Pumpkin Muffins with Crunchy Sugared Walnuts*

*Perfect for high tea with your 20-month old

• 1 cup pumpkin (canned or fresh pureed)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 Tbsp molasses
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1 tsp cinnamon)
• 1/2 cup milk (your preferred milk, I used reduced fat)
• 1 1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour (can substitute whole wheat flour for all or half, if desired)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup whole walnuts, chopped
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 Tbsp turbinado (raw) sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. In a large bowl whisk the pumpkin, eggs, brown sugar, oil, molasses, salt, spices, and milk.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add all at once to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Scoop batter evenly into the cups of a greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin tin (I use unbleached parchment paper muffin liners). Sprinkle each cup evenly with walnuts, then cinnamon, then sugar. Bake 10 minutes, rotate 180 degrees, then continue to bake another 8-10 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly touched. Let cool 5 minutes in pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Adapted from the King Arthur Flour Pumpkin Leaf Muffins recipe

The little one is back to eating with her usual gusto after about 10 days of fruitarianism. Georgia contracted a virus (along with half of Brooklyn) and her appetite shrunk to bird-like levels…a peck of blueberry here, a tiny suck of clementine there. She wanted nothing to do with a picture-perfect bowl of healing chicken soup, Brancaccio’s chicken & fregola, which ended up being my happy source of nourishment after wiping snot for days on end.

So after a rousing morning of Music Together, I attempted to feed Georgia a non-fruit meal for the twentieth or so time. We picked up a generous slice of spinach-mushroom-cheddar quiche from Park Slope’s Parco and it was gone within minutes. So, whether the appetite light went on at that moment, or my kid appreciates a good quiche, we were going to have quiche again, and soon!

If your kid is not especially fond of scrambled eggs, or vegetables f0r that matter, quiche’s creamy custard texture may be appealing. I used a whole wheat pie crust, reduced-fat milk, large eggs, and our usual fridge cheese. Most parents with (non-allergic) toddlers keep milk, cheese & eggs stocked, so consider keeping a frozen pie crust on hand for an impromptu meal. We used and really like the whole wheat pie crust from Fresh Direct. Both of these recipes went over like gangbusters with our sweet, and now about 95% healthy, 19-month old.  Enjoy!

*Baking directions are the same for both quiches

Bacon, Spinach, Tomato & Goat Cheese Quiche (‘BST Goat’)

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• tiny pinch of nutmeg
• 2 oz fresh goat cheese
• 10 oz frozen organic chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1/2 cup)
• 3 oz bacon (about 4 thin slices), cooked and crumbled
• 1 whole wheat, all-natural pie crust (9″), fresh or thawed

Broccoli, Roasted Pepper & Aged Cheddar Quiche

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• tiny pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 cup (2 oz) grated aged cheddar cheese
• 1 -1/2 cup cooked & seasoned bite-sized broccoli florets
• 1/4 cup small-diced roasted red bell pepper (jarred & drained is fine)
• 1 whole wheat, all-natural pie crust (9″), fresh or thawed

1. Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.
2. Place the pie pan on a baking sheet with sides. Sprinkle cheese over the bottom of the pie crust. Sprinkle over vegetables, and meat if using. Evenly pour over egg mixture.
3. Bake in center of oven for 20 minutes. Rotate tray 180 degrees and bake until the center is just set, another 20-25 minutes. Cool quiche on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Smokin' Hot 'Golden' Squash Soup

Did you cook anything in honor of the legendary Betty White this week? I made a super spicy & smoky butternut squash soup on Tuesday, which just happened to coincide with my favorite (after Sophia) Golden Girl’s 90th birthday. For all the smokin’ hot 90-somethings…this one’s for you Betty, and my Grandmother Florence (who has you beat at 92).

Smokin’ Hot ‘Golden’ Squash Soup

Makes around 2 quarts, 4-6 servings

• 2 T Extra Virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp hot smoked paprika (up to 1 tsp for more heat)
• 6 cups cubed butternut squash
• 4 cups water
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 cup plain whole milk or Greek yogurt

1. In a 4-qt pot, heat oil to medium and cook onion until soft, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1-2 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir until it begins to darken slightly, a few minutes. Add the hot smoked Paprika and cook, stirring, 1 minute.
2. Add the squash, water, and 1/2 tsp salt; stir. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer and cook uncovered 30 minutes. Puree with immersion blender or traditional blender (if using traditional blender, allow space for steam to escape out of lid). Add additional salt to taste.
3. Garnish each bowl with a spoonful of yogurt, and a sprinkle of smoked paprika if desired.

No one has been snacking on this granola more than our cold-stricken toddler–she is refusing all food but fruit and milk and is partial to these dried cranberries. I’m hopeful every time she pulls out a cranberry, some oats cling to the sides for extra sustenance.

I grew up eating cinnamon in my yogurt, so I’m enjoying this cinnamon-laced granola with a few scoops of plain whole milk yogurt (stealing my daughter’s yogurt is OK when she’s sick and can’t protest).  Try some extra shakes of cinnamon on top, it will make you happy when the winter weather does not.

Granola with Dried Cranberries, Coconut and Cinnamon

makes 10 cups

• 6 C old-fashioned oats
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1/4 C canola oil
• 2/3 C honey
• 1/3 C maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 T sesame seeds
• 1 C chopped almonds
• 1/2 C flaked coconut
• 1 C dried cranberries
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 300. In an extra-large mixing bowl, mix the oats, butter, oil, honey, maple syrup, vanilla, sesame seeds, nuts, coconut and cranberries. Sprinkle with the cinnamon and salt and combine.
2. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly coat with cooking spray. Divide granola between the two sheets & spread in an even layer to corners. Bake for 15 minutes; rotate pans front to back and top to bottom.  Bake another 10 minutes then check for color. When evenly golden, remove from oven and stir granola with spatula. Cool on pan. Once completely cool, transfer to an airtight container.

Alce Nero Yogurt & Honey Cookies

You’re going to want an organic Yogurt & Honey Cookie from Italian company Alce Nero:

http://www.amazon.com/Alce-Nero-Organic-Cookies-350-Gram/dp/B004E92UDI/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1326304555&sr=1-1

I know parents can be cautious about introducing cookies & other sweets to their toddler, but I think I’ve found one parent & tot can share together. I grab these crunchy Italian versions of shortbread from our neighborhood Italian shop, Brancaccio’s. The ingredient list is short, identifiable & organic: wheat flour, brown sugar, extra virgin olive oil, yogurt, honey, baking soda/powder, salt.

One cookie has just over 1g (1/4 tsp) of sugar, equivalent to a child’s serving of Cheerios (here kid, have a snack that won’t spill all over the floor, stroller, Mom’s bag…). The label describes them as “delicious and light, ideal for a healthy breakfast.” Cookies for breakfast, I love the Italians.

Alce Nero also makes a whole grain Farro and a Kamut chocolate chip cookie that I’ll try next, when available. Seriously, good luck finding these. I included a link for purchase on Amazon, but they are on short supply. Apparently, Mario Batali sells this brand at his palatial food court, Eataly; but, word has it that his large orders leave a scant amount for smaller city shops. If anyone spots these in the borough of Brooklyn, give me a shout!

I'll take that cookie now!

5-way chili, Cincinnati-style

We had another new word over the holidays: BEE, as in bean, and our toddler says it loudly and proudly. If I remember correctly, she decided she loves beans and Brussels Sprouts on the same day, which is a lot of health for one small GI tract.

For New Years Day I made Cincinnati-style chili. I first tasted this Midwestern chili last year while recipe testing and loved it.  If you are new to this style, it has a ground beef base, the unique seasonings of cinnamon and cocoa and is served over spaghetti with grated cheddar on top. This is your classic “3-way” chili. You can also top it with chopped onion (“4-way”) and kidney beans (“5-way”). It is cooked down to a thick, sauce-like consistency…from what I’ve read, also perfect for topping hot dogs.

I served ours “5-way,” wanted the full experience. My daughter ate it layer by layer–savoring the beans, tossing the onions, and shoveling in the spaghetti–while the rest of us dug in our forks and twirled for a perfectly-layered bite.

Cincinnati Chili

(adapted from whatscookingamerica.net)

• 1 large onion, finely chopped (reserve half for topping)
• 1 # grass-fed ground beef, 85% or leaner
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 T chili powder (1 tsp regular chili powder+ 2 tsp Penzey’s Arizona Dreaming, an ancho-chipotle-jalepeno blend)
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 T unsweetened cocoa
• 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 T cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 12 oz dried spaghetti
• 4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, finely grated
• 1 (15 oz) can kidney beans, rinsed, room temperature

1. In a large frying pan (12″), saute half of the onion, beef, garlic and chili powder until beef is just cooked. Break up beef to as fine a mince as possible.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients (through water) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook uncovered 1-1 1/2 hours, or until sauce has thickened, but is still thin enough to coat pasta.
3. Cook spaghetti according to package directions and divide onto 4 plates. Spoon chili over spaghetti and top with cheese, reserved onions and beans.

Pickled herring, egg salad and bad posture: 2012 is sure shaping up to be “Year of the Granny.” Since the new year, I’ve shared Shelsky’s pickled herring with my folks, made several batches of egg salad, and have resolved to go to bed in the 10pm range. I’m also up before dawn every day, so I’m earning that granny badge!

2011 took it out of me. I spent most of last year hunched over…my little person, the stove, strollers, my blackberry. I put all my energies into stay-at-home mothering with very little relief in the form of grandparents, babysitters or vacations (sometimes I’d convince myself that cooking without a toddler underfoot was very much like a vacation). Which brings me to tight budgets and living over a thousand miles from your family=really tough. But single-income economics was, and continues to be, a fun game of strategy for my husband and I. When you succeed at living simply it is a bit exhilarating. We really should run a weekend seminar on the ins and outs of stretching the dollar in this not-so-cheap city.

As for family meals last year…a little blurry since I failed t0 document most of them on this here blog; but, I cooked plenty. It was budget-conscious and heavy on the Trader Joe’s supplements. (fyi, I fell in love with Trader Joes last year. Always liked it, but our relationship became serious fast. If you don’t understand the appeal of TJs, please talk to me. We schlepp there and back on the subway like pack mules for a reason. Even though I hate every second of the schlepping part. Their canned smoked trout whipped up with Hellman’s original mayo is some of the best white fish salad I never knew I could make (granny badge earned!)

I guess what I’m trying to say is, I was really, really tired last year. We ate, but hardly slept. Facebook-ing was far easier than blogging, and there was some good stuff on TV (Parenthood, Breaking Bad, Dexter). Cooking for my family was a lot of muscle memory, but I usually found some small joy in each meal. Especially watching my toddler’s face when taking the first bite of a new food. When she liked it, pure joy, and relief. When she did not, and spat out the food, and proceeded to scrape her tongue of any lasting, horrible flavor, it still made me smile.

So 11.5 months to go to fix my slouch, create new recipes, and share the successes here. And if you don’t hear from me for an extended period of time, I sure as hell hope I’m somewhere on vacation.

Red Lentil Dal with Garden of Eve spinach

Since learning that BPA is in the lining of most canned foods–and not wanting to serve it up to my baby along with her beans–I’ve begun cooking more dried legumes. Specifically, the red lentil. It cooks quickly, practically purees itself and provides protein, fiber, iron and folate. Here are two red lentil recipes I gladly eat alongside my little one:

Red Lentil Dal with roots & greens

Red lentils are thickened with root veggies and get their green hue from fresh spinach (organic spinach came from our winter CSA share with Garden of Eve farm). Packs a good amount of Indian-spiced heat. Freezer-friendly!

• 1 cup red lentils
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced
• 1 large organic golden potato, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
• 2 cups fresh organic spinach, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp curry powder or Garam Masala

1. Add lentils, potatoes and onion to a medium pot. Add 3 cups water and the salt and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
2. Add peas, carrots, spinach and spices and cook until carrot is tender and the lentils are a stew-like consistency, about 20 minutes. Stir in a pat of butter or drizzle of olive oil, if desired.
3. If serving to baby, use an immersion blender to puree to desired consistency.

Lentil Quinoa Banana Bars (not pictured)

These bars were one of baby’s very first finger foods and could stand in for a meal in a pinch. In my opinion, they are what snack bars should aim to be–balanced nutrients, faintly sweet, unprocessed and portable.

• 1/2 cup red lentils
• 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 5 Tbsp flour (unbleached, whole wheat, or gluten-free variety)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. In a 2 qt saucepan, bring 3 cups water to a boil. Add lentils and quinoa and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature.
2. In a small bowl, mix banana, flour and cinnamon. Add cooled lentil mix. Spread into an oiled 8″x8″ baking dish and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. Cool, cut into bars, and store in the refrigerator or freezer. Cut into bite-size cubes if serving to baby.

(Both recipes are adapted from Baby Bistro)

Umami & Egg Pizza Pie

I’ll be celebrating my first Mother’s Day this year, and the cliche of eating off of a tray in bed sounds downright appealing. Not sure what my husband has up his sleeve, but do have my doubts that he could man a stove while wrangling our active 10-month old. (The “hot breakfast” is always a dual-parenting endeavor at our house).

So, that’s where this recipe comes in. Quick, yet impressive, it’s a breakfast pizza with warm, runny farm-fresh eggs and the umami paste,  Taste No. 5.

Umami is a Japanese word meaning deliciousness and is thought to be the fifth taste after sweet, salty, sour and bitter. In one tube of Taste No. 5, you get a combination of tomato, garlic, anchovy paste, black olives, balsamic vinegar, porcini mushrooms, parmesan cheese, olive oil and a touch of sugar and salt–!!! They say umami is the flavor that makes your mouth water, and what Mom doesn’t deserve that? Need I also mention it’s pizza, so Mom can eat with her hands, in bed, while someone else rubs her feet.

Mommy’s Umami Pie

• 12″ frozen thin-crust cheese pizza, whole wheat if available
• 1 cup loosely-packed baby spinach
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp Taste No. 5 umami paste
• 2 Tbsp fresh-grated Parmesan cheese

1. Follow cooking directions on the pizza package. Before placing in oven, carefully crack the eggs onto the pizza, spacing evenly.
2. About 2-3 minutes before pizza is finished add the spinach, it should just wilt. Test the doneness of the eggs–you want the whites fully set up, and the yolks to jiggle a bit (do NOT over-cook, you want the egg yolk to be warm and runny when eaten).
3. Remove pizza from oven, dot with the umami paste and sprinkle with the cheese. Slice into thirds, one egg per piece. Serve right away.

Here is the link to the Times article about pesticide exposure in the womb. Basically, 3 separate studies show that school-age children who were exposed to pesticides in the womb have lower IQs. Yet another reason to choose your food carefully and cook at home more often!

When cooking for my family, I realize the benefit of organic; but, it is not always available, in the budget, or as fresh as local produce.  As the Times article suggests, I use the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists put out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) as a guide and my recipes reflect this. In addition to organic produce, I also recommend organic dairy, pasture-raised meats, and eggs from pastured birds whenever possible.

Dirty Dozen and Clean 15