Spinach nuggets

Riley was a very big help. She helped take the stems off the spinach. Then she helped with the food processor. She filled chopper, push on and chop and off. Then we transferred spinach to pot to blanch. She helped stir the mixture and lastly helped at the kitchen sink to clean up. After all that she was not interested in the finished product. We will do it again soon.

Removing stems

Um Yummy. Thanks to running in to a friend, Jennifer Trujillo at the messy art class a few days ago over at the Brilliant sky toy store. We started talking about feeding our toddlers. She sent us her recipe for Spinach nuggets.

We modified it just a bit but not much.

Spinach Nuggets

Pre heat oven to 3501 pound of baby spinach fresh. remove stems, blanch, chop and drain thoroughly (frozen chopped would be easier and quicker, but not as fresh)

1 cup almond meal (or bread crumbs) I am also going to try quinoa sometime

3/4 cup onion-chopped well

3 eggs

1 cup of 4 cheese mixture of shredded (or any you want)

dash of nutmeg

1 tsp fresh garlic

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp thyme

few dashes black pepper

few dashes salt

Mix all together in a bowl

Scoop tablespoon size heaps on to a non stick baking sheet ( we use toaster over, saves energy and cooks quicker)

Bake for 15-20 minutes- they brown on bottom. dip into your favorite dip. They are great plain!

Messy art class

Today I met Angela and Elijah at Brillant sky toy store for "messy art" class. Riley had a great time painting. She got to mix corn starch, cocoa lotion and water together and then add color. She made a beautiful lavender blue and also a pink color. She used paint brushes, her fingers and wood sticks for designing. Another project she got to squeeze elmers on to paper, decorate with noodles and then paint some more. Lastly Tammy (one of the two art directors) help Riley make a noodle bracklet, which she also got to paint along with her hand and arm. One of her favorite things was when she got to rinse her hands in the water bucket. To end it all she got to roam at free will around Brilliant sky toy store. Her last stop before we had to leave was calico corner. Elijah had a great time to with his art. I did notice and over hear him say he was using spiderman colors and he was. His art was bright blue and red.

Pumpkin play

I bought my daughter a little pumpkin at Traders joes. One she can handle easy.

I gave it to her and she was rolling it around. We went outside to play in the yard. While she was in the swing she asked for her pumpkn. I got it for her. She and her pumpkin were in the swing for awhile.

She asked "can I make a face on my pumpkin?" I said sure. We marched inside and I got out the WASHABLE markers and away she drew. I washed ole pumpkins a couple times so she could start all over again.

Craft-Pumpkin drawing

Small pumpkin

Washable markers

Easy clean up and inexpensive..Trader joes had little pumpkins for $1.99. Little for little hands, perfect!

Your child can do it over and over many times in a day, week and the whole month of October

Snowmen all year round

Like most parents, times become challenging to feed your child, if not challenging (lucky for you) you question the balance and nutrition factor.

This is my first blog about something I have been thinking about for awhile. As our child keeps growing , with that is my growing inspiration to come up with fun, nutrious food that she will request over and over again and at the same time instill a desire to learn and explore new foods.

3 weeks ago I created a snowman for breakfast. The next day my daughter asked for it again, unsolicited! She rushed to the table when I asked her if she wanted a snowman for breakfast.


Snowman

whole wheat toast (cut 3 different size circles, after toasted)

cream cheese (spread on toast circles)

chocolate syrup-dot of syrup for the buttons, eyes, nose and smile

grapes (cut in half)-for hat, legs and arms (any fruit, we also used blueberries)


Make snowan, decorate with hat, legs and arms made out of some fruit