Tag Archives: kid-friendly recipes

Butternut Squash Hash Browns (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free)

Posted on April 11, 2012 | 6 Comments

Spring is here (sort of) and I’m posting about squash, a winter vegetable.  I guess this just goes to show you how slow things are moving around here with two kids.  I’ve had this recipe sitting on my computer for a few months now.  Better late than never I say, and as luck would have it our farmer’s market has seen a new crop of butternut squash the past few weeks so you may still be able to find them at your local market.

Our family food routine has seen more than a few changes in the past 6 months between the birth of our daughter, Caroline, and also the birth of my husband’s obsession with low carb diets.  I swear some days I feel like I’m high on postpartum  hormones when I walk into the kitchen and find my husband digging in the fridge for a protein snack (to balance his blood sugar he says) before his morning cup of coffee.  Huh? He never used to eat before drinking coffee… no matter how much I lectured him. :)   On top of that, our house has smelled like bacon for the past 2 months straight.  Not that I don’t love a good piece of bacon from time to time, but at this point I’m seriously considering my life as a vegan.

Honestly, I don’t disagree with my husband’s new found love of all things bacon protein.  Like any diligent Virgo, he’s done a lot of research on the matter (here and here for starters).  And you know I’m a big fan of blood sugar control, so most days we’re on the same page.  It’s fun to have him speaking my nutrition language.  However, it’s not so fun when he tells me I have to read this amazing article because it will change my life….only to find that I sent him the same AMAZING article 6 months earlier and it went unread.  Nice, honey.

I’m trying to support him by experimenting with Paleo-friendly recipes and in general we are eating more vegetables than we did before.  And I can’t lie, the man is looking good.

There’s only one tiiiiiiiiiiny problem.

I don’t have much time to cook these days.  Both kids demand a lot of attention so I have to meal plan efficiently and cook at the speed of light.  My son loves carbs despite my best efforts to encourage balanced meals.  My husband loves veggies and protein.  So the other night I tried to please both of them by whipping up a batch of butternut squash hash browns (with the beloved bacon!).  Turns out my husband wouldn’t touch them due to the carb content and my 3 1/2 year old wouldn’t touch them because he’s an insane 3 1/2 year old.

So I told them both I was finished trying to please so many different dietary preferences and I ate them all by myself.  And let me tell you these are good, good, good.  I’ve made them 3 times since then and I don’t have to share with anyone.

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Hash Browns

Ingredients:

one butternut squash, peeled and shredded in food processor

1/2 onion, finely chopped or shredded

pork or turkey bacon (5-6 strips)

1 tablespoon coconut oil

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or more to taste

1/2-1 teaspoon of salt, or more, to taste

5-6 drops of fresh lemon

Directions:

In a frying pan, heat the oil and add bacon.  Fry bacon until cooked through (4 minutes, or so, per side) and remove to a separate plate.  Keep the bacon grease in the pan.  DO NOT REMOVE THE GREASE!  Your taste buds will thank you later!

Add onion to pan and cook 5 minutes until tender.

Add squash to pan, along with spices and and saute for 20 minutes or so, until done. Add maple syrup and stir to combine.

Taste.

Add 5 drops of lemon.

Taste again.

Add more salt, syrup, lemon…whatever it needs until it is perfect.

Crumble bacon on top and enjoy.

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Protein Cookies (Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

Posted on November 22, 2011 | 1 Comment

Where oh where has Kula Mama gone???

Well… Kula Baby is now a big brother!  We welcomed his little sister about 6 weeks ago.   I’ve re-entered the world of frequent feedings, diapers changes, swaddling, and cat napping to salvage some semblance of sanity.  I don’t think I’m faking the sanity part very well yet.  She’s cute as a button though, so that makes up for lack of sleep on most days :)

Cooking has become a weekend luxury, at least for the moment.   Last Sunday we had a rainy, rainy day here in California.  So instead of visiting the farmer’s market and running errands all day, we found ourselves at home with an open calendar.  My husband took over Kula Baby duty and I slipped little sister into the ergo and started cooking.  These “cookies” are pretty tasty.  In my mind they are as good as any protein bar out there (depending on the amount of chocolate chips you include–I went light on them).

The Kula Mama website will pick up again after the new year.  I have some exciting new projects I’m working on: photography, recipes, and a Green23 project I hope you will really like (and hopefully you will join the project too!).  I can’t wait to reconnect with everyone!

Protein Cookies

(adapted from GF Oatmeal Cookie recipe from Trader Joes)

1/4 cup coconut oil (unrefined, organic)

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup maple syrup

3 cups GF oats

1/4 cup chocolate chip cookies (use dairy-free if needed, you can also use dried fruit here instead)

1/4 cup chia seeds (or any seed or chopped nut)

1/4 cup sunflower seeds (or any seed or chopped nut)

2 eggs (or egg replacer–I used ground flaxseeds and water)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup almond butter (or any nut butter you choose)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl combine maple syrup and coconut oil until creamy.  Add eggs, vanilla and baking soda.  Mix well.  Add almond butter and stir.  Finally stir in the oats, seeds and chocolate chips.  Place a spoonful of batter on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes.  Depending on size this recipe will yield 20-40 cookies (mine were pretty big and I ended up with 24).

2 days later we are down to 4 cookies.  Scary.

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Apple Zucchini Muffins (Gluten-free, Dairy-free)

Posted on September 15, 2011 | 6 Comments

I pride myself on staying true to my Idaho roots, so when September rolls around I am officially ready for fall.  I crave pumpkin, butternut squash, apple, cinnamon, sweet potatoes…anything that reminds me of my favorite time of year.  The problem is—I now live in California and in California, the month of September brings beach weather (for me and Kula Baby) and good surfing (for my husband).  We’ve had some of the best beach days of the entire summer lately but I’m ignoring them.  O.K., I’m not totally ignoring them… we do head to the beach each day for a lovely afternoon, but once we step indoors I revert back to my fall season make-believe by popping a batch of muffins into the oven.

These muffins are a great way to use up your summer squash while still tasting the flavors of fall with cinnamon and nutmeg spices.  I was inspired by the Maple Spice Muffins in Jessica Seinfeld’s Double Delicious cookbook, however, I changed many of the ingredients.  As always, I substituted gluten-free and dairy-free ingredients, but these substitutions are not necessary if you can tolerate gluten and dairy.

Apple Zucchini Muffins (makes 12)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unrefined, organic coconut oil (great for the brain!)

1/2 cup maple syrup

1 (6oz) cup of dairy-free vanilla yogurt (I used coconut milk yogurt)

1 large egg

1 medium-sized zucchini, grated (I used my trusty food processor to speed the grating process)

1 small apple, grated

2 cups of gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Redmill GF baking mix)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup chia seeds (optional, but I love them)

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

A dash or two of nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cups.

In a large bowl combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, egg, yogurt, zucchini and apple.

In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients-flour, baking soda, baking powder, chia seeds, salt and spices.

Sprinkle the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and combine.  Do not over mix.

Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to one month.

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Make-Your-Own Quinoa Salad

Posted on August 31, 2011 | Comments Off

Quinoa is a staple in our house.  It’s high in protein and takes less than 20 minutes to make–a mother’s dream.  We use it as a breakfast cereal in the morning and in place of rice at dinner.  Yeah, we sound like quinoa addicts and I’m not ashamed to admit it :)

I think the best thing about quinoa is its versatility.  You can use it for almost anything.  Lately I’ve been making a lot of salads for lunch using quinoa and whatever is in my fridge at the moment.  The recipe below is not one I can claim as my own, but I’m addicted to it and need to share!  We visited friends in San Francisco a few weeks ago and my dear friend Amy made this salad to welcome us after a LONG drive in the car.  Isn’t she the best friend ever?

There are a few staples in my quinoa salads (quinoa, lemon/olive oil dressing, legumes) but the veggies change almost daily depending on what’s in season.  I didn’t list exact measurements in the recipe below because it really depends on your own personal preference.  Enjoy!

Make-Your-Own Quinoa Salad

2 cups cooked quinoa (1 part dry quinoa, 2 parts veggie broth.  Bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer for 20 minutes until broth is absorbed.  For added flavor throw is a teaspoon of butter too.)

Artichoke hearts (I like the marinated kind from Trader Joes)

1 can garbanzo beans (use Eden Organic to avoid BPA in the can)

Feta cheese

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Peas (only if they are fresh from the farmer’s market, otherwise skip them :) )

Dressing:

1 part lemon juice

2 parts olive oil

thyme (dried or fresh)

salt to taste

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Quick and Easy Broccoli Soup (Gluten-free)

Posted on July 20, 2011 | Comments Off

It seems odd to post a broccoli soup recipe in the middle of summer, but I hear it’s pretty cold in Seattle these days so this one is for all you mamas turning the heat on at night :)

We had a head of broccoli that NEEDED to be used tonight so I decided to whip up a batch of this soup.  I make this soup frequently, especially when I feel like Kula Baby needs an extra veggie boost.  We use coconut milk instead of regular milk and it makes the soup taste so yummy.  Kula Baby gobbles this stuff right up.  It takes about 10 minutes to make–you can’t beat it!

Quick and Easy Broccoli Soup (Gluten-free)

2 medium heads of broccoli, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

2 teaspoon butter (or you can use olive oil instead, but butter gives an extra yummy flavor)

3-4 cups milk or milk substitute (we use coconut milk)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place broccoli in steamer (we use a pan and metal steamer basket for all our steamed veggies to make it easy) and steam until slightly tender but not over done.

While broccoli is steaming, get out a saute pan and saute butter, garlic and onion until tender.  Add milk and broccoli to pan and heat through.

In a blender (I used my NEW handy Vitamix, oh my how I love this thing), add the parmesan cheese and the broccoli mixture from stove.  Blend until smooth.  Transfer back to stove and taste.  Add salt and pepper.  Add more milk if a thinner consistency is needed (or if you like a thicker soup add a tablespoon of flour).

Enjoy!

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Energy Bites (Dairy-free, Gluten-free)

Posted on March 22, 2011 | Comments Off

Our pantry has been bare the last couple of weeks.  Kula Baby’s been surviving on rice bread and almond butter at snack time because I’ve been too lazy to whip up something better.  The problem is he always eats rice bread and almond butter so he really doesn’t provide me with any incentive to branch out!  My son is a true Virgo, he loves routine.  Of course I know better than to feed him the same thing every day so it’s time to get cracking in the kitchen Kula Mama!

We usually have these energy bites in the pantry or freezer.  Everyone loves them (including my husband) and they provide all the essential makings of a good snack: carbohydrate, healthy fat and protein.  These are blood sugar-friendly and oh so yummy!

Energy Bites

1/3 cup whole-grain gluten-free flour (Pamela’s Baking Mix, Rice Flour, Quinoa Flour, etc) (You can also use regular flour if you don’t want them gluten-free)

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup Sucanat or light brown sugar

1 1/2 cups toasted walnuts (can also use pecans, hazelnuts or almonds), chopped

1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries

12 Medjool dates (approx 1 cup chopped dates), pits removed and chopped (or figs)

1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoon water) (You may also use a real egg if you don’t want them vegan)

1 tablespoon rice milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325F.

Line a square pan (8 or 9 inch) with parchment paper.

In a small bowl mix together the flax egg and set aside.

Chop and toast the walnuts for 8-9 minutes at 250 degrees. Remove from oven and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the walnuts and dried fruit. Make sure all ingredients are fully mixed.

Mix the vanilla into the flax egg after it has thickened up after about 10 minutes.

Add the flax egg mixture and the 1 tablespoon rice milk to the fruit and nut mixture and mix well. Spread into the pan, pressing with fingers to even it out.

Bake for about 33-35 minutes at 325.

Remove bars from pan by lifting parchment paper.  Allow it to cool on wire rack for 30 minutes (you can even stick this in the freezer for 10 minutes to really let it set).  Using a sharp knife, cut into bite sized pieces.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.ohsheglows.com

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Veggie Lo Mein

Posted on February 23, 2011 | Comments Off

I’ve been playing the role of a single parent the past few nights while my husband racks up frequent flier miles for work.  He rests his head each night in a Weston Heavenly Bed, while I try to hold down the fort with a 2 and 1/2 year old who constantly wonders WHY, WHY, WHY Mommy????!!!  I have to put Kula Baby to bed early just to give my voice a rest from all the EXPLAINING I’m doing lately.

The good news is that my husband only has 2-3 busy travel months a year.  These nights also give me the opportunity to prove that a single mom can cook for her toddler each night and keep her sanity.

Well, honestly I can’t vouch for the sanity part…but my kid’s been eating home cooked meals all week!

I put this Veggie Lo Mein together in under 30 minutes.  Yes, I had to plan ahead and have turkey bacon ready in the fridge, but planning comes with the territory when you are cooking each night.  Planning saves time and I love saving time during the dinner hour!

Veggie Lo Mein

1 box of rice noodles (spaghetti style) (you can use regular noodles too)

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/2 cup sweet potato puree (scoop out potato and mix with 2 tbsp milk)

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely chopped cauliflower

4 strips of organic turkey bacon

Directions:

Cook noodles according to package directions and set aside.

In a bowl mix: chicken broth, sweet potato puree, tamari, water, maple syrup, sesame oil, cornstarch.

In a skillet over medium heat, place olive oil and strips of bacon and cook a few minutes per side until done.  Set aside and chop into small pieces.

Put cauliflower in pan along with the leftover bacon oil.  Stir fry until slightly tender (4 minutes).  Add noodles and tamari sauce mixture.  Reduce heat to low and cook 1 to 2 minutes more, stirring well until sauce thickens and noodles are coated.  Add extra chicken broth if it’s too thick.  Top with cooked bacon and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.  Serve immediately.

Recipe adapted from Double Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld


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Tortilla Soup (Gluten-free)

Posted on February 8, 2011 | Comments Off

Kula Baby has a cookbook he adores.  It’s called: C is for Cooking.  Can you guess who makes it?  Yes, the Sesame Street chefs put out a pretty cool publication.  We reference it often.  Kula Baby actually likes to “read” this cookbook like a regular bedtime story.  Food obsessions start early in our home.

The photo of tortilla soup was particularly intriguing to Kula Baby over the weekend.  The corn, the perfectly chopped avocado, oh my!  I decided to make my own version after skimming many recipes and coming up empty  (I didn’t have any peppers so I needed a recipe that would work with me and didn’t find one).  We were feeling like vegetarians last weekend so I opted against shredded chicken, however, chicken would be a great ingredient to add.  As you know, when my husband tells me to write it down we know it’s a keeper!  This recipe allows you to “hide” veggies as well by blending the broth so it’s a great nutritional booster.

Tortilla Soup (serves 2 adults and one small eater)

5 small roma tomatoes

1/2 onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped finely

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

1/2 cup corn

1/2 cup avocado, cubed

2 cups chicken broth (or more if needed)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt, to taste

2 tablespoon butter to saute vegetables

1 rice tortilla (or regular flour will work too)

grated cheese and chopped cilantro for topping

spritz of lemon

Directions:

Saute butter, onion and garlic in a saute pan for 5 minutes until slightly tender.  Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for 5-7 min.  Add spices, 2 cups of broth and simmer until carrots are tender and tomatoes are falling apart (about 15 minutes).  Remove from heat and place in blender.

Blend soup mixture until smooth.  Return to pan.  Add 1/2 cup of corn and stir.  Taste soup.  Add salt, lemon, etc. as desired.

Spread the tortilla with butter and place in a toaster oven or regular oven and broil until crispy (2 minutes).  Sprinkle with salt and chop into small squares.

Serve soup in bowls topped with tortilla, cheese, avocado and cilantro.  Enjoy!

**Add shredded chicken to this soup for another variation.

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Chicken Croquettes (Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free)

Posted on February 2, 2011 | Comments Off

If there is one thing that really gets me fired up, it’s paying for overpriced organic “kid” food when I know I can make it myself.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the convenience of pre-made food when I’m in a bind.  We keep our freezer stocked with a few options just in case I get tired of cooking (yes, it happens).  But I don’t like paying nearly 7 dollars for a box of frozen organic chicken fingers at Whole Foods when half the time Kula Baby doesn’t even like them.  He likes the idea of crunchy chicken fingers but the taste is often lacking in pre-made, store-bought varieties.

Who else hates the name chicken fingers?

So gross.

The other night I was inspired to create my own “chicken fingers” but I refuse to call them chicken fingers so my husband named them…CHICKEN CROQUETTES!

Both of my men LOVED them.  Kula Baby requested them for days and was elated I was serving him something he could dip in ketchup.  It’s the simple joys in life for a 2-year-old.  Crunchy chicken croquettes and ketchup.  Yum.

Chicken Croquettes

Ingredients:

1 breast organic chicken, cooked (bake covered at 375 degrees for 45 min, season with salt and pepper and put 1/4 cup veggie broth in bottom of dish.)

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 small/medium red potatoes, peeled and sliced thinly

1 tablespoon butter (optional–this adds dairy)

1/4 cup rice milk

1 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (I use rice chex made by Health Valley to keep these gluten-free.  Just put them in a ziploc bag and smash them up.  Kula Baby usually handles the smashing part for me.)

4 tablespoons gluten-free flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1/8 teaspoon each: paprika, chili powder, garlic powder

1 dash of hot sauce (I used the trader joe’s variety, this is optional)

Directions:

Steam the sliced potatoes in a steamer basket for 10 minutes until soft and set aside.

Slice up the cooked chicken and place it in the food processor.  Pulse for a few minutes to shred the chicken.  Add 1 cup of rice, potatoes, 1/4 cup rice milk, salt, clove of garlic, spices, hot sauce, baking powder and flour.  Blend until you have a nice chunky mixture working.

Place mixture in large bowl.

Add 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (you can add more if your mixture seems too thin but remember it will thicken up a bit as it sits).  Add the remaining cup of rice and stir to combine.  (NOTE: If your child is sensitive to texture you may choose to blend the second cup of rice instead.)

Let mixture stand for 5 minutes.  It will thicken as you wait.

In a small bowl place the remaining breadcrumbs.

Form small ball of the chicken mixture with your hands.  Roll the ball in breadcrumbs to coat.  Place on greased cookie sheet.  Repeat until all the mixture is used.

I sprayed my croquettes with olive oil spray before putting them in the oven.  This helps them bake up golden brown.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.

Dip in ketchup or another sauce of your choosing.

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Simple Hummus

Posted on January 27, 2011 | Comments Off

I am a hummus addict.

For real.

Not a day goes by that I don’t dip a veggie or spread a cracker with this delectable treat.  Early in Kula Baby’s culinary adventures, I learned to use hummus as a protein source for any snack involving his beloved cracker.  For a period of time Kula Baby would eat ANYTHING covered in hummus. ANYTHING!

Now that my son is a bit older, he enjoys making this hummus with me.  I let him run the food processor—he thinks it’s the best job ever.  The key to this recipe is the toasted sesame seeds.  It takes only 2-3 minutes to roast the seeds and the flavor is SO much better than regular hummus!  Don’t be alarmed by the steps in this recipe—once you get them down you can literally make this in 15 minutes once the beans are cooked.

Enjoy!

Simple Hummus

(adapted from a Jennifer Lange recipe in the Kidz Culinary Academy Coobook.)

1 cup dry garbanzo beans, soaked overnight (makes about 2 cups cooked)

2 cups organic vegetable broth

1 cup filtered water

1 inch square of kombu (Found in any health food store.  Get a package and keep it in your pantry for easy access!)

7 cloves of garlic, peeled, sliced

5 tablespoons of sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sea salt (or more to taste)

Juice of one lemon (this is about 2-3 tablespoons)

1/2 cup olive oil (or more!)

Directions:

Bring veggie broth and water to a boil and add garbanzo beans (after they have been soaked overnight).  Turn burner down to simmer and add kombu.  Simmer for 1-1.5 hours until beans are soft.  Remove from heat, strain (reserve at least a cup of broth).  NOTE:  You can use canned beans if you don’t have time to soak but you’re missing out on some awesome nutrients with canned goods (not to mention the BPA lining in most canned foods is less than ideal) so try to use fresh beans when possible.

Let the beans cool (I run them under cool water when I’m in a hurry)

Get out a skillet.  Place sesame seeds in pan and dry roast them over medium heat for a few minutes until they start popping (don’t leave them alone or they might burn!).  Place sesame seeds in a grinder and blend.  Set the seeds aside.  I use my husband’s coffee grinder (don’t tell him!).  I simply wipe out grinder with dry paper towel, blend seeds and wipe clean again.  Easy.

Now return to your pan on the stove.  Put 2 tablespoons of olive oil in pan and saute the slices of garlic until soft and cooked slightly.  Turn off burner and set aside.

Putting it all together:

In a food processor or blender combine: beans, ground sesame seeds, lemon juice, oil and garlic (from your pan on stove).  While the motor is running pour a little more olive oil and broth/water to bean mixture if it’s too thick.  Add salt to taste.  I add a dash of paprika to my hummus too.

Optional variation:  Sneak some flax oil into this recipe for some omega-3 fats!

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