Chicken liver and berry puree
Yup, that's right. Chicken liver for babies. I was hesitant at first too, but we gave some to M when he was around 1 and he LOVED it. Who knew? M likes it plain, but combining it with berries and turning it a lovely purple color definitely makes it more appetizing.
M's passion for chicken liver is helpful since it’s one of our extended family’s staples for holidays and family dinners. And you know what? It’s easy to make and is a protein- and iron-rich dip for crackers or veggies. And it’s delicious. Trust me. Actually, don't trust me: Make it for yourself and see.
If you've made chicken liver before, skip these next few pictures. If you're a liver novice, here's what mine looks like at various stages of cooking:
Stage 1: Put some olive oil in a hot pan and add the livers, making sure that each one has some space in the pan. Cook in batches if you have to.
Stage 2: Ready to flip. Once you see brown creeping up the sides, flip those puppies over and continue to cook.
Stage 3: Add the onions. Once you have an even browning on both sides, add the chopped onions. It's okay if there are some pinkish areas remaining because cooking isn't over yet.
Stage 4: Cover. Once the onions are translucent and the livers are mostly browned (it's okay of there are some slightly pink nooks, but you should see any "raw" patches), cover and cook over a low flame for about 10 more minutes.
Chopped chicken liver
.75 lb chicken livers
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large onion
2 hard-boiled eggs
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper
Heat olive oil over a medium flame. Add chicken livers and brown on both sides. Once livers are browned, add the chopped onions. (It’s okay if there are small bits of pink still showing on the livers in the nooks and crannies- see photos.) Cook on medium heat until onions are opaque, about 5-8 minutes. Cover and turn heat to low. Let simmer for another 10-12 minutes or until livers are cooked through.
Immediately add cooked livers and onions and all liquid to a food processor or blender with hard-boiled eggs and balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste, but I’m usually very generous with the salt at this phase. Pulse the food processor until you’ve reached your desired consistency. Taste again for seasoning.
Yield: about 2 cups
Berry compote
1 pint blueberries
1 pint blackberries
2 Tbsp water
Combine berries and water in a medium sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the berries are cooked down, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool slightly. Puree. If your little is opposed to seeds (like mine), pass through a mesh strainer.
Combo
2 Tbsp Chopped chicken liver
2 Tbsp Berry compote
1 Tbsp Applesauce
Zucchini and blueberry waffles
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. These naturally sweet bread-y pastries are a great way to get some veggies into your kiddos first thing in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or anytime really. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini
Use up the last of late summer produce with these zucchini and blueberry whole grain waffles.
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. These naturally sweet bread-y pastries are a great way to get some veggies into your kiddos first thing in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or anytime really. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini
Late summer/early fall usually means a glut of zucchini and it's one of M's safe veggies. Don't get me wrong: If I put a piece of zucchini in front of him (steamed, roasted, covered in chocolate), he would NOT eat it. But in a waffle with sweet blueberries and toasty whole wheat and flax, he doesn't even notice that he's eating vegetables for breakfast.
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. These naturally sweet bread-y pastries are a great way to get some veggies into your kiddos first thing in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or anytime really. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. These naturally sweet bread-y pastries are a great way to get some veggies into your kiddos first thing in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or anytime really. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. Flour, sugar, eggs, vanilla, spices, buttermilk, flaxseed, and a little butter. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini #ingredients
A couple of notes about these waffles:
I used buttermilk in this recipe, but if you don’t have any or don’t want to buy buttermilk, my favorite substitution is this: For every 1 cup of buttermilk that you need, add 1 Tbsp of vinegar to a measuring cup and then add enough dairy milk (any fat content will do) to equal 1 cup. Let sit for a few minutes and use!
Don’t use more blueberries and zucchini than the recipe calls for. I’ve been tempted to throw in another handful of blueberries or the rest of the shredded zucchini, but I feel like any time I do, the waffles end up too wet.
Zucchini and blueberry waffles | Me & The Moose. These naturally sweet bread-y pastries are a great way to get some veggies into your kiddos first thing in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or anytime really. #meandthemoose #waffles #blueberries #zucchini
Zucchini & blueberry waffles
Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 16 waffles
1 cup shredded zucchini (1/2 large zucchini), patted dry
3/4 cup fresh blueberries
1 cup AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 heaping Tbsp flax seed meal
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups buttermilk
Melt 1 Tbsp of butter in the microwave. Set aside.
Shred the zucchini with a box grater and squeeze the excess water out with paper towels or a cheesecloth. Set aside.
To a large bowl, add the flours, flax seed meal, baking powder, spices, and salt and whisk to combine.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until frothy. Add the melted and cooled butter, vanilla extract, and buttermilk. Whisk until combined.
Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Add the zucchini and blueberries and whisk gently until combined.
Depending on the size of your waffle maker, spoon about ¼ cup of batter onto the hot surface and follow your appliance’s instructions.
Orange, peach, mango smoothie
Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles
Remember that flavor of orange, peach, mango juice? I was obsessed with it in college until I mixed it with vodka one too many times. But since that was 20 years ago (UGH), I decided to give it another try. Can confirm: still delicious.
Take me to the smoothie!
Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles
Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles
This smoothie, like a lot of the smoothies on this site, started its life as a baby puree, but transitioned to a drink as my kids got older. I used to add carrots, but they’re a lot of work if you’re trying to make this more liquid-y, so I would just add some store-bought carrot juice if you want to go that route.
Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles
This one is great as a smoothie or a juice, but I also love freezing it as popsicles or turning it into a fantastic sorbet (I use this method from Zoe Francois).
Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles
Orange, Peach, Mango smoothie
Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 smoothies
1 orange, squeezed
1 cup mango, fresh or frozen
2 large ripe peaches, 3-4 small ripe peaches, or 1 cup frozen
1/2 cup carrot juice (optional)
Combine the fruit in a blender and blend until totally smooth. If using frozen fruit, thaw it in the microwave for a few seconds before blending. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve if desired for a smoother texture.
This puree is also delicious with 1 Tbsp of melted coconut oil thrown in for a bit of extra fat.