Category Archives: Healthy Recipes

Mango with Coconut Chia Pudding

Posted on June 11, 2013 | Leave a comment

I love it when friends send me pictures of their takes on recipes from this blog. My sister sent me one this morning of her take on the Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait in the last post: fresh mango with coconut chia pudding.

She made the recipe for my Very Vanilla Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk instead of Almond and added fresh mango. Yum! It makes me think of mango and sticky rice, one of my favorite sweet Thai treats.

Do you ever snap any pictures of recipes from the Baby Bird’s Farm and Cocina Blog? Please share them with me! Use our contact page or connect via Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait with Very Vanilla Chia Pudding

Posted on June 9, 2013 | 2 comments

This Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait was the happy result of an accident. We were on a good nightly kick of classic strawberry shortcake until I accidentally dropped and shattered the glass container of whipped cream on the kitchen floor. Messy. Luckily, true tragedy was averted when I improvised this dessert featuring my Very Vanilla Chia Pudding that I’ve been tinkering with for ages and a vanilla bean yogurt. My husband now likes it better.

We LOVE strawberry shortcake. And strawberries are so sweet right now. My daughter communicates with a mix of mostly English, a little baby sign, and some Spanish. But occasionally she makes up her own words. For example, she calls strawberries “Pita” or “Peety” and will absolutely insist on eating them as soon as she sees them in the fridge (or neighbor’s yard.)

Cha-Cha-Cha-Chia! If you are only familiar with Chia as in Chia pets, then you are in for a treat! The same plant that grows a furry covering on chia pets is also the health food of the moment. The seeds are loaded with Omega-3’s, protein, fiber and antioxidants. They have very little calories and can be thrown into smoothies, oatmeal, or just about anything. I think they look like poppy seeds and when eaten dry, I feel like they get stuck in my teeth. Luckily, their coolest feature is that they can turn nearly any liquid into a pudding, plumping up to resemble little tapioca balls, without cooking! Try it out as a healthy pudding or in this chia strawberry shortcake parfait.

Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait with Very Vanilla Chia Pudding Recipe

For the Very Vanilla Chia Pudding

1 cup of almond milk (or coconut milk, or any milk)
3 Tablespoons of chia seeds
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of agave or sweetener of your choice

Mix all the ingredients well and chill in the refrigerator. IMPORTANT: For best results, stir the pudding again after 45 minutes to prevent all the seeds from falling and clumping at the bottom. Chill for 2-3 hours or until set.

For the Strawberries

Rinse and slice ripe (preferably organic) strawberries and place in a bowl. Toss with 1 teaspoon of sugar or sweetener of your choice. Chill for 30 minutes or until a slight syrup forms.

For the Chia Strawberry Shortcake Parfait

Arrange in layers in a parfait glass, clear bowl or wine glass:

Very Vanilla Chia Pudding
Strawberries
Crumbled Shortcake (I used shortcake pre-made by Trader Joe’s, but homemade would be delicious.)
Vanilla or Honey Greek Yogurt OR a little whip cream

Enjoy!

2 Comments

Posted in Dessert, Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family, Seasonal Recipes

Tagged baby and me dishes, easy farm to table, easy seasonal cooking, easy seasonal recipes, healthy desserts, meals for the whole family, strawberry

Sprouted Hummus, Raw and (Pregnancy-Friendly) Nearly Raw Versions, Step by Step with Pictures

Posted on May 4, 2013 | 1 comment

Who doesn’t like hummus? If you have made it at home, then you know how much more delicious and economical it is compared to store-bought hummus. Try this recipe, starting from dried chick peas or garbanzo beans to take it to the next level. Sprouting them gives an extra nutritional boost, as well as an extra sweet, nutty creaminess. And starting from dry saves a lot of money and improves the taste and texture. I have really been preferring dry beans over canned in general, and they just shine in this sprouted hummus recipe.

Sprouted Hummus: Step by Step with Pictures

1 cup dried chick peas or garbanzo beans
fresh, filtered water (reserve cooking water if cooking)
1/4-1/3 cup olive oil
1/4-1/3 cup tahini
2-3 cloves of garlic
juice of 1/2-1 1/2 lemons
salt
pepper
cumin, cayenne, paprika
(optional) zatar for serving

Special equipment: blender or food processor; coarse cheesecloth; colander

1. Sprouting: Rinse and then soak the chick peas in a bowl in fresh water, covering them up at least twice their height. We have a water filter for drinking water, and I prefer to use that. Soak for about 8 hours, they should grow and plump up. Rinse the beans in a colander, rinse out the bowl and then return them to the bowl. Add a very small amount of water, they should not be covered, just a little wet at the bottom. Cover loosely with a coarse cheesecloth and place in a cool (room temperature) place, out of direct sunlight. Every 8 hours, rinse the beans and the bowl and repeat. Continue until you see 1/4″ sprouts on most of the beans, about two days. Discard any mushy ones.

2. Cooking: (optional) Any kind of raw sprout is unfortunately on the “avoid” list for pregnant women, as —cats out of the bag— I know now. To eliminate any risk of bacteria AND retain much of the nutritional value, simply cook the beans for one minute only. Rinse the sprouted beans and cook in fresh water. Bring to a boil for one minute. Drain, but reserve the cooking liquid.

3. Blending: In a good blender or food processor, add the beans, 1/2 – 1 cup of the cooking liquid (use fresh water if you did not cook your beans) and the rest of the ingredients. Start with the smaller suggested amounts. When using dried beans instead of canned, you will need to use more liquid then you are used to. If you find your blender struggling, add a little more of the cooking liquid or water. For reference, on a variable speed Vitamix, I blend for 30 seconds on “4”. Taste (and have your kitchen helper taste.) I often decide to add more of one or more ingredients, so try adding up to the larger suggested amounts.

4. Yums: Serve topped with zatar, paprika and/or a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!

1 Comment

Posted in Entertaining, Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family, Step by Step with Pictures

Tagged baby and me dishes, easy entertaining, gluten free, Homemade Baby Food, meals for the whole family, natural baby food, naturally gluten free, naturally paleo, raw, sprouted, vegan, vegetarian

Rustic Split Pea and Chicken Stew in a Pressure Cooker

Posted on April 21, 2013 | 1 comment

We have really been enjoying our pressure cooker. I think it really shines in a dish like this Split Pea and Chicken Stew. (I make this recipe multiple times a month with either lentils or peas.) In twenty minutes I have a dish that tastes like it cooked all day. I also love that I can sear in the same pot, unlike in my Tagine or slow cooker, making this an easy, one pot meal that the whole family enjoys. Combining the lentils or peas with a small amount of chicken really stretches the protein, making it very economical. And the small amount of pancetta is optional but adds a secret richness to the peas. The result: well, the next morning, Little Bird asked for “soup” for breakfast.

Rustic Split Pea and Chicken Stew Recipe

1 Tablespoon of olive oil
1 oz of diced pancetta (optional)
4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper
1 sweet onion, diced
2 celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 oz mushrooms, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup of dried split green peas (or lentils)
3-4 cups of chicken broth or water (use the larger amount if you want it to be more like soup)
1 bay leaf
2-3 sprigs of thyme
1/2 tablespoon of a dried spice and herb blend
balsamic vinegar, for serving

In a pressure cooker, over medium heat, sauté the onions and pancetta (if using) followed by the carrots, celery and mushrooms, until soft, adding the garlic and any spices for the last minute. Add a splash of broth to deglaze, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan and mixing it into the broth. Add the rest of the broth, the split peas or lentils, chicken, and any herbs and spices. Give a quick stir and then cover and cook in the pressure cooker, according to the manufacturer’s instructions for 10 minutes at pressure. (At this point mine just starts to smell like split peas.) Allow the steam to release naturally (or quick release if you are inpatient like me.) Taste to check the seasoning, and adjust if needed. Serve with a drizzle of the balsamic vinegar.

This serves 4-6. (Or two hungry adults and one toddler, twice.)

1 Comment

Posted in Food, Healthy Recipes, Recipes for the Whole Family

Tagged meals for the whole family, naturally gluten free, soup

Cooking with Very Small Children: Baby Bird’s Applesauce

Posted on April 14, 2013 | 8 comments

No, the title does not refer to cooking up children for dinner. I’ll try some adventurous food, but I’m no cannibal. I’m talking about how wonderful it is to have children, even infants, helping in the kitchen. You’ve heard of farm to table, but how about tree to highchair? In one of my proudest parenting moments, my 11-month-old helped pick apples from a tree and made them into applesauce.

We like to involve her in cooking, showing her the whole foods and every step of the process. It makes her more excited to eat the food. And we love to show her plants growing, so that she knows tomatoes come from a plant, carrots from the ground, as well as eggs from chickens. It was a wonderful experience to take her to a local orchard last fall for apple picking. Babies at this age love putting things in bowls and bags (and taking them out again.)

When letting babies and toddlers help in the kitchen there are plenty of chores that do not involve heat or sharp knives. Since moving things from one container to another is a fun game at this stage, have little one (from 9 months on) move the apple pieces from the cutting board or a bowl into a (room temperature) pot. The pieces were too large for swallowing, in case she wanted to chew on or taste one. Mine also liked to move scraps and peel into the compost container. After 12-15 months, toddlers love to stir things, too. At 18 months, Little Bird loves to help scramble her eggs. We put a heavy bowl on the kitchen floor, let her watch us crack the eggs and she “stir, stir, stirs”!

Baby Bird’s First Applesauce Recipe

apples, peeled, cored and cut in chunks
a few splashes of apple juice or water
1/2 – 1 teaspoon grains of paradise
(optional) 1/4 teaspoon salt

Place the apples in a medium sized pot. Add enough juice or water to cover up the apples 1/3 to 1/2 the way up. No sugar is needed, as apples are naturally sweet, but if you prefer the sauce to be sweeter, choose apple juice over water. Add the grains of paradise and salt to taste. Bring the apples up to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes until they are soft and start to fall apart. Mash with a fork or the back of a spoon for a slightly chunky sauce.

Notes:

Grains of Paradise are a pepper-like spice. They have less bite than black pepper and are absolutely wonderful with apples (as well as on eggs, in guacamole, and almost anywhere you would use pepper.) After trying them, I no longer like cinnamon in my apple pie or applesauce, but feel free to substitute. We keep ours in an extra pepper mill and grind as needed.

Baby Bird enjoyed her first adventure apple picking, apple bagging, sorting, eating and cooking!