Black Bean Patties--or--Bitty Bean Burger

I started to write a post on fish this morning but became side tracked.

Watching the KDKA morning show while writing, a friend of mine was on showing how to eat healthy on a budget. She represents Weight Watchers and I've known her for 7 years and never knew she could cook!! She made some wonderful Black Bean Patties and I immediately thought of BF. She loves black beans and this would make a quick, inexpensive little "bitty bean burger" for her.

This is definitely one of those family meals that everyone can enjoy. You may serve this on a bed of lettuce or on a bun, or in a pita. Add some sour cream or Titziki sauce, or hot sauce. Great dinner or brown bag lunch.

Here is the simple recipe:

Bitty Bean Burger

1 1/2 cans black beans drained rinsed and slightly mashed
2/3 cup of corn
1/4 cup corn meal
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder (mild)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 egg whites
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1T safflower or olive oil

Mix all together and form into golf ball size balls. Flatten and saute in hot oil, 4 minutes on each side or until heated through.

For BF make 8 walnut size balls and saute. Place in mini pita pocket and top with a dollop of sour cream. YUM!

Next post I'll share my Black Bean Goody Omelete that BF, MF and DF snarfed down last time they came to visit.

Karp's Happiest Toddler on the Block

Among those of us who write and read this blog I am sure there are an array of opinions about Dr. Harvey Karp's theories on child development. In our house, we are fans of his work. My husband and I had not been home from the hospital with Baby Flava for more than two days before we ran out to purchase The Happiest Baby on the Block. The techniques he suggested in this book worked like a charm for BF, thank goodness because we were exhausted and feeling like we were in over our heads. Several months (and a whole world) later, BF started showing signs of impending toddlerhood so we rushed out to buy the next book in Karp's series, The Happiest Toddler on the Block.

Karp's thesis in The Happiest Toddler is that toddlers are much like our prehistoric ancestors; distractible, emotional, and inarticulate cavemen. In order to be able to sooth the savage toddler beast when he/she arises, Karp outlines a series of techniques including the use of your toddler's own primitive language, which he refers to as toddler-ese. Since BF is still in the early stages of her life as a toddler, the jury is out in regards to our opinion on The Happiest Toddler but to say the least, it was a fascinating read.

As it relates more specifically to this blog, Karp wrote a piece in his book on feeding toddlers. He explains why toddlerhood is a time when many children become picky eaters and emphasizes the importance of making sure your child gets enough of certain key nutrients including calcium and iron. I thought this was a topic worth exploring further so, keep an eye out for two future blog posts dedicated to increasing the amount of calcium and iron in your toddler's diet. In the meantime, I am eager to know what other mom's think about Karp's research.

- Mama Flava -

Stage 1 Foods-how to cook, prep and keep

MF outlined how to start babies out on Table Food. Lets look back at some of the stage one purees we made, how we made them and how we kept them.

Techniques here are quite simple and straightforward. Use those fruits and veggies that are mild in flavor and pose no possible allergic reactions. Your pediatrician will give you a list of the "first foods". By mild in flavor, we mean no cabbage, broccolli or cauliflower in the beginning; start with peas, sweet potatoes, carrots, etc.

Cooking veggies for baby should be the same as you cook them for yourself--don't overcook, don't cook in a huge quantity of water, this leeches out the nutrients and don't load them up with butter. Steamed veggies are the healthiest and easiest. You can do this in a pot or in the microwave.

Sweet potatoes can be baked in the oven or microwave. I baked 4 sweet potatoes the other night and forgot to put a tray or aluminum foil under them in the oven. As they bake, they will weep out sweet sugary "juice", and I ended up with burnt mounds of sweet potato in the bottom of the oven. So do be careful. I tend to grab the potatoes out of the oven...a good squeeze lets you know the potato is done. However, the sweet potato syrup is hot and it is sugary and will burn, so use an oven mit or towel.

Sweet potatoes really need very little processing after that. Mash them up and fill ice cube trays with the mash; place in freezer; when frozen, pop the cubes out into a labeled zip lock bag. Label it with the date and what it is. I found those vaccum seal bags are terrific. Removing the air not only perserves what it is you are freezing, prevents ice crystals and freezer burn, but it also saves space in the freezer. The bags can be resealed once opened and can be washed and reused.

When you want sweet potato, take out 1 or 2 cubes and microwave for 20-30 seconds depending on your microwave. Voila, fresh mashed sweet potatoes.

This is your basic method for stage 1, steam, mash and freeze. Carrots should be cut into chunks, steamed then pureed in the food processor. If you need a little liquid, take some of the steaming liquid. Peas the same, steam, process and freeze.

Red peppers can be roasted in the oven at 350 degrees until black. Remove the skins, seeds and stem, puree and freeze.

Fresh string beans, being stringy, do not puree quite so easily unless they are overcooked to mush. But a little perserverance, some liquid from the steamer and those too will work.

Fruits, apples, pears, peaches, plums, cherries etc...peel, de seed, cook, mash, puree and freeze. As you go along you can start combining veggies, fruits etc. I made Parsnicarapple...mashed parsnips, carrots and apples. Spinach and pears, Peas and carrots, the combinations are endless.

You are making your own Happy Baby cubes, a little less expensive and more variety.

MF started adding some spices to the veggies, BF like cumin!! So if your meals include Indian flavors, Italian flavors...whatever, go ahead, a little at a time. Of course double check with your pediatrician!

Starting Baby on Table Food

Recently I was chatting with a friend who told me about a mom in her playgroup who is stumped by how to start her daughter on table food. Some moms, especially those who cook, take for granted their instinctual food knowledge, which makes it a lot easier to tackle feeding a baby for the first time. However, the majority of moms out there find themselves traveling up a steep learning curve once their babies begin to eat solid foods. What can they "chew," what are their nutritional needs, what happens if they choke on something, what kinds of food will they like, what foods are off limits? Once a mom is able to answer all of these questions, then she needs to learn how to actually prepare the healthy food her baby likes. There is really a tremendous amount to learn, no wonder my friend's friend was feeling daunted!

So much of what I know now I learned from talking to other moms, reading books or from trial and error experimentation. I hope this blog in it's entirety reflects what I have learned and can therefore be a resource for all moms who want to feed their babies nutritious and tasty meals. But in addition, here is a little crib sheet on getting started with table food.

1) Start slow and simple. For baby's debut don't prepare your favorite meal, which requires that you slave in the kitchen for three hours. Even if baby loves the food you will be left thinking "How on earth can I keep this up?" Try things that don't require hours of prep and clean-up.

2) Variety, variety, variety! Studies have shown that food pickyness is actually about 80% genetic. If you are a picky eater there is a very high probability that your baby will be a picky eater too. However, this does not mean that you should forgo exposing your baby to as many flavors and textures as possible at a young age. Grow their palate and teach them to explore new flavors; you never know what foods will be a hit.

3) Repetition. Even if your baby rejects a food keep trying, it make take upwards of 10 times before your child actually acquires a taste for a new food.

4) Spice things up! Spices are a wonderful tool in the kitchen. Don't be afraid to season your spinach with cumin, your salmon with curry or your squash with sage. We like exciting flavors in our food and so do our kids!

5) Sometimes baby is just not hungry. Sometimes kids are not hungry for a variety of different reasons. Maybe they are tired, ate too much earlier, or they are just more interested in reading a book than eating. Don't get discouraged and follow their lead. If they don't want to eat then put their food back in the fridge and try it again the next day.

6) Get to know your baby. You will get lots of advice from other moms but the most important thing is to know your baby. What kinds of foods can she/he manage? Can she gum up halves of grapes or it is too early for her? Does he choke on pieces of chicken but have no problem with fish? Just remember that your baby will evolve so even if something is too difficult for her now, it may not be in another month.

7) Great first table foods for baby: Anything you eat that is soft enough for your baby to gum up! Try broken up meatballs, cut up avocado, diced fruit (bananas, grapes, etc), small pieces of whole wheat bread with hummus, hard boiled egg yolk, mashed sweet potatoes, whole wheat crackers that dissolve in the mouth, ricotta gnocchi, flaked pieces of white fish, pureed veggies with lentils added. Look through the archives of this blog for tons of other great recipes and ideas. Have fun and enjoy this special time with your baby!

Quick Eggs for Baby or Toddler

I love learning new time saving tricks for making quick baby/toddler food and this is a new one that I have to pass along: microwave eggs!

Eggs are a great source of protein and several other essential nutrients (like folate, iron, zinc) that are good for a child's brain development. Although a few servings of egg a week are enough for your growing baby, scrambling an egg in the morning can sometimes be too much work for a harried mom. So, here is a great alternative -- take a small microwave safe ceramic bowl and spray lightly with canola oil. Crack one egg into the bowl and add any accoutrement that your baby enjoys like cheese or veggies. Beat the egg and accoutrement in the bowl until well combined and then microwave on high for 60 seconds. The microwaved version of a scrambled egg turns out fluffy and relativity moist. This is a great healthy and fast breakfast for the busy mom to serve her baby.

Last night I made spinach for baby flava's dinner (I sautéed spinach in a small pan with water, garlic, and cumin until cooked and then chopped into finger sized bites) and had plenty left over. So, this morning I mixed a few tablespoons of the spinach in with her microwave egg. The eggs were a big hit and I was thrilled because we squeezed in another serving of vegetables for the day.

I am sure there are other great microwave tricks out there so if you know of any, please share them in a comment.

Rao's Pasta Sauce is the BEST!

I use tomato sauce in many things, as I am sure do many. When I have time I will open a can of Muir Glen diced tomatoes and add sauteed onions, garlic, fresh spices and let it cook for a while. At the end of the summer I will occasionally make a batch of fresh tomato sauce, but the quick saute kind not the "cooking for hours" kind.

Jarred tomato sauce is a quick easy meal and I use the Muir Glen in soups, brisket, chili's, sauces etc. I like the taste of the Muir Glen, the fact it is organic, and the price. I've tried many sauces and felt comfortable with Muir Glen.

Until 2 years ago I would NEVER have purchased RAO's pasta sauce because it is $9 a bottle. Who in their right mind would pay that much for pasta sauce.

Then I had the opportunity to work with the Marketing Executive from RAO's at a demo. This was the first time I tasted any of their products; sauces, pastas and dressings.
They were DELICIOUS! Not only did I have a blast with the Exec. from Rao's I couldn't get over the fresh taste the color and raved the whole time we worked together. My husband also loved their products, so much so, on our first trip ever to Las Vegas we had dinner one night at their restaurant. Yummmmmm! The story of RAO's is fascinating, take a look if you have time.

My favorite sauce, their Vodka Sauce. I keep at least one jar on the shelf at all times and I buy extra whenever I see it on sale. I still use Muir Glen canned tomatoes, but for Popopflava and myself for dinner, or for a meal with Baby Flava and family, it's well worth the price.

There is no recipe...cook up your favorite pasta (RAO's pasta is also outstanding!), heat up the Vodka Sauce, pour on pasta, sprinkle with fresh grated parmesano reggiano, a fresh steamed veggie on the side...heaven.

And BTW, Good Housekeeping just did a taste test of all pasta sauces, you'll never guess who won...RAO's! Try it, you won't regret it!!!

French Brioche

Here in Baltimore there is a hint of spring in the air. We had a few days this month that crept towards 60 degrees, the birds are chirping again and the crocus' are beginning to pop out of the ground. Thank goodness! Although this means that we will not likely have anymore snow days, it doesn't mean I have given up on bread baking for the year.

Last weekend, I felt inspired to bake a few loaves but I wanted to make something that felt, well, springy. The first thing that came to mind was brioche. The recipe I use came from a beloved French tutor (Madame Angen) who taught my brother and I French in anticipation of our family's year-long sabbatical to Switzerland in 1987. This sweet French bread has been a favorite of our family's ever since. BF tried it for the first time on Sunday and loved it! We enjoy our brioche for breakfast toasted with some butter. However Baby Flava enjoyed hers as a sandwich with hummus and spinach. The sweet and savory flavors together were really tasty. As you can imagine, brioche also makes amazing French toast.

Mme Angen, if you are out there, thank you for this wonderful recipe.

French Brioche
3 packets of dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
Add 1 1/2 cups warm water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow raisins
7 cups flour

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the water, yeast and sugar. Add mixture and the rest of the water, sugar, oil, salt, vanilla, and eggs into a mixer and combine. Add 1/2 of the flour, mix, and then add the chopped raisins. Add the remaining flour slowly until the dough is smooth. Knead for 5 minutes (this is a slightly sticky dough). Put the dough in a greased bowl and rise until doubled. Punch dough down and rise again until doubled. Form dough into 4 round loaves and place on greased cookie sheets. Cut two slits on the top of each loaf and rise again until doubled. Bake loaves for 15 minutes, remove them from the oven and brush with beaten egg yolk mixed with 1T milk, return the loaves to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until nicely browned.

Chicken/Bison Chili-for baby!

I gave MF many flavors when she was growing up, but chili was not one of them.
I was not a chili fan until older, but now can't get enough of it! When BF came along I thought...Chili--for baby??? Not until she's older...girl was I wrong!

I agree with MF re going out versus staying in. My chili is awesome while most I eat out is just OK. We have a delightful little bistro around the corner, our favorite neighborhood hangout. They have great Belgian beers on tap, mussels, Belgian fries; and what brings us back time and again is their consistency. Their food is consistently good, well made and tasty. But they have yet to have chili on the menu, but my guess is I will still like my chili better!

I started making chili with the standard; beef, chili powder, tomato sauce and kidney beans. While working as a demo chef I decided to try it with ground turkey and ground chicken and white cannelli beans and or pinto beans. I still add chili powder, but also add a Thai Chili Roasted Garlic Dipping Sauce by Wild Thymes--this brings the chili to another level. Recently I didn't have enough ground chicken in the freezer so I made Chicken/Bison Chili. We gave some to Baby Flava mixed with some butternut squash. Yummmie...She ate the whole thing!

I don't make "burn your tastebuds" chili. I add just enough to give you a bit of heat with a burst of flavor. I've served this chili at dinner parties for 70 with homemade cornbread and they ALWAYS come back for seconds.

Remember this is to your taste. I use hot chili powder from Penzeys and the Wild Thymes chili sauce. For those of you who like HOT, Wild Thymes makes a Morrocan Sauce...way HOT.

Chicken Bison Chili
Serves: 8-10 Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours Prep time: 30 minutes

2 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large onion small dice
1 lb ground Chicken (I use white meat ground chicken or turkey)
1 lb ground Bison
fresh ground pepper and salt to taste
1 28 oz can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 14 oz can Muir Glen tomato sauce (add in if you need more liquid-you can also use wine!)
2-3 cans Cannelli beans (liquid and all) if you like a more meat chili add 2, more beans 3
1-3 T chili powder- I use 1 heaping T of hot
3 T Wild Thymes Roasted Garlic Thai Chili Sauce
2 cups frozen corn

optional: 1 cup chopped mushrooms, 1 cup chopped black olives, 1 cup chopped red pepper, 6 cloves smashed garlic
sour cream and grated cheese for topping

In large sauce pot on medium high saute onions in olive oil until translucent (if you are using garlic, peppers and/or mushrooms add now and saute until mushrooms lose their liquid)
Add meat and saute until done.
Add diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, beans and spices. Bring to low boil and turn down to simmer for 45 minutes. Taste for seasonings. You may add more chili powder, chili sauce etc to taste. Add corn and cook another 30 minutes until thick and bubbly.

Serve on homemade cornbread with sour cream and cheese on the side.

Chili tastes even better the second day and freezes perfectly. I had it for breakfast one day this week-breakfast of champions!

An Acquired Taste

Five years ago, when I was living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, I would have had a hard time trying to decide which type of meal I enjoyed more, one I made at home or one I ordered in a restaurant. Granted I was living in an incredible food city and even a mediocre meal in NYC far exceeds the best meal out in other locations. But I must say that in recent years, I have acquired a real taste for my own cooking.

Perhaps this acquired taste is a survival instinct. We are on a tight budget and eating out/ordering in are not good options for us these days. However, I am going to choose to think that I have become a better cook over the years and really know how to make meals that my family and I love. I cannot count the number of times we have eaten out in recent months just to conclude that our version of (fill in the name of a food here) is much tastier, healthier, and cheaper to make than the one we just ate.

These days you can't browse the internet, the food section of a newspaper, or the cooking aisle of your bookstore without seeing information about food movements: slow food, local food, there is even a new Jewish Food Movement. Maybe I should start a new "acquired taste" food movement ... it would be focused on learning to cook the foods you like really well rather than relying on others to cook them for you. Food for thought I guess.