Butternut Squash Quinoa with Pancetta, Sage and Pine Nuts for the Whole Family

As I mentioned in my previous post, once autumn hits I am always on the hunt for winter squash recipes. I found this recipe in the February 2011 Bon Appetit magazine (yes I hold on to cooking magazines for a really long time ha!).  I changed a few things from the original recipe to make it more kid friendly, and a little healthier. This recipe is for little ones 10+ months who are ready for finger food and Mommies and Daddies of all ages. You can also puree this for little ones 8+ months.

Here's what you need for 4 to 6 servings:
1 medium size butternut squash peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 tbsp fresh sage, finely chopped
1 medium size onion finely chopped
1 1/2 cups organic quinoa
1 1/2 cups organic chicken broth
3/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Shaved parmesan cheese (to put on top at end)
4 oz diced pancetta cooked crisply
Olive oil
salt

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the squash and season with a little salt and saute until it begins to brown, stirring often (approx 5 minutes).  Reduce heat to medium, and add the chopped sage, cook until squash is tender, about 8 minutes. Remove to plate and wipe skillet clean. While squash is cooking put quinoa in pot with 1 cup water and 1 1/2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low or simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Heat 2 tsp olive oil, in same large skillet that was used for squash, over medium high heat. Add chopped onions and a pinch or 2 of salt and saute until onions are tender and beginning to brown (approx 5 or 6 minutes). Add cooked quinoa, grated parmesan, pine nuts and pancetta to onions in skillet and toss. Cook for 2 minutes, add squash and season with a little salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Cook for a few more minutes and then transfer quinoa to a large serving bowl. Top with shaved parmesan, serve and enjoy! If you are pureeing, place your little one's portion (4 to 5 oz) into a food processor and add water until you get the desired texture.

Butternut Squash Stuffed Meatballs for the Whole Family

I'm pretty sure I have mentioned in the past how much I love autumn. I get so excited when I start to see pumpkins and other squash in the grocery stores. I immediately start to brainstorm new recipes I can cook with them, and this is one those recipes I thought up. As you probably can tell from the multiple types of meatball recipes on my blog, my family loves meatballs, so here's another one. These meatballs are a tad sweeter than your average meatball, and are so yummy. They are fall wrapped up in one tiny bite! These meatballs are stuffed with butternut squash, spinach, and flax meal. Served alone, or with pasta, this is a delicious and healthy meal your whole family can enjoy starting at 10+ months.

Here's what you need for 4 to 6 servings:

1 lb lean ground turkey meat

1 cup butternut squash cut into 1 inch cubes

Handful organic baby spinach

1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tbsp flax meal

Handful pine nuts

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp ground sage

1 egg beaten

1 tsp salt

Ground pepper

1 1/2 jars salt free organic marinara

Olive oil

Put butternut squash and spinach in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Mix turkey, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, flax meal, pine nuts, nutmeg, and sage in a large mixing bowl. Add butternut squash and spinach mixture to mixing bowl. Add beaten egg and salt and pepper. Mix together and then form into small balls. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium high heat. Add meatballs and cook until golden brown on the outside flipping so all sides get cooked (approx 5 to 7 minutes). While meatballs are cooking heat the marinara sauce in a medium to large covered pot and let simmer. Add cooked meatballs to the sauce pot and let simmer for 5 to 10 more minutes. Let cool and serve alone or with your choice of pasta. Make sure to cut your little one's portion up into bite size pieces. Enjoy!

Let me know what you think. I love to hear from my readers :)

Finger Food: Turkey with Butternut Squash, Avocado and Smashed Peas

This is what my son had for lunch yesterday. It's full of vitamins A and C, iron, protein, and other essential minerals for your little one. I also managed to sneak a few veggies into the turkey meat, just like with the turkey meatballs. This is for little ones 9+ months.

I forgot to take a pic before, so here's the after shot :)

Here's what you'll need:
1/4 lb ground turkey meat
1 tblsp minced organic garbanzo beans (I use canned organic garbanzos. Rinse thoroughly)
1 tbslp minced organic broccoli florets
1/2 organic avocado diced
1 tblsp cooked organic peas smashed (I used frozen peas. Steam in microwave for 2-3 minutes and then smash)
1/4 cup diced organic butternut squash

Saute turkey, minced garbanzos, and minced broccoli with olive oil in a small skillet. Steam diced butternut squash in a microwave safe bowl for 5-8 minutes. Make sure the squash is very soft. It should almost mash when you pick it up. Dice avocado, smash cooked peas, and then put all ingredients right on high chair tray. Make sure it is not too hot for your little one. Serve and enjoy!

Rainbow Chard Butternut Squash and Pea Puree

I introduced chard this past week, and surprisingly my little guy likes it. Chard is a super food for babies. It's full of iron. folate and fiber. Mix it with butternut squash and peas, and you have a mixture that's full of iron, folate, fiber, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

Here's what you'll need:

1 oz cooked rainbow chard puree

2 oz cooked butternut squash puree

1 oz cooked pea puree

Saute rainbow chard with olive oil until wilted, and then puree with filtered water. Peel and cut butternut squash into cubes and steam for aprox 8 minutes. Mash or puree with filtered water. If using fresh peas steam in microwave safe steamer for 10-12 minutes, then puree with filtered water. If using frozen peas, cook with a little water in a microwave safe bowl for 5 minutes, then puree. Mix all ingredients together, serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Mac-N-Cheese for Baby

I got this idea when I saw Tyler Florence's Sprout Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese combination in the grocery store. It sounded like a really yummy mixture, so I decided to try to make my own version. This is a very chunky puree. It's kind of half puree, half finger food. You can serve this as a finger food, but it would be very messy. This is for babies 9+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1/4 cup whole wheat macaroni
2 oz cooked butternut squash mashed (peel and cut into cubes, steam in microwave for 10 minutes)
1 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use canned organic garbanzos. Rinse thoroughly and puree with filtered water)
1 tsp grated cheddar cheese
1 tsp grated Parmesan cheese
pinch of ground nutmeg
pinch of onion powder

Bring water to boil in a small pot. Add macaroni and cook according to package.  When macaroni is cooked, drain, and chop into bite size pieces. Mix mashed butternut squash and garbanzo puree in a small bowl. Add cheddar, parmesan, nutmeg, and onion powder. Add macaroni and mix until blended. Serve and enjoy!

Green Eggs with Cherry Tomatoes and Cheddar Cheese

I've been playing around with different types of scrambles for my little one, and came up with this one this morning. I've been trying to think of a way to ensure that my little one gets the most bang for his buck out of each bite, considering half of it always ends up on the floor. So, I decided to puree some veggies and mix them right in with the egg batter and then scramble, hence "green" eggs. After investigating the eggs for a minute, my little guy dug right in! This recipe is for babies 8+ months.

Here's what you'll need:
1 oz cooked butternut squash puree (steam then puree)
1 oz cooked broccoli puree (steam then puree, or saute with olive oil then puree)
1/2 oz or 1 small spoonful of mashed avocado
1 egg
pinch of parsley
2 cherry tomatoes quartered
1/4 cup bite size pieces of cheddar cheese

In a small bowl, mix butternut squash puree, broccoli puree, mashed avocado. Add beaten egg to puree mixture and stir until blended. Heat a small skillet over med heat, add a tiny bit of olive oil if you like. Pour egg and veggie mixture to the skillet add a pinch of parsley and cook. When eggs are finished put on a plate to cool for a minute. Cut up tomatoes and cheddar cheese and add them to cooled eggs. Serve right on high chair tray and enjoy!

Turkey Spinach Butternut Squash Puree with a side of Plum Tomatoes

I've been trying to find different ways to cut down the bitter taste of spinach for my little one. I usually mix spinach with other veggies and then pear to improve the flavor, but tonight I tried it with turkey and butternut squash. And to my delight my son loved it. This is for babies 9+ months

Here's what you need:
1 oz cooked pureed spinach (you can steam then puree, or saute with olive oil then puree)
1 oz cooked pureed chopped tukey (saute and then puree with filtered water)
2 oz cooked pureed butternut squash (steam then puree with filtered water)
pinch of grated parmesan cheese

Mix together, serve, and enjoy :)

Plum tomato finger food:
 I also decided to cut up a few small plum tomatoes into quarters and give them to my little one after he finished the puree. You can also use quartered cherry or grape tomatoes. Just make sure you cut them into bite size pieces.

What are your favorite finger foods?

Butternut Squash, Peas, Garbanzo beans, and Avocado Puree

I gave this puree to my little guy when he was around 7 months, and it's still one of his favorites. This puree is full of iron, protein, vitamin A and Vitamin C.

1 oz cooked butternut squash pureed (you can bake or steam the squash and then scoop out the flesh, or cut into pieces and steam then puree)
1 oz cooked pea puree (I steam and then puree)
1 oz garbanzo bean puree (I use organic canned garbanzos which is totally safe. Just make sure you really rinse them before pureeing with filtered water)
1 oz avocado pureed or mashed
pinch oregano

Mix all together, serve and enjoy :)

Pasta with Butternut Squash Chicken and Sage

This is one of my go to meals for me and my husband (I will post that recipe next). I decided to change it a little to make it appropriate for our little guy.

This can be served as finger food or as a puree.

1/4 cup whole wheat spiral pasta
2-3 oz cooked butternut squash
1 oz chicken or turkey
1 teaspoon sage
Pinch of cinnamon
Grated Parmesan

In a small pot bring water to boil, then add pasta. Sauté chicken or turkey with a little olive oil in a pan, and then cut into bite size pieces, or puree. Steam butternut squash, and then cut into soft tiny pieces, or puree. When pasta is done, drain, and then cut into bite size pieces, or puree. Put pasta, chicken, and butternut squash into a bowl. Add sage, cinnamon, and parmesan and mix together. Serve as finger food, or puree ingredients together and enjoy!

I Love Hummus!

Garbanzo beans are a great source of protein and iron for your baby, and great if you're a little scared to try meat right away. Here are a few recipes with legumes that my little guy loves:

Butternut squash hummus:
1-2 oz pureed garbanzo beans ( I use organic canned garbanzos. Put them in a strainer or salad spinner and rinse thorougly to get all the salt that they are canned in off before pureeing)
1-2 oz cooked pureed butternut squash (I steam and then puree)

Split pea hummus:
1-2 oz split pea puree (simmer dried split peas for 20 minutes in a covered pot. Use 3 cups of water for every 1 cup of dried split peas)
1-2 oz garbanzo bean puree

Sweet pea hummus:
1-2 oz cooked pureed sweet peas (I steam and then puree)
1-2 oz garbanzo bean puree

Mommy and Daddy Hummus:
1 can organic garbanzo beans
olive oil
2-3 oz butternut squash puree
1/4 cup pine nuts
1 tablespoon italian seasoning

Puree garbanzo beans and half of the pine nuts continuously adding oil until you get the texture you like (about 1/3 cup oil give or take). Once garbanzos are pureed stir in butternut squash puree, remaining pine nuts and italian seasoning. Serve with multigrain pita chips or warm multigrain naan and enjoy!