Cream of Millet Weaning Cereal
Toasted Whole Grain Baby Cereal
Soaked Whole Grain Baby Porridge
Steel-Cut Oats with Dates & Cinnamon
Sunny Coconut Millet with Peaches
Strawberry Jam & Almond Butter–Filled Mochi
Sprouted Essene Bread & Butter with Nectarines
Scrambled Tofu & Pepper Breakfast Burrito
Like some wives on the TV show Mad Men, my mom seemed to subsist on coffee and cigarettes. I can’t remember her eating breakfast, just sitting with legs crossed sipping coffee and smoking. Maybe that’s why as a child I was a disinterested breakfast eater. Instead of coffee, my cup was filled with astronaut-endorsed Tang. Most mornings, I was nagged politely to “just eat a few bites” of Cheerios swimming in milk or buttered cinnamon toast. As the time to walk to school grew closer, my mother would sigh as she looked at the barely touched food and say, “You better get going.”
I had the same apathy about lunch and dinner, depending on what was served. Partly I was holding out for candy to appease my relentless sugar cravings. Mostly I was fortifying my image as the pickiest of all picky eaters. Once I was labeled as such, I felt I had to play the role. Color me stubborn.
Imagine my surprise when my own child dove into breakfast each morning with gusto. Maybe it was because my husband and I were enjoying breakfast? Or that I had never thought, let alone spoke, of her as being “picky”? Who knows.
The real takeaway here is hope. Though I was a sick-too-often, gangly child who wouldn’t eat, I survived to become a healthy adult. And I grew up to be a cooking teacher and a cookbook author—imagine that! By the time I was approaching high school, my appetite kicked in, my need to be the pickiest eater turned off, and I tried all kinds of once-shunned foods.
If your child has no passion for breakfast, keep the faith. Do your best to resist rolling your eyes or using the “P” word. Pull a stool to the stove where you and your child can gaze at a twirling egg as it poaches. Have your child find the peach with the rosiest blush at the store. You never know who or what might flip the breakfast switch on.
Even if baby’s first foods are fruits and vegetables, at some point you will want to introduce complex carbohydrates for more calories. A thin homemade cereal, made from a benign grain like millet, is perfect. To aid the digestion of the grain, soaking is essential. This tricks the grain into thinking it is being called upon to sprout, which releases enzymes. Grinding the grain and adding a dot of digestive herbs further enhance its digestibility.
PREPARATION TIME:
8 to 10 hours (for soaking); 15 minutes (for cooking)
MAKES 2 CUPS
2 cups water, divided
½ cup millet
2 tablespoons breast milk or formula with probiotics, divided
3 whole fennel or cumin seeds
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
Fresh fruit, yogurt, or maple syrup (optional)
1 In the bowl of a blender, put 1 cup of the water, the millet, 1 tablespoon of the breast milk, and the fennel seeds. Cover and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator. The good bacteria in the milk, along with the soaking time, help begin initial breakdown and digestion of the grain.
2 In the morning, turn the blender on high to completely pulverize the grain in the liquid. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the millet mixture, the remaining 1 cup water, and the salt and bring it to an active simmer. Reduce the heat to low immediately, stir well with a whisk, and cover. Let the cereal cook for about 10 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture thickens.
3 Let it cool until just warm. Prepare a small bowl with a few tablespoons of cereal and the remaining 1 tablespoon breast milk stirred in (for the familiar taste). Put the remaining cereal in a separate bowl for the caregiver and dress with fresh fruit, yogurt, or maple syrup.
4 Enjoy warm morning cereal together.
Making your own baby cereal is nutritious, economical, and quite delicious. The grains listed below were chosen because they are the least allergenic and the easiest to digest. The grain is also toasted for better digestibility and flavor. For babies just starting solids, the cereal should be the consistency of soup. Make the consistency thicker as baby gets older. I hesitate to call this “baby cereal” because this cereal is for everyone!
PREPARATION TIME:
8 to 15 minutes (for toasting); 5 to 12 minutes (for cooking)
MAKES 1 CUP DRY CEREAL MIX OR 4 ADULT-SIZE SERVINGS
Choose one:
1 cup short-grain brown rice
1 cup millet
1 cup quinoa
1 cup sweet brown rice
Sea salt
1 In a fine mesh strainer, put the grain, then rinse and drain.
2 To toast the grain in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread the grain on dry baking sheet and toast in the oven until it gives off a nutty aroma, 12 to 15 minutes.
3 Alternatively, you can toast the grain on the stovetop: in a large skillet over medium heat, put the grains and toast, stirring constantly, until the grains are dry and give off nutty aroma, 5 to 8 minutes.
4 Let the grains cool and store them in a labeled, sealed container. You can toast a big batch of several different grains at one time and store them in separate jars. This will keep baby and family stocked with ready-to-make cereal for many moons.
5 For maximum nutrition, in a small electric grinder or blender, grind the amount of grain that you’ll be using into a powder just prior to cooking.
6 For a baby-size portion of cereal, in a small pot over medium heat, mix together 2 to 3 tablespoons of the ground grain, ½ to ¾ cup of water, and a pinch of salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until a porridge-like consistency is achieved, about 5 minutes.
7 For four adult-size portions of cereal, in a small pot over medium heat, mix together 1 cup of the ground grain, 3 to 4 cups of water, and ½ teaspoon salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until a porridge-like consistency is achieved, 10 to 12 minutes.
Soaking opens up tough grains and saves cooking time. As your child gets older, you can use a higher ratio of yogurt to water. Be sure to buy high-quality yogurt with active cultures and forgo brands that add nonfat milk solids to thicken the product. Add fresh fruit and toasted nuts to porridge for older children and parents.
PREPARATION TIME:
8 to 12 hours (for soaking); 15 minutes (for cooking)
MAKES 2 ADULT-SIZE SERVINGS OR 6 TO 8 BABY-SIZE SERVINGS
½ cup millet or short-grain brown rice
½ to 2 teaspoons plain whole milk yogurt
1 cup water
Pinch of sea salt
1 Put the millet in a blender. In a small bowl, dilute the yogurt in the water. (Use ½ teaspoon of yogurt for babies 6 to 10 months; for older babies you can use a bit more.) Cover the millet with the yogurt water and let it sit in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.
2 In the morning, in the blender, puree the millet and liquid until smooth. Add more water if necessary to get a porridge-like consistency.
3 In a 1-quart pan over high heat, put the millet mixture and the salt and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
These grains meld to make a creamy cereal with an earthy flavor. Amaranth, which was grown by the Aztecs, has an impressive nutritional profile, high in protein and calcium. The grain’s appearance resembles tiny yellow, brown, and black seeds and has a flavor similar to unsweetened graham crackers. Serve with maple syrup, yogurt, or nuts on top.
PREPARATION TIME:
15 to 20 minutes (for toasting); 15 minutes (for cooking)
MAKES 5½ CUPS DRY CEREAL MIX OR 27 SERVINGS
1 cup hulled barley
1 cup millet
1 cup whole oats
½ cup sesame seeds
1 cup polenta
1 cup amaranth
3 cups water
⅓ cup raisins
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 In a fine mesh strainer, put the barley, millet, oats, and sesame seeds; rinse and drain. In a large bowl, combine the grain mixture, polenta, and amaranth.
2 To toast in the oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread grain mixture on a dry baking sheet and toast until it gives off a nutty aroma, 12 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can toast the grain on the stovetop: in a large skillet over medium heat, place the grain mixture, stirring constantly, until it gives off nutty aroma, 5 to 8 minutes. Let the grain mixture cool. Store the cereal mixture in a sealed container, where it will keep for 1 to 2 months.
3 To make the cereal, in a small electric grinder or blender, grind the cereal mixture. In a small pan over medium-high heat, combine the ground cereal, water, raisins, salt, and butter, stirring constantly as you bring to boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring frequently, until a porridge-like consistency is achieved, 10 to 15 minutes.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Toast 1 cup of millet separately and use the toasted millet to make Toasted Whole Grain Baby Cereal.
Steel-cut oats, sometimes called Irish oatmeal, have a heartier flavor and a chewier texture than rolled oats. Serve this oat cereal with sliced apples and Tamari-Roasted Cashews.
PREPARATION TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS
3 cups water
1 cup steel-cut oats
4 pitted dates, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 In a 2-quart pan over high heat, put all of the ingredients. Stir briefly and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Alternatively, soak the oats in a 2-quart pan with the water for 8 to 12 hours or overnight. In the morning, add the dates, butter, cinnamon, and salt, bring to boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Puree the cooked cereal briefly before serving.
Whole oat groats that have been heated until soft and pressed flat are called rolled oats. Old-fashioned oats (as opposed to “quick-cooking” oats) are less processed and have more flavor.
PREPARATION TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES 2½ TO 3 CUPS
3 cups water
1 cup rolled oats
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 In a 2-quart pan over medium-high heat, add the water, oats, and salt. Bring the pan to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all the water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir and serve immediately.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Creamy oatmeal made from rolled oats is a fine food for weaning infants. To make sure the porridge is thin, run some of it through the blender before giving it to baby.
One summer day for breakfast we added ripe peaches to millet, and the combination became a favorite. As the season of fresh fruit unfolds, shift to apricots, pears, or plums.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
¾ cup millet
1 peach (or other seasonal fruit), sliced
1 cup water
1 cup whole milk (or milk alternative)
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 In a fine mesh strainer, put the millet, rinse, and drain. In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, combine the millet, peaches, water, milk, butter, salt, and nutmeg and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until all water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Remove some cooked millet, puree, and serve.
Muesli, prepared the night before, proves handy for camping trips and hurried breakfasts. Soaking and not cooking the rolled oats gives them a chewier texture.
PREPARATION TIME:
5 minutes; 6 to 8 hours (for soaking)
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
2 cups rolled oats or rolled barley (or a mixture)
⅓ cup hazelnuts, chopped
⅓ cup raisins
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon orange zest
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from 2 oranges)
Sliced pears or apples, for topping (optional)
Plain or vanilla yogurt, for topping (optional)
1 In a large bowl, place the oats, hazelnuts, raisins, cinnamon, and salt. Pour the boiling water over the mixture and stir. Add the zest and juice to oat mixture and stir again. Cover the bowl with a plate or cloth and allow the moisture to soften the oats for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. It will be ready when you wake up! To serve, in a bowl, place your desired amount of muesli and top with the pears and yogurt.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Top the muesli with fresh fruit. Steam some apple or pear slices until soft. Puree and serve.
We can’t live without a jar of this at the ready. Sure, it makes a delightful breakfast, but this crunchy mix often poses as a snack, even a dessert, in our house.
PREPARATION TIME:
70 minutes
MAKES 8 CUPS
3½ cups rolled oats
¾ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup pumpkin seeds
¾ cup almonds, coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
½ cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2 In a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, combine the oats, seeds, almonds, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt and mix well.
3 In small pan over low heat, melt the butter, then add the maple syrup and nut butter and stir or whisk to blend. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the extracts.
4 Slowly pour the wet ingredients over oat mixture, using a spatula to fold and evenly coat the oat mixture.
5 Spread the mixture into a baking dish (with a lip) or a shallow roasting pan and bake until the granola is dry and golden, about 45 minutes, turning the granola every 15 or 20 minutes so that it toasts evenly. Turn the oven off and leave the pan in the oven as it cools. This will add crispness to the cereal.
6 Store the finished granola in an airtight jar where it will keep for 2 weeks.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Use some of the rolled oats to make your baby a bowl of warm oatmeal (see recipe).
Jeff Basom was the chef for Bastyr University’s renowned cafeteria for over a decade. I wouldn’t know half of what I know about whole foods cooking, including this yummy method of pancaking potatoes, had it not been for Jeff’s tutelage. Serve with Homemade Applesauce and cultured sour cream.
PREPARATION TIME:
1 hour
MAKES 12 LATKES
3 medium baking potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup unbleached flour
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon high-heat vegetable oil, such as safflower or peanut, for frying
1 Bring an 8-quart pot filled with water to boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and 1 teaspoon of the salt to the boiling water and boil until they are nearly done—when pierced with a fork, the center will still feel slightly undercooked—6 to 8 minutes.
2 Cool the potatoes until you can easily handle them. Peel, then grate on the largest holes of a box grater. You should have 4 to 5 cups of grated potato. Put them in a large bowl and set aside.
3 In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter then onions and sauté until the onions turn golden, about 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and slowly stir in the flour.
4 Add the onion-flour mixture to the grated potatoes. Mix in the remaining 1 teaspoon salt a little at a time to taste. Add the pepper. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Fold the eggs into the potato mixture until even. With your hands, form the mixture into twelve 3- to 4-inch patties.
5 In a large skillet over medium to high heat, heat the oil. Fry the patties on both sides, until a deep golden-brown crust forms, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. (Do not crowd the pan; you may need to cook the latkes in batches.)
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: These latkes are delightful served with Homemade Applesauce, which can be served to baby.
Peaches are ripe in late summer, which is the appropriate time to forgo a warm breakfast and dive into something cooling!
PREPARATION TIME:
5 to 7 minutes
MAKES 3 CUPS
2 medium to large peaches, sliced (about 1 cup)
1 medium banana
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach leaves
½ cup whole milk Greek vanilla yogurt
2 whole pitted dates
1 cup (12 to 14) ice cubes
¼ to ½ cup water
1 In a blender, place the peaches, banana, spinach, yogurt, dates, ice, and ¼ cup of the water and blend on high speed. Check for desired consistency. Add more water if you prefer it a little thinner.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: What could be nicer than some ripe peach given a ride in the blender?
Mochi is made from sweet brown rice that has been cooked, pounded into a paste, and then compressed into dense bars. When broken into squares and baked, it puffs up like a cream puff and gets gooey inside. Mochi comes plain or in several flavors; cinnamon-raisin mochi is the breakfast favorite at our home. Children love this warm chewy breakfast treat.
PREPARATION TIME:
15 minutes
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
1 (12-ounce) block mochi, cut into 2-inch squares
6 teaspoons Old-Fashioned Strawberry-Honey Jam
6 teaspoons almond butter
1 Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2 Put the mochi on a lightly buttered baking sheet and bake until the mochi puffs up, 10 to 12 minutes.
3 Remove the baking sheet from oven and let the mochi cool for a few minutes. Make a slice on one side of each mochi square and slip 1 teaspoon each of jam and almond butter inside each square. Serve immediately.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Mochi is a little too sticky and chewy for a mouth with few teeth. Make some baby cereal out of sweet brown rice (see Toasted Whole Grain Baby Cereal) so you can both benefit from this unique type of rice.
The Essenes were a sect of monks from early Biblical times who prepared sweet, moist, flourless bread by slow-baking sprouted wheat. Some who struggle with wheat flour products find the sprouted version A-OK. Look for Essene bread or sprouted bread in the refrigerated or frozen food section at your natural foods store.
PREPARATION TIME:
12 to 15 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
4 one-inch slices Essene bread
2 teaspoons salted butter
4 nectarines, sliced
1 Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2 Put the bread slices on a dry baking sheet and warm them in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes. (Alternatively, if your toaster has wide slots, you can use it to warm the bread.)
3 Butter the warm bread and serve with the nectarines.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Puree the nectarine slices with a little water and serve.
Using this nice variety of whole grains creates hearty hot cakes or waffles. If you need to make your pancakes gluten-free, substitute the barley and whole wheat flour with one of these gluten-free flour mixes.
PREPARATION TIME:
10 minutes
MAKES 6 CUPS
2 cups barley or Kamut flour
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup buckwheat flour
1 cup cornmeal
3 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 In a large bowl, stir together all the ingredients. Store the mix in an airtight container in the refrigerator, where it will last for 2 to 3 months.
Buttermilk, a cultured dairy product, adds a rich, slightly sour flavor to baked goods. For a dairy-free version, substitute soy, rice, or nut milk with one tablespoon lemon juice added to it. One-half cup water stirred into one-half cup yogurt also works as a buttermilk substitute. These pancakes get silly-good with Strawberry-Blueberry Sauce for Pancakes and Waffles.
PREPARATION TIME:
25 to 30 minutes
MAKES 10 PANCAKES
1 egg
1½ cups Pantry Pancake Mix
1 cup buttermilk
½ cup water
High-heat vegetable oil, such as safflower or peanut, for the griddle
1 medium ripe banana, thinly sliced
1 Separate the egg; put the egg white in one bowl and the yolk in another. Whip the egg white until stiff peaks form. Set aside.
2 In the second bowl, combine the egg yolk, pancake mix, buttermilk, and water. Using a whisk or electric mixer, mix thoroughly. Add the whipped egg white to the batter and gently fold it in.
3 Heat a griddle to medium high and coat the surface with small amount of the oil. Pour ¼ cup of the batter onto the griddle to form each 5-inch pancake. Lay the banana slices on the top surface of each sizzling pancake. Cook for about 1 minute. When tiny bubbles form and the edges of the pancakes firm up, flip them with a spatula and cook the other side for 1 more minute. The pancake should be freckled brown. Repeat with the remaining batter.
4 Keep the cooked pancakes in a warm oven until ready to serve.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some ripe banana. Mash and serve.
VARIATION FOR CHILDREN: Put the batter in a squeeze bottle and squeeze the batter onto the griddle in shapes such as letters, numbers, or animals.
This unique pancake has no flour or wheat but uses highly digestible soaked whole grains. A former student, Ronit Gourarie, adapted this recipe and routinely served these beauties to her son, Ben, every Friday. Homemade Applesauce) or Strawberry-Blueberry Sauce for Pancakes and Waffles on top add color and natural fruit sweetness.
PREPARATION TIME:
6 to 8 hours (for soaking); 15 minutes (for cooking)
MAKES 6 TO 8 PANCAKES
¾ cup water
⅔ cup steel-cut oats
½ cup whole milk plain yogurt
⅓ cup unroasted buckwheat groats
1 egg
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon sea salt
High-heat vegetable oil, such as safflower or peanut, for the griddle
1 In the bowl of a blender, combine the water, oats, yogurt, and buckwheat groats. Cover and let soak overnight for 6 to 8 hours.
2 Add the egg, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt to the soaked grains and blend on high until smooth.
3 Preheat a griddle or frying pan and lubricate with oil. Pour about ¼ cup batter per pancake onto griddle to form each pancake. Cook for 2 minutes. When tiny bubbles form and the edges of the pancakes firm up, flip them with a spatula and cook the other side for about 2 more minutes. Repeat until all the batter has been used.
4 Keep the cooked pancakes warm in the oven until ready to serve.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Try a few teaspoons of plain whole milk yogurt stirred into pureed fruit.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Cut the pancakes into small pieces and serve.
Any vegetables can be substituted for the green and red bell peppers; however, this combination has colorful eye appeal.
PREPARATION TIME:
15 to 20 minutes
MAKES 6 SERVINGS
6 whole grain tortillas
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
⅛ teaspoon cayenne
½ medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ red bell pepper, chopped to a small dice
¼ green bell pepper, chopped to a small dice
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 pound firm tofu, crumbled
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Salsa, for serving
1 Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
2 Put the tortillas in a covered baking dish or wrap in aluminum foil and place in oven to warm.
3 In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Add the cumin, coriander, turmeric, and cayenne and stir briefly. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until the onion has begun to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the peppers and salt and sauté until the peppers wilt. Stir in the tofu, then fold in the cilantro.
4 Place about ⅓ cup of the tofu mixture in a line down the middle of each warm tortilla. Bring the bottom of the tortilla up over the tofu mix, pull it in tight, and then roll it up. Repeat with the remaining five tortillas.
5 Serve the burritos warm with salsa on the side.
FOR BABIES 10 MONTHS & OLDER: Reserve some of the crumbled tofu, heat briefly in a lightly oiled skillet, and serve.
Invite children to hop on a stool and watch the egg transform as it swirls in the water. Young ones two to four years old can grab the spoons and help make the vortex. Serve the poached eggs on top of Butter-Braised Kale; Peasant Kasha, Potatoes, and Mushrooms (my favorite); soft polenta; or toast.
PREPARATION TIME:
10 minutes
MAKES 2 SERVINGS
2 eggs, divided
¼ teaspoon rice or apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 Break one egg into a small bowl.
2 Fill a 2-quart pan with water to twice the depth of an egg and bring the heat to medium. The water needs to be almost but not quite simmering; it should look like carbonated water with tiny bubbles forming but not breaking the surface. Add the vinegar and salt to the water.
3 Reduce the heat to low. Swirl the water along the edge of the pan with a wooden spoon, creating a vortex in the center of the water. Drop the egg into the well formed in the middle. The swirling water will collect the egg.
4 Turn the heat off or reduce it to very low and let the egg stand 3 (for a fairly liquid yolk) or 4 (for a more syrupy texture) minutes. Remove the egg with a slotted spoon.
5 Repeat with the remaining egg.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: A teaspoon of soft-cooked egg yolk provides an excellent source of high-quality fat.
Use eggs from happy hens that have been allowed to dine on bugs and worms (pastured eggs). This natural diet increases the yolk’s anti-inflammatory omega-3 fat content. Green eggs can be spooned into a corn tortilla with salsa to make a breakfast taco.
PREPARATION TIME:
10 minutes
MAKES 2 TO 3 SERVINGS
2 to 3 large Swiss chard leaves, de-stemmed and torn into large pieces
4 eggs
2 tablespoons milk or water
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
1 In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, put the chard and move it around the pan until the leaves have wilted. You don’t need to add water to the pan, as the water clinging to the leaves should provide enough moisture. Remove the leaves, drain, and chop into bite-size pieces. Set aside. Wipe the skillet clean.
2 In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. Add the salt and pepper. Reheat the skillet over medium heat. Add the butter; when it sizzles but doesn’t brown, add the eggs. Using a heatproof rubber scraper, gently stir the eggs as they cook, lifting the curds from the bottom of the pan and folding. When the eggs are nearly cooked, sprinkle in the chard and cheese and fold them evenly into the cooking eggs.
3 Remove the eggs from the pan when they appear light and fluffy but still shiny and slightly wet. Serve immediately.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Remember that egg whites are inappropriate for infants under 1 year of age. Some of the soft-cooked Swiss chard, cut into tiny bits, works for baby.
Greens and eggs make a symbiotic couple. In this recipe the sought-after nutrients in the greens are enhanced by the fat from the butter and egg yolk. Baking eggs takes about eighteen minutes—the right amount of time to take a quick shower and get dressed! Serve the eggs with toast, brown rice, or kasha (see Whole Grains from Scratch, for whole grain cooking instructions).
PREPARATION TIME:
25 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
12 to 15 baby spinach leaves (about 1 cup loose)
4 eggs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Sprinkle of ground paprika
1 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2 Coat the bottom and sides of four 4-inch ramekins with the butter. Lay a few spinach leaves in the bottom of each ramekin, tearing larger ones into small pieces. Crack an egg into each ramekin and season with salt, pepper, and a dusting of paprika.
3 Put the ramekins in an 8-by-8-inch baking dish and fill the dish with a ½-inch layer of hot water. Put the dish in the oven and bake the eggs until the whites become opaque, about 18 minutes.
4 Remove the baking dish from the oven and serve the eggs immediately.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: A teaspoon of soft-cooked egg yolk along with a tidbit of spinach is just lovely.
Choose peppers wisely. Serranos are superhot, jalapeños can be pretty hot, and habaneros are quite mild. Using the product “fire-roasted chopped tomatoes with green chilies” proves handy, as some or all of the chili peppers can be omitted.
PREPARATION TIME:
30 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
½ medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 habanero chili peppers, diced
1 jalapeño or serrano chili pepper, diced
1 (16-ounce) can chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 corn tortillas
4 eggs
Jack cheese, grated, for serving
Cultured sour cream, for serving
Ripe avocado, for serving
Cooked black beans (see cooking instructions), for serving
1 In a large skillet over medium heat, heat the oil. Then add the onion and give it time to soften and caramelize, 7 to 10 minutes. Next add the garlic, chilies, tomatoes, salt, and chili powder. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until ingredients no longer appear raw.
2 In a second 10-inch skillet or griddle, melt ½ tablespoon of the butter. Add two tortillas and warm them for about 30 seconds on each side. Repeat with the remaining butter and tortillas. Set aside, covered, in a warm place.
3 Crack an egg into a small bowl. Make four wells in the simmering sauce and gently pour the egg into one of the wells. Repeat this with the remaining three eggs. When all four eggs are nestled in the sauce, cover the skillet and allow the eggs to poach in the salsa sauce for 4 minutes, or until the whites are opaque.
4 Place each tortilla on a plate with an egg and sauce on top. Serve with the cheese and sour cream on top of the egg and the avocado and beans on the side.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Some mashed avocado provides healthful fats and vitamins in a delicious, digestible form.
Tempeh is made by adding a culture to cooked soybeans. The cultures activate growth, turning the beans into a solid cake that can be cut and sliced. This high-protein food can be baked, boiled, fried, or steamed.
PREPARATION TIME:
7 to 10 minutes
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
½ teaspoon dried oregano
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil
2 to 4 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil or Homemade Ghee
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, cut into ¼-inch strips
1 tablespoon tamari (soy sauce)
8 slices whole grain bread, toasted and buttered
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 ripe avocado, sliced
4 leaves romaine or butter lettuce
1 In a small bowl, mix together the oregano, thyme, and basil and set aside. In a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the oil and then half of the tempeh strips. Let the oil get hot but not smoking. Fry the tempeh until browned, about 30 seconds on each side. The oil should be hot enough that the surface of the tempeh browns quickly. Sprinkle half of the herbs over the tempeh as it fries. Remove the tempeh to a paper towel. Repeat the process with the remaining 1 to 2 tablespoons oil, tempeh, and herbs. Sprinkle the fried tempeh with the tamari.
2 While the tempeh is frying, spread four slices of the bread with mayonnaise and avocado slices. Place the lettuce leaves on the remaining four slices of bread. Top the avocado with the fried tempeh slices and put the sandwiches together.
FOR BABIES 6 MONTHS & OLDER: Avocado! Mash and serve.
