I wasn’t planning to give Lucy fruit until a little later (when I deemed her to be IN LOVE with all green veggies), but it recently became apparent that she needed some prunes in her diet….I’ll spare you the details. So, I cooked a handful of organic prunes in water for about 15 minutes then let them cool. The prunes got soft enough to remove the skins and mash for Lucy, plus she got to drink the water they were cooked in. If this sounds disgusting to you, you’ve probably never had stewed prunes! They’re actually really good. So good, that for dessert the last few nights, I’ve had a couple of these with a drizzle of melted dark chocolate chips…what a treat!
Clearly, Lucy thought prunes were a treat too. Here’s to hoping she’ll continue to love peas….
As I mentioned in the last Lucy post, I mostly plan to feed Lucy ground up “adult food” – unless I’m on the run or too disorganized (hmmm…that could be all the time), when I’m going to rely on my favorite baby foods, one of which is Nurturme. Here’s why I love Nurturme.
The other day, Lucy tried Nurturme peas.
I’ve heard from other moms that babies either love or hate peas. Lucy definitely fell into the Love category.
but I think that’s because Nurturme’s peas actually taste like fresh, sweet peas! I tried them too (for the second time) and must admit, finished off what Lucy didn’t eat. Yum.
In general, I don’t plan to buy “baby food” for Lucy, because I don’t believe that babies need their own special kind of food (they’re not pets, they’re just people). But sometimes, a mom needs a little help. When I’m on-the-go or don’t have anything ready for Lucy when she’s hungry, I’ll be sure to have some Ella’s Kitchen and NurturMe baby food on-hand. Both of these brands use only organic ingredients, emphasize vegetables, and their food actually tastes good (a must for me – why would I feed Lucy something I wouldn’t eat?…broccoli-breastmilk aside, that is).
Yesterday I wanted to feed her a little something, but didn’t have time to cook and puree anything, so I opened up a packet of Ella’s Kitchen Spinach, Apple, and Rutabaga mixture, and as you can see Lucy loved it. Though I’m not planning to give her much fruit until she’s regularly eating a variety of vegetables, I figured this mixture was veggie-heavy enough. I tasted it too — yum!
Today we tried a few bites of mashed avocado. I wouldn’t exactly call it a hit. Of the four things Lucy’s tried so far, this was definitely her least favorite. Tyler said her reaction reminded him of the bitter beer face. Ha!
Beginning July 11th, Eating Made Easy will be hosting a “Lose the Baby Weight” program, for any mom who has not yet had the time or energy to devote to getting back into shape! To join our program, learn more and sign up for it here. I’m in the same boat as you are, and am excited to meet you and work on this together!
Have other questions? Feel free to email me: amelia@eating-made-easy.com
Its been 7 weeks since I had a baby, and my house is officially a disaster. I shot this video just a few days before she was born–now I know this was wishful thinking. We have baby paraphernalia all over the place! Before I had a baby, I thought we could live without a baby mat, baby chair, baby swing, multiple baby carriers and strollers, multiple diaper changing areas, etc. But the truth is, we can’t. Each of these baby items buys me about 5 minutes of freedom, which equals time to take a shower, time to make a sandwich, time to brush my teeth…and without a doubt, this makes the clutter well worth it. That being said, the moment she outgrows something or gets bored with it, it’s out! I’ve already donated some old items (hard to believe there are “old” items when it’s only been 7 weeks) to my pregnant friends, and put some other stuff in storage. Hope to keep up this trend. But I also know I just need to get used to a little bit of a mess, until we can move to a bigger house where I can shove most of her stuff into one room and shut the door.
This is a sponsored post, but the thoughts above are definitely my own!
If you’ve been intimidated by the pile of pomegranates in the grocery store, your worries are over! Here’s a short video showing how to open a pomegranate and easily remove the seeds, so you can start taking advantage of these amazing fall fruits. Watch the vid then get to snacking…or making one of these:
This was my first-ever TV appearance in 2006. Seems like yesterday, but I’m so glad that Wellness at Work has since evolved into Eating Made Easy, because I just love sharing my tips and recipes with you on this site. THANK YOU for reading & watching — I could not have moved forward without you!
Below is one of the first recipes I ever invented (and what I made in this video). Still a staple in my kitchen!
Thai Chicken (Peanut) Lettuce Wraps
1 store-bought rotisserie chicken (Organic is best! Find at Whole Foods)
5 large carrots, grated
3 zucchini or cucumbers, grated & drained (sprinkle with a pinch of salt and put in a fine-mesh colander – let sit 5 min then squeeze out excess water)
1 cup chopped scallions (a.k.a. green onions/spring onions – they’re all the same)
¼ cup chopped peanuts
large handful chopped cilantro, mint, or basil
1 head butter lettuce, or green leaf lettuce for wrapping
Dressing:
¼ cup rice vinegar (sometimes it’s “seasoned” with salt & sugar, so adjust seasonings as needed)
3 tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tbsp chili paste, or some other hot sauce
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp honey or brown sugar
Pepper to taste
Whisk all these ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl until dressing is smooth. Consistency should be about as thick as a ranch-style dressing, not a vinaigrette. If the dressing is runny, add a little more peanut butter. If it’s too thick, add some more rice vinegar.
Shred the chicken breasts & thighs with your fingers so the meat is “pulled.” Add meat & veggies to the bowl and toss. Let sit for 30 minutes so the flavors can meld, if you have time. Scoop some of the chicken mixture into each lettuce leaf and wrap up like a taco. Great as an appetizer, or a few of these wraps can make a meal.
Notes: 1) For the scallions, you can use both the white and green parts. 2) For the chicken, you could also just grill up some chicken breasts and shred them slightly with a fork. To make the salad vegetarian, just omit the chicken, use more carrots & zucchini, and add shredded cabbage or tofu cubes. 3) If you are allergic to peanuts, sesame butter (tahini) or sunflower butter could be used instead of peanut butter.
Paula Deen & Philadelphia Cream Cheese are co-hosting a cooking contest called “Real Women of Philadelphia.” Last week I submitted my recipe for Almond & Apricot Stuffed Pork Chops, one of my favorite go-to entrees. My brother did the camera work, so as you can see, he and Tyler reaped the rewards when we were finished. Check it out here:
This is a great way to liven up regular old pork chops in minutes. The creamy, sweet filling is sealed inside the chops by a crunchy, nutty crust. You can use any dried fruit or nuts you have on hand, and easily substitute chicken breasts or turkey cutlets for the pork chops. No matter what you use, this dish will be a big hit at your house!
People always tell me they’re intimidated by whole pineapples because they don’t know how to choose a good one, or what to do with it when they get home. After watching this video, you’ll select a ripe & juicy pineapple every time, and chop it up like a pro.
I’m always looking for ways I can share Eating Made Easy with a larger audience, so I audition for any TV/online opportunities I come across. Here is one audition video I did for a new healthy cooking show. It’s kind of funny for me to look back on this, because I think I’d feel a lot more comfortable on camera now and thus be a little more natural than I am here. But we’ve all gotta start somewhere!
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Lately, eating has become downright hard. So many questions about what to eat, when to eat, where to eat, how to cook, where to shop and what to buy. Eating Made Easy is your safe haven for good, solid nutrition information, as well as practical ideas to make healthy eating easier.
