Getting your little to eat greens can sometimes be difficult, especially early on when they do not have the pincer grasp down yet. This recipe combines two superstars broccoli and spinach carefully blended with naturally sweet onion and sweet potato to round out the slight bitterness of the greens. I love to make baby egg pancakes with this mixture. Toren absolutely loves them and is able to use his pincer grasp to eat them on his own. This way not only is he getting his veggies, but also his choline and active vitamin A from the egg yolk! Plus, for some reason Toren isn't a big fan of scrambled eggs lately, but total digs the egg pancakes (see below for instructions on making an egg pancake). Usually, Toren eats one egg pancake throughout the day. 

Makes 10 Servings
Time: ~ 20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/2 sweet potato (tan/white)
1 medium onion, peeled, and cut in halves
2 cloves garlic
10 florets broccoli
1 cup packed baby spinach
2 tablespoons salted grass-fed butter
2 tablespoons Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Collagen
Ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
Peel the sweet potato and coarsely chop. Add to steamer basket along with onion, garlic. Steam for 5 minutes and add the broccoli florets. Steam for another 10 minutes or until all the veggies are fork tender.

Meanwhile steam/cook the spinach in the microwave for 1 minute or until bright green and tender.  Place the potato, onion, garlic, butter and collagen  into food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Then add the broccoli and spinach and process until smooth. Add a little freshly ground pepper. Pulse to combine.

Transfer to a baby food freezer tray, cover, and freeze. Once frozen transfer to a silicone ziplock bag or glass mason jar and keep frozen. 

To thaw simply remove one serving and leave in a bowl in the fridge overnight or quickly microwave for 15-30 seconds. Prior to serving make sure to test the temperature to make sure it is not too hot for baby.
 
Nutrition (per serving): 45kcal, 2.4g fat, 4.3g carbs, 1.2g fiber, 2.3g protein. 

Baby Veggie Egg Pancake
This is a breakfast staple around our house and is great for older babies and toddlers. However, not all purees work because they have too much water. Avoid using the pre-made baby purees because the pancake will just stick and burn. Use the Broccoli Spinach Baby VEGGIE BLEND or the Apple Butternut VEGGIE BLEND for good results. Toren usually eats a couple slices of his egg pancake with a side of fruit like kiwi or berries. We refrigerate the leftovers for an easy protein throughout the day. 

Makes 1 serving
Time: <5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 cube of a VEGGIE BLEND, thawed (the Broccoli Spinach and Apple Butternut work well)
1 pasture-raised egg, beaten with a fork
butter/ghee

DIRECITONS
Mix together the egg and the thawed single serving of a veggie blend of your choice. Meanwhile preheat a small cast iron pan over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of butter or ghee, and once hot add the egg mixture. Reduce heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and set timer for 3 minutes. 

Remove lid, turn off heat, and let egg pancake sit another minute or two. Transfer to a plate, cut into slices, and serve once cooled. 

Nutrition (per 1 egg pancake): 155kcal, 5g carbs, 1.2g fiber, 11.5g fat, 8.5g protein

Harvest Cranberry Baby FRUIT BLEND
Apples and pears are often found in baby purees. However, you will not find one with cranberries and ginger. Exposing your baby at a young age to new and different flavors is important. Cranberries can be very tart, but if you add a handful to naturally sweeter fruit like apples and pears, you can gradually introduce your baby to this nutrient dense berry. Although the collagen powder is optional, it is a great way to add easy to digest protein. Make sure to use organic fruit. 

Makes 10 Servings
Time: ~20 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 medium apple
1 medium pear
20 cranberries
1 small piece peeled ginger root
Juice of 1/2 orange
2 tablespoons Great Lakes Hydrolyzed Collagen (optional)
2 tablespoons salted grass-fed butter

DIRECTIONS
Rinse off and dry the apple, pear, and cranberries (make sure to choose firm berries). Core the apple and pear and cut into quarters. Place a metal steamer basket into a medium pot and fill with water to just below the steamer basket. Add the apple, pear, and little piece of ginger root. DO NOT add the cranberries yet.  Cover with a lid and bring to a boil.

Once at a boil reduce heat to medium and steam for 12-15 minutes or until very tender. Finally, add the cranberries and steam for another minute. Remove from burner and transfer the fruit with a large spoon to a food processor. Chop the ginger into small pieces and add to fruit. Process until smooth (its okay if there are tiny pieces of skin). Add the orange juice, collagen, and butter. Pulse until combined. 

Transfer to a baby food freezer tray, cover, and freeze. Once frozen transfer to a silicone ziplock bag or glass mason jar and keep frozen. 

To thaw simply remove one serving and leave in a bowl in the fridge overnight or quickly microwave for 15-30 seconds. Prior to serving make sure to test the temperature to make sure it is not too hot for baby.

Tip: Toren loves it plain or mixed in whole milk Nancy's yogurt. 

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 48kcal, 2.5g fat, 6g carbs, 1g fiber, 1.5g protein.

Creamiest Alfredo Sauce
This Alfredo sauce is the bomb! Everybody loves it. And guess what, it is dairy-free, egg-free, nut free, and gluten-free making it very allergen friendly. Plus, it's loaded with veggies...but your kiddos (or picky eaters) would never know. It is also naturally low histamine if you choose vegetable broth and  I like to pour this sauce over pasta, roasted veggies, or steamed potatoes. It's so delicious, I am sure you will find other ways to utilize this sauce. 

Serves 6
Total Time: Less than 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1 medium head cauliflower
1 medium leek
4 cloves garlic
1 can full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
Juice of one lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (optional)
1/4 cup (or more) veggie broth - can substitute with water or bone broth
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When the 15 minutes are done, use a fork to test the doneness of the cauliflower. It should be fork tender. Turn off heat, remove lid, and allow to cool a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle. Transfer the steamed veggies* to a high powered blender (I used a Blend Tech). 

To the veggies add the canned coconut milk, nutritional yeast, juice of 1 lemon, salt, and plenty of fresh ground pepper. Add the optional chili flakes for a little spice. Blend on high until smooth. Add the veggie broth or additional liquid, and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is silky smooth. Now it's ready to be served!! 

Keep leftovers in a glass container in the fridge. Reheat over the stove top or in microwave. You may need to add another splash of broth or water to thin to desired consistency.  

*Note: I usually discard the main portion of the cauliflower stem.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 170kcal, 13g fat, 11g carbs, 4g fiber, 5g protein. ​