Breaky

That's breakfast in this house and oh how we LOVE our breaky. While I am a huge supporter of the full on breakfast spread there aren't always the greatest options for baby. Sure you can get away with fruit, maybe a pancake or oatmeal but that can get old. Especially if you have a picky eater! Olive's little BFF is a hard one to feed for me. I wouldn't say she is a picky eater but she is very particular. This week I have been racking my brain trying to come up with something she will eat and has some good fats in it. This post is the baby breaky jackpot so get your pen and paper out! (Do people still use those?)

So first off I want to share this oatmeal recipe. This would be perfect to make on a cold Sunday morning and will give you 2 days of breaky on the go too. I think standard Quaker oatmeal is boring. I rather eat sawdust if you really want to know how i feel. Steel cut oats are the answer. Creamier, fuller bodied, hold up longer than that... wall paste. Steel cut oats are the bees knees of oats, for that reason I beg of you not to substitute with that other kind.

Prepare whatever serving size that is appropriate for your family. This is for 2 portions and 12 'cups':
1 cup Organic steel cut oats
2 cups water
1 cup unsweetened organic almond milk
3/4-1 cup organic blueberries
3/4 cup freeze dried organic strawberries
2 tbs organic brown sugar
(I also added 3/4 cup fine shredded coconut-optional)

Combine the oats and water until boiling. Turn down the heat and add the strawberries. about 3/4 of the way done add the almond milk, sugar and blueberries stir frequently until oats are tender. Ladle into bowls while warm and serve. The remaining oatmeal can be poured into a non stick cupcake pan, let cool on the counter, cover and refrigerate. These are awesome little weekday breakfasts in a hurry for you and baby.     

Next I hopefully want to convey to you my love for everything toast. Toast has endless possibilities and can provide all kinds of nutrients your baby might miss otherwise. We use Ezekiel bread, it is a live grain flourless bread, one slice has 3 grams fiber, 4 grams protein as well as vitamin B. As most vegans know vitamin B6 and B12 is really important to integrate into your diet because the majority comes from meat and fish. Ok so here are my top toasts for baby:

The first one is super simple, no recipe needed. Toast and EVOO. I also put salt pepper and dried oregano. Dried herbs for a baby!? Absolutely. You want to develop their tiny pallets early so they aren't the kid that only eats pizza and hot dogs throughout elementary school! More importantly dried herbs are a really great source of antioxidants.

Lets get serious now. I am sure you remember my love for Justin's brand peanut butter. They make almond butter too and it is ever BETTER!! You can just spread some on a piece of toast OR you can spread some on a piece of toast, add some bananas, quarter the toast and top each piece with your kids choice of the following:

• Cinnamon
• nutmeg
• coconut
• raisins
• mini choc chips (or carob)

Get creative, there is no method here. 

We love avocado. Hopefully you do too. I often just give olive a piece of toast with avocado and cut a tomato up on the side. If she is really lucky she will get some dressed up avo. Avocado and citrus are a match made in delicious heaven and that's nothing new. Olive is lucky if any of this even makes it to her plate:

Spread avocado on a piece of toast, salt and pepper and quarter it. Segment 1 grapefruit and cut into baby bite size pieces. place fruit on top of toast and bring it to my house. Just kidding that would be creepy.

If your baby is lacking in the teeth department you can squeeze citrus juice over mashed avocado or bread. If you soften the bread with the juice serve avocado next to it.

Now you have some good ideas for toast (that word is even awesome) go try your own. Forget the sugary chocolate spreads and the peanut flavored sugar in a jar. Get creative with real food. It will taste better every time.


Last but absolutely not least. This recipe is perfect for a weekend. I like to make yummy things that save well on Sundays so I can carry a piece of weekend into the week. This is an excellent example. I am not a baker. I rather eat hot coals than bake. With bread as the exception, I figured these are pretty close to bread right?!

Vegan Blueberry Coconut Scones:
2 cups organic flour
1/2 cup organic flour (reserved)
1/2 cup organic sugar
1/4 cold organic coconut oil (or one stick cold butter)
1/2 cup cold organic almond milk (or 1/2 cup heavy cream)
1 organic mashed banana (or one egg)
1tbs baking powder
1/2 cup organic fine shredded coconut
1 cup fresh organic blueberries
1tbs Orange zest
raw sugar

Combine all dry ingredients (minus the reserved flour) coconut and zest in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (olive 'misplaced' mine so i used the hook - not a baker- worked fine)
add the coconut oil and mix on low, you don't want to melt it down.
add the mashed banana, almond milk and blueberries
Mix until it is well combined. Flour anything this dough is gonna touch! Turn it out onto a floured surface (use the reserved flour if your dough is too sticky to handle) roll out to 3/4in thick and cut to a desired uniform shape. You can make these into whatever shapes as long as you do not handle them excessively and be sure to use a knife. you do not want to further melt the oil. I brushed the tops with more almond milk and dusted with raw sugar.
place on a parchment covered cookie sheet and bake at 415 for 20 min. The way your house smells while these are cooking is heavenly, so is knowing these have less sugar than any other baked breakfast good, has whole fresh fruit and no animal product (though you would NEVER be able to tell). Win win win. 

Don't like the flavor combination? replace it. I also made a ginger pear scone: replace the berries with peeled small diced pears, orange zest for lemon zest, and coconut flake for 1 1/2tbs fresh fine grated ginger. (coconut oil will not be detectable over the ginger).
You can use this vegan-or not vegan- base and get creative. As for Olive's BFF, there may not be any left for her...














Sorry Bestie!