There's nothing quite like soup. When I went back to work between my babies, I often made soup on a Sunday afternoon or evening. It makes a great lunch to pack and a great way to get some vegetables into my toddler son! This recipe is my mom's. She knows that I love this butternut squash soup, and would often have it ready on the stove when I would come home from university for a weekend.
On a recent trip to the States, I came across "The Vegucated Family Table" by Marisa Miller Wolfson and Laura Delhauer. Though not a vegan myself, I was intrigued by the book's focus on recipes for babies, kids, and toddlers and the emphasis on using natural sweeteners and creatively incorporating highly nutritious ingredients. I discovered while on maternity leave with my son, that I actually love cooking from a cookbook. There's something refreshingly simple about have one recipe in front of you and not having 1000 to choose from through your Google. So I bought the book and have been making my way through it, trying different recipes, adapting and making modifications and adjustments as I do, and having little J-man and his dad as my taste-testers! J-man now has a learning tower and loves to "help" me in the kitchen which has been a lot of fun. He loves standing at the counter in his little stool and playing with whatever objects are within his reach. Today his tower was positioned beside the sink while I made a pot of soup and he entertained himself by dropping everything he could get his hands on into the sink then asking for them back when he had nothing left to drop!
Growing up my mom made the best pancakes. She still does. They are crispy around the edges, just savoury enough, and fluffy without being too thick. When we go to visit for the weekend, I often ask her to make them. My little guy loves pancakes too - so much so that he regularly wakes up demanding pancakes or waffles for breakfast! Loving pancakes myself, I am happy to oblige. They can be a great way to add in healthy fats and fiber and pair perfectly with plain high-fat yogurt and fresh berries for a well-rounded toddler breakfast.
This simple breakfast casserole has become a go-to in our home. I love oatmeal and this is a great way to make a large batch that the whole family can enjoy. This dish has the wonderful warmth of cinnamon and apples and using blackberries or blueberries adds a fresh burst of flavour. I love this dish so much it has become a bit of a holiday tradition - a special breakfast we've enjoyed on Christmas morning for the past few years, but also simple enough to enjoy on a Saturday morning, or even a Monday morning - if I'm feeling ambitious and awake early enough! The dish does take a little bit of time to bake so it's perfect for a holiday morning or those slower weekend mornings.
Keeping little ones away from sugar-laden desserts and treats can be a big challenge. There's also a little big of guilt that comes with not letting my toddler son enjoy ice cream or cake at family get-togethers. But I shouldn't feel guilty - after all, there's no nutritional value to sugar, so I'm not withholding anything good from him. But who doesn't love a little sweet treat??
This easy homemade pizza sauce is perfect for your next pizza night. It's sugar-free, full of flavor, and only takes a few minutes to prepare. A great option for those avoiding added sugars!
Who doesn't love pizza? Especially when it's fresh and homemade! Kids and toddlers often love pizza - but conventional pizza, frozen pizza, or take-out pizza is usually greasy, carb-heavy, and not very nutritious. But it doesn't have to be!
As I mentioned in my first blog post, this healthy classic banana muffin recipe was the first recipe I created on my own. I love the result! These banana muffins are the perfect healthy spin on the classic recipe. An easy-to-follow recipe with pantry staples, these can be quickly whipped up to ensure a healthy snack or breakfast option is on-hand that the whole family can enjoy and feel good about. The recipe is dairy-free, naturally-sweetened, and refined sugar-free. Not to mention, the recipe can be easily adapted to cater to gluten-free diets! Enjoy!
My own journey to health and healthy-living began well before I became a mom. But now that I've got two little ones at home to nurture and care for, my motivation to keep them, my husband, and myself healthy is even stronger. But it's hard to rely on good intentions, and many of us can feel overwhelmed by the multitude of sources at our disposal, not to mention conflicting information about what is or isn't healthy. That's where Baby Bakes comes in! Baby Bakes is my attempt to clear away some of that clutter when it comes to nutrition and healthy eating, providing research-based information on nutrition while also documenting my own forays into the kitchen, providing you with tried-and-true recipes for delicious and nutritious toddler-friendly baking and family meals.
