i am abiding by the book called super baby food in introducing solids to my baby (michael). i recommend this book for any parent who is interested in:
1. ensuring that baby is ready (physiologically) for solids, and
2. providing whole (non-processed) foods for baby, appropriate for a given age.
brown rice cereal recipe
ingredients:
1/4 C brown rice (long grain, dry, uncooked)
1 C water
instructions:
1. place rice in blender, and chop or grind for two minutes
2. place 1 C water in pan on high heat, bring to boil
3. slowly add the powdered rice to the boiling water and reduce heat to the LOWEST setting.
4. stir frequently with a whisk - ensure good mixing and prevent scorching, for 10 minutes
serving & storing:
1. start with 1 tbsp of cereal, and mix with breastmilk, water or juice to desired thickness (given that i waited until michael was capable of swallowing, there was no need to thin it out - i added a small amount of breastmilk to improve texture)
2. the cereal can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days, or frozen for about 2-3 weeks. (in properly sealed containers)
NOTES:
1. don't stand near blenders/food processors when in use (avoid EMC)
2. ensure that you chop/grind the rice for 2 minutes - it creates extremely fine particles which enable a smooth cereal for the baby. as the baby ages, you may choose to make a more course cereal (chopping less).
3. be sure to provide some water (or breastmilk) for the baby along with solid food (the book "super baby food" provides good guidelines for this).
*i will label all baby food recipes with "baby food" in an effort to segregate them from the conventional recipes on this blog!
Gardening antics. Food and recipes. Feeding my family.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
stuffed mushroom appetizer
my roommate from grad school made these once, using greek dressing, and oregano straight from greece :) i have modified the recipe slightly, and regardless of how many variations of this recipe i have made, it's always awesome!!
ingredients:
6 portobello mushroom caps (medium sized), cleaned, stems removed
1/4-1/2 C grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh garlic, pressed
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375F
2. place a small amount of olive oil in bottom of small baking dish
3. place mushroom caps in baking dish
4. fill each cap with diced tomatoes
5. sprinkle basil and garlic on top of tomatoes
6. drizzle olive oil & balsamic on top
7. bake for 30 minutes
8. serve hot!
*variations
a. sprinkle feta cheese (and/or parmesan) after removing from oven (not vegan friendly, of course)
b. use greek dressing or other vinaigrette of choice, in lieu of balsamic/oil
c. use oregano in place of, or in addition to, basil
d. easy to double, triple, etc. this recipe to serve a dinner party!
ingredients:
6 portobello mushroom caps (medium sized), cleaned, stems removed
1/4-1/2 C grape tomatoes, diced
1-2 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 tsp fresh garlic, pressed
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
instructions:
1. preheat oven to 375F
2. place a small amount of olive oil in bottom of small baking dish
3. place mushroom caps in baking dish
4. fill each cap with diced tomatoes
5. sprinkle basil and garlic on top of tomatoes
6. drizzle olive oil & balsamic on top
7. bake for 30 minutes
8. serve hot!
*variations
a. sprinkle feta cheese (and/or parmesan) after removing from oven (not vegan friendly, of course)
b. use greek dressing or other vinaigrette of choice, in lieu of balsamic/oil
c. use oregano in place of, or in addition to, basil
d. easy to double, triple, etc. this recipe to serve a dinner party!
millet, mushroom risotto
using millet is a bit less work-intensive than making a traditional risotto with arborio rice.
i made an extra large batch so that i would have plenty of leftovers.
ingredients:
1 tbsp garlic (fresh, pressed)
2.5 C millet
2 qt bella mushrooms, sliced
2 qt veg stock
1 C red onion, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C butter
1/2 C parmesan cheese
instructions:
1. heat olive oil on medium-high heat
2. add garlic, saute for a minute or two
3. add onion, saute until softened
4. add mushrooms, saute until softened
5. add millet, coat well with the liquid/oil in the pan
6. add veg stock. bring to a boil
7. reduce to a simmer
8. stir periodically until all of the liquid has been absorbed (30-45 minutes)
9. remove from heat. add butter and parmesan cheese. mix well.
10. SERVE & ENJOY!!!
*for smaller recipes, simply use 3 C veg stock and 3 C mushrooms per 1 C of millet
**vegan potential: use margarine in lieu of butter, or eliminate completely, and omit the parmesan cheese (or use a substitute, if available).
i made an extra large batch so that i would have plenty of leftovers.
ingredients:
1 tbsp garlic (fresh, pressed)
2.5 C millet
2 qt bella mushrooms, sliced
2 qt veg stock
1 C red onion, chopped
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C butter
1/2 C parmesan cheese
instructions:
1. heat olive oil on medium-high heat
2. add garlic, saute for a minute or two
3. add onion, saute until softened
4. add mushrooms, saute until softened
5. add millet, coat well with the liquid/oil in the pan
6. add veg stock. bring to a boil
7. reduce to a simmer
8. stir periodically until all of the liquid has been absorbed (30-45 minutes)
9. remove from heat. add butter and parmesan cheese. mix well.
10. SERVE & ENJOY!!!
*for smaller recipes, simply use 3 C veg stock and 3 C mushrooms per 1 C of millet
**vegan potential: use margarine in lieu of butter, or eliminate completely, and omit the parmesan cheese (or use a substitute, if available).
Friday, January 28, 2011
stuffed peppers
ingredients:
32 oz organic beef broth
6 large sweet peppers (all colors), tops removed, cleaned
2 lbs free range ground beef
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 red onion, chopped
instructions:
1. add broth to crock pot, arrange peppers "standing up," ladle some broth into each pepper, cover, and turn on high.
2. heat olive oil on medium-high heat, saute garlic and onions
3. brown the beef, along with the onions/garlic
4. fill each pepper with the hot beef/onion/garlic mixture. baste with broth. cover and continue to cook on high.
5. bast with broth 1-2 times per hour, for 3-4 hours.
6. serve and enjoy :)
32 oz organic beef broth
6 large sweet peppers (all colors), tops removed, cleaned
2 lbs free range ground beef
4 cloves crushed garlic
1/2 red onion, chopped
instructions:
1. add broth to crock pot, arrange peppers "standing up," ladle some broth into each pepper, cover, and turn on high.
2. heat olive oil on medium-high heat, saute garlic and onions
3. brown the beef, along with the onions/garlic
4. fill each pepper with the hot beef/onion/garlic mixture. baste with broth. cover and continue to cook on high.
5. bast with broth 1-2 times per hour, for 3-4 hours.
6. serve and enjoy :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
soupy beef stew
i enjoy making soups quite a bit (and will try to do better at sharing those recipes here)! as for my beef "stew," the ingredients are all stew, but i have yet to deal with thickening the broth, and hence it ends up a bit soupy!
CROCK POT version.
ingredients:
32 ounces of beef broth
2 lbs stewing beef (browned, if you prefer - i don't bother)
6 parsnips, peeled and cubed
6 turnips, peeled and cubed
2 cups of carrots (peeled and cubed)
instructions:
1. place broth, beef, and vegetables into the crock pot on "high"
2. once at a boil, allow to boil for 30 minutes
3. reduce to "low" for an hour or two
*usually takes 4-5 hours total. i suppose you could leave it on low all day while you go to work so that you have an instant dinner when you return home, but i have yet to verify that!
*vatiations:
a. add (cooked) noodles (brown rice noodles are gluten free) at the end.
b. add a cooked grain (millet, brown rice, quinoa)
CROCK POT version.
ingredients:
32 ounces of beef broth
2 lbs stewing beef (browned, if you prefer - i don't bother)
6 parsnips, peeled and cubed
6 turnips, peeled and cubed
2 cups of carrots (peeled and cubed)
instructions:
1. place broth, beef, and vegetables into the crock pot on "high"
2. once at a boil, allow to boil for 30 minutes
3. reduce to "low" for an hour or two
*usually takes 4-5 hours total. i suppose you could leave it on low all day while you go to work so that you have an instant dinner when you return home, but i have yet to verify that!
*vatiations:
a. add (cooked) noodles (brown rice noodles are gluten free) at the end.
b. add a cooked grain (millet, brown rice, quinoa)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
homemade cleaning products
while cleaning products aren't exactly delectable edibles, they are most easily formulated in one's kitchen :) and hence i have chosen to share my adventures in making and using them here on this blog.
my aunt-in-law bought the book the naturally clean home for me. i have made several recipes thus far, and will share them, and an assessment of them, later. i'd like to dedicate this blog to the supplies i have procured thus far and the costs of each. i was happily surprised to find that most supplies are super cheap!!!
dr. bronner's castile soap (tea tree) $11.99
20 mule team borax (4 lb) $4.29
arm & hammer washing soda (3 lb) $2.89
arm & hammer baking soda (2 lb) $1.99
lavender essential oil* (1 oz) $10
lemongrass essential oil* (2 oz) $7
lemon essential oil (1 oz) $5.89
*bought some of the essential oils a while back, and don't recall the prices with certainty. and, while it may seem expensive to pay several dollars or more per ounce, the quantity really does go a long way. many formulas require only several to twenty drops of an essential oil... they last forever!!
i still need to find soap flakes and/or glycerin in order to make the laundry detergent that i have in mind.
i bought the essential oils at a local natural foods store. the other agents were available at the chain grocery store. surely whole foods and such places would carry dr. bronners products.
i also picked up some spray bottles and small plastic buckets with lids at home depot. the dollar store has spray bottles as well, for half the price of what i paid at home depot. as for the buckets - i bought 1/2 gallon buckets for < $1 each, and lids to go with them, also less then $1 each. these are good for storing powder formulas, such as those for laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, etc.
and with that i will close for now. stay tuned for some recipes and adventures in using them!
my aunt-in-law bought the book the naturally clean home for me. i have made several recipes thus far, and will share them, and an assessment of them, later. i'd like to dedicate this blog to the supplies i have procured thus far and the costs of each. i was happily surprised to find that most supplies are super cheap!!!
dr. bronner's castile soap (tea tree) $11.99
20 mule team borax (4 lb) $4.29
arm & hammer washing soda (3 lb) $2.89
arm & hammer baking soda (2 lb) $1.99
lavender essential oil* (1 oz) $10
lemongrass essential oil* (2 oz) $7
lemon essential oil (1 oz) $5.89
*bought some of the essential oils a while back, and don't recall the prices with certainty. and, while it may seem expensive to pay several dollars or more per ounce, the quantity really does go a long way. many formulas require only several to twenty drops of an essential oil... they last forever!!
i still need to find soap flakes and/or glycerin in order to make the laundry detergent that i have in mind.
i bought the essential oils at a local natural foods store. the other agents were available at the chain grocery store. surely whole foods and such places would carry dr. bronners products.
i also picked up some spray bottles and small plastic buckets with lids at home depot. the dollar store has spray bottles as well, for half the price of what i paid at home depot. as for the buckets - i bought 1/2 gallon buckets for < $1 each, and lids to go with them, also less then $1 each. these are good for storing powder formulas, such as those for laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent, etc.
and with that i will close for now. stay tuned for some recipes and adventures in using them!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
seared salmon in a luffa gourd sauce reduction
this blog is eons overdue!! i made this dish (and took photos) back in august (2010) - it was while cooking this awesome meal that i, while washing the knife, sliced my thumb and ended up in the ER, 8 months pregnant, for stitches!! disclosing that antic may not be the most appetizing way to start a food blog, but all devoted cooking lovers experience disasters at one point or another, so i figured i'd share that little tidbit!
i was inspired to cook this meal because my boss offered me some fresh luffa gourd from her garden.
i had no idea what it was, but was intrigued and am always happy to try something new! i asked her for tips on preparation, and she suggested this salmon dish!
on with the recipe!!
ingredients:
1 luffa gourd
3 cloves of garlic, freshly chopped/pressed
1-1.5 pounds of salmon
olive oil
basil
instructions:
1. peel and chop luffa gourd
2. heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium high heat
3. saute garlic
4. sear salmon on both sides
5. place salmon with skin facing down, reduce the heat to low/med-low, and distribute the luffa on top of the salmon. add a bit of olive oil and basil.
6. simmer until the luffa looks translucent
7. serve and enjoy :)
unfortunately, i cannot provide a photo of the finished product. i had to stop cooking in the middle of reducing the luffa, cover it, and go to the hospital for stitches!!! i left it on the stove, and when my husband and i returned home, i heated it up until the luffa cooked down quite a bit, and then we ate and went straight to bed. i failed to take a picture! the luffa provides a mild but sweet flavor. it was delectable!
i was inspired to cook this meal because my boss offered me some fresh luffa gourd from her garden.
i had no idea what it was, but was intrigued and am always happy to try something new! i asked her for tips on preparation, and she suggested this salmon dish!on with the recipe!!
ingredients:
1 luffa gourd
3 cloves of garlic, freshly chopped/pressed
1-1.5 pounds of salmon
olive oil
basil
instructions:
1. peel and chop luffa gourd
2. heat olive oil in a frying pan on medium high heat3. saute garlic
4. sear salmon on both sides
5. place salmon with skin facing down, reduce the heat to low/med-low, and distribute the luffa on top of the salmon. add a bit of olive oil and basil.
6. simmer until the luffa looks translucent 7. serve and enjoy :)
unfortunately, i cannot provide a photo of the finished product. i had to stop cooking in the middle of reducing the luffa, cover it, and go to the hospital for stitches!!! i left it on the stove, and when my husband and i returned home, i heated it up until the luffa cooked down quite a bit, and then we ate and went straight to bed. i failed to take a picture! the luffa provides a mild but sweet flavor. it was delectable!
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