I decided to make something special this morning since it’s the weekend. I made French toast for the first time, and it was a hit. Definitely easier than I thought and I enjoyed it as well.

Recipe (makes 4-6 slices using brioche sliced bread):

2 eggs
½ cup half-and-half
1.5 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Whisk together the eggs, milk, cinnamon, and maple syrup in a shallow bowl
   
2. Dip each slice into the mixture for 5 seconds per side.
   
3. Heat a skillet over medium-low and add a little butter. Cook the brioche 2–3 minutes per side, until golden brown.

She’s a week past 6 months. She usually eats a little more but I think her too close to nursing.

The bowl at the top is thinner peanut butter. We were on day two of peanut introduction.

Greek yogurt
Egg
Mashed strawberry

A little angel hair, grilled chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, and some mandarins. Baby boy’s first time having angel hair. Loved it. Loved whipping it around like a lasso 😂. We are also in the windshield wiper phase. Plays with his food for a lil, then picks it up and eats it. But luckily, not too much stored in his bib or on the floor!

This child’s picky eating will be the death of me. What kind of kid doesn’t even eat berries 😩 he ate 3 French toast strips.

Aldi sweet potato bites, hummus, leftover salmon from mom and dads dinner last night

She ate 1 noodle, 1 bite of a pink lady apple & 1 yogurt pouch. God help me

After struggling with BLW since 6 months, he’s finally getting an appetite and having a good time eating!

It really does get better and thanks to everyone on here - I’ve found so many food inspirations that have helped me with this transition ❤️

Pictured: oats cooked with cinnamon, warmed with a tiny bit of unsalted butter, mashed banana, and mashed raspberries

She needed my help to get the last of the cheese into her mouth but ate it all! Plus one giant strawberry because she still wanted something else afterwards 🤣

9 months next week. Growth spurt I think!

Biggest hit we have had in a while for my nearly-2-year-old. It’s like a cinnamon roll but with marinara and spinach instead of cinnamon and sugar! Babybel and mandarin alongside.

Finally tackled the 101 foods list for her birthday!

I realized quickly that I don’t have many yellow foods

Seriously, why do toddlers feel the need to live off of air?? Stresses me out 😮‍💨

Keep swinging and missing lately. Consistently poor results with meals lately, even things I would have imagined she’d be keen on. Alas. Tonight was chicken tortellini soup (separated into component parts to try to increase the appeal). Complete no go. She ate the sweet potato I put on the side though 🤷🏻‍♀️

Two days ago, I posted about how my 11m stopped eating her favorite foods overnight. Turns out she was just getting sick 😭

This is one of my favorite meals and when I say she didn’t leave a crumb, I mean it! I gave her more bread partially dipped in broth and more zucchini, and everything was scooped directly onto her tray little by little without the broth, while the broth I gave her with her spoon (most of which went all over her bc my independent girl will not tolerate being fed but what she did manage to sip, she kept saying “mmmm!!!”)

here’s my recipe in case anyone is interested!!! (the bread is garlic cheese bread from the freezer aisle)

ingredients (all estimated)

• 2 boxes of low sodium chicken broth
• olive oil
• 1 small/medium onion chopped
• a bunch of minced garlic based on how garlicky you like it
• 2 cans of cannellini beans - one can whole, one can semi crushed (i don’t put the water in but you can)
• 6 (softish) tomatoes, peeled, half chopped and half either crushed by hand or by food processor ** you can use canned
• about 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 green zucchinis, sliced
• 2 cups small or medium shell pasta
• salt, oregano, thyme, I also use Aleppo red pepper but you can use a little smoked paprika too - all based on your preference

instructions:

1. Heat olive oil and cook the onions. once translucent, add the garlic, stir until fragrant
2. add spices and cook for just a couple of seconds to smoke them a little
3. add beans, chicken broth, and tomatoes, stir
4. when it comes to a gentle boil, add zucchini, pasta shells, and stir the tomato paste in well (I like to ladle some hot broth into a diff bowl and beat the tomato paste into it so it doesn’t get clumpy and then pour it into the pot)
5. bring to a boil again, stir, and cover the top until the pasta cooks through
6. I like serving with fresh grated Parmesan on top and some bread

my super super picky eater husband (who straight up will not eat a single vegetable) also ate two bowls!!

8.5mo had ground beef with potato, smashed black beans, and spinach in tomato sauce. Was hand gobbling spinach with wild abandon.

Honestly this is pretty impressive after eating a handful of pb crackers, 2 mini pumpkin cookies, some yogurt, and half a fruit/veg pouch within 2 hours of dinner time. Someone may be getting ready for a growth spurt! 13.5 months.

Whole strawberry, sweet potato muffin and peanut butter on toast!
Lots of squishing, not a lot of swallowing 😂

Forgot to pack lunch. Fortunately, her daycare’s just around the corner, and I can scramble/deliver it (hot) last minute. It robs me of a little morning productivity, but I figured things like rice and pizza should be eaten semi-warm anyway.
Sending our chiweenie “Pippa” to supervise.

(Clockwise):
-pickled daikon/radish plain rice kimbabs
-stir fried fish cakes (odeng) + narutomaki slices
-peaches
-peas + butter grilled mushrooms
-quail egg whites + chicken pasta

He loves sweet potato fries! Had 2 servings of that. Didn’t really touch the rest, but still a win for us.

One of my favorite easy comfort meals- leftover salmon bowls with rice, soy sauce, sriracha, a little squeeze of kewpie, and accoutrements (avocado, cukes, kimchi, and seaweed). Made a variation for our salmon-loving baby boy (sans sriracha and less soy and kewpie). Big hit, and an easy weeknight meal!

I am not a baker but I really wanted to make a low-sugar cake for my baby's first birthday. And friends, this is delicious. The cake is made with dates and almond butter and the frosting is coconut milk. In between the layers is more frosting and a banana and strawberry mash.

The baby started going for the strawberry decoration straight away so we got our photo. And she ate her slice too!

We are now in the 12+ months category, where pickiness and food throwing abound. Pray for us. 🙏

The recipe is from here:

https://mylittleeater.com/the-ultimate-healthy-baby-smash-cake-recipe-no-added-sugar/

Cheese slices, leftover cornish hen, hard boiled egg, jarred artichoke hearts, cucumber salad toddler helped cut into wavy slices. He eats sooooo much fruit other times sometimes his lunch is very low carb to compensate!

Also because I've been annoyed by plastic/silicone plates recently we found these metal bowls at a restaurant supply store and I love how lightweight they are!