I love them, deeply I do, but these ladies’ recipes are just too rich. And I mean this in both senses of the word. There’s Paula Deen, whose battle with diabetes has become very public and at least a little controversial when paired with an estimated net worth of $14 million. And also my beloved…
Search Results for: applesauce
Strawberry mini muffins
WE CAN’T GET ENOUGH fresh strawberries! Hoping to soak up the best of the season, we’re experimenting with new recipes all the time. This one was quite tasty–and thanks to the magical combo of a freezer and a zip-top bag, we’re still enjoying them a week later. Well, those of us who aren’t cutting FIVE…
corn dog mini muffins and sautéed green beans with garlic
IS IT ME OR ARE CORN DOGS having a moment? I’ve seen tons of ideas all over Pinterest, including this gorgeous batch of fried mini dogs from Food Glorious Food, and decided to give it a whirl. The results were mixed: one-year-old Estelle liked them, nearly three-year-old Phoebe wasn’t thrilled. If you love your furry…
Why are some kids such picky eaters? Simple solutions worth trying
A FRIEND OF MINE relayed a familiar scene with her four-year-old on Facebook. Lucy: “I don’t like these meatballs.” Me, noticing that they are still in big pieces: “Hmm, do you want me to cut them up a little more?” Lucy: “That won’t make them yummy.” So goes the battle that in our house, we…
Fresh strawberry muffins
“YAY, THESE ARE GIANT MUFFINS!” That’s the refrain from the breakfast table in Rome these days. This weekend Phoebe and I remade a recipe from the Oprah magazine, for baked strawberry-buttermilk doughnuts. Our version is also baked, also full of strawberries but served in the shape of flowers.
Better-for-you Valentine’s Day cupcakes from a mix (chickpea variation)
YOU DON’T EAT THEM EVERY DAY so why mess with a good thing? Because in our house we’re dealing with babies. And toddlers. And neither one is a pretty sight in the company of too much sugar. Actually, Estelle hasn’t really had sugar yet and Phoebe talks a good game but after a few bites…
Healthier cupcakes from a mix and chocolate butter cream frosting (Happy birthday Estelle!)
HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY ESTELLE! We took it easy this year (certain people are very tired because somone keeps waking up every night “complaining” about new teeth coming in) but still had a blast for Estelle’s big day. A family celebration, complete with wheat germy cupcakes (plus secret ingredients: applesauce and carrots) and homemade butter cream…
Fresh ginger cake, a David Lebovitz recipe makeover
I MAY HAVE ACCIDENTALLY EATEN a whole cake this weekend. Yes, Phoebe helped and so did Estelle but really, it was my determination that got it done.
Fudgy chocolate brownies from Gwyneth Paltrow
CAKES! THIS IS EASILY Phoebe’s favorite food. Especially chocolate. Especially when she gets to help make them. So the fudgy chocolate brownies from “My Father’s Daughter” by Gwyneth Paltrow were a hit before they were even baked. And after.
Banana muffins with millet
YES, MILLET. THIS GOOD-FOR-YOU GRAIN is not only a source of protein but also heart-healthy magnesium and niacin. Plus it and adds a mega-dose of fiber to unsuspecting muffins like these. A regular food source in Ethiopia, it’s uncommon in the US (except for bird seed!) and usually found in health food stores. We love…
5 ways to make any dessert recipe a little healthier
IT’S THAT TIME OF YEAR. Once the tree goes up, the Christmas cookies come out and most of us, my pregnant self included, aren’t kidding around when it comes to enjoying the festivities! But if you want to avoid a sugar-induced meltdown (or two, or seven…) for the smaller members of the household here are…
Baby food recipe: pureed plums
WINTER FRUIT FOR BABIES isn’t always easy to come by, especially if you’re looking for seasonal or local produce. Pears yes, bananas no (unless you’re enjoying Christmas in the tropics and if you are, we’d like to join immediately). Apples yes, oranges no (unless your baby is over a year or so, according to pediatricians’…
Baby food recipe: Roasted beets
NOTHING IS EASIER. Except maybe frozen peas, but let’s get back to the beets. Since we’ve got both a baby and a toddler here, one who is very into “cake”, these beets are doing double duty. At 9 months, Estelle eats them, mixed with whole wheat baby cereal but we’ve also thrown these beets into…
How to make a brownie mix healthier in seconds
IF YOU’VE GOT A BUSY HOLIDAY SCHEDULE this one’s for you. This weekend we had a Christmas party for the playgroup that Phoebe used to attend (and love). For the fun of seeing old friends plus 30 others who just speak English, we baked up four dozen mini brownies and headed out. On the bus,…
a sweet shop birthday party theme: happy 8th birthday, rian!
NOTHING COULD BE SWEETER than a candy store birthday party. “Rian’s birthday is the day before Halloween,” says mom Amber Schotemeyer from her Virginia home. “She wanted to do a sweet shop party so we tied it in with a sweet Halloween theme.” Here’s how they pulled off the best bash of the year.
Oatmeal-raspberry mini muffins
WE’RE GOING FOR COMFORT FOOD. Both babies have nearly gotten over their colds and Phoebe’s pink eye is basically behind us but there are still lingering coughs at night, sometimes waking up the whole household. My own scratchy throat isn’t helping but it was this exchange with the two-year old that pushed me into yesterday’s…
Pureed carrots for babies
AS MARK BITTMAN ONCE SAID, “IT’S NOT THE BETA CAROTENE, IT’S THE CARROT”. There’s just something wonderful about this sweet, crunchy and super healthy food. Easy to cook, versatile and best of all, simply to puree for babies. As with most baby food purees, a “recipe” isn’t really in order. It’s more of an idea…
Zucchini mini-muffins with dried cranberries
LET IT BE SAID THAT COOKING WITH FOUR KIDS under three is crazy ill advised. A fact, now burned clearly into my brain, was somehow unknown when I went into this project last week. A fellow ex-pat brought her toddler and baby over for some pint-sized baking at my suggestion. Along with my own toddler…
Barefoot Contessa Makeover: Corn muffins with jam filling
ANOTHER WEEK, ANOTHER PLAYGROUP, ANOTHER BAKED GOOD. This time we tried something even more healthy…but it didn’t start that way. Barefoot’s corn muffins promise to be moist and delicious, which is easy to believe when you consider the half pound of butter called for in the original recipe. That won’t work for us so we…
Barefoot Contessa Makeover: Cranberry wheat germ muffins
THEY’RE SO MUCH BETTER THAN THEY SOUND, REALLY. And Phoebe loves them. Every morning this week I’d ask, “do you want a muffin?” She’d nod as emphatically as someone can without being hauled off to an institution, start saying “mmm, mmm, mmm” and jamming her finger into her empty plate so hard I thought it…