Strawberry Banana Smoothie

This dates back to the summer when I first got married. My mother in law made fruit smoothies all the time, and I couldn't get enough!

It's sunny today and strawberries are affordable, so I decided to make some for my son and I today with more fruits and less sugar!

WHAT YOU NEED
2 Naval Oranges (you can substitute 8 oz of OJ)
3 Bananas Peeled and Chopped
10 Strawberries Chopped
1/4 Cup yogurt
1/2 Cup Whipped Cream (or heavy cream whipped)
1/4 Cup of Honey (or a little less)
2 Cups of Milk

LET'S GET STARTED
1. Zest the oranges then squeeze them
2. Mix yogurt, milk and whipped Cream together
3. Blend in in strawberries, bananas, orange juice, zest of the oranges, and honey


Enjoy!!!!

FUN MEAL: Omelet Sandwich with Fries

Everyone that has a child knows how difficult it is to feed them, especially if they are picky eaters. This is not a recipe, but just an idea for all of you who want to make something different. My son stared at this for about 5 minutes before he jumped in, but he did eat it all!!

I cut up some potatoes and fried them. If you want to be a bit healthier, you can bake them, or boil them then sautee in olive oil.

I sauteed some spinach with garlic and onion powder, added in two mixed eggs, salt and pepper to make an omelet.

Using a cookie cutter (You can use a star or any other shape), I cut out a piece of toast, and the omelet. (I ate the rest of the pieces so nothing goes to waste)

Put it all together and top it with some cream cheese!

Good Luck!

Cranberries & Almond Oat Bars

I needed a quick snack for my son, who's slowly turning into a picky eater. At the same time, i didn't want something unhealthy and super sweet, so I looked at many recipes, and fixed up few things, and this is what I got!

This literally took me 5 minutes to make and 25 minutes to bake. Make a bunch and store them in an air tight container for up to a week.

WHAT YOU NEED

1.5 cups of oats
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/4 cup of butter
1/3 cup cranberries
1/3 cup shaved almonds
1 tablespoon of honey


LET'S GET STARTED


1) Pre-heat stove to 375
2) Line a baking pan with greased(pref butter) parchment paper
3) Mix all ingredients together
4) Place the mix in the baking pan and flatten. It should be about 1/4 of an inch high.
5) Bake until browned, about 23-25 minutes
6) Take the pan out, and wait 5 minutes
7) Use a pizza cutter, and cut into squares
8) Let it cool for another 15 minutes before taking it out

Good Luck!!!

HINTS

I first just buttered a pan, but it was very difficult to cut and remove the bars, so I used parchment paper, removed from pan, then sliced it with pizza cutter

Optional Icing: I used juice from cranberries and mixed with powdered sugar until it turned into a thick liquid

Banana Ice Cream for Infants & Toddlers

I found this recipe on 'First Meals & More' by Annabel Karmel, and added few more ingredients. It's SOOO EASY! It is natural and great dessert for kids, especially if they are teething. Did i mention, no sugar added! My son was a little hesitant at first because he never tasted something that cold, but he then just kept eating!

WHAT YOU NEED

1 Banana (per serving)
Yogurt
Heavy Cream (Optional)


LET'S GET STARTED

1) Peel banana, put in Ziploc bag and freeze.
2) Once frozen, cut into small pieces, and place on food processor (or mixer)
3) Add 1 tablespoon of yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.
4) Mix together, and voila!

Homemade Baby Food

When I first introduced solids to my son (around 5 months) It was important for me to be efficient and organized. Although I still use store bought baby food on the go, or when I am too tired to cook, homemade food is always healthier, especially that first year.

WHAT YOU NEED

Blender/Mixer
Steaming Pot
2 Average Size Sweet Potatoes
1 Medium Size Butternut Squash
3 Medium Pears
4 Cloves of Garlic
Ice Trays
Ziploc Bags

Sweet Potatoes

1) Peel and cut into small cubes
2) Put water in pot, and put potatoes and 2 peeled garlic cloves in the steamer until soft for about 30 minutes.
3) Blend vegetables, and add the boiled water slowly until you reach consistency you want.
4) Place the blended mixture in ice cubes.
5) Label 2-3 Ziploc bags with date, and vegetable name.
6) Once frozen, take out the mixture from ice trays, and place them in the Ziploc bag.
7) Each cube is about an ounce. This makes about 20 oz.

Butternut Squash

1) Follow Sweet Potatoes steps 1-6
2) This makes about 22 oz, and my son’s favorite!

Pears

1) Follow Sweet Potatoes Steps 1-6 (but no garlic here!) You may add a pinch of cinnamon.
2) This makes about 12 oz.

When ready to serve, take out as many ounces as you want, and warm it in the microwave, or in a plate over hot water. It is recommended to try one vegetable at a time for about 3-5 days, then you can start mixing the cubes together.