Quinoa Cakes

Let's hear it for quinoa ... again.

I know you thought we were done with our quinoa series last week but I just have to share this recipe for the little people in your life. Now, it's not really a recipe per se b/c I didn't measure anything and I just kind of made it up on the fly. However, that gives you complete creative freedom to add your favorite ingredients.

Combine a cup, or more, of cooked quinoa with 3 or 4 eggs, a 1/4 cup of cheese and several handfuls of whatever vegetables you have on hand. I tossed about 1/3 cup of both corn and peas into the mixture but you could really add anything. Fully combine the above ingredients and season with a bit of black pepper and sea salt. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and drop 1/4 cup of the mixture into the hot pan and cook until golden brown, turning once or twice.

The twins gobbled these up, especially when I offered a little katsup for dipping. The big surprise was how much Eric enjoyed the quinoa cakes. I was getting ready to freeze all of the leftovers when he promptly stopped me and grabbed two for himself. Voila, dinner was served :-)

Wee-licious

I get a lot of questions about what I feed my babies. The short answer is, anything they will eat. And, at least for my little peanut, that usually isn't much. She is famous for her hunger strikes and for chewing food but not actually digesting it. And that is probably why she's still a peanut and her brother is more of a walnut. Or a coconut.

The long answer is that when I find something healthy that they actually like I make large batches of it and freeze smaller portions so I always have something on hand when the natives get restless. For the most part you can freeze just about anything, with the exception of cooked pasta which tends to get gummy when thawed. So, I make whole wheat pancakes, french toast and various "chunky" purees and stock my freezer each week. That way I have all the convenience of packaged foods with none of the preservatives, chemicals or processing.

Two of the twins' current favorites are Banana French Toast and Black Bean Banana Quinoa.

For the French toast, I combine organic eggs, soy milk, cinnamon, agave nectar or honey and a ripe banana in a blender. Then I soak 100% whole wheat or spelt bread in the mixture and grill it until golden-brown. I literally make this by the loaf and then cut it into sticks that I freeze in twin-sized portions. It makes a great on-the-go snack for the babies that is both nutritious and minimally messy, my only two criteria for snacks. This is also the only thing that I can get Abby to eat on certain days so it's critical to keep the freezer stocked.

Black Bean Banana Quinoa is another big crowd-pleaser. I know it sounds kind of gross but the babies LOVE it. And it couldn't be easier. In a food processor, or blender, combine a ripe banana, 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained), a cup of cooked quinoa and a drizzle of agave nectar or honey. Quinoa is crazy nutritious and is a complete protein that contains all 8 essential amino acids. Black beans are no slouch either thanks to their high fiber and protein content and anti-oxidant rich properties. It's so stinking nutritious that I turn a blind eye to the fact that, without fail, Abby massages little fist fulls of it into her hair each time I serve it.

Black beans, or any beans really, make great "finger food" for babies and toddlers so don't be afraid to experiment. You might be surprised by what your little one will enjoy.

And, when you have a chance, check out Weelicious which is a great resource for baby and kid-friendly recipes.