Food, Glorious Food

When Ellis Rose began eating food, I began to panic a bit.  Which is hard to believe because there was a time (in the throes of breastfeeding every 2 hours) when I looked forward to the day she would eat solid food.  When that time was upon me, I felt an immense weight of responsibility settle on my shoulders.  I wanted to provide her with healthy and satisfying food.  But I also didn't want eating to become this chore, this onemorethingtoaddtothelist.  Food, and eating, should be fun.  This was only one of the seeming contradictions I faced.

Although I am a vegetarian, I do not intend to make that decision for my daughter.  However, I do not plan on cooking meat for her either.  So, my basic plan became:

1.  I'll make the food
2.  She will eat it
3.  If she wants other food, she can make it herself or eat it elsewhere

Does that sound too cold?  Or too ridiculous considering we were only just beginning this foray into solid food and we were a long way off from sleepovers and McDonalds? 

Begin as you intend to go on.  As they say.

I have made all of Ellis Rose's food to date.  She has almost always had fresh, organic and local produce.  She has not had meat but has had a variety of protein in beans, eggs, yogurt, cheese and, most recently, quinoa.  She has had spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, basil, curry, rosemary and vanilla.  So far, she has loved everything except avacados.  (This should be rectified soon, say her Mexican food-loving parents.)

If you are a vegetarian parent feeding your child a vegetarian diet, quinoa is a really easy way to provide protein.  Quiona is easy to cook and you can add whatever you like to it.

Autumn Quinoa

2 cups cooking liquid (we used veggie broth and water)
1 cup quinoa
1/2 cup chopped butternut squash
1/4 cup fresh cranberries
1/2 cup green peas
1/4 cup diced apple, skin removed
2 Tbs curry powder or to taste

Cook the quinoa according to package instructions.  Meanwhile, steam saute the butternut squash and cranberries until they are soft.  Add the diced apples and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Add curry powder.  Add in green peas and cook until heated through.  Mix with the quinoa.  Enjoy!