sweet potato puree

For a while Esther has been very interested in eating - she keeps reaching for food or drinks that Michael and I are having. Since I felt like it was too early to share my coffee or Thai curry with her;) we decided to let her try to eat some solids (with doctors approval). I think Esther had high hopes for the experience. As I lifted up the spoon to give her her first bite I looked away to say something to Michael and before I knew it she had wrapped her mouth around the spoon and taken a bite. BUT I think it ended in disappointment for her. She was so eager and then ... then her face started frowning and she wasn't as eager for the following bites. She didn't complain, but her facial expressions revealed her true feelings. Ha! I guess food wasn't all it was cracked up to be in her mind and maybe sweet potatoes just didn't taste good to her in general so we will try another veggie or fruit in the near future.

In the end I think Esther's parents had more fun with it than Esther herself:) We started the day by going to the farmers market to pick up some sweet potatoes to bring home to puree.

farmers market

mor and daddy - why are you posing me with a sweet potato???

Sweet Potato Puree

Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes, peeled
Water

Directions
After peeling the sweet potatoes cut the potatoes up into small chunks.
Add the chucks to boiling water and let it boil until tender, about 15 minutes.

Then add the boiled potatoes to your blender and add some boiled potato water (or other liquid) and blend until you get the right consistency.

The pureed sweet potatoes can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days or you can freeze it as well.

This is SUPER easy to make and has no preservatives. Both characteristics that are important to me when feeding my baby. 

I think it tasted just fine and even a little sweet, but for now Esther isn't the biggest fan. I guess once we start mixing food together we will try the sweet potatoes again with a fruit or something.

even if esther wasn't the biggest fan of sweet potatoes she was super excited about her new bib:)

milling mondays: gluten free banana bread

I love banana bread! And this gluten free recipe does not taste gluten free in my opinion. It tastes just as yummy as when made with gluten flour. If you mill your own flour then making rice flour is super easy and inexpensive to make. So if you have some very ripe bananas that need to get used - this is a great recipe. 

Gluten Free Banana Bread

modified from Easy Gluten-Free Baking

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup very ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup sugar

1 2/3 cups white rice flour (white rice)

1/3 cup cornstarch

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix together bananas and sugar and let it rest for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, if you mill your own flour grind your white rice. I of course use my WonderMill.

Then mix together the dry ingredients - the freshly milled rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt and xanthan gum. 

In a separate bowl mix butter until light and fluffy using a handheld mixer.
Add in the eggs one at a time mixing well between each.
Blend in half the dry ingredients stirring until smooth.
Then mix in the banana sugar mixture before adding the remaining half of the dry ingredients.

Once the batter is smooth, pour it into a greased/rice floured 9x5 bread pan.

Bake for 50-60 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Let it cool in the bread pan for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan and letting the banana bread cool completely on the rack. 

Enjoy!

our little tennis player

Is four months too early to start playing tennis??? :) Having a tennis playing daddy we hope she will enjoy playing tennis when she gets a little older - at least with her daddy and mor. 

milling mondays: whole wheat bishop's cake

Whole Wheat Bishop's Cake


Ingredients

1 cup water, boiling
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup slivered almonds
8 TBS unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups whole wheat flour (1/3 hard wheat berries and 2/3 soft wheat berries)
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks



Directions

Preheat oven to 350F.

Pour boiling water over dried cranberries and let it sit for 15-30 minutes.

Toast almonds in a pan until beginning to brown.

Cream the butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy.

Then mix in the eggs one at a time.

Finally, add in the buttermilk and almond extract.

If you mill your own flour, grind the hard and soft wheat berries. I use my WonderMill on the pastry setting. Sift the flour twice to make the cake less dense.

In a separate bowl mix together the freshly milled flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Then add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients a little at a time. Mix until just combined.

Drain water from the dried cranberries and stir them into the dough along with the toasted almonds and chocolate.

Pour the dough into a prepared 9x13 pan and bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let it cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

happy easter

 happy easter from the carlsons!

did someone say easter bunny?