ethan's weekly eats

Before I begin rambling on about this week's lunch menu, I wanted to take a minute to answer a question that I've been receiving over and over since I began the Ethan's Weekly Eats feature: How? How do I find the time and energy to put together these sometimes elaborate meals while an energetic toddler tears through the house like a tornado?

Good question. The truth is, most of the recipes I prepare for Ethan's lunch are simple and don't take more than a few minutes of hands-on prep work. If it does take a while, chances are it spends most of it's time baking in the oven in which case I am reading Ethan a story or playing with him in the living room. (I should also note that I meal plan all of Ethan's lunch recipes at least a week out, too! There's no way I could think of anything on the spot.) During my time of assembling and preparing lunch, however short a time it is, I try to occupy Ethan's attention with whatever toddler safe "toys" I can find in the kitchen: a soup pot, three old baby bottles, a wooden spoon and some plastic measuring cups take me a long way. Ethan can spend ten minutes taking the items out of the pot, placing them back in the pot, stirring them, throwing them over the baby gate, trying to retrieve them back with the wooden spoon through the slats in the baby gate, drumming on the pot with the wooden spoon, clapping the measuring cups against one another -- by the time he gets bored, lunch is ready because, honestly, nothing takes that long from start to finish. If something does require a lot of prep work (food processing, chopping, marinating, etc.), I do this at night after dinner and before bedtime so all I have to do the next morning is put lunch in the oven or serve it. Heck, I'm sure most of these recipes would do just fine being made the night before and just reheated the day of serving.

Another great way to occupy Ethan's attention in the kitchen these days is to play into his new interest of putting away the groceries. I can easily take a box of pasta, a few cans, a bag of quinoa and place them in a reusable tote bag. Ethan loves to place the items on the shelves, take them off the shelves and place them back into the bag and repeat. This probably explains why there are always the strangest items covering my kitchen floor and why my pantry is, on a good day, a total disaster, but whatever buys me ten minutes of culinary bliss, right? Just don't ask me how I clean up the mess because I definitely don't. Sorting through a week of healthy, balanced toddler meals is work enough for me. I admit it. ;)

MONDAY:

These veggie pizza roll-ups were a hit. The presentation is a little lackluster but that's because they were in the process of being packed up for a picnic at the park with Grandma. (Conclusion: they travel well!) These are fairly simple to make, much like a pizza. You'll need: a tortilla, shredded cheese, a carrot, butternut squash and tomato sauce. I had the butternut squash ready to go because I'd made it the night before as a side dish that Ethan didn't finish, so I packed it up and saved it for Monday's lunch. Just steam some butternut squash (a bunch of brands even make steam-in-the-bag butternut squash these days!) and mash it up with a fork, mixing in some tomato sauce until combined. Spread the mixture onto a tortilla, top with shredded cheese and, using a hand grater, grate some organic carrot over the top.

Pop the tortilla pizza in the microwave for about 30-40 seconds until the cheese is melty and bubbly. From there, roll the tortilla up and let it cool for a minute or two. Once cooled down a bit, slice the tortilla up and your roll-ups are ready to go.

TUESDAY:

On Tuesday, Ethan had black bean zucchini and squash boats. I sliced a zucchini and a yellow squash lengthwise and stuck them in the countertop vegetable steamer for ten minutes. Once they were softened, I placed the zucchini and squash "guts" into a bowl and mixed in a drained and rinsed can of black beans and a half of a can of drained and rinsed corn. I seasoned the mixture with some black pepper and a couple of pinches of cumin. Once combined, I filled the zucchini and squash halves with the black bean mixture and baked these on a baking sheet for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. Once they were ready, I threw on a slice of provolone cheese and baked for another five minutes.

WEDNESDAY:

Ethan has been big into dogs lately so I couldn't pass up these cute dog bone shaped cookie cutters I found at Target. I used them to make him this avocado, cucumber and cream cheese sandwich for Wednesday's lunch. I spread some cream cheese on one slice of whole wheat bread and sliced up a cucumber into thin slices to place on top of the cream cheese. In a small bowl, I mashed up half of an avocado and spread it onto a second slice of whole wheat bread. This may be his new favorite sandwich!

THURSDAY:

Breakfast can be fun for lunch, too! These veggie pancakes with cucumber yogurt 'syrup' were a huge hit. Ethan ended up asking for -- and finishing -- seconds. There are a lot of veggies packed into these pancakes: kale, spinach, sweet potato, carrot, zucchini and cauliflower. You can use any veggies you like or have on hand, I'm sure. I placed all of the vegetables in the food processor. I don't have any real measurements, it was just kind of whatever I had on hand: a handful of kale, 1/4 of the (baked) sweet potato, etc. You will need 1-1 1/2 cups of vegetable puree, though! Once smooth, I poured the puree into a bowl and added an egg, 1/4c all-purpose flour (I used King Arthur Flour's gluten-free blend), some black pepper and a pinch of garlic and onion powders. After spraying a pan (or skillet) with olive oil (or cooking spray) and heating it to medium heat, I poured the batter into the pan 1/4c at a time. They take about 3-4 minutes to cook per side. To make the "syrup," I threw some organic vanilla yogurt, some mint leaves and half of a cucumber into the food processor until combined. Ethan had insisted we buy a kiwi the last time we were at the store (I think because it was fuzzy and fun to play with) so I chopped it up to top this recipe with. He picked the kiwi off and threw it on the floor. Other than the pesky kiwi, he devoured these!

FRIDAY:

Friday's lunch was mostly comprised of leftovers from Tuesday's zucchini and squash boats. I had tried to work on presentation a little. I had read an article on incorporating sensory activities into meal time as well by using strategic placement or presentation of the food. Ethan has preferred to have his snacks given to him "kabob style" after I packed our beach picnic dinner that way so I went with that for his sides this lunch. I paired the leftover zucchini boats with a kabob (I use paper cookie pop sticks so they're softer and not sharp on the ends) of organic cheeses and another with a variety of organic fruits: blueberries, grapes and banana.

SATURDAY:

After Saturday's dance class, Ethan and I went to brunch with my parents and sister. (He had a slice of French toast, an egg and half of my mom's grits.) He wasn't really that hungry by lunch time and this smoothie from Jamba Juice was enough to fill him up. Ethan loves this smoothie. It's the second time he's ordered it and finished all sixteen ounces of it. I need to figure out how to make this at home. Any smoothie experts? Here are the ingredients: Apple-Strawberry Juice, Green Vegetable Juice (Carrots, Spinach, Bell Pepper, Kale, Spirulina, Lettuce), Peaches, Mangos, Bananas, Ice. Let's see what I come up with next week.

SUNDAY:

Today's lunch was made while I was also cleaning out the refrigerator and putting away groceries. That means I charred one side of Ethan's grilled pear and cheese sandwich and was sure he wouldn't eat it, but he did -- and he loved it! Sweet relief! This one is pretty self-explanatory: it's just grilled cheese (I used Organic Valley's unprocessed and organic American cheese singles which are delicious but a pain in the butt to store properly -- just me?) with thin slices of organic Bartlet pear in between the slices. Once cooled, I chopped the sandwich up into smaller pieces and served alongside organic strawberries dipped in yogurt. (Finding sneaky ways to add even a little more calcium into Ethan's diet is my new thing.)

to dance beneath the diamond sky with one hand waving free

Ethan had his first dance class this morning. My sister is a hip-hop dancer (and blonde and stylish and taller than me and, well, I'm still looking for proof that we're actually related) and the studio she dances with begins lessons young so ever since I found out I was pregnant, it wasn't really a question that the baby in my belly was going to take dance. Once he was born, it was a countdown until he was 18 months and could begin his classes. No, you're not totally crazy and, no, Ethan didn't skip a few months seemingly overnight. He's still only 15 months old -- but we couldn't wait any longer for him to start. Let's get real, here: patience isn't my strongest quality.

Ethan began classes today with his friend, Cassidy. She was all dolled up in her cute little leotard and Ethan was decked out in baggy sweats and a cut-off tank as a nod to Aunt Megan's hip-hop legacy. Cassidy and Ethan (and the rest of our dear friends who will be joining as well once we coerce them) have known one another since they were only a couple of months old. It's sweet to watch them recognize one another and find comfort in one another's presence. They do flock to one another and lately Ethan and Cassidy have started to hold one another's hands and, oh, I was so prepared for the dose of epic cuteness overload that would stem from these two taking dance together. Best laid plans, am I right?

Parents wait outside and stay glued to the television sets to watch their children's every move (no? Just me?). In the first image, you'll notice Ethan participating with the shaker sticks. He loves to make music. In the second image, you'll notice my mom rushing to the rescue to try to calm Ethan down and get him back to having fun. I'm never usually at a loss for words but even I can't describe the level of "meltdown" that Ethan had in the middle of class. His dance instructor told us it was as if he was standing there in a puddle of his own tears. I know, right? My heart is still trying to recover. Ethan finished the class with the help of Grandma and came out content and with a sticker on his hand that he couldn't wait to show everyone. Sympathetic parents assured me that their children did the very same thing for the first two or three classes. Puddle of his own tears. Oh, my aching mommy heart.

We left class, went to eat with my parents and sister and then I treated Ethan to a book about dogs from Barnes & Noble and a smoothie from Jamba Juice. He was still infinitely stoked about his sticker from Miss Lisa, though the book about dogs had him laughing the entire drive home from the bookstore. Okay, so maybe it wasn't the grand audition for Step Up 15 or Dirty Dancing 12 that I was anticipating but he did his best and I'm proud of him. (And, you know, hoping next week holds a little more dancing and a lot less tears!) Can we still call this a success?

I'm thinking so.

now i see clearly it’s you i’m looking for, all of my days

Oh, my sweet Ethan. Today you got a haircut. Perhaps your 7th? 8th, maybe? It's hard to keep up. You've inherited your mom's unruly, wavy hair that just won't stop growing. You were getting a little shaggy (and by that I mean you were totally getting a baby mullet). It was time.

You never mind the hair salon. Everyone makes a big fuss over how cute you are while you soak it all up. More than the attention, they have the big, puffy chairs that you love to sit on. You request to sit on each chair individually. Hop off one, climb up onto the next.

You look so handsome after your haircut. No more baby mullet, no more sideburns growing halfway down your cheeks. In addition to just being handsome, it's hard not to notice that today you look so old. There's no hiding that you are growing up before my eyes, quicker than I am prepared to deal with. You are a little boy now with opinions and favorites and dislikes. This week you've discovered your temper and, oh boy, do you know how to use it. But for what I get in frustrated grunts and balled fists, you make up for in great big hugs.

These past few days, it's been just you and I. Mommy and Ethan. Just the two of us. Daddy has been working around the clock and you and I have tried our best to figure out our own routine. It's been difficult but we've made up for it through Jamba Juice smoothies and fingerpainting messes and living room dance parties and dipping graham crackers in applesauce even though dinner is almost ready.

You tell me what you want and when you want it: when you want to go outdoors, when you want a snack, when you want to go night-night. Every new day is a new sign that you're no longer a baby but instead my sweet, sweet boy.

Sometimes I frighten myself with how little I know about raising a son but through your great big hugs you provide me the reassurance that so far I'm doing an okay job. We laugh all the time together, you and I, and I know that you're happy. I know that you know I love you, though you'll never be able to imagine how much. Each day is as much a learning experience for me as it is for you; something that no book or blog or website can prepare you for no matter how dedicated and feverish your research.

My greatest hope is that one day you will be half as proud of me as I already am of you. I love you more than you love dogs...and we both know that's an awful lot.

Safe Sippy 2 by Kid Basix - Review & Exclusive 20% Off Promotion

I was pretty excited to do a review of Kid Basix's Safe Sippy 2 just from reading so many great things about the product (and company). Once Ethan's Safe Sippy 2 arrived, it was apparent it was so much more than just a cup. You know how some kids carry around beloved stuffed animals or blankets until they're ratty and tattered, needing their "lovey" with them everywhere they go? Yeah. That's what the Safe Sippy 2 has become for Ethan (did you see our pumpkin patch photos from yesterday? The cup even made it into our family photos!). We honestly can't go anywhere without it and, truth be told, I don't think we've even ventured to the grocery store without it since receiving it for review. Ethan's always been good about drinking a decent amount of water throughout the day but there must be something magical about the Safe Sippy 2 because he absolutely loves drinking from it -- sometimes I refill the 11 ounce cup up to four times per day!

Kid Basix has a motto of "rethink: everything" and this cup totally changed the way I think about sippy and straw cups. Why am I saying "straw and sippy cups?" Which is it, a straw or a sippy? Well, it's both. The Safe Sippy 2 converts from sippy cup to straw cup depending on what your child feels like using at the moment. For younger children who have mastered a sippy but not yet a straw cup, this solves the problem of having to shell out more money on a different cup entirely once they move on to using a straw. It's both. The handles are also removable for when the time comes that little hands no longer need them and wish to hold onto the cup itself.

There are just so many important things about this cup and why it's special, but let me explain how it all works: there's the stainless steel cup with the innovative spout, a dust cover to keep the spout safe from lurking germs, the sippy valve (which provides an even flow of fluid and spill prevention), the straw and it's adapter and the travel plug that stops leaks. Yeah, I said it: stops leaks. It's been so nice to not have to change Ethan's shirt because it's soaked in water from a leaky sippy cup and so nice not having to try to absorb water out of the bottom of my purse or diaper bag.

The Safe Sippy 2 is a BPA-free cup made from stainless steel instead of plastic. We all know how much better cool, crisp water tastes from a stainless steel or glass bottle versus plastic. Even more important than taste is the fact that this food grade stainless steel is antimicrobial and non-leaching. It means less plastic stuck in landfills. It means it's not the end of the world when you accidentally leave a sippy cup in your car because your hands are so full with grocery bags and a squirmy toddler. I've thrown away plenty of plastic cups that had been accidentally left in the heat which not only are a complete waste of money, but a fairly big danger.

In addition to the lightweight stainless steel body, the sleeve is made of thermo plastic rubber which helps keep the liquid inside cold. If your kid is a cup tosser like Ethan, it also helps protect the cup from breaking. I can vouch for the sleeve: it works. It works when the cup is thrown down on the driveway pavers, thrown at the side of my car, thrown from a highchair onto the tile.

I love the unique spout on the Safe Sippy 2. It's designed with developing palates in mind. The problem with wider, flatter cup spouts is that it emulates thumb sucking. Alright, let's be honest: I love everything about this cup and Kid-Basix as a company. It's always so refreshing to see a company that makes it's products with our children and their safety, health and well-being in mind. In addition to the fabulous Safe Sippy 2, Kid Basix also offers a stainless steel sports bottle, sippy cup and baby bottle. When Ethan was still being bottlefed, I hated the idea of plastic bottles so much that I went out and replaced the plastic bottles with glass. Glass, a baby and four cats don't really mix and I was cleaning up shards of glass more than I care to admit. Knowing now about Kid Basix's stainless steel baby bottles (The Safe Starter), I've already decided they'll be our bottle of choice whenever the time comes for baby #2. Kid Basix mean it when they say they've rethought everything. I am beyond impressed with their products and the effort they put into proper safety measures. I think Ethan would agree.

SAVE 20% NOW: The wonderful people over at Kid Basix are offering my readers an exclusive 20% off discount through the month of October! Simply enter the promotional code theroots20 upon check-out to receive your discount. Get to shopping!

For more information on Kid Basix and their fabulous, safe products, visit them online at www.kid-basix.com or on Twitter and Facebook.

and please, remember me that halloween

It's barely October and already I am soaking up every bit of the holiday festivities that I can. As soon as the "open" sign was placed in front of a local farm known for it's incredible fall festival and pumpkin patch display, we were making our way up to spend the day basking in the still unwavering Florida heat and the declaration of fall, as reluctant as Florida's weather is to relinquish it's control to the technicalities of the seasons. With Ethan proudly sporting his special Halloween shirt that he helped Grandpa pick out the other day and his Halloween costume in tow for a quick outfit change (are "formal Halloween portraits" a thing or did I just insist upon making them one?), we wiped away our sweat and trudged on through the hay and pumpkins.

As we walked on, it struck me that this was our second time celebrating Halloween with Ethan. More than that, it was our second time bringing him to this very same pumpkin patch to snap photographs of him in his adorable get-up to send to everyone we knew, proudly showcasing our sweet bundle of orange-and-black clad joy. He was so tiny then, able to be laid against the pumpkins as an immobile infant. He seemed so big now, making his own way through the pumpkin patch on two feet like the child that he is. I laughed recalling how the year before last, I was unknowingly pregnant with Ethan and so desperate for a child of my own, dragged my newly teenaged sister to the pumpkin patch to pose her with the pumpkins and Halloween displays. She whined, she protested (the heat, the bugs, the dirt, the what if someone from my class is here?) and I fought the urge to throw up in my purse, claiming both motion sickness from the drive and the fact that she was driving me insane. I dropped her off at home after she agreed to pose next to one scarecrow display and spent the rest of the afternoon vomiting, swearing I'd never drive that road again and cursing the "road bumps" I didn't even remember hitting -- you know, because they didn't exist. Does that make this technically Ethan's third trip to the pumpkin patch?

Last year, Ethan's trip to the pumpkin patch looked like this:

This year, he stood tall against the corn stalks and inquisitively asked "dat?" or "dis?" while navigating the route he decided upon himself. He even picked out a tiny pumpkin of his own and put it in his Elmo trick-or-treat basket to save for later. Time. Where does it go?

Last year, Ethan's costume was a hit. I thought of it during Ethan's newborn days when he was awake at 3 a.m. for a feeding and I was immersed in old Happy Days reruns. Last year, he was The Fonz:

...And I knew it'd be hard work to think of something -- anything -- that could compete with that.

Never one to run from a challenge, I had another late-night epiphany and so Ethan's Halloween 2012 costume was born. "Risky Business," anyone?!

I know, right?! Tom Cruise has nothing on these baby thighs.

Though the heat kept us from the hay rides and bounce houses and corn maze for now, it was still a beautiful day spent welcoming fall and pulling in the holidays that had been slowly dancing on the horizon. A sweaty, slow Sunday morning spent with family and enjoying every moment because, really, it all just keeps going by so quickly.