It officially feels like Spring out and what better for dinner than a Lemony, Fresh, Bright Pasta? When the days are longer and the weather is warmer, all I want to do is eat all the vibrant foods Spring has to offer. One dish I love making for our family is this gorgeous and simple Tagliatelle with Lemon & Peas. It’s ready in mere minutes, doesn’t require any fancy ingredients or equipment, kiddos love it, grown-ups love it, it’s a real Spring Win-Win! This Pasta is: Fresh R

This recipe is: Easily adaptable to taste and preference Loaded with veggies Ready in under 20 minutes Kid-Friendly Fresh and seasonal Vegetarian Great with gluten-free pasta Print Easy Peasy Pasta Primavera Serves: Serves 4-6 Ingredients 1 lb. whole-wheat short pasta, such as penne, fusilli or farfalle ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 head broccoli, cut into florets 1 cup shredded carrots 1 cup fresh or frozen sweet green peas Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tablesp

* For smaller toddlers, just deconstruct the taco and serve with a fork. These Tacos Are: Nutritious Vegetarian Easy to Make Fast and Simple Easily Made Gluten-Free Delicious Family and Toddler-Approved Budget-Friendly Adaptable to Likes and Dislikes Print Sweet Potato and Black Bean Tacos Serves: Makes 8 Tacos Ingredients 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" chunks 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided ½ teaspoon cumin ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon onion powder ¼ teaspoon

I never knew how great it would be to have a kid in NYC until, well, I had a kid in NYC. Indoor playspaces, museums, art studios, playgrounds, music classes, kids bookstores and more are within a 10 minute walk from our apartment.  What’s more, at least a dozen moms I met through Audrey live within a few block radius of us.  All with kids the same age, we’ve bonded over everything from sleep schedules to potty training.  And when our schedules permit, we get together at night

Whether you’re hosting the next playdate or simply looking for a fun, healthy, and easy snack idea, these sunbutter apple rings are your answer.  They’re ready in virtually no time at all and kids have a blast eating them (and moms too).  Make as many or as little as you need and feel free to play around with the ingredients.  Use peanut or almond butter instead of sunbutter, top with dried currants or cranberries instead of raisins, or add a layer of granola.  Just make sure

This vegetable stir-fried rice is one of my weeknight go-to’s.  It’s ready in no time at all, is perfect for nights when I don’t want to think about cooking, and can easily be adapted to whatever ingredients I have on hand.  Best of all, it’s the perfect one pan meal combining whole grains, vegetables and protein.  Audrey loves it…though full disclosure: giving a baby a bowl full of rice often requires a little more clean up than usual. Vegetable Stir-Fried Rice 9 months + up

Broccoli-Cheddar Bites 9 months + up Makes approx. 20 bites 1 medium head of broccoli, cut into small florets (about 1/2 lb.) 2 eggs, lightly beaten 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (gluten-free, if necessary) 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 teaspoon onion powder 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Preheat oven to 375. Boil broccoli until cooked through and soft.  Remove from water and submerge into ice water to stop the cooking process.  Drain and place in a food processor, pu

Black Bean Quesadilla 12 months + up Serves 2 Variations: add chopped cilantro, tomatoes, bell peppers or shredded chicken. 2 8″ whole-wheat or multi-grain grain tortillas 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese 1/2 cup cooked black beans, mashed with a fork (if canned, rinse well) 1/2 tablespoon olive oil Sour cream, for serving Top one half of a tortilla with 2 tablespoons cheese.  Add 2 tablespoons of mashed beans on top of cheese – sprinkle 2 more tablespoons of cheese on top of

This simple side dish is the perfect accompaniment to any number of main dishes including roasted chicken, pork, quinoa or couscous.  The roasting brings out the carrots natural sweetness while the addition of orange and honey gives them an extra delicious boost. Roasted carrots were one of Audrey’s favorite purees as a baby and now, as a toddler, she will literally eat these like french fries.  But beware, you may never look at a steamed carrot the same way again. Orange & H

In a perfect world, mac n’ cheese would be considered a nutritional powerhouse….along with at least a dozen other foods I can think of.  In the real world, I’ll just have to continue making healthier versions of the foods I grew up loving.  And that I want Audrey to experience as well.  I don’t want to deprive her of childhood favorites, but I want to give them to her in a way I can feel good about and that I can enjoy right alongside her.  Here I’ve created a version of mac

I spent this past weekend in a house with 12 adults and 10 kids.  Five of my best girlfriends from college and I were getting together for a weekend getaway with our families.  And it was awesome.  Better than awesome actually.  Filled with food, laughter, games and more, it was 3 days of pure fun.  It was also 3 days filled with feeding 10 kids ranging in age from 1-6 years old.  Which believe it or not, went much smoother than I imagined.  The kids all sat together for meal

There’s no denying the health benefits of spinach.  Once Audrey was old enough (around 8 or 9 months), I couldn’t wait to introduce her to it.  And rather than steam and puree it without any additional flavors, like many recipes will tell you to do, I added some love  to it. If I wouldn’t want to eat plain old steamed spinach, why would Audrey?  By adding butter, cheese and spice, she still gets introduced to the flavors and textures of spinach, but hopefully in a way that wi

Gnocchi are a delicate, dumpling-like Italian pasta typically made with white flour and potatoes.  While delicious and slightly decadent, I wanted to create a healthier version I could feel good about giving my family at any meal, any day of the week.  Here I’ve swapped out the traditional ingredients for antioxidant-rich sweet potatoes and whole-wheat flour.  And with a sauce of apple cider and sage, this dish is as sweet as it is earthy, nutty, and savory.  A perfect choice

Very Berry Strawberry Compote 12 months + up Makes 1 cup 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil (or butter) 1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped 1/4 cup granulated sweetener* 2 tablespoons orange juice 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract In a heavy saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Add the strawberries and cook 2-3 minutes until coated and slightly caramelized.  Add the sugar, orange juice and vanilla; bring to a low boil over medium-high heat.  Stir well.  Turn the heat

Acorn squash is named “acorn squash” because it looks like an acorn.  For some reason I find this fact endearing.  But cuteness aside, the real reason I love to cook this squash is that it’s a cinch to prepare, super healthy, hearty, and filling, and has a slightly sweet and nutty taste similar to that of butternut. And babies love it as well.  With very little preparation and only a fork needed to mash it, it’s a great fall/winter side dish to fill those little bellies.  Plu

Whether your little one is just starting to explore finger foods, or fully adept at feeding themselves, these zucchini pancakes are a perfect lunch, dinner or snack. Using minimal ingredients, you can have a healthy meal ready in no time at all.  Plus, they freeze wonderfully, allowing you to make a big batch and pull one out whenever need be.  And with summer in full bloom, zucchini’s are at their peak freshness, flavor, and price.  Just break into little pieces and watch as

Quinoa may be one of those foods you never heard of a few years ago, and now it seems to be everywhere you look.  Why?  Because not only does this whole grain have a light and nutty flavor that pairs well with most foods, it is also a complete protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids.  Not to mention it is a great source of fiber for your little ones stomach as it is gluten-free and easy to digest.  Here I’ve prepared it with roasted yellow squash, crumbled feta, and p

Where we are today?  At 10 1/2 months old, Audrey loves pretty much everything.  After the green light to add lean proteins such as turkey, beans,  chicken, fish and eggs over 2 months ago, I have literally yet to see a food she’s had a strong reaction to.  Beans aren’t a favorite, but she’s often a good sport and will eat them with slight trepidation.  I think it’s a textural thing. Otherwise, we are a go, she will try absolutely everything!  And don’t even try to eat in fro

Audrey (5 mos.) loving her butternut squash Audrey turned 10 months old a couple of weeks ago.  She has been eating solids for over 6 months now.  At 4 months old and weighing in at over 18 lbs., our pediatrician thought she was more than ready to begin her foray into the real food world.  I won’t even begin to try and explain how high my level of excitement was over this.  At last those tiny bibs, bowls and spoons could come down off the shelf and I could begin my culinary e