Thai inspired Kabocha Soup

This week I'm in Okinawa but my head is in Thailand. For one, there is a special someone traveling around that area and two, I've been craving Pad Thai all week! 
I didn't have Thai food until I moved to Asia and boy, was I missing out! There's a little restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall, I used to frequent until they decided only to open for dinner. After having a baby, dinner is a little harder to do, however, I think about it often and my mouth salivates. 
The recipe I'm adding this week is not Pad Thai, unfortunately, rather something more in keeping with halloween, a coconut and Kabocha (or pumpkin) soup with a bit of cilantro. I hope your little one enjoys it as much as mine did!


Here's what I did:
Veggie Stock
Kabocha Puree (or pumpkin puree)
Coconut Milk
Cilantro

The recipe depends on how much your child eats. My ratio went like this: 3:1:1. Three part Kabocha Puree, to one part veggie stock and one part coconut milk. If I was to make 5 oz, for example, I would use 3 oz of Kabocha puree, one oz of veggie stock and one oz of coconut milk. Add about a tsp. of fresh, and finely cut cilantro. Enjoy! 

Veggie Stock

I finally ran out of veggie stock and got around to making it again with some improvements. Here is the downfall of it, you need at least an hour to make it, however, the flavor is amazing, and you can use it for tons of recipes (i.e. soups, risotto, to poach chicken or any other meat, etc).  Also, it yields quite a bit of portions and best of all, it has no salt and you know exactly what is in it. 
This time around, I decided to cook/roast the veggies first and then add the water. The depth of flavor and color on this stock is far superior (I think) than when I just boiled the vegetables, but it means an extra step. If you have the time, make this veggie stock. It is delicious and smells divine! 


Here is what I did:
1 carrot (Okinawan, probably 2 American)
1 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
3 celery stalks 
3 cloves of garlic 
A handful of cilantro
1 bay leaf
5 cups of water 


Pre-heat oven at 450 degrees.
Rough chop the veggies. Big chunks are perfectly okay.
Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in a big, oven proof pot or dutch oven. When the pot is hot, add carrot, onion, pepper, celery and garlic. Mix around to coat with oil and place in the oven. Stir the veggies around every 10-15 minutes until veggies are cooked and onions are caramelized. Take out of the oven and place on the stovetop (medium high heat). 
Add the cilantro, bay leaf and water. Bring to a boil. Let cook for about 15 minutes. 
Strain the stock. Let the liquid cool and freeze for up to 3 months. 
*If you want to skip the roasting step, simply place the ingredients (except for water) in a large pot or dutch oven. Add water, and simmer for around an 1 hour. 

Finger Food Tofu

So lately, my baby seems to be very much into self-feeding. He wants to grab the spoon and sometimes will refuse to eat unless he can do it himself (I have a feeling a strong personality is in the making). In order to let him explore this new found interest,  I've tried to come up with recipes that are easy for him to practice feeding himself and are not too messy. 

I tried these tofu bites two ways, one baked, one pan fried. Both were successful but I have to say, the "breading" held up better when using the pan. I chopped the tofu in small cubes and then cut them again, once they were cooked, with a pair of kitchen scissors, to prevent choking and to make it easier for him. I would suggest maybe making them in bigger pieces (2 or 3 inches long) and then cutting them in smaller pieces once cooked as this may make it easier to coat and cook. 

Here is what I did:

1 package of extra-firm tofu

ground sesame seeds (You could ground them in your food processor. I used a mortar and pestle.)

Pre-heat the oven at 350 degrees (if you'll be baking them). 

Cut the tofu in either cubes or strips (think slicing an onion). 

Coat tofu cubes or strips with ground sesame seeds. 

Line a baking dish with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place tofu on baking dish and bake until golden brown. 

If you are pan frying:

In a small non-stick pan, pour a drizzle of olive oil (you could skip this). Place the tofu bites and cook until golden brown, flip and cook the other side until golden brown (medium heat). 

Enjoy! 

Kabocha

It seems to have become a habit of mine to sort of...power blog if you will. I wait until I have several recipes done and photographed to sit down and put my thoughts down. To be honest, I don't really know why I do that other than, I always think maybe I can make the recipe better or provide two at once through out the week. 
Today, I'm going to give you guys a recipe for a kabosha puree. Kabocha, is a pumpkin meet squash, meet sweet potato kind of a thing and in our commissary, much more accessible and cheap than all of the above. It is super easy to make and very versatile. 
My veggie stock is simmering away and will soon be posted along with a kabosha and coconut soup with a bit of cilantro. =) 


Here is what I did:
Pre-heat the oven at 400 degrees.
Cut the kabocha in half. Clean the kabocha taking the "guts" and seeds out with a spoon. 
Fill a baking dish with water (about 1/4 of an inch) and place the kabocha cut side down.
Roast for about 25 minutes or until tender.
Spoon out the pulp, discarding the rind. 
Puree in a food processor or blender (add the water of the baking dish if needed).
Let cool and freeze for 3 months or keep in the refrigerator for 3 days. 

Try it with cinnamon, pumpkin spice and yogurt! 

Eggplant Parmigiana

Today, I was watching a food show where they made an adult and a "kid" version of chicken fingers. The adult version had coconut flakes and ginger. The "kid-friendly" version had neither of the previously mentioned ingredients. The chef said that this was so because ginger and coconut were strong ingredients and he didn't want to scare off the kids. I have to say, I kind of resent that statement. I feel, and maybe I'm alone in this, that food does not have to be dumbed-down for kids. I'm sure kids that grew up in Thailand eat coconut in their food on a regular basis, that many asian kids consider ginger to be a staple in their diet. Kids, I believe, have a more tolerable palate than we give them credit for and by not exposing them to different flavors, we are doing them an injustice. 
Talking about not dumbing down food and as promised, here is a recipe for a baby version of an eggplant parmigiana. I have to say, I very much regretted not having gotten enough eggplant to make an adult version for dinner. Once I smelled it baking in the oven and saw the gooey, golden cheese....I really wanted it. I guess I'll be taking a trip to the grocery store tomorrow.


Here is what I did:
4 oz (however many oz your baby eats) Eggplant Puree
1 tbsp of Panko breading (you can also use breadcrumbs)
1 tsp of shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp of italian seasoning
Mozzarella cheese
Fresh Basil 
*If your baby is older than 10 months, you can also add tomato sauce (Layers: eggplant, breading, sauce, mozzarella, basil). 
In a bowl or dish, mix together panko, parmesan and italian seasoning. 
In an oven safe plate, pour the eggplant puree. 
Top the puree with the panko mix and top this mix with a slice of mozzarella cheese.
Set the oven to Broil and bake until golden brown. 
Top with fresh basil. 
Let cool before feeding your little one. Enjoy!  

Pancakes

Since soon after we got married, my husband and I started making a big breakfast at least once during the weekend. Before our baby, it was honestly, more like lunch. Oh, how I miss sleeping in! Now, breakfast is earlier, thanks to our little alarm clock but still we get up, put music on, take out pots for our baby to play with and make a big ol' mess in the kitchen while we make (usually) pancakes, eggs, bacon, and the sorts. We've tried so many different pancake recipes that I don't know which ones are good or bad any more. Maybe that is why we make pancakes every weekend....because we have yet to find the perfect batter. I have to say, I hope we never find it. 

This time, I decided to create a pancake recipe for the smallest in the family since there are some ingredients he can't yet have in a regular pancake batter. I made them bite size so that he could feed himself, but you could also make them a little bigger and serve them with mango puree or any other fruit puree instead of syrup. I hope your little one enjoys it as much as mine did! I absolutely loved watching him pick up the tiny pancakes and eating all by himself at the table with us. 

Here's what I did:

1/4 cup of lukewarm water

1 1/2 cup of coconut milk 

2 ripe bananas or banana puree

1/2 cup rice flour (you could also use just APF)

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 cup of unbleached or regular APF (All purpose flour)

1/2 tsp. salt 

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

Pre-heat a skillet or griddle to medium. Once it is hot, you can choose either to add a little butter or not if the pan is non-stick. 

With a fork, mash the bananas until they are a smooth consistency. You can also puree them in a food processor or blender, or use puree that is already stored in your freezer.

In a bowl, mix together the bananas, coconut milk, vanilla and water. 

In a separate bowl, mix together flours, flaxseed meal, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture until combined.

Fill a large storage bag (i.e. ziploc) or icing bag with batter. If using a storage bag, twist the bag to force the batter to one corner, seal and make a small cut at the tip. 

Make small little circles with the batter on the pan. Depending on the size of your circles they'll take longer or shorter to cook, when one side becomes golden brown, flip. Serve plain or with a fruit puree of your liking. 

My biggest, tallest cup. Not the prettiest but it does the job and brings back great memories of Puerto Rico! 

Curry Butternut Squash and Cauliflower

This recipe is a great example of how easy making your own baby food is once you have basic purees frozen. At first, it may seem intimidating but after you prepare the first purees, you'll realize it's a breeze. Once there is a bit of a stock built in your freezer, it's just a matter of mixing, matching and experimenting! You have the added bonus of knowing exactly what is in your babies food and being able to "create" a hopefully, more tolerable eater and maybe even a foodie, by letting him/her experience spices and herbs early on. 

Here's what I did:

3 oz of Roasted Butternut Squash Puree

1 oz of Roasted Garlicky Cauliflower

A pinch of curry powder (a little goes a LONG way)

*You can also add a little bit of pear or apple puree to sweeten this mix. 

Place frozen purees in a plate and heat in the microwave OR place frozen purees in a small pot and heat until melted. Let cool to room temperature before serving. 

Mango Puree

I realized, while looking at the previous posts, that although there are recipes that include mango, there is no recipe for mango puree.
 In my house, mango is a staple food, at least for my son. It must be the caribbean in his blood. 
When I was younger, my grandmother had a mango tree in her backyard. There was a hammock tied to the tree, as well as, to a guava tree. I remember how they fell on the ground as they ripened while I laid in the hammock.  I used to bring them to my grandma so that she could cut them up and that was our afternoon snack. How sweet the taste and how vibrant the color was. There were so many, that I started putting them in bags and selling them around our neighborhood. Now that I think about it, I lost my first tooth eating a mango! 
Perhaps, the love for mango has carried itself through my genes and unto my baby because, oh, boy does he love mango! They are not the cheapest of fruits here. To be honest, if it weren't for the commissary, I probably would not eat a single mango in Okinawa. Out in town, you find them for up to $60 dollars and are often given as gifts. At the commissary, I found them on sale for $2.99. That price is still steep when compared to 10 cents on the side of the road in Puerto Rico, but what can I do? When it's on sale, I buy it, I puree it, I freeze it! 


Here's what I did:
1 Ripe Mango
OR
A bag of frozen Mango (if using frozen mango, simply place in a food processor or blender and process to desire consistency). 


There is a really big, flat seed in the middle of the mango. You can cut the mango in half, and then cut around the seed, sort of like an avocado. Or you can cut around the seed to begin with, like you would core an apple. Then, either scoop out with a spoon the flesh (if it is very ripe) or cube the mango with a knife being careful not to go through the skin. Scoop out with a spoon or a knife. Discard the skin.
Hmmm....it's a lot more complicated to throughly explain how to cut a mango than I thought. Here is a great tutorial on How to cut a Mango step by step and with pictures. 
Place in a food processor or blender and process to desire consistency. You could also leave it in small cubes if your baby is ready to self-feed. 

Eggplant!

 I've been meaning to make an eggplant puree for some time and have been reminded by a very encouraging friend, that I have not, in fact, posted a new recipe in a week. So I started working on it. 
 I envision it in a sort of eggplant parmigiana, which both my husband and I love. It actually, used to be my "going away" dish. By that I mean, whenever my husband had to leave on a deployment, it was (before I had a baby) the dish I made to keep my mind occupied. I don't really know how it happened, something about the many steps, the ease of freezing, the layering and the flavor, I found to be therapeutic. I used to spend the first night of the deployment making it, portioning it and freezing it to eat through the week. Needless to say, I find that a baby keeps my mind occupied enough! Nevertheless, I still enjoy the dish and wanted to introduce it to my little one. Keep in mind that eggplant is highly acidic and it is suggested that we wait until 8-10 months to introduce it to our babies. 


Here is what I did:
2 Japanese eggplants (It yielded 5 oz of puree. Use more eggplants if you want a bigger supply.)
Drizzle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Pre-heat oven at 400 degrees.
 Cut the end of the eggplant and slice in half. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean up. Place the eggplant on the cookie sheet, slice side up. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Roast in the oven until golden brown (about 20-25 min).  Take out of the oven and let cool, enough to handle. 
With a spoon and very gently, scoop out the pulp of the eggplant. The skin is very delicate and if you are not gentle, you can break it which would make taking the pulp out a little more difficult. 
Place pulp in a food processor or blender and process until desired consistency is achieved.
*Note: Although the seeds are safe to eat and are small enough for your baby, they are not digestible (not unlike kiwi) so don't be surprise if you see them again later....if you know what I mean.
*Baby eggplant parmigiana recipe to come.