frozen cherries
• 1 banana
• 1/4 avocado
• 1/3 cup cooked beet
• 1 cup arugula, kale, spinach or a combination of all three
• 3/4 - 1 cup liquid of your choice (this makes a spoon-able smoothie - add more liquid for a drinkable one)

This was a relatively clean smoothie afternoon!

Sweet Potato Cookies

The other night I felt like cookies and being slightly limited on the traditional ingredients that I can use to bake at the moment, I had to get creative. These cookies stay soft even after they come out of the oven and given the ingredients can be enjoyed any time of day!

Using a hand mixer or food processor combine:

• 1/2 cup pitted dates
• 1/2 cup almond butter
• 1 medium baked sweet potato (~1 cup)
• 1/2 cup apple sauce

Once the consistency is smooth and all ingredients are blended stir in by hand:

• 1/3 cup oat flour
• 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2 TBSP ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

After tasting the cookies, an option would be to add dark chocolate chunks if you want to splurge a little. 

Using a spoon, place dough onto the cookie sheet (no need to flatten, keep as little mounds). Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 minutes. Enjoy fresh out of the oven or save for later!

Slow Cooker Oats

During the week we are an oatmeal family and most days you will find us enjoying a bowl of oats. For the longest time I have been soaking my oats overnight and finally decided to try oats another way. After a trip to Costco where we purchased a large bag of steel cut oats (nothing like fully committing to enjoying oats this way!), I pulled out the slow cooker and filled it up with the following tasty ingredients:

• 7 cups water
• 1/2 cup millet
• 1.5 cups steel cut oats
• 3 TBSP ground flax seed
• 2 TBSP chia seeds
• 2 TBSP hemp hearts
• 1/2 cup apple sauce
• 2 TBSP avocado oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Stir ingredients together and set slow cooker on low for 8 hours. In the morning you will be greeted with a pot full of warm oats. Top with your favorite fruit, nuts and a splash of milk. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for the following day(s). Enjoy!

Ancient Grain Bites

I have always tried to have a diet containing a wide variety of food and now that Zoey is on solids, I have been diligent to ensure that she has exposure to a wide variety of tastes, smells and textures. I am always trying to find new ways to introduce foods to her (especially now that she prefers diced foods over anything puréed). I have noticed that most baby 'snacks' and foods are rice based and since I have been making the majority of food that Zoey eats, thought it would be best to incorporated a variety of grains to help develop her palate. I made a pot of millet the other day and as always cooked much more than I needed for a day or two so thought I would experiment with some bites for Zoey to enjoy a few types of grains.

In a bowl combine:

• 1 cup cooked millet
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup amaranth flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 mashed banana
• 1/2 cup strained prunes
• 2 TBSP natural peanut butter

Pour batter into a greased (or parchment paper lined 9x9 pan) and bake in 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. Cut into squares to enjoy now or freeze for later. Enjoy!

Lentil Squash Bites

Literally overnight Zoey mastered feeding herself finger foods. She has been able to pinch them for awhile, but wasn't successful transferring them to her mouth and then voila! This new found skill means mom needs to rethink meal time and come up with some creative finger foods. 

These little bites combine a few food groups and were a huge hit with Zoey as they are not only easy to grab, but easy to gum :)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and in a bowl combine:

• 1.5 cups cooked red split lentils
• 3/4 cup cooked & mashed yam
• 1 cup cooked butternut squash
• 1/2 cup baby cereal (I used Baby Gourmet Ancient Grains)
• 2 TBSP avocado oil (or oil of your choice)
• 2 TBSP water
• 1 TBSP apple sauce
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mash all ingredients together. Take a Ziploc bag and cut the corner off. Fill the bag with the mixture and squeeze out bite sized drops onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cook in the oven for 15 minutes. This makes a large batch so I stored some in the fridge for the next couple of days and put the rest into the freezer. Enjoy!

Baby Pancakes

The past couple of weekends I have been making our pancakes baby friendly so that Zoey can enjoy too and she had been loving them. I thought I would try making one just for her, using her baby oatmeal and it was a huge hit!

In a bowl combine:

• 1/4 cup baby oatmeal
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 mashed banana
• 1 tbsp apple sauce
• 2 tbsp water 
• 1/4 tsp baking powder 

Place mixture in frying pan and cook until golden brown on both sides. Depending on your baby’s feeding stage, either cut into small squares or strips and serve. Enjoy!