How to Feed a Henry

I’ve written before about one option for what to do leftover rice. Well, here is another tasty recipe that our family loves for using up extra rice. This pineapple fried rice is an easy one-dish meal This recipe is Henry-approved. Ingredients 1 cup broccoli ½ cup bell pepper ½ cup carrot ½ cup red onion 2 Tablespoons oil (coconut or olive oil work well) ½ cup frozen peas 1 clove garlic, minced ½ teaspoon ground ginger ½ pound boneless chicken thighs 1 small can (8-oz) pineapple chunks in juice 3 cups cooked rice 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 3 Tablespoons chicken broth Pineapple Fried Rice cooking in the wok. Directions Rinse and chop the broccoli, bell pepper, carrot and red onion into ½-inch pieces. Set aside. Cut chicken into ½-inch pieces. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil on medium-high in a large skillet or wok pan. Saute chopped vegetables and frozen peas for approximately 6-8 minutes. Stir frequently until vegetables soften. Set vegetables ...

Our family has started a new chapter -- last week I rejoined the paid workforce! I am very excited about my new part-time job at a local history museum, coordinating field trips and special events. As part of this transition, Henry is now going to daycare three days per week.  Henry meets new friends and plays with new toys on his first day at daycare. Searching for quality childcare was a somewhat stressful experience. We visited 8 childcare facilities who had immediate space available for Henry to begin part-time care. I wanted to be confident that Henry would be cared for by experienced, nurturing staff in an environment that would challenge him to learn new skills and form friendships with other children. Of course, the added cost of childcare also had to fit within our family budget. While interviewing daycares, one aspect that I cared about was food. All eight of the facilities participate in the USDA food program , receiving reimbursement at a set rate for the meals ...

Last month I gave an update on transitioning Henry from formula to milk and bottles to cups. In particular, I mentioned that we were planning to use up our remaining infant formula first, and then focus on phasing out his remaining three bottles per day.  Of course the day after I wrote that post, Henry decided he had other plans. First, he stopped asking for his afternoon bottle, and two days later he started refusing his morning bottle. As long as breakfast was ready within 30 minutes of when he wok up, he no longer wanted to drink a bottle in the morning. Taking Henry's lead , we readjusted our plan again.  No more bottles -- just cups for Henry. We continued to use up the rest of the formula, but Daddy and I stalled on switching out Henry's final daily bottle for a cup. We were traveling for a week. Then, Henry's first molar broke through. Then, we decided to make a few other adjustments to Henry's bedtime routine. Finally, last Saturday it was time to t...

This week I have been reviewing “ French Kids Eat Everything ” by Karen Le Billon . This evening, I will be drawing one winner to receive a free copy of the book. Don’t forget to enter the giveaway today before 5:00 p.m. PST. In addition to the 10 French Food Rules for raising happy, healthy eaters, the book also features some delicious recipes. Daddy actually picked which recipe to make this week and we all loved eating this crustless veggie quiche for dinner. Plus, the leftovers reheated well for a quick and hearty breakfast. This recipe is Henry-approved. Quiche can be eaten hot or cold using just about any combination of vegetables. By dicing or grating the veggies, you don’t need to cook them in advance. This recipe is quick and easy to make, since you don’t need to worry about a pastry crust. I did make one small change to the recipe by pouring the quiche into muffin tins instead of one large pie pan, resulting in about 18 mini-quiches. Henry ate an entire ...

All week, I have been focusing on the French Food Rules from “ French Kids Eat Everything ” by Karen Le Billon . Plus, I will be giving away a copy of this book tomorrow! Have you entered for your chance to win? (To enter, click here ) So far, I have discussed how our family follows the no snacking rule and our efforts to avoid emotional eating . Today, I want to talk about our favorite rule:   French Food Rule #10 - RELAX! Eating is joyful, not stressful. I know a lot of parents who stress out about feeding their families. It's difficult not to worry about whether we are doing things just right. Is it okay to skip the baby purees ? Should I give my 6 month old meat or veggies first ? Is my child eating enough or too much ? What if my toddler won't eat the food I prepare? What if I can't cook ? What if my child throws their plate on the floor? The potential list of anxieties is long, but it does not have to be that way. Relax! Eating is joyful. French Food ...

This week, I am reviewing “ French Kids Eat Everything ” and giving away a copy to one lucky reader (To enter, click here ). The book encouraged our family to take a closer look at how we eat and to reconsider our assumptions about food through the lens of the 10 French Food Rules for raising happy, healthy eaters.  The most challenging French Food Rule for us has been changing our attitudes about eating .   French Food Rule #2 - Avoid emotional eating I will admit that I sometimes eat because I am bored, stressed or upset. It is a very difficult pattern to break our emotional attachments to food. Since reading about this French Food Rule, I try to be more aware of why I am reaching for food especially if I am tempted to snack . It helps to take a quick pause and ask myself whether I am actually hungry or just trying to fill a void. If I am unsure, then I drink a glass of water, wait a few minutes and re-evaluate. Henry eating yogurt and fresh pineapple for breakfast...

This week's Tuesday Tip for Picky Eaters: NO SNACKING!! All this week, I am featuring “ French Kids Eat Everything ” by Karen Le Billon . On Friday, one lucky reader will win a copy of this inspiring book . As I mentioned yesterday , the book explores the 10 French Food Rules for raising happy, healthy eaters. I think the most critical piece of advice for picky eaters is:   French Food Rule #7 - NO SNACKING!!   American children are notorious for grazing on snack foods at all hours of the day. Recent studies have found that our kids average three snacks per day accounting for almost one-third of their daily calories. Parents who attempt to discourage constant snacking are seen as depriving their children. We’ve been led to believe that kids must have frequent snacks to help maintain their blood sugar levels and prevent temper tantrums. But is this really necessary or healthy ? One of Henry's favorite snacks is nori (dried seaweed). By contrast, French child...

UPDATE (3/15/2013): Congratulations to Kia as the random drawing winner in this giveaway! Thank you to all those who entered this contest.  Before we began our food adventure with Henry, Daddy and I had many conversations about how to encourage Henry to become “a good eater.” After watching other parents constantly struggle with their toddlers, we wanted to know if there was anything we could do from the start to prevent picky eating. That’s when we read “ French Kids Eat Everything ” by Karen Le Billon . The book is an easy and enjoyable read about the year that Karen’s family spent in France and how it changed the way her family eats. The heart of the book explores the 10 French Food Rules for raising happy, healthy eaters. “French Kids Eat Everything” sparked numerous discussions at our dinner table about how our family eats. We have become more conscious of our assumptions about food and how that will influence Henry’s understanding of mealtimes. In addition,...