Picture Cook: See. Make. Eat.

E's language skills are taking off.  As a fairly quiet person, I have to make a conscious effort to talk a lot with her.  I spend a lot of time describing her surroundings, pointing out new words, and just having simple conversations with her.  I'm not sure how much she understands, but she often surprises me by repeating the words, using them in future settings, or responding appropriately to what I'm saying (e.g., pulling the step stool up to the counter so that we can cook together, picking up an object by the table and putting it into the garbage, etc.).  She's really getting into helping in the kitchen.  That Girl from Paved with Good Intentions recently had a good post on baking with babies.  Not only is cooking/baking a great skill to have, toddlers/kids love to have a job, some independence, and the praise that comes with doing anything well (Yay! You dumped the sugar in the bowl rather than all over the counter!)  Now I just need to psych myself up to make this Ikea Hack and we're good to go!

When I was first contacted to review a copy of a picture-based cookbook that is drawn rather than written, I thought that it was an interesting concept and possibly a good learning tool for E.  Picture Cook is unlike any cookbook I've seen before.   

   

I think this type of book has different benefits for different ages.  The pictures are monochromatic and relatively small.  So, the visuals themselves aren't great for a toddler.  But, she really liked flipping through the book    

She also took quite a liking to this page

I am looking forward to returning to this book when E is 3 + years of age.  Probably the prime age would be around 6 or 7 (or someone older who is very visual).  

Parmesan Chicken with Garlic and Herbs

I find myself often surfing the internet and most often Pinterest for new ideas for preparing chicken. In the process, I've created an impressive collection of recipes in many different categories.  Admittedly, my love of cookbooks isn't going away any time soon.  There's something very special about flipping through a cookbook, feeling the paper and looking through pictures when the book has them.  Love of cookbooks has become an obsession of sorts and I have to do alot of self talk when in a bookstore.  I'm out of space and sadly Psychgrad doesn't want to collect any more than she already has.

One blogger who not only never fails me but always inspires me to create a healthier version of foods I love is  Kalyn's Kitchen.  Kalyn is responsible for this recipe that was lower on the fat index and coupled with my favourite baby kale salad made for a happy dinner.

This recipe serves 4 and takes only minutes to prepare with no frying or eggs.  The hit of garlic is pronounced so if you're not a big garlic fan, reduce it.  The parmesan is the star and the cooking time is perfect for a juicy and flavourful chicken dish.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tsp. crushed garlic (garlic puree from a jar is perfect here)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1/4 cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Combine crushed garlic, olive oil, and poultry seasoning in small pan and heat 1 minute, until just warm.

Trim all visible fat and membranes from chicken breasts, then make small crosswise slits about 1/2 inch apart down the length of each chicken breast, being careful not to cut too far into the chicken. (This helps the garlic and herb flavor penetrate the chicken more.) Put chicken into zip loc bag, pour heated oil over, and marinate all day in refrigerator.

To cook, take chicken out of refrigerator and let it come to room temperature for a few minutes while you preheat oven to 425.

Mix bread crumbs and parmesan (pulse a few times in food processor if the mixture isn't fine enough.) Place cheese/breadcrumb mixture in flat dish and dip each chicken breast into it, pressing on as much of the coating as you can.

Place each chicken piece in casserole dish which has been sprayed with nonstick spray. or olive oil. Bake until chicken is firm and cooked through, about 25 minutes, then put under the broiler to brown more if desired. (Original directions said to bake 30-40 minutes, but I wouldn't cook it that long. Actual cooking time will depend on the thickness of your chicken breasts, but chicken should feel firm but not hard when it's cooked.)

Very Berry Muffins

Before having a child that eats solids, I had this image of raising a kid with a sophisticated palate, who wasn't fussy and ate only fresh, healthy, home cooked foods.  Now, I'm seeing that this may not be realistic.  E can be pretty fussy.  Basically, she likes fruit (if in season = sweet) and carbs.  Great.  I have yet to see her really take to eating meat and her favourite vegetable are mushrooms (which aren't even vegetables).  She seems to have some sort of innate sense that she really wants any junk food we happen to be eating.  Maybe it's the crinkle of the bag, but she's persistent like The Terminator when we have chips.  Now, the word "cookie" has become synonymous with "I want some!" #parentingfail

So, I want to try to find baked recipes that are healthier so that she'll at least consume something on her fussier days.  This recipe comes from Weelicious, a site that is tailored to feeding your kids at various ages.  

Very Berry Muffins

1/2 cup all purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cup old fashioned oats

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 large egg, whisked

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk

1/3 cup canola or vegetable oil (we substituted apple sauce)

2 cups frozen berries

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Place the first 6 ingredients in a bowl and combine.

3. Combine the egg, vanilla extract, milk and oil in a separate bowl.

4. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

5. Gently mix the frozen berries into the batter, do not over mix or the berries will bleed.

6. Pour batter into greased or muffin lined regular sized tins.

7. Bake for 20-22 minutes.

8. Allow muffins to cool for 5 minutes then remove to a cooling rack.

9. Serve.

Verdict: They're pretty good. We just had frozen strawberries on hand.  Next time I might go for more variety.