Yes! Another Parental Triumph!

My baby is going through a super picky phase right now. (At least, I hope it's a phase.) The wonderful veggies he used to eat have suddenly become Baby-Kryptonite. His morning ritual of Cheerios and/or Puffins cereals is no longer welcome. The last two evenings, my last-resort standbys "rice" and "noodles" were completely unpalatable.

I was on the verge of a breakdown. I couldn't get him to eat cereal, crackers, rice, noodles, or anything remotely food-ish. Now, I realize that my baby is not starving. He is, after all, in the 90th percentile as far as weight. He's quite a healthy boy, actually. I realize he's not going to starve if he decides to skip a meal or two, but that doesn't stop me from worrying about his health and nutrition, his calcium and protein intake, or his blood sugar and energy levels!

And then I realized: even though he turns down every type of food, he always drinks! He will drink juice, milk, and water at all times of the day. BINGO!!

Now, on occasion, when he's decided he doesn't want any dinner, I have given him a PediaSure instead of regular milk for his last drink before he goes to bed. It is a complete source of nutrition, and a good way to make sure he gets enough healthy calories. However, I also like to give my boy options and get him used to different tastes. So, I've started giving him different smoothies and shakes. He loves them!! All kinds of fruit, soft tofu, soy milk, and even some Benefiber to help fill him up. I control what goes in, and I feel good about giving him something healthy, delicious, and filling.

I realize I'm not the first parent to think of this, but I'm sure there are other parents out there who are struggling. If your baby is really picky, maybe try one of these easy recipes. Hopefully, your little food critic will give it two thumbs up!

Mango Lassi
Anyone who has been to an Indian restaurant will likely recognize this.
1 cup plain yogurt (I use fat free 0% Total Fage Greek yogurt)
2-3 large ripe mangoes, peeled and stoned
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
Sugar to taste

Throw it all into a blender and blend for 2-3 minutes, or until smooth. If your fruit is very ripe and sweet, you may not need any sugar. Serve immediately. If you use fat free Fage, and no added sugar, this recipe is about 380 calories for the entire blender of lassi, and is also quite rich in protein, calcium, and vitamin C.

Soy & Fruit Smoothie
1/2 cup soft silken tofu
1 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
1 cup of the fruit of your choice. I like to use frozen berries (strawberries, blueberries, etc.), and bananas or other pulpy fruits work very well.
Sugar to taste

Throw it all into a blender and blend until smooth. Depending on the fruits you use, you may have to add more soy milk. This recipe is also rich in protein and calcium.

Feel free to experiment with this, as it is such a versatile smoothie. Try a chocolate-peanut butter-banana smoothie, or a strawberry-orange-banana smoothie. My favorite flavors are frozen blueberry smoothies (for the antioxidants), and pumpkin smoothies, which are very rich vitamin A, and good sources of fiber, potassium, vitamin K and iron. If you don't like the soft tofu, use plain yogurt. The point is to give your baby a protein, calcium, and vitamin-mineral rich meal replacement. It's also a great dessert for the whole family!

I wish my boy would eat his spinach, chicken, noodles and other food. But since he's quite set on being finicky right now, I'm happy to let him drink up a yummy smoothie. When babies get picky, parents adapt and slip in the nutrition any way they can. Ha! Another point goes to the parents!

Foodie View: Hina Cooks! Super Easy Vegetarian Stir Fry

Is it incredibly vain to write a review of your own food? I fully admit, I'm bragging right now. I made a totally awesome stir fry dinner, and I am so proud of me!

It was a quick meal, an easy to make meal, a healthy meal, a vegetarian meal, a satisfying meal, and a super yummy meal! The veggies add lots of flavor and texture, not to mention color. The soy based ingredients (tempeh, baked tofu, noodles, some of the veggies) add lots of protein and help make it a very filling dish. And although I like a good steak now and then, the calories are just so high! So I've been trying to get some tasty, healthy, and above all satisfying vegetarian dishes into my family's diet.

I got several ingredients from 99 Ranch Market (but you can visit any Asian grocery store), and the rest came from Trader Joe's. I must say, I am an avid Trader Joe's shopper. If you haven't checked out this awesome grocery store, definitely visit your nearest location. They have a great variety of products and very affordable prices.

If you've read my blog before, you know I'm a busy mom, and I'm working on eating healthy and losing weight. My baby is 17 months old, and he demands a lot of attention. He also makes a lot of mess. I don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen, while Mr. Baby gets into who knows what. So I appreciate "easy" dishes which don't take a lot of time, or focus, to prepare. I'm happy to say I've succeeded with this dish. So check out my Super Easy Vegetarian Stir Fry recipe!

Ingredients:
2 packages House Tofu Shirataki Noodles - Fettucini Shape (it's also available in Angel Hair shape)
3 oz. Furama Plain Baked Tofu (TJ's also has baked tofu, I just use Furama because it's easily portioned into 3 oz. squares)
4 oz. LightLife Organic Flax Tempeh (about half a package)
1 package Trader Joe's Beef-Less Strips
1/2 medium onion, diced
4-5 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups Trader Joe's frozen Stir Fry Vegetables (contains: Chinese pea pods, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, green soybeans, water chestnuts, carrots, and mushrooms)
2 tbsp olive oil
6-8 tbsp Lee Kum Kee Vegetarian Mushroom Flavored Stir Fry Sauce
Optional: black pepper, to taste

In a large wok or skillet, lightly sautee garlic and onion in olive oil. Slice tofu and tempeh into strips or bite size cubes. Add tofu, tempeh, and Beef-Less Strips and stir fry for 4-5 minutes. Add frozen vegetables and stir fry for 5 - 8 minutes, or until completely cooked through. Drain Shirataki noodles and rinse thoroughly with hot water. Add noodles, sauce, and black pepper. Toss and mix well, stir fry for 4-7 minutes, or until well mixed and heated through. Serve immediately.

Makes 3 - 4 large servings. Each serving is only 362 (for 4 servings) - 482 (for 3 servings) calories. The entire wok full of food is only 1446 calories! A healthy, low cal dinner, on the table in less than 20 minutes. I feel pretty good about feeding this to my family. Pretty awesome!

If you've got any quick and easy recipes (with the emphasis on "quick" and "easy"), please share!