Upcoming Pureed Goodness Class

Are you or someone you know starting on the adventure of feeding solids to your little one? If so, our Pureed Goodness workshop at Spiral on November 6th from 1:30- 3:00 is the perfect solution! We've got a few slots left, and we'd love to have more participants. Parents will leave with 4 purees to freeze and try with baby (about 2 weeks worth of food for a baby just starting out) along with the knowledge and confidence to make their own baby food. This will probably be our last puree class at Spiral before the holidays.

If you know someone who might be interested, please forward this along. Signups can be at the workshop or online at Spiral Yoga and Wellness (be sure to click on workshops/events).

Nobody's Perfect

When people know about our business, I have to chuckle a little when lunchtime comes, or it's time for Ava to eat, and they ask, "Do you allow her to eat ________?" Usually they're referring to a treat, or comfort food, or whatever the possible off-limits food is to the onlooker. I understand that they might infer that because we make healthy homemade food in our workshops, I may be a little controlling about what Ava eats.

While I appreciate their respectful questions, I laugh and explain that we have traditional snacks in our pantry sometimes too. Ava and I really love eating a good cookie (or more) and believe me, Nicole and I don't serve up something gourmet for every meal. But the honest truth is, I control what I can, and understand that a treat or super comfort food (fish and chips, anyone?) once in awhile is a necessary part of her diet- if I deprive her at all times, she'll just desire the "forbidden fruit" more. :)

My kid gets messy too, she throws healthy foods off the table too, and there are days she has food fixations. Yes, I have a plethora of recipes to try out on her, and she's a good eater, but we run low on ideas sometimes too. And then it's back to the drawing board to test out a recipe for the week (and usually it is just one recipe a week). As moms and dads, that's all we can do- keep trying to bring healthy foods to the dinner table, and over time, we will see that we have influenced our kids to appreciate eating well.

I think that's the beauty of Mish Mash- we try to equip parents to try out new healthy recipes so that they know that at the very least, they were able to influence the foods their kids eat every day. Even if it did get smooshed in their hair.

Do you have any pictures of your little one eating (er... semi-eating?) any Mish Mash recipes? Please do send them in for our site. We love seeing the fruits of our labor!

Off the Beaten Path

When thinking of a kid friendly place to eat out it's easy to get stuck in the rut of the old standbys. But I encourage you to take a look at those restaurants you may have thought were too cool for kids. Vesta Dipping Grill is just such a place. The atmosphere is hip and lively which is  just perfect for keeping kids entertained long enough to enjoy a meal without having to pre-order the check. And their kids menu is fantastic with 3 courses for $8. The starter includes items such as veggies and dip, and for their entree you don't have to simply stick to chicken nuggets instead how about a beef skewer - food on a stick is a pretty exciting thing for a kid. We love Vesta and Sofia is very adventurous when there are different dips involved - maybe your kiddo will be, too. 

Allergy Free Recipe!

Sarah and I are both very fortunate that neither of our girls have shown signs of having any food allergies. In our workshops and through our blog and Facebook page we have come across lots of parents with kiddos with all different types of food allergies and we feel your pain in trying to keep their food interesting, tasty, and healthy while keeping within those restrictions. We recently posted a pumpkin muffin recipe that lots of you tried and loved, so I wanted to find one for those with kids who couldn't partake in the ingredients and find a recipe that would work for you and is just as tasty. So here you all go. This one is dairy, gluten, egg, and nut free. So it should be safe for everyone. Once a week I will find other allergy friendly recipes to post. If there is something in particular you are challenged with let me know. 

Pumpkin Muffins w/ Pumpkin Seed Streusel Topping

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/3 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/3 cup orange juice
1 tsp xanthan gum
3/4 cup tapioca starch/flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
2 Tbsp sweet rice flour (optional)
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Streusel Topping:
1/3 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp brown rice flour
1 tsp cinnamon
3 Tbsp margarine

Instructions
To make Streusel topping:

Chop pumpkin seeds in a food processor or blender until very small pieces. Most will be very fine grain, and will stick together, though some slightly larger pieces may remain. Combine chopped seeds, brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in margarine until crumbly. Set aside.

Combine sugar, oil, applesauce, vanilla, canned pumpkin, and orange juice in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir well to combine, then add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir until completely combined, but do not overmix.

Fill muffin tins 1/2 to 2/3 full, then top with 1 heaping tablespoon of streusel topping.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until cake tester comes out clean, or the streusel is golden brown and the muffin springs back when touched.

Easy Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner!

CRUSTLESS QUICHE

This is a great "throw together"  recipe when you are looking for something easy and yummy for any meal. You can make it with any veggie you have in your fridge. Love recipes that incorporate what I already have in my pantry and fridge and take no time at all. This is a favorite with everyone in the family. 

Ingredients:

sautéed veggies
1 cup of milk
½ to ¾ lb. of grated cheese (a mixture of gruyere and white cheddar is my favorite!) 
4 to 5 eggs, beaten
salt, pepper, dried or fresh herbs
two garlic cloves pressed or chopped

Directions:
I use a combination of finely chopped tomatoes, spinach, salt, pepper, herbs and garlic sautéed in olive oil. But any combination of veggies will work. Use your favorite. 

Arrange the veggies in the bottom of a quiche pan. There should be enough to cover the entire bottom.

Mix other ingredients together and pour over the veggies, spreading the mix evenly with a fork.

Place on a cookie sheet because it makes it easier to handle.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes or until the center is firm and the top is golden brown.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins

Around here, we don't think of muffins as only breakfast- they are an easy snack or dessert also. When you put healthy yummy ingredients in them, you can rest assured they aren't chock full of sugar and fat- the following recipe is a great example. Pumpkin makes everything taste and smell more special this time of year, so give this awesome recipe a shot! Your house will smell wonderful.

Pumpkin Apple Muffins (12 Muffins or 24 Mini Muffins)

1 1/3 Cups All Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1 Tsp Pumpkin Spice
3 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
1/2 Cup Agave OR Honey
1 Egg
1/2 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Medium Apple, peeled and grated (Gala, Pink Lady, Fuji or Golden Delicious are good choices)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl and mix.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together.
4. Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Grease muffin tins or line them with muffin cups and fill each cup 3/4 full with the batter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
7. Serve.

Kids with Food Allergies

There are many different theories regarding the rise in food allergies and the relationship between allergens and toxins. Whatever theory you subscribe to having a kiddo with food allergies no matter how minor or extreme can be a challenge. A great online resource is www.allergykids.com. This is a great site for moms who want to gain more knowledge on how to deal with raising a child with a food allergy in a world full of forbidden foods. We would love to hear other moms reach out and let us know how they have dealt with raising a child who experiences sever or minor reactions to certain foods. I'm sure it will help other moms out there who are just starting to navigate this same journey to hear what you have to say. So post your story on our Facebook wall and for those of you with questions do the same, sometimes a little support can go a very long way. Here's a great recipe for those with and without allergies to enjoy!

Millet Salmon Cakes with Yogurt Dipping Sauce

Millet is known as a "super grain" because it is highly nutritious and easy to digest. People who have a tough time digesting wheat find millet a welcome alternative. It can be found in all health food stores and even some regular grocery stores. It's also delicious in the morning with cinnamon, berries, honey and almond milk.

Salmon Cake Ingredients:
3 Tbsp butter, divided
1/2 medium red onion, diced (approx 1/2 cup)
1/4 bulb of fennel, diced (appox 1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, diced (approx 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 lb salmon, skinned and steamed *
2 cups millet, cooked **
1/4 cup ground flax ***
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp lemon zest
1 Tbsp dijon mustard
2 eggs

Salmon Cake Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add onions, fennel and celery to the pan. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until veggies are beginning to soften. Remove from heat, stir in parsley and cool for 5 minutes. Flake salmon into a large bowl, being careful to remove any bones. In a separate small bowl, toss cooked millet with ground flax until millet is coated. Add millet/flax mixture and walnuts to salmon, set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together sea salt, pepper, lemon zest, dijon mustard and eggs. Add cooled sauteed vegetables to the salmon bowl and pour egg mixture over the salmon. Gently toss all ingredients together with a fork. Using approx 1/3 cup of the salmon mixture per patty, measure out and form 12 salmon patties.

Melt remaining 1 Tbsp of butter in the same large non-stick pan (no need to clean it) over medium heat. Add six salmon patties to the pan and saute for 10 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Using a spatula, gently flip cakes over onto a large non-stick sheet pan. There should still be enough oil in the pan, if not, add an additional 1 Tbsp of butter. Saute the second batch of salmon cakes, and add those to the sheet pan as well. Bake cakes for 8 minutes. While cakes are baking, mix together the yogurt dipping sauce.

Yogurt Dipping Sauce Ingredients:
1 7 oz container greek yogurt
2 scallions, thinly sliced using both white and green parts
1/4 tsp lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon (approx 1/4 cup)
1/4 tsp dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 dashes cayenne pepper

Yogurt Dipping Sauce Instructions:
While salmon is baking, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl. Chill until service. Makes 1 cup of sauce.

To Serve:
As an entree, serve 3 salmon cakes per person with 1/4 cup of yogurt dipping sauce on the side, drizzled over the cakes or under the cakes on the plate. As an appetizer, serve 1 salmon cake per person with a heaping Tbsp of sauce.

Enjoy! I think you will love these...

* I ask my fish monger at Whole Foods to steam the fish for me. It makes these cakes a simple weeknight meal. Or use a steamer basket over a pot of boiling water until fish is cooked through, 15-20 minutes. Or poach the fish in salted water for approximately 20 minutes until cooked through.

** How to cook millet: Rinse 1 cup of millet. Combine millet, 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off heat. Take off lid and let sit for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and proceed with recipe!

*** Ground flax can be bought at most health food stores or Whole Foods. But, you can also buy whole flax seeds and grind them in a coffee grinder at home. This step retains more nutritional value of the flax. Flax seeds contain omega oils, which spoil quickly when they are subjected to air. Storing the seeds whole until you need them prevents spoilage.

ORGANIC SPARK
http://organicspark.blogspot.com/

Apple Fritters!

Okay, so usually we put some super healthy yet still super yummy recipe on here to share. But today with this amazing fall weather we are experiencing here in Colorado - a very rare non-frost, no random snow flakes kind of fall the likes of which we rarely ever see - I felt compelled to bake something sweet and sugary to enjoy outside in the grass with a couple of glasses of cider. Because sometimes a beautiful day calls for a decadent treat and these apple fritters definitely are just that!

Ingredients

(adapted from Southern Plate Cookbook)
2 cups self-rising flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice (substituted for cinnamon)
1 cup milk
3 TBS butter, melted
2 large eggs
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced (substituted for 2 cups apples)
powdered sugar, optional

Before preparing the batter, I pulled out my trusty cast iron skillet and filled it about 1/2 inch deep with pure vegetable oil (add more for larger fritters like I made to avoid scorching the bottom of the fritters) and placed it over a medium heat (4 on an electric stove).

While the oil is heating, combine the flour, brown sugar and apple pie spice in a large mixing bowl. I used a fork (as suggested in the cookbook) to mix the ingredients and break up any clumps, which could probably be avoided by sifting the dry ingredients beforehand.

While the fritters would be incredible with just about any baking apple, I chose my all time favorite, the Granny Smith. It gave the fritters that extra little kick of sour to balance all of the sweetness of the batter.

Add the milk, butter and eggs to the dry ingredients and stir well. Add diced apples and stir.

With the batter and oil now ready, I used an ice cream scoop to add about 4 to 5 dollops of batter to the hot oil. My first batch turned out some rather large fritters, so for the additional ones, I only filled the scoop about half way.

At this point I wish I had used a timer so I could say exactly how long each side spent frying but I would guess it wasn’t anymore than 2 minutes per side, probably even less. I just used a metal straining spoon to lift the edge and see how brown it was getting every 30 seconds or so. Once brown, just carefully flip each fritter over to cook on the other side.

*recipe courtesy of Oh My Sugar High.

Even Mish+Mash homemade has a sweet tooth! Yum!!!!

Join the School Food Revolution!

If you haven't heard of it yet, Two Angry Moms, is new movie and a movement by two moms who decided to take the choices their kids had in the cafeteria and try to make a change. 

Amy Kalafa was stewing for years, packing her kids lunches from home and trying to get her community to pay attention to what kids are eating in school. When news of a national child health crisis began making headlines, Amy, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, decided to take the fight to film. Two Angry Moms is Amy's quest to learn what she and other parents need to know and do to get better food in their kids' schools.  

Whole Foods is sponsoring free screenings of this film all over the country and tomorrow night you can catch it at the Mayan. 

Wednesday, October 20th
FREE MOVIE NIGHT at the Mayan Theatre Featuring "Two Angry Moms" A film about changing the way we do school Lunches!

7:00-9:00pm Free!

Join us for a special event hosted by Whole Foods Market! “Two Angry Moms” is the story of two moms and their quest to improve school lunches. Learn more about the School Lunch Revolution and the movie at www.angrymoms.org

Enjoy this Free Movie and then a panel discussion afterward to discuss ways to improve school wellness in your community!

If you are interested in bring this movie to your neighborhood or would like to be a part of this grassroots movement log onto www.angrymoms.org for all the details!

Vegetable Cards

We have a demo scheduled tonight, and we're excited about it; the topic is "How to Get Your Child to Eat Almost Anything"- specifically focused on veggies. We're not huge proponents of hiding vegetables, though we know there's a place for it and do have recipes that include veggies, either pureed or chopped fine. In fact, I've been playing with many such recipes recently and have discovered that one can even hide spinach and carrots in brownies! Yes, brownies!

This all has led me to ask- what are we at Mish Mash really about? We fall somewhere in the middle between raw veggies and hiding: We would rather kids learn from the start that veggies are a natural, tasty part of meal time to be enjoyed- and usually if they start by eating homemade veggie purees, there's more success with this. So our job is to give parents strategies to get there.

Still, there are always kids who really avoid veggies at certain stages, and it's important to give them ownership of meals and to help them to understand what they're eating, and get them talking about the vegetables, naming them, and helping you prepare them by washing or tossing them into salads or soups. That way they'll know the name at the dinner table, and it won't be quite so "foreign."

A montessori catalogue I once read included vocabulary cards with vegetables- these would be a great way for kids to "own" the names of veggies at a young age and be able to recognize and sort them.

Park Meadows Demo

We will be demonstrating puree making with the Beaba Babycook at the Park Meadows Williams-Sonoma this Saturday from 12-2. If you're out shopping, swing by and say hello! Especially if you're in puree mode, this is a great chance to decide if the Beaba is for you. We use food processors in our classes, but based on Nicole's experience the Beaba is a great tool. By demoing it we hope to also share our business with other parents south of Denver.

Pasta E Fagioli

I've had one of those tough mommy weeks. You know, the ones where you just got over some type of bug and your house needs serious attention, your toddler discovered the glory of public screeching when she used to just say, "OK", and you can't leave the house as much because the weather is wet and chilly. Sorry for the complaining, but this is reality, right? Today I needed to plan a dinner that would be comforting and nutritious all at once, and provide leftovers in case I have a few more of "these" days in the next week. Oh, and it had to be an easier recipe for me to take on, so I made a few modifications.

I made this last year, and my stepmom gave me the following ways to make this easier: I cheated on one ingredient, to save time: I used canned cannellini instead of soaking dried beans overnight and therefore cutting simmering time down by at least a half hour. But I followed the recipe's extra little step for giving the soup more body, ladling a few spoonfuls of beans and vegetables into the blender and returning them, puréed, to the pot. I also cooked the pasta separately. This would be an awesome meal for a younger baby, pureed, an older baby with a few teeth, if you strained out bits and pieces, and a perfect meal for all ages. Enjoy! I know we're going to, and tomorrow is a new day, right?

PASTA E FAGIOLI

Serves 10 as a first course or 6 as a main course

3 tablespoons pure olive oil
3 to 4 ounces pancetta, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
3 large cloves garlic, minced
2 cups (about 14 ounces) dried cranberry, borlotti, cannellini, or other small white beans, soaked overnight in water to cover, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups diced canned plum tomatoes, with juices
8 cups water or chicken broth, or as needed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound small shells, ditalini, or other small pasta shape
Extra virgin olive oil for finishing
Grated Parmesan for finishing

1. In a large soup kettle, warm the pure olive oil over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally, until it renders its fat and is golden, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the soaked beans, the tomatoes and their juices, the 8 cups water, and 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 1 hour.

2. To give the soup more body, remove 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of beans and vegetables, place in a food processor or blender, and purée until smooth. Return the purée to the pot. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

3. Although you can cook the pasta directly in the soup, there is a danger of the soup scorching if the beans have been puréed. To avoid this, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta, stir well, and cook until al dente, according to the package directions. Drain the pasta, add to the soup, and simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors.

4. Ladle the soup into warmed bowls, and top each serving with a generous swirl of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of Parmesan, and a liberal dusting of black pepper. Serve at once.

2 Yummy Purees By Request

For those of you who haven't friended us on Facebook, you can ask questions and make comments on our wall and we will answer right away, especially since Nicole is a social media junkie and probably should seek some sort of therapy for it. Anyways, one of our "students" who recently took a puree class requested some more puree recipes on our blog so .... you ask and you shall receive. Here your go!! See; if there is anything you are wondering or if there's a class you'd like to see us add to our upcoming roster let us know on our Facebook page and we'll address it. For now enjoy a couple super yummy puree recipes that are a perfect fit for a beautiful autumn day.

Butternut Squash & Apple Stew

Ingredients:

½ small, peeled, and diced butternut squash

1 medium apple, peeled, and diced

1½ cups low sodium chicken stock or water

Grape Seed or Olive Oil

Directions:

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add squash, and apples and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Apples will begin to turn golden. Add stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover and simmer until vegetables are soft, 30 to 35 minutes.

Place in a food processor, or food mill and puree to the consistency appropriate for your baby.

Nutrition:

Butternut Squash is high in vitamin C, beta- carotene, potassium, and folate. Apples are high in fiber and antioxidants.

Red Lentils & Rice Super Soup

Ingredients-

2 ¾ cups low sodium vegetable broth

⅓ cup brown rice

½ cup red lentils, picked over and rinsed

Directions-

In a saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the rice and lentils. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer gently until the rice is tender, the lentils are very soft and mash easily with a spoon, and most of the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 35 minutes. (The mixture will continue to absorb liquid as it cools.) Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Transfer the mixture to a food processor or blender and process to a smooth puree. Add the necessary broth or water to reach the desired consistency for your baby.

Nutrition-

Lentils and brown rice are a nutritious, protein-packed pairing, and lentils have the added benefit of being high in folate. (Folate: Folate helps produce and maintain new cells [2]. This is especially important during periods of rapid cell division and growth such as infancy and pregnancy. Folate is needed to make DNA and RNA, the building blocks of cells. It also helps prevent changes to DNA that may lead to cancer [3]. Both adults and children need folate to make normal red blood cells and prevent anemia [4]. Folate is also essential for the metabolism of homocysteine, and helps maintain normal levels of this amino acid.)

Saturday Market

Just a reminder that Nicole from Mish Mash and Katy from Stir Cooking School will be at the Highlands Farmers' Market tomorrow from 8 to 1- come by to score a deal on a class by signing up at the booth! My awesome partner Nicole will be sharing info about our biz and upcoming Mish Mash classes while I am recovering from a flu bug- wish I could be there, but Nicole will absolutely be the best possible resource. Happy Weekend!

Chili Season

It's fall, and that means breaking out big batches of chili or soup around our place. Chili is wonderful because it's chock full of healthy veggies, legumes, and protein rich turkey (or beef) and can be topped with avocado, sour cream or yogurt, cheese, and cilantro. Ava loves to eat this recipe, but here's what's important to remember so kids aren't reeling from the heat of this recipe:

Whenever you make a super spicy recipe for the whole family, but want to take it down a notch for the little ones, either take out the spicy ingredients (red pepper flakes, serrano chili, etc.) or portion out a little for your little ones to a separate to another pan. Then you can add the adult ingredients and all can enjoy the same meal together- a sure fire way to increase success with any meal. Also, you may want to try spreading the leftovers over baked potatoes for a different meal.

Here's my recent favorite from allrecipes.com. Enjoy!

Millet, Tomato, & Avocado Salad - For EVERYONE!

A friend turned me on to this fantastic food blog, Whole Family Fare,  a while ago and I have loved all the recipes I have made thus far. This one I made in order to have a quick lunch to pull out of the fridge and serve to both Sofia and I thoughout the week.  What I really love is the recipes are truly for the whole family from baby to adult. She simply adds tips on how to alter them slightly to meet the needs of each family member - no matter how many teeth they may or may not have! Enjoy!! 

2 cups cooked millet
5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove garlic, minced
1 avocado
lemon juice
sea salt
extra virgin olive oil
fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

Toss everything together. Drizzle a generous amount of olive oil, a tablespoon or so of lemon juice and a large pinch of sea salt. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (or you can serve immediately).

babies 6 months + : puree a small amount of millet with avocado and water/breastmilk, until smooth.
9 months + : serve a little cooked millet with diced avocado.
12 months + : serve as is.

Come By to Say Hi!

Mish+Mash Homemade and Stir to Learn Cooking School - our new cooking venue - will be at the Highlands Farmers Market on Saturday from 9 to 1 pm. If you've never been to the Highlands Farmers Market it's located on Boulder St in front of Lola's. It's a small market with lots of good food to eat and fresh produce to purchase. Come have breakfast and see all the new classes coming up at Stir!