It's Patty Time

Nothing is as versatile for little fingers to pick up and eat than the humble patty. Finger foodies can pick up little bites and serve themselves and toddlers can be served whole patties to suit their fancy. Older kids and adults alike can throw them on a bun and spread them with their favourite condiments. A meal that the whole family will appreciate!

Garden Patties

Makes 16 1-inch patties

1 cup any vegetables you have on hand (carrots, green beans, corn, peas, zucchini, peppers, potato, sweet potato etc... )

1/4 cup flour (rice flour works just as well)

1 tsp dried basil

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 egg

Oil of your choice for light frying (keep olive oil at a low temp when cooking)

Place vegetables in a food processor and blend until finely chopped (be careful not to puree!). Mix vegetables with flour, basil, garlic powder and egg until combined. Heat oil over medium heat and drop 1 tbsp of batter per patty into the pan. Cook 2 minutes per side. Done!

Other variations:

• add a couple of tablespoons of your child's favourite nut or seed butter
• blend in/crumble in extra firm tofu to boost the protein content (a meal in a patty!)
• add grains - cooked quinoa, cooked brown rice, whole wheat couscous
• add cooked beans or lentils before chopping
• mix up the veggies
• use frozen mixed veggies in winter when fresh are hard to come by

Break up the patties into bite-sized pieces for smaller eaters or serve whole with dips, toppings, or on a bun for bigger eaters!

A Tray Full of Spoons

He loves beans but only mashed. He would eat nothing but hummus but doesn't have the hang of dipping yet. He loves vegetables but only wants them pureed or mashed. And all of this while refusing to be fed - Mr. Independent! So what does a mommy do? Cover his tray with spoons!

Lunches lately have been a medley of spoons on my 11 month old's highchair tray - and it works!

I simply take a handful of teaspoons and fill them up. An entire well-balanced meal, completely served on a spoon (or two)! Try:

• hummus
• bean dip
• guacamole or mashed avocado
• mashed vegetables
• thick stews
• yummy spreads (check these ones out)
• re-energized dried fruits (cook in water until they make a thick puree)
• nut and seed butters
• mashed egg yolk
• mashed tofu
• basically anything that is thick enough to stick to a spoon!

Breads and Spreads

My littlest is about to be one. Unbelievable. From the minute he was born, this one has had a VERY healthy appetite. He nursed A LOT for the first 6-7 months and once we started him on solids he continued to nurse 6 or 7 times a day. Now that we're entering the Wonderful Ones, he has worked his way up to 3 meals a day plus 2 snacks and still nurses 5 times a day (and the more than occasional once in the night).

Although my two boys are different in many many ways, in the ways of food they are the same - they love it. I think they get that from me. The only way they differ with their food consumption is that I couldn't get my first to eat finger foods for the life of me, he was happy with purees until well after his first birthday, while this guy has been feeding himself since close to eight months old. The biggest challenge I'm having with him, though, is getting him to eat vegetables. He'll eat them if I puree them or if they're in stews etc..., but chunks of veggies he just will not have. He'll look at his tray of colourful bits and wail. I've tried carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, you name it. Then it came to me...this kid can't get enough of hummus and bean dip and guacamole. So enter the breads and spreads.

We've recently started him on non-gluten grains and have found a fantastic vegan quinoa bread at our local health food store. Spread the bread (or rice cake, cracker etc...) with any concoction (or toss with gluten-free pasta) and you've got yourself a happy veggie-eating baby!

Yummy Root Veggie Spreads

1 cup cubed veggies (carrots, parsnip, sweet potato, turnip, beets etc...)

2 tbsp sunflower seed butter or tahini (once these have been safely introduced)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp fresh parsley

Steam the vegetables until soft. (Steam extra and set some aside as finger foods at this stage if your child is happy to take them.) Mix all ingredients in a food processor or blender. Serve on bread, crackers, rice cakes etc... The spread can also be tossed with pasta if thinned out a bit with water, breastmilk, rice milk etc... The spread will last about 3 days in the fridge or make a big batch and freeze in ice cube trays as you would a homemade puree.

Other variations:

• Add chickpeas or other beans to make a vegetable hummus or bean dip
• Change up the fresh herb to change the flavour - try basil, mint, cilantro...
• Add other veggies - broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, kale etc...
• Change up the nut/seed butter and use pumpkin seed butter, almond butter etc....

Kale Pesto with Sunflower Seeds

3 tightly packed cups fresh kale, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup olive oil or flaxseed oil

1/2 cup raw, unsalted sunflower seeds

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

Place all ingredients, except oil, in food processor. Mix roughly - add a little water if it is not mixing well. You will have to periodically push the mixture down to get it to mix. Keep running processor on slow speed and slowly add the oil. Blend well. Again, this will only last a few days in the fridge so freeze unused portions in ice cube trays.