SuperFoods for Babies and Children

If you have a kid, you gotta feed them. It can be stressful when you begin introducing solid food into your babies diet, worrying that you're choosing the right foods at the right time.

A great resource for starting out, or adding more variety to your child's diet is SuperFoods for Babies and Children, by Annabel Karmel.

SuperFoods covers nutrition from 6 months to 3+ years. And what is great about this book, among other things, is it holds the belief (as I do) that children shouldn't be fed separate meals from their parents, that everyone can and should eat the same things. Things like more fruits and vegetables and less foods that come out of cans. Annabel discusses Superfoods, foods by color categories (Red, Green, White, etc), and the ingredients of a proper diet. But this book isn't boring or preachy. The information is well laid out and informative.

So far we've made 4 dishes from the book, out of the 1-2 Years chapter:

Easy Salmon Croquettes (pg 106)

This one was for Scott and Paxton as I don't like salmon. It uses a can of salmon and was incredibly easy to make (4 ingredients) and they both loved it. Scott said it would really only be as good as your salmon is, so use as good a quality as you can afford.

Oven Fried Root Vegetables (pg 107)

My favorite of the 4. Roasted potatos, yams and carrots with a dip of cream cheese and ketchup and green onions. I must admit I didn't think the dip would be very good but it was. A good way to sneak in some extra calcium.

Meatballs with Sweet and Sour Sauce (pg 102)

Meatballs made with ground beef, onion and apple in a sauce with tomatos, bell peppers and a bit of sugar. A little finicky to make, but delicious.

Cheese and Zucchini Sausages (pg 100)

Meatless sausages made with cheese and zucchini and bread. You definitely want to make these ahead and chill them in the fridge so they hold together during cooking. Paxton really liked these alot, all 3 of us did.

My one quibble with this book has to do with the last 2 recipes above; both used bread or bread crumbs, and both recipes called for white bread or bread crumbs. I found this a little surprising in a book about eating well and teaching children good nutritional habits. I used whole wheat bread and crumbs in both recipes. I don't know. Why wouldn't you?

I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone with a small child. We all gotta eat and it might as well be good, fun healthy food, right?

Thanks, Simon and Schuster!

Nigella

I am a humongous fan of Nigella Lawson. I enjoy her books and shows, and think she's a wonderful speaker and writer. I love the use of language to describe food.

Kitchen, Recipes from the Heart of the Home is her latest, and 8th book. This a a massive book, 500 pages, with 13 food chapters as well as lists, hints and help. The book is gorgeous and the photography is lovely as usual for her books. Each recipe has at least one photo of the dish which is always helpful to know what your end result should look like.

Many recipes have notes at the bottom of the page for instructions on making the dish ahead, as well as instructions for freezing and reheating. Some recipes also have companion recipes to use up the leftovers. Great idea.

We tried 8 recipes from the book:

Papparedelle with butternut and blue cheese (pg 333)

I have never had pasta with blue cheese before. It took me a few bites to like this but once I did, I really did. Excellent and impressive.

Tomato Curry (pg 108)

This dish fell flat for us. I had high hopes but in the end I just didn't think there was much flavor.

Lemon Meringue Fool (pg 168)

A quick dessert that is also delicious.

Korean Keema (pg 76)

Ground turkey stir fried with a spicy sauce. Fast and tasty.

Spicy Sausage Patties with Lettuce Wraps (pg 421)

Fun finger food.

Fiery Potato Cakes (pg 387)

This is the "leftover recipe" from the Tangy Parsnip and Potato Mash recipe. Lovely little cakes with a kick.

Crustless Pizza (pg 26)

An easy little dish that reminded me a little of a Yorkshire pudding. That's a good thing.

Pumpkin Scones (pg 451)

Surprise ingredient: Parmesan cheese!

As all the other Nigella books that have come before this, I love this book. It's gorgeous, packed with beautiful pictures of mouthwatering food, and of course Nigella's writing style is stunning. However having said that, my one complaint about the book is this. Many of the introductions to the recipes are long. Like, an entire page long. I found myself getting slightly irritated and thinking "get on with it already!". Right now is not a time in my life for lounging with poetry-style cookbooks, which is a shame. But that is a small quibble to have with such a lovely book.

Thanks, Random House!

Canadian Living Vegetarian

I have mentioned time and again how much we love Vegetarian food. We try to eat meatless at least a few days a week (which doesn't always happen), and I am always on the lookout and happy to find new delicious vegetarian recipes.

My new very very favorite cookbook is Canadian Living: The Vegetarian Collection.

This is a flat out terrific book. The 8 recipe chapters focus on different food categories rather than courses or themes - pulses and beans, grains, pasta, and more. Each recipe comes with prep and cook times and (YAY) nutritional information. Not every recipe comes with a photo, but the photos are absolutely mouthwatering. Just beautiful.

There are tips and tricks scattered among the recipes: how to cook dried beans, information on different nuts and seeds, the difference between tofu and tempeh, cooking tips for pasta. The recipes are all well-written and easy to follow. There is definitely something in this book for everyone, vegetarian or not.

We tried 9 recipes for this review - we just couldn't stop!

Pasta with Mushroom Bolognese (pasta, pg 105)

Homemade Ricotta (stocks, sauces, breads & basics, pg 258)

I made cheese, y'all!  And it was easy and delicious. 

Tomato Pizza Sauce (stocks, sauces, breads & basics, pg 270)

Pizza Dough (stocks, sauces, breads & basics, pg 268)

The finished pizza with the dough (my new favorite pizza dough recipe), sauce and ricotta.

Corn Tempura (vegetables, pg 217)

Vegetarian Chili Fries (pulses and beans, pg 30) my new favorite way to cook fries.

Tofu Salad Sandwiches (tofu, tempeh & soy, pg 119) deeeelicious.

Toasted Guacamole, Brie & Tomato Sandwiches (eggs & cheese, pg 186)

Meatless Polpette in Tomato Sauce (vegetables, pg 230)

thank you, Random House!

The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook

A few years ago a book came out that grabbed the interest of people (me included) looking to drop a few pounds - French Women Don't Get Fat. The book, which offered tips on how to eat well - very well - and be a healthy weight was a sensation. Finally after a few years wait Mirelle Guiliano is back with a companion book of recipes, The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook.

Sadly for me, I am still in the position I was a few years ago, still chubby (but a little less though!), and still looking for advice and tips to shed these dammed extra pounds. After quite a while of gaining and losing the same weight over and over again, it finally dawned on me what my biggest problem is. I like to cook. I like to eat. And while I want to lose weight and be healthy, I don't want be stuck on a restrictive diet, eating the same 2 or 3 things over and over again. Because I'll rebel. Big time.

If you're a dork like me, or just interested in really good food that is also good for you, you'll want to see this book.

This book is about eating well, about eating healthfully. About not starving yourself and not sacrificing the good things in life. The author is passionate about food and her recipes are delicious proof.

I love the design of the book - the illustrations are charming, and the writing is witty and easygoing. It has the feel that the author is sitting in the chair next to you, sharing tips over coffee.

For my review I tried 3 recipes:

Asparagus with yogurt dressing


Chicken en Croute Fiona Style


Sweet and Sour Carrot Salad



There is no other way for me to express how I felt about these recipes, other than to say OH MY GOD OH MY GOD. The dishes were delicious. The recipes were easy to prepare and the instructions were clear. Did I mention they were delicious? These recipes are all healthful with natural unprocessed ingredients.

I would recommend this book to well, everyone, for the simple delicious recipes. There is something in here for all palates, whether dieting or not.

Fix It and Forget It Cookbook

The Fix It and Forget It Cookbook by Phyllis Pellman Good - newly revised and updated - contains 700 recipes for your slow cooker, from breads to drinks to appetizers, mains and more.

As someone who has very little imagination when it comes to my slow cooker a book like this is a great addition to my kitchen. With so many recipes you are bound to find recipes that appeal.

This is a no frills cookbook. There are no photos of finished dishes, no rambling chapter or recipe introductions. Recipes come 2 to 3 to a page. Each recipe comes with serving amounts, prep times, cooking times, and what size of crock pot is ideal. Most have serving suggestions, and some have variations to change up the dish.

The book is peppered (hee hee) with tips and tricks for cooking with crock pots.

I've made 4 recipes from the book so far:

page 208 Sausage Bean Quickie - sausages, beans, and pineapple with a cooking time of 1 to 10 hours. Nice and simple. Delicious.

page 197 One Dish Chicken Supper - this was my favorite! It's like a turkey dinner in a crock pot. Chicken breasts are cooked with cream of mushroom, chicken or celery soup and stove top stuffing. If you ever want a Christmassy dinner without the fuss, make this.

page 40 Taco Soup with Whole Tomatos - another winner. Southwest flavors - beans, corn, onions - without standing over the stove all day.

page 169 Pizza in a Pot - we took the advice of the serving suggestion for this one and served this sausage-y cheesy dish over noodles. Filling and hearty.

The servings in all the recipes are very generous. The taco soup serves 4, I got 8 servings out of it. Ditto with the chicken supper. But when it's a good meal, leftovers are very welcome.

Some people may complain that this book relies heavily on processed food - cream soups, gravy mix, velveeta. Yes, there are plenty of recipes that call for such convenient ingredients. But there are plenty that don't. (Personally, I am fond of occasional sauces made with canned cream of mushroom soup.) Many many recipes are full of healthy wholesome ingredients, and most have no added oil.

I would wholeheartedly recommend the Fix It and Forget It Cookbook for anyone who owns a crock pot. And if you don't, pick one up while you're out buying this book.

Round Table Review - Where Flavor Was Born

My email and instant messaging program have been working overtime this past month, for fun and exciting reasons. Thanks to Sia over at The Lisa Ekus Group I've been having a great time organizing the first Round Table Review. What's that? Well 4 fellow food bloggers (Mike ofMel's Diner, Lis of La Mia Cucina, Mary from The Sour Dough and Deborah of What's In My Kitchen) and I reviewed a cookbook together. We cooked exactly the same recipes, shared our thoughts and ideas with each other along the way, and now we're ready to share the end results with you!

The book we reviewed is called "Where Flavor Was Born: Recipes and Culinary Travels Along the Indian Ocean Spice Route" by Andreas Viestad, Photographs by Mette Randem.


This is a big, bold book full of vibrant colors and textures. There are 14 categories of spice - Cumin, Simply Spicy, Pepper, Ginger, Chiles, Cardamom, Curries, Coriander, Turmeric, Lemongrass, Tamarind, Nutmeg & Cloves, Vanilla, Cinnamon - as well as well as sources to purchase spices from, a chart of scoville units (the heat of peppers) and further readings. Each section begins with a story from Mr. Viestad, related to the spice of the chapter. The stories are as intriguing as the recipes themselves. Just as important to this book are the photographs by Mette Randem. As well as pictures of the food (although not every recipe has a photo) there are pictures of the spices themselves, and sensational pictures the people, places and things related to the spices and recipes. It took all my self control not to start ripping pages out of the book so I could frame and hang these amazing images all over the house.

We all made lists of the recipes we wanted to try, then narrowed it down to 6. They were:
Fresh Yogurt Cucumber Soup with Coriander and Cumin
Stuffed Onions with Ginger and Lamb
Entrecote with Onion, Ginger and Tamarind
Grilled Green Fish with Red Rice
Bananas with Coconut and Cardamom
Coconut Curry Cake

We soon found out that not all of us were able to find the ingredients for the Grilled Green Fish, so we added the alternative recipe Fish in Coconut Curry.

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Fresh Yogurt Cucumber Soup with Coriander and Cumin

This was certainly the fastest recipe, ready in just a few minutes with chilling time of 30 minutes. I'd have trouble recommending this as a starter; that is how I served it and while it had a great taste - cumin is one of my most favourite spices - it was difficult to eat more than a few spoonfuls. I think Mr. Viestad's suggestion to serve as a side dish with a very hot main course is more appropriate.

Entrecote with Onion, Ginger and Tamarind

I have enjoyed Tamarind the few times I've had it, and this was Mary's first recipe choice. This was one of my favorites of what we tried, but I must tell you I did make some changes. The recipe serves two, yet calls for six onions. That seemed excessive so I cut it down to 3 which was still a lot, but more manageable. While I was making it, Scott was reading over my shoulder and was sad that the liquid in the onions was cooked away - he was hoping for a sauce. So I increased the amount of beer and did not simmer all the liquid away. I added the steaks back into the sauce to finish cooking, as well. The sauce was in my opinion the best part of the dish. Also, next time I make this (which will be soon) I will grill the steaks, and make the sauce separately. I don't like pan fried steak at all. It was the only drawback of the dish for me.

Fish in Coconut Curry

I didn't have luck gathering the ingredients for the Grilled Green Fish, so I chose our alternate. This was very, very good. Cardamom, Cumin and Cinnamon are dry roasted, and then simmered with tomato, onions, lime juice, and coconut milk. The sauce is fantastic and would be great with chicken or veggies too. I cooked this for Scott and my parents and everyone enjoyed it.

Stuffed Onions with Ginger and Lamb

This recipe for me was the highlight of the Round Table review, because this was the one that we all talked about and shared tips on the most. This one was frustrating to all of us - the proportions of ingredients were off. Since all of us had the exact same problems, it wasn't us. There are two problems - #1 - Too much onion. I think (and am backed up by the other reviewers) that you need half or less of the onion "guts" (thanks Mike) for the filing. #2 - Wayyyyyy too much meat. I cut the recipe in half, and used about 3/4 of a pound of meat instead of 1 full pound. It was still too much meat, by half. Were my onions too small? But then if my onions were bigger, I'd have more onion guts, which would make more filling.....very perplexing. The filling was fantastic, with both fresh and powdered ginger, and cumin, which as I said, is one of my favorites. I think I'll be making meatballs out of the leftover filling, and they will be wonderful. PS - I used ground turkey instead of lamb.

Coconut Curry Cake

This one sits in the middle for me. It was easy to make, very moist, and the aroma was amazing! On the other hand it was crumbly, and the coconut taste was lost in the cake. On the other hand, the spices were mild. Which isn't necessarily a positive or a negative. It could have been served with a savory dish, as my Dad pointed out, just as easily as it was a dessert.

Bananas with Coconut and Cardamom

No pictures of this one, which was a real winner. Coconut milk, cloves and cardamom pods are simmered together, and then bananas are added and cooked through. I realized afterwards I forgot to add the sugar, but it made no difference. Because I haven't ever cooked with Cardamom pods before I used the small amount. This is a fast easy dessert that you could make at a moments notice, providing you have coconut milk, bananas, cloves, and cardamom on hand, of course.

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I really really like this book, and can't wait to try more recipes, especially out of the Simply Spicy (pineapple with minced shrimp and peanut topping, anyone?) and Ginger (potato croquettes with ginger and honey!) sections. If you like spice, check this book out.

Thanks to my 4 friends for reviewing this book with me! Please check out their posts as well.

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Bananas with Coconut and Cardamom
by Andreas Viestad, Where Flavor Was Born
Photography by Mette Randem; Chronicle Books; 2007.

Serves 2

4 to 8 Cardamom Pods
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk or a combination of coconut milk and unsweetened coconut cream
1 clove
4 small slightly under ripe bananas
1 to 3 TB brown sugar

Bruise the cardamom pods gently between your hands, making small cracks in the hard pods, but stopping short of breaking them open. The more you crush them, the stronger the cardamom flavor.
Combine the coconut milk, cardamom and clove in a pot large enough to hold the bananas. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes to release the flavor of the cardamom. Sample the coconut milk and adjust the flavor if necessary by crushing or bruising one or more of the cardamom pods with a wooden spatula or spoon.
Peel the bananas and add to the coconut milk. Boil gently for 5 minutes, turning once. Add sugar to taste and allow it to dissolve before gently transferring the bananas to serving plates. Spoon over the coconut milk and serve.



Fish in Coconut Curry
by Andreas Viestad, Where Flavor Was Born
Photography by Mette Randem; Chronicle Books; 2007.

Serves 2 as a main course

1 lb mackerel or other white fleshed fish
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1 tsp finely grated fresh turmeric or 1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
2 cardamom pods
2 tsp cumin seeds
2 to 3 cloves
1 1/4 inch piece of cinnamon stick, or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 TB vegetable oil
1 red onion, finely chopped
1 tomato, chopped
juice of 1 lime
2/3 cup fresh coconut milk or canned unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 red chile, seeded and chopped
2/3 cup fresh coconut cream, or canned unsweetened coconut cream

Wash the fish thoroughly under cold running water. Remove the gills or cut off the head. Make sure there are no traces of blood or intestines in the cavity. Scale the fish if necessary, and pat dry with a paper towel.

With a sharp knife, cut 4 slashes in each side of the fish. Rub the grated ginger and turmeric into the slashes. Turmeric is a terrible stain maker, so it might be a good idea to wear rubber gloves when doing this.

Open the cardamom pods and discard the pods. Keep the small seeds. Crush the cardamom gently between your hands. Cut two cloves lengthwise into 4 pieces if possible. If they are too dry to cut, use 3 whole cloves. Crush the cinnamon stick (if using) between your hands or using the flat side of a knife.

Dry roast the cumin, cloves and the cinnamon in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently for two minutes to release the flavors. Remove from the heat and add half the chile powder and the black pepper.

Heat the oil in a non stick skillet with a lid - the skillet should be wide enough to hold the fish. Add the onion, tomato and lime juice, and cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes.

Add the coconut milk, roasted spices and half of the chili pepper and let simmer gently for 10 minutes. Make sure the pan does not boil dry. If necessary, add a little water.

Add the fish and coconut cream, and add more of the chili to taste. Let simmer, covered, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the fish is cooked and the flesh comes away from the bone when poked with a knife.



Entrecote with Onion, Ginger and Tamarind
by Andreas Viestad, Where Flavor Was Born
Photography by Mette Randem; Chronicle Books; 2007.

Serves 2 as a main course

2 - 1" thick, 8 oz entrecote, rib or sirloin steaks
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 TB vegetable oil or ghee
2 - 3 TB tamarind paste
1 tsp ground ginger
1 TB finely chopped fresh ginger
3 TB butter
6 onions, sliced
1 - 2 TB sugar
1/3 cup beer, dry white wine, or water

Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper, rub with the oil, and sear the meat for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate to rest.

Add 1 TB tamarind paste and 3 TB water to the skillet and bring to simmer, stirring to scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. When most of the liquid has evaporated, pour the remaining mixture over the steaks. Season them with half the ground ginger and 1 tsp of fresh ginger.

Reduce the heat under the skillet to medium, add the butter and onions and season with a little salt to help start the browning. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the onions have started to brown nicely. Add the remaining 1 to 2 TB tamarind paste and ground and fresh gingers, the sugar and beer, and cook, uncovered until the onions are soft and light brown, and almost all the liquid has evaporated. Transfer the onions to a serving bowl, and cover to keep warm.

Add the steaks to the pan and cook over medium high heat for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the desired doneness. Serve with the onions.

The Country Cooking of France

Speaking of more, you know what else there should be more of in life? Cookbooks and French food. And you are in luck, because this post happens to be.....

a review about a French cookbook, The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan.

Anne Willan is the author of more than thirty cookbooks, as well as the founder of a cooking school in France, La Varenne Cooking School. Ms. Willan has won numerous awards, including "Cooking Teacher of the Year" in 2000 by Bon Appetit Magazine. So you know that she knows her stuff.

Her newest book, The Country Cooking of France, is the first of her books I've read. What a shame for me! This is quite possibly the most beautiful cookbook I've ever seen. The photographs of the food and the pictures of France (a country road, a dog hunting for truffles, a bistro with stacks of chairs outside) are stunning. The short essays sprinkled throughout the book (on everything from garlic to horse meat to water) are all read-worthy. This is the sort of book that makes you want to sell your worldly possessions and run away to France. Anyone care to join me?

There are 17 chapters in the book; soups, eggs & cheese, game birds, and vegetable tarts are just a bit of what is covered. In addition there is a glossary full of techniques, recipes and equipment, which is immensely helpful if you are not too familiar with French cooking.

The recipes are are easy to read and clearly instructed. None seem too intimidating and the variety is vast, from simple lentil salads to home made pates and cassoulets. Get this one on your lists folks! You won't be disappointed.

Gougere Plate Au Fromage De Chevre (Flat Goat Cheese Gougere)


This is a most delicious cross between a pizza and cheese puff. Pate a Choux dough is spread on a pan and topped with herbs, garlic, and goat cheese (I also added some chopped green onion). The "pizza" tastes like it has bacon on it, but it's the smoky gruyere that's mixed in the dough. Totally fantastic.

Gambas Grilles au Sel de Mer (Seared Prawns with Sea Salt)
Shrimp tossed with salt and cooked in their shells. A bit messy but worth it.


Saute de Poulet aux Quarante Gousses D'Ail (Saute of Chicken with Forty Garlic Cloves)


Oh my. For years I've read recipes similar to this but never tried them. The chicken was so tender and the garlic? Yum.

Gratinee Lyonnaise (French Onion Soup)

I have to say, in all honesty this is the best French Onion Soup I have ever made. And I have made a lot of onion soups. I think the secret is the caramelized onion, as shown in that top picture. Unfortunately I realized at the last minute that my bowls are not oven safe, so I couldn't broil the soup to melt the cheese. But it was still amazing.

Gratinee Lyonnaise
By Anne Willan, The Country Cooking of France
photography by France Ruffenach; Chronicle Books; September 2007

4 Tb (60 grams) butter
5 to 6 yellow onions (about 2 lbs/900 g) thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 yellow onion, halved but not peeled
1 tsp sugar
1 1/2 quarts (1 1/2 litres) Veal broth (I used beef broth)
baked croutes (buttered and toasted baguette slices) made with 1/2 baguette
1 cup (100g) Gruyere cheese

Melt the butter in a soup pot over low heat. Stir in the sliced onions, season with salt and pepper and press a piece of buttered aluminum foil down on the onions. Cover the pan and sweat the onions over very low heat, stirring occasionally, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the lid and foil, raise the heat, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching, until the onions are reduced, concentrated, and very dark brown, 8 to 10 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, char the halved onion. Heat an electric burner until hot, or heat a small saute pan over a gas burner. Sprinkle the cut surfaces of the onion with the sugar and set the halves, cut side down, on the burner or pan. Cook until dark brown, 2 to 3 minutes. When the sliced onions are ready, stir in the broth and add the charred onion. Cover, bring to a boil, and simmer to blend the flavors for 10 to 15 minutes. Discard the charred onion halves, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning. The soup can be made 2 to 3 days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Preheat the broiler and reheat the soup if necessary. Put 4 to 6 deep flameproof soup bowls on a baking sheet and heat in the broiler. Set 2 to 3 croutes in each bowl and ladle the soup on top. Sprinkle with the cheese and broil until the tops are browned. Serve at once - the onion soup must be scalding hot.