Asian-style Slaw

This recipe is easy-peasy and my favorite way to enjoy all the fresh little cabbages that have been coming in our produce box.

Ingredients:

-1 small head cabbage

-1/2 cup grated carrots

-2 daikon radishes

-1 tbs light mayonnaise

-1/4 cup Annie's Natural Shiitake Sesame Vinaigrette

Directions:

1) Using large-holed grater, grate all vegetables

2) In a large bowl mix vegetables with mayonnaise and Shiitake dressing

Apples, and carrots, and cabbage, oh my! (Baby Food)

Ingredients:
- 2 apples
- 1 carrot
- 1/4 head small cabbage (our whole cabbage was about softball sized)

Yields: About 10 oz

1) Wash/clean, peel, and chop ingredients
2) Put about 1/2c water (or enough to cover about the bottom of the pan by about 1/2 an inch) in a medium sauce pan, place steamer basket in pan
3) Put chopped carrot in pan, cover, steam for 10 mins
4) Add chopped apples to pan, cover, steam additional 10 mins
5) Add chopped cabbage (or greens) in pan, cover, steam additional 10 mins
6) Check veggies, carrots and apples should easily pierce with fork. Cabbage leaves should be semi-transluscent
7) Remove from heat and remove lid from pan
8) Puree cooled veggies using hand blender or food processor

Another option, is to steam and puree these foods separately and experiment with ratios, this may be especially helpful if you have a picky eater that may be sensitive to new flavors. Also, if you have a little one prone to a lot of gassiness you may want to try lesser amounts of cabbage or subsitituting a different leafy green.

Carrots as a first finger food

Our 10 month old wants to be a big boy and eat on his own! So, just when I've got my baby food making down, now it's time to experiment with finger foods and new textures. See guidelines for finger foods here: http://kellymom.com/nutrition/starting-solids/finger-foods/.

I've started with carrots from our produce box and our little guy loves them. He is very excited to feed himself!


Finger food carrots for older infant

Ingredients:
-2 carrots

Directions:
1) Wash, peel, carrot
2) Slice into approximately 1/4 inch slices
3) Cut each slice into quarters or sixths (small chunks pea-sized or smaller)
4) Steam in steamer basket until easily pierced with a fork (approximately 15 mins) I steam on med-low heat, in a medium-sized pot with approximately 1/3-1/2 cup water, with pot covered.5) Test mushiness but taking out a few chunks and mashing them with a fork. The chunks should mash with little effort. This is important, you want your baby to be able to easily mash the carrots with their gums, otherwise, there is a choking risk.
6) Cool and serve (or store)