Toddler-Friendly Whole Wheat Banana Waffles

WHOLE WHEAT BANANA WAFFLES 

                               NO SUGAR!
                                  NO OIL!
                                           NO BUTTER!

These waffles are a-ma-zing!

 Not only does McKinley gobble them up...

but they are one of my favorite breakfast foods, too. They have no sugar, no oil and no butter and yet, they are so sweet and fluffy you almost won't believe it. You can even throw in a dash of ground flax seed or wheat germ for added nutrients, but for the basic healthy goodness, here is the recipe:

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 5 Minutes
Total: 20 Minutes

Makes: 8 Waffles

Ingredients:
2 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1 Large Egg
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp Nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
3/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsps All Natural Applesauce
1 Cup Milk

Toppings:
1 Banana, sliced
Pure Maple Syrup

Mix together the above ingredients well. Spray your waffle maker with nonstick spray. Pour about 1/4 cup size of batter into your waffle maker. Depending on the waffle maker it takes 3-5 minutes to cook. Top with banana slices and syrup and enjoy!

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Mini Muffins

This is a delicious, simple healthy muffin recipe. This can make for a little snack for Mom or breakfast for your little one! Enjoy.

Whole Wheat Banana Blueberry Mini Muffins
Yields about 24 mini muffins

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey
2 bananas mashed
1 cup fresh blueberries

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease a mini muffin tin using nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl mash 2 bananas with a fork.  Add the milk, oil, honey and egg.  Stir until combined.  

3. Mix in the flour, baking powder and salt. Fold in the blueberries until evenly distributed throughout mix.
4. Fill your mini muffin tins most of the way. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the center of one of the muffins.

Whole Wheat Veggie Muffins

McKinley is almost a year and for the last few months she has been an awesome eater of anything puréed - spinach, kale, broccoli, you name it she will eat it...until now.

My growing busy baby is developing her own preferences in food, as most kids do, and some days she straight up refuses her vegetables. So today in order to make sure she still gets those great whole food nutrients I have put together vegetable muffins. McKinley will almost always eat carbohydrates - she's a Momma's girl after all!

Whole Wheat Veggie Muffins

1 cup diced zucchini
1 cup chopped broccoli florets
1 cup chopped kale
1 egg
1/4 cup evoo
1/3 cup all natural applesauce
2 tbsps honey
2 tbsps all purpose flour
2 tbsps wheat germ
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray your muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a large mixing bowl add egg, evoo, applesauce, honey and vegetables. *I like to steam my vegetables first but you don't have to.
3. In a separate bowl mix flours, wheat germ, and baking soda.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add vanilla.
5. Spoon mixture into muffin tins, about 3/4 of the way full.
6. Cook 20-25 minutes.

Allow to cool 15-20 minutes before serving.

Super Bowl Snacking for the family!

It's Super Bowl Sunday!! And it's snowing like crazy in B-town.

When the Broncos and Seahawkis take the field, we'll be preparing some awesome game day goodness including our Garlic Parm Wings (visit the In The Oven tab) and 8-layer dip !

This is our veggie and protein packed version of the typical 7-layer dip. It's one of our favorite football Sunday snacks! Pair with Tostitos Multigrain scoops and you've got yourself a pretty healthy snack. 

16-oz can refried beans

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp chili powder

16-oz can corn

2 cups Greek Yogurt

2 avocados, pitted and mashed

1 cup shredded monterey jack cheese

4 green onions, diced

1/4 cup black olives, sliced

2 Roma tomatoes, diced

1. Place the refried beans and water in a small pot on medium heat. Add in the chili powder. Cook until soft and hot

2. Place in your baking dish and immediately pour cheese over top to melt

3. Drain and wash your can of corn and spread over the cheese and beans

4. Place mashed avocado over the corn

5. Distribute diced tomato over the avocado

6. Spread Greek Yogurt over the tomato

7. Evenly distribute the green onions over the Greek Yogurt

8. Finish with black olives over top

Enjoy in moderation :)

And for baby's game day snacking - 

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

1 chopped roma tomato

1/2 lime

Put your avocado, tomato and lime juice into a blender and mix. Baby will love this tangy healthy treat!

Healthy Snacks for Mom & Baby

From time-to-time I have the pleasure of receiving new information from my sister, Registered Dietitian, Kelly O'Hara. She put together a great post on dietary needs and how they compare from mother to child and how you can meet in the middle to both snack healthy. Remember your health is just as important as the health of your child - for her future and yours. Keep making smart choices and read below for some helpful information! 

Healthy Snacks for Mom & Baby

By: Kelly O'Hara, R.D.

Dietary needs vary greatly from mother to child. From calories to macro and micro-nutrients, mom will need more of everything. However, that doesn't mean you can’t enjoy healthy snacks together. All snacks should be built around whole foods and nutrient dense choices such as: lean proteins, dairy, whole grains, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Making and eating the same snacks as your child saves time and allows you to enjoy tasting new recipes together. Here are some staples to have in the house to allow snack-time to be less of a headache:

Dairy:

Plain yogurt (try greek for extra protein)

Milk (whole milk for children 2 and under, reduced fat for children over 2. Soy or almond can also be used for variety or for children with milk allergies)

Cheese (real cheese like Sargento or from the deli counter, not the processed slices)

If you are worried about hormones and pesticides – go organic with all dairy

Meat:

Beans

Deli meat (from the counter)

Canned tuna (in water)

Chicken

Fish

Beef (10% fat or less)

Natural Peanut or Nut Butters

If you are worried about hormones and pesticides with meat items like chicken and beef, go organic

Fruits and vegetables:

A wide variety of color to allow more vitamins, mineral and antioxidants

All of them! Remember that corn, potatoes and peas do NOT count as they are starchy so they fall under the carb/grain category.

Canned tomatoes and canned corn is okay – the heating process from canning actually helps release helpful antioxidants in these foods.

All other produce – shoot for fresh or frozen, both are great (without added sauces/flavors)

Fruit cups are easy and a good portion for children – just make sure they are not in syrup. Canned fruit should be in its own juice or low in sugar.

Grains:

Food labels are key here. Pay attention to the first ingredient as this will tell you if it is a true “whole grain”

Breads: whole grain, whole-wheat, bulgur (cracked wheat), stone ground, etc.

Tortillas: corn or whole wheat

Whole wheat crackers

Rolled or steel cut oats

Brown rice

Quinoa

Whole grain barley

whole wheat buns and rolls

wild rice

whole wheat cereal flakes

Fats:

So important for your childs brain development and energy!

Avocado

Nuts/nut butters

Mayo and dressings

Some fish

Oils (coconut, canola, corn, cottonseed, safflower, soybean, sunflower,etc)

Butter or margarine

Don’t be afraid of fat! Whole foods in their most natural state are always better and there is no need to buy fat free foods unless recommended by you physician or Registered Dietitian. Typically foods that are altered in any way (ie fat-free cheese) will have several unnatural ingredients added to preserve its taste. If desired, choose low-fat. Otherwise, the full-fat version is just fine. Just remember your portion control!

For recipe suggestions to make your own snacks, check out some of my Baby Friendly Recipes!

Garlic Parmesan Wings

1 bag of Tyson frozen chicken wings, unseasoned
1 cup reduced fat parmesan cheese
2 tbsps garlic salt
2 tbsps fresh ground pepper

Place frozen wings in a large saucepan filled 3/4 of the way with water
Bring water to a boil and allow wings to cook in boiling water for 15 minutes

While wings are boiling, set oven to broil
Dump the pot contents into a strainer

On a greased cookie sheet, place wings and broil for 8 minutes

Take wings out of the oven and turn over
Broil for 8 more minutes

In a large mixing bowl (with a lid if available) combine dry ingredients

Toss wings in the bowl until covered on all sides

Serve! 

 If you want another sauce option, Ott's Buffalo is the best!

*Serves 3-4

Homemade Guacamole

Guacamole is one of our favorite snacks! We eat it with carrots, chips, on quesedillas... McKinley will just sit there and eat it plain - and why not? All those healthy fats are so good for her growing body. To make this recipe toddler-friendly just eliminate the cayenne pepper from the recipe. This recipe is a favorite among our friends and family. In fact, my family asks Mike - the originator of the recipe - to make this for pretty much any family gathering. It's just that good!

GUACAMOLE

5 Avocados
1/2 cup diced white onion
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced fresh cilantro (you can use freeze dried but fresh is better!)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice
dash salt and pepper

*A ripe avocado will give to slight pressure. It shouldn't feel mushy or very soft. The skin should be firm and the fruit should feel heavy fot its size.

Hold the a vocado firmly in your hand and, using a sharp knife, carefully cut through the skin and flesh all the way to the pit. Scoop out the pit, then the remaining insides.

Mix the avocado and additional ingredients in a medium mixing bowl.

Serve with your choice of tortilla chips! OR - for a twist, put it on an egg roll wrapper and lightly pan fry it for a different twist on an appetizer.