The Kitchen

I find us spending most of our time in the playroom  kitchen. I really think the kitchen is one of, if not the most important room in our home. From cooking, baking, and art projects to dance parties and hosting company ...they all seem take place in the kitchen. So many memories are made in the kitchen and I wouldn't have it any other way. Sure we have picnics and find ourselves having a Friday pizza party eating out of the pizza box off the living room coffee table but i'd say 90% of our meals are eaten at the kitchen table. During the day Stella and I find ourselves at the kitchen table often. Whether we are playing with her scrap book things or play-doh, icing cupcakes, or painting our nails, we do it all at the kitchen table with music in the background of course. 

What comes to mind when talking about the kitchen? Food. Let me just say food is Ricky's language these days. This boy loves food...he loves to eat. As soon as he is put in the highchair- his impatience takes over. I can never get his food to him quick enough. Purees are long gone over here. Once he got the hang of feeding himself, he grew very disinterested in anything pureed. I still steam his vegetables to make them nice and soft so he can mush them in his mouth but the days of me having to puree everything together are over. smiling inside :) I am just more conscious about what I am making for dinner lately since I need to have a meat and sides for him. Two nights ago I made stuffed peppers and hot damn did he love it! I just cut it up super tiny for him and put the food onto his tray. He couldn't shovel it in fast enough. When we grilled NY Strip- I shredded it super tiny and he loved it also. Vegetable soup was another favorite of his. And breakfast? He loves scrambled eggs and I think one of his favorites at the moment are the Kodiak whole grain pancakes. Like I was with Stella when she was a babe and still am with her to this day I try to make the best choices about what Ricky eats. I try to give him only the best and I am constantly searching for recipes and healthy food ideas for little tots.

When it's time for me to prep dinner I sometimes have the babes in the kitchen with me. Stella will usually play back and forth in the playroom and kitchen while i find myself hopping over toys as I am chopping veggies and marinating meat and I put Ricky in his height chair or walker with a small snack to keep him occupied. I gave these healthy toddler whole wheat banana blueberry muffins a go. Stella, Ricky and I all ended up popping a few in our mouths :) They will be a great side to a scrambled egg for breakfast.

1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 c pure maple syrup (you can use white sugar or honey if baby is over 1 year)

2 tsp baking powder

1 egg slightly beaten

1/2 c milk

1/3 c plain applesauce

2 ripe bananas

1/2 c blueberries (i used frozen)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and grease mini muffin pan. (this recipe made 24 mini muffins)

Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl.

Make a well in the center and add egg, milk and applesauce. Combine, working in all the dry ingredients.

When almost all dry ingredients have been moistened, add in the bananas and mash. I left some chunks in mine :) 

Fold in blueberries.

Fill muffin cups two thirds of the way full. 

Bake 5 - 10 minutes. (I think I baked mine for 8)

Let cool...EAT!

I will definitely find myself experimenting in the kitchen with this recipe. I would love to try different fruits. Its a yummy treat packed with nutrition!