Parrot Parfait

Since using the Deceptively Delicious cookbook, I started hiding vegetable purées in food at will. David seemed to love carrot purée with applesauce, and as a anti-veg man that was great. Now, in making baby food I took the carrot + apple purée combination a step further. By changing the base from apple to pear purée, I created what I've decided to call, 'Parrot Sauce'.

Parrot Sauce

3-4 pears mostly peeled and cored
2 apples mostly peeled and cored
5-7 carrots mostly peeled

Bake in 2 inches of water in a small ditch oven or covered baking dish at 350. I'm not entirely sure about baking time, so check periodically for 1 hour.

Let cook and then purée and pour into empty applesauce jar.

The nice thing about Parrot Sauce is that everyone in the family can enjoy it. Top with plain yogurt and granola and you'll be eating the same thing I do most mornings. If you're looking to make your own granola, first of all good for you, I'd recommend my friend Hana's blog Sweet Mama Zog for recipes - I believe this is her maple granola featured in the photo. 

Sweet & spicy vegetable soup

This soup is tasty and according to the friend that shared it with me, no points on weight watchers! Even Tripp agrees, it's delicious.

You'll need:

About 3 cups V8
1 large can crushed tomatoes
3/4 of 1 box of beef stock
1 can spicy chili beans
1/2 c. brown sugar
4 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

1 head of cabbage rough chopped
2 cups kale chopped
1 onion chopped
4 stalks celery rough chopped
1 cup chopped carrots

In a soup pan or Dutch oven, sauté onion, celery and carrot for 5 minutes in olive oil then add in all remaining vegetables. Add beef stock and cook down about 5 min, add everything else and cook till soft.

Spiced Roasted Chicken

This recipe is from a dear friend who made spiced roasted chicken for me when I really needed a hand.

You'll need:

1 whole chicken
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375.

Melt the butter and mix in honey & spices together and spread over chicken in a roasting pan. Cover with foil and bake for 1-1.5 hrs. Check on chicken every 20-30 minutes and spoon sauce over top.

This dish pairs well with Mediterranean sides. With leftovers, add starchy veggies to the pan and roast again adding chicken stock and additional turmeric, cinnamon & honey as needed. As seen in photo.

Snowy day reindeer photo shoot

Oh the weather outside is frightful, but Judah's jammies are so delightful! Thank you Mimi & Grandpa G!