How to Feed a Henry

Henry has turned a corner. I knew this day would come -- the day when I can no longer hide some of my less than stellar food choices from him.  For the most part, I try to make good decisions about the food we eat. Choosing a baby-led weaning model definitely encouraged our whole family to become more aware of our eating habits over the past year. Since Henry eats the same foods as the rest of our family, Daddy and I try to set a good example . Henry does get to have occasional sweet treats, but they aren't an everyday occurrence. Henry enjoys a slice of cake at his cousin's birthday party. Last week, we were at a restaurant that has legendary burgers and shakes. I ordered a milkshake with my meal, thinking I would have it all to myself. When it was delivered in a fancy cup topped with hot fudge, Henry was sure it was meant for him. As we waited for the rest of our meal to arrive, I offered Henry a small taste.  When our food arrived, Henry was certain that he only...

This week I interviewed Shannon, a fellow mom, to help me learn more about GMO foods. I also asked if she would share one of her family’s favorite recipes. She generously provided this recipe for fajitas, a dish that her family eats at least once a week!  Shannon says that she usually serves this with whole pinto beans. She also adds other vegetables to the fajitas that she might have on hand, such as corn or zucchini. This recipe is Henry-approved. Ingredients 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 red bell pepper ½ large red onion 12 flour tortillas 2 small tomatoes 3 avocados 2 chicken breasts or steaks Salt and pepper to taste Fajitas frying in the pan. Directions Cut the red pepper into thin strips, removing the core and seeds. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the pepper strips to the pan and cook until slightly softened. Slice half the red onion into thin rings. Reserve the other portion of the onion for the guacamole. Add the on...

We just returned from a family trip to the Washington coast. In typical Northwest style, the weather was cold and windy. There’s no better way to warm up after a chilly day at the beach than with a warm bowl of soup. I just set it in the crockpot in the morning and it was ready to serve when we got back from playing in the sand. This recipe is Henry-approved. Henry eats some sand at the beach. For this recipe, I usually purchase precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. Also, the tahini in this recipe adds a subtle sesame flavor, but do not feel obligated to go out and purchase a whole container of tahini if you do not have it already on-hand. Ingredients 2 precooked chicken thighs 2 precooked chicken breasts 3 medium carrots 3 stalks of celery 1 leek 10 crimini or shitake mushrooms (about 6 ounces) 3 cloves garlic 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger 3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce 1 Tablespoon fish sauce 1 Tablespoon rice vinegar 1 teasp...

These sweet potato fries are a naturally sweet snack or side dish. As a bonus, the vanilla spice warms the whole house with a pleasant aroma. This recipe is Henry-approved. Ingredients 1 medium sweet potato 1 Tablespoon olive oil 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract Vanilla Spice Sweet Potato Fries ready to bake. Directions Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse and peel sweet potato. Cut into 3-inch sticks that are ¼- to ½-inch thick. Pour olive oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla into a Ziploc bag. Seal the bag and mix the spices to combine. Add sweet potato to the bag. Reseal the bag and mix the sweet potato around to coat with the spices. Allow sweet potato to marinate in the spice mixture for 5 minutes. Arrange the sweet potato fries in a single layer in a 13x9-inch baking pan. Cook for 15 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Turn with a spatula and cook for an additional 10-15 m...

One of our family’s favorite ways to serve cooked carrots and parsnips is with a drizzle of real maple syrup and a dash of fresh ground pepper. The syrup enhances the natural sweetness of these vegetables and the pepper gives them just a little kick. I’ve been preparing this no-salt side dish for years, and now Henry enjoys it too. This recipe is Henry-approved. Ingredients 2 medium carrots 1 medium parsnip 1 Tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon maple syrup ¼ teaspoon black pepper Maple Carrots and Parsnips cooking on the stove. Directions Rinse and scrub carrots. Cut off the top of each carrot. Cut carrots into 2-3 inch segments, and then cut each segment into quarters. Rinse and peel parsnip. Cut off the top of the parsnip. Cut parsnip into same size pieces as the carrots. Melt butter in a sauté pan on medium-high heat. Add carrots and parsnips to the pan. Drizzle with maple syrup. Sprinkle with black pepper. Stir vegetables occasionally until th...