Soren's Purple Plate

Babies, kids, and parents eat together. Simple, healthy food ideas.

Quick breakfast and tips on buying bread

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I am feeling particularly lazy this morning. Not the time to be lazy when there is Christmas Eve dinner to be prepped and cooked. Maybe Santa will come and cook it for me ?; I’ve been pretty pre-e-e-tty good this year.

I would love to get more time to create some sophisticated recipes which yield delicious unusual meals. Those, I always think to myself, are worthy of a post. But then I looked at my and Soren’s breakfast plate and thought that if I were a busy mom or a not-so-busy mom (if that even exists), then I would want nothing more than a simple, almost a pretend recipe or meal idea. So here is one 60 second breakfast: mildly toast a slice of bread, spread some good quality but butter ( I used almond here) and top it with a ripe pear or an apple.

Despite the time it takes to make, it’s actually a legit healthy breakfast full of the necessary fats and proteins from the nut butter. I buy almond and peanut butter in my health foods store where you grind it yourself. Nothing other than peanuts or almonds goes in it unlike some of the jarred butters. It’s also the cheapest butter! But there are lots of jarred butters that are very good quality too; just check the ingredients to make sure there is nothing sketchy.

As for bread, we avoid most kinds of commercial packaged breads regardless of the benefits they claim they bring you. Most of the time these breads are highly processed and contain dangerous ingredients. If you are interested, here is an article written by FoodBabe on which breads you should stay away from and which ones you should eat. We like the most Ezekiel: it’s made with wheat, barley, millet, lentils, soybeans and spelt. All the ingredients are organic. And we also buy the sprouted spelt bread. Spelt is a grain closely related to wheat but that has a milder nuttier flavor. They say it’s a healthier choice than wheat and unlike wheat, where vital nutritional bran and germ are usually removed during milling, the vital substances of spelt are found in the inner kernel of the grain.

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For babies and toddlers: if your bread is too soft, toast it just so it hardens a little bit. It’s easier to handle with hands that way even for the toothless munchkins.

CORN APPLE PANCAKES made with YOGURT

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Corn Apple Pancakes

Ahh, waking up to a full house of family! A dream (for some ?). I remember when I just moved to the US when I was 20, holidays time was the loneliest time ever. The streets were empty, the driveways crowded with cars, stores closed, and my family was so so far away (in Belarus). I honestly get chills when I think of that time. Now it’s different for me. I feel lucky and blessed.

Whether you are alone or not this holiday week, I hope you will treat yourself to some rest and fun. And maybe your mornings can be filled with some yummy things. Forget healthy. Now is the time to be naughty. Go ahead and pour that Nutella all over your pancakes and make some bacon on the side (my husband is scratching his head wondering where his bacon is ?).

I thought I’d give you an idea for some unusual but very yummy pancakes. They are healthy so please spoil them with some toppings of your choice. ?

I used the corn flour mix from the muffins I made last week. The muffins turned out a touch dry but you certainly can’t say that about these pancakes. I hope you enjoy them.

CORN APPLE PANCAKES made with YOGURT
 
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These corn apple pancakes are made with yogurt as a base. Have them with sour cream or fruit puree. A perfect Sunday breakfast for the whole family.
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Recipe type: Breakfast
Ingredients
  • ½ cup cornmeal
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • .
  • 1 grated apple with skin
  • 1 tbsp of maple syrup
  • 1 cup of yogurt (I used Greek 2% but any will work)
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Mix the dry ingredients first.
  2. In a separate bowl whisk all the wet ingredients together. Now fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Mix until combined but don't over mix.
Now, depending on which yogurt you are using, you will need to adjust the amount of flour you add. My yogurt was pretty thick. If yours is liquid, then add a little more whole wheat flour. The dough should not be too liquidy but you also should not be able to hold it with your hands.
  1. Use a large spoon to drop pancakes onto the pan heated with coconut oil. Pan fry for 2-3 minutes on each side.

 

Beef and Veggie Meatballs

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Beef Veggie Meatballs

I like to experiment with various meatballs. Every time I add something different but always try to keep the ingredients very healthy. I have to say these meatballs came out so delicious that I will try to make them every week. I urge you to try. As with everything I cooked before Soren turned one, I set a portion aside for him and add salt and pepper to the rest of the mixture for me and my husband. Hope you like them.

Serve them with more vegetables on the side. A perfect meal, if you ask me.

 

Beef Veggie Meatballs

 

Beef and Veggie Meatballs
 
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These are easy meatballs packed with nutrition. They can be enjoyed by babies as young as 6-7 months.
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Recipe type: meatballs
Ingredients
  • 1 lb (1.2 kilo) of lean ground beef ( I use grass-fed 85% lean)
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 2-3 celery stalks
  • 2-3 tbsp of pumpkin seeds
  • 1-1.5 large potato (boiled, cooled off and grated)
  • a big bunch of cilantro
  • 1 egg
Instructions
  1. Quarter the onion, roughly chop the celery. Place it in a blender together with pumpkin seeds and cilantro. Pulse for a few seconds until chopped (not too long so it doesn't turn into a puree).
  2. Place ground beef in a large bowl. Add the green mixture from the blender, grated potato and one egg. Mix well (I use hands).
  3. Pan fry. They are a bit more delicate than regular meatballs so treat them with care while pan frying.
  4. TIP FOR BABIES: I brown the meatballs slightly on each side and put them in a pot with a tiny bit of water on the bottom to steam through. Cover the pot with the lid and steam for 5-8 minutes on very low heat. This will endure that the meatballs are evenly cooked through and safe for your baby.

 

Apple – Sweet Potato – Zucchini Pancakes

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Breakfast. Lunch. Dinner. Snack. Travel food. An oldie but a goodie. Super easy to make. These pancakes can be made with a cooked sweet potato (think leftovers) or with raw. If using raw, make sure to finely grate it and squeeze excess liquid.

Apple Zucchini Sweet Potato PancakesApple Zucchini Sweet Potato Pancakes

Apple – Sweet Potato – Zucchini Pancakes
 
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These pancakes are perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack or travel. They take a bit longer to prep but are worth the wait. Enjoy.
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Ingredients
  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 small sweet potato
  • 1 apple
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup oat flour
  • ½ cup semolina flour
Instructions
  1. Grate zucchini and apple on medium grater. Squeeze the juice out with hands.
  2. Grate raw sweet potato on fine grater or mash cooked sweet potato with a fork.
  3. Combine apples, zucchinis, sweet potato and semolina. Let it sit for 20 minutes for the semolina to absorb the moisture and expand.
  4. Beat eggs with a fork and add to the mixture followed by the oat flour. Add salt for babies over 1.
  5. Panfry carefully. Serve with yogurt or sour cream.

 

Salmon Risotto Balls

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I am constantly searching for foods that can be fun for Soren to eat. My family likes stews and ragus, which are delicious and nutrient-filled but require a spoon, are messy to take with us on a trip or if we are going out. These rice balls or risotto balls are so easy for any kind of activity, whether you have a kids’ party at home, need an adult appetizer, traveling, going out or looking for a healthy snack.

These are very easy to make. You can use leftover dinner or make them from scratch.

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Salmon Risotto Balls
 
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These colorful salmon balls are easy to grab for the little hands. Kids love to be independent at a table when given the opportunity. They can be used as a complete dinner for the little munchkins or as an appetizer for the adults. Use last night's dinner leftovers or make from scratch. Enjoy.
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Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooked salmon (I used baked)
  • 2.5 cups cooked arborio rice
  • 4 spring onions
  • 1 cup chopped steamed asparagus
  • 1 tsp of fresh thyme (or dried)
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ tsp of paprika
Instructions
  1. Rub salmon with olive oil and a little lemon juice (lemon juice is optional but nice). Season it with salt (skip for babies under 1), pepper and thyme. Bake salmon at 350F for 12 minutes. Cool. Flake with your hands making sure to remove any bones.
  2. Cook arborio rice. 1.5 cup uncooked rice yields about 2.5 cups of cooked rice. Arborio is a sticky rice and is ideal for this dish.
  3. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl with your hands.You can use asparagus or any other steamed vegetables (peas and/or zucchini would work great too).
  4. Form little round balls and bake for 20 minutes at 350F.