Honey-Curry Dip

It's no secret that kids (and most adults!) like food better that they are able to dip into a tasty sauce. This is a super quick, tangy and slightly sweet dip that works beautifullly with veggies or homemade chicken nuggets for anyone over the age of one. Practically guaranteed to singlehandedly increase vegetable consumption!

Honey-Curry Dip

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (you can use regular but it'll be thin)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or Veganaise)
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tbsp honey

Gently whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Enjoy!


* makes 1/2 cup
* will keep covered tightly in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Recipe Shout Out: Ranch Dip

I made this fabulous and healthier ranch dip from Catherine over at Weelicious using my homemade yogurt. It was easy and delicious and steamed carrot sticks and green beans were gobbled up with this dip. Check it out here!

Baby's Papaya and Raisin Puree

A couple weeks ago I ran into a nearby grocery store to grab a few things quick and I saw a jar of papaya and raisin chutney. It struck me as an unusual combination, so I bought it. It was delicious. I think it stood out to me because I have a tendency to pair tropical fruit with tropical fruit, and temperate fruit with temperate fruit. I guess it makes intuitive sense to me that if they grow together they'll taste good together. This chutney resulted in two things: 1. Teaching me that I have get more adventurous with trying different flavour combinations and 2. This amazing Papaya and Raisin Puree! 

This is another homemade baby food recipe that is suitable for babies from 6 months, as long as they've tried papaya on its own. Papayas are a nutrient powerhouse and they also contain something called papain, which aids digestion -- great for baby's tummy. It also helps relieve constipation, which many babies new to solids suffer from. 

Papaya and Raisin Puree 

1 cup papaya, peeled and chunked
1/4 cup raisins, any variety


Add the raisins to 2 cups of water in a saucepan that has a steamer insert. Leave the insert off for now and bring the water up to a boil over medium heat. Once the water is boiling set on the steamer insert, add the papaya chunks and steam until very tender (ripe papaya is already very soft, this will only take about 2 minutes). 


Once done, take off the heat and transfer papaya to a mini-food processor or blender. Let the raisins sit in the hot water until nice and plump, then transfer to the processor with the papaya. Blend until it reaches baby's favourite consistency, adding some of the steaming liquid if necessary.

Makes 3 baby cubes 


Keeps for 3 days in the fridge or freeze for up to 3 months


* Would also make a tasty dip for French Toast Strips


* This recipe is easily scaled up, but you will likely have leftover papaya as they are usually large. Papaya freezes really well. Cut the whole thing into chunks, place whatever you don't need right away in single layer on a baking sheet and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer bag to have on hand for future use. 


 Variation: Once baby reaches 8 months, swirl in a little full-fat yogurt in this puree.

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese

It was a very busy holiday long weekend and that craziness coupled with some cooking misses, means that I haven't posted anything in quite a few days. I'm tinkering with a couple recipes that aren't quite there yet, but until I get them up to par I thought I would post a recipe for Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese from Cooking for Baby by Lisa Barnes, that has been one of Luc's favourite flavour combinations since he was 9 months old (it isn't recommended for babies under that age). When he was younger he ate it as a baby puree and now it works well as a tasty spread and a dip for the whole family. 

 









  

Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese
- 1 large red pepper
- 1 1/2 oz fresh pasteurized goat cheese (eyeball it)

Preheat the broiler. Line a roasting pan with aluminum foil and place the whole pepper on the pan and roast, turning every 3 minutes or so until evenly charred and blackened all over, about 15 minutes. (I usually roast a couple at once and then use some for pasta, grain salad, etc)

Remove from oven and place in a covered container or bowl with wrap on top so that the trapped steam with loosen the skin. Leave until the pepper has cooled enough to handle. 

Using your fingers, peel off the skin and then cut the pepper lengthwise and remove the stem and seeds. Slice the halves in half again and puree until smooth (a mini food processor is great for this). Spoon in the goat cheese and process with the pepper puree until it is blended and creamy. 

Makes about 1 cup


Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and it actually freezes well for up to a month.

Staple Recipe: Luc's Favourite Tomato Sauce

This is a recipe adapted from The Baby's Table by Brenda Bradshaw and Lauren Bramley and just a fantastic easy recipe for baby. After 10 months of age I tried several tomato sauce recipes and this was by far Luc's favourite and I have been making it regularly ever since. It is extremely versatile and easy to make and can be used on pastina, pasta (by itself or with add-ins), as a dipping sauce, as a tasty puree by adding a little to a pureed vegetable + cheese of your choice, add a little to a stew -- the possibilities are endless. I try to always keep a little frozen in Baby Cubes to have on hand. 


Tomato Sauce

- 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 plump shallot, finely diced
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 cup water
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

In a frying pan, heat olive oil over low heat; saute shallot until translucent. 

Add tomatoes, tomato paste and water; bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and add the basil. Simmer, partially covered for 30 min. stirring occasionally. 

Makes 5ish baby cubes

* some brands of tomato paste are gluten-free, some aren't, if that's a concern