Arroz con Pollo

This is a really yummy dish that can also be enjoyed by the entire family. Although the traditional arroz con pollo typically calls for a whole chicken and beer, it can be adapted to be more "baby friendly."

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped in bite sized pieces
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tomato, chopped
3 garlic cloves
1/2 C green peas
1 C rice
2-3C chicken broth
1/4 t saffron threads
Salt
Pepper
2 T olive oil

Heat olive oil in a large pot and brown chicken. Remove chicken and set aside on a paper towel. Using a mortar and pestle, crush garlic along with a dash of salt and pepper. Add green peppers, red peppers, onions, and garlic paste to the pot and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add chicken, rice, tomato, chicken broth, and saffron threads and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer until the rice is cooked through. Add chicken broth as needed. When the rice is almost cooked through, add the frozen peas and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Serve.

Easy Creamed Spinach

I am always looking for dishes that the entire family can enjoy. This is a simplified creamed spinach recipe that does not compromise on taste. I served this dish with a few fish sticks for dinner, and my little one LOVED it. If the fish sticks are too chunky for your little one, you can cut them up and mix them directly into the spinach dish.

10 oz organic baby spinach
1 T butter
1/2 T flour
1/4 C whole milk

Seasoning to taste:
Nutmeg
Salt
Pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. When the butter is fully melted, add flour and whisk into a paste. Add milk and spinach and combine. Cover and let simmer over low heat for a few minutes or until the spinach is completely wilted. Remove from heat, add a dash of nutmeg, salt and pepper to baby's preferred taste, mix, cover and let stand for an addition 5 minutes.

Alphabet Pasta with Meat and Vegetable Sauce

This is one of my bambino's favorite dishes. I'm not sure if it's the sauce or the pasta that he goes crazy for, but it doesn't matter. This is also one of my favorite dishes to serve baby, as it combines many of the essential food groups in a single dish - veggies, protein and carbs. I chose zucchini and squash for the vegetables in this sauce, as they become rather mushy after cooking. Feel free to experiment with other veggies, such as red/green bell peppers and eggplant. Or for a power veggie packed sauce, add these to the list!

Ingredients
1 small onion
3 cloves garlic
1 italian zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 lb ground beef
2 14 oz cans of chopped tomatoes
1 6 oz can of tomato paste
1/4 t each of oregano, basil, and thyme
salt and peper to taste

Eden Organic Alphabet Pasta or small star pasta
Grated parmesean cheese

Dice the onion and garlic and saute in olive oil over medium heat for a few minutes until tender.
Dice the italian zucchini and yellow squash and add to the onion/garlic mixture with the oregano, basil and thyme. Saute until tender and remove from heat.

In a large deep pan, heat 2 T olive oil and add the ground beef. Cook until brown and break into small pieces using a wooden spoon. When the beef is fully cooked and browned, add the chopped tomatoes and the tomato paste, season with salt and pepper, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables to the beef mixture, cover, and allow to simmer for an additional 5-8 minutes.

Cook pasta according to instructions. Add desired amount of sauce over a serving of pasta. Sprinke with parmesean cheese and serve!

Approximately 16-24 servings. Freeze the remaining sauce in serving size portions.

NOTE: While any small pasta shapes will work well with this sauce, the Eden brand is the only one that I could find that is both whole grain and organic.

Introduction to My Baby Gourmet

One need only cruise down the baby food aisle of the supermarket to realize that the options for baby food are severly limited. Most pureed baby foods have been manufactured under such high heat to ensure sterility that much of the flavor, texture and even the colors have faded. Baby's first introduction to the world of solid food deserves much more than the glop that you find in jars or cans.

Making your own baby food is surprisingly simple. It is also a wonderful opportunity to learn about your baby's unique preferences. And there is nothing more rewarding than seeing your baby open wide for the next morsel of homemade goodness.

My Baby Gourmet is intended to help busy mothers find easy and practical solutions for feeding baby. I hope that you will find it useful!