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A portrait of my daughter, once a week, every week, as a one year old.

I gave her half a bliss ball and she went into a dutch cocoa trance.

Taking part in Jodi's weekly portrait series

Kitchen notes

 
Lately, in the kitchen...
...I've been brewing leaf tea every morning, and including a few sprigs of mint (reminds me of my best friend)
...Summer fruits are arranged in bowls or ceramic punnets on the breakfast bar, where they stay in sight and I remember snack on them throughout the day (I'm terrible at eating fruit)
...We're aiming to try a different 15 Minute Jamie recipe each week to move beyond the rather tired meals that have been on rotation
...I've been converted to knitted wash cloths for a while now (I bought mine from here)
...Used lemon halves are tossed in the sink with the washing up to add a little natural disinfectant to the dish water
...I've taken to hiding vegetables (sigh)...this is a delicious little banana loaf full of goodness which freezes well - and these healthy muffins are always a hit with the little one (I also add a heap of frozen spinach to the mix)
...Batches of biscotti were made for thank you presents - and I found some sweet japanese glass jars in the goldmine that is Top Dollar (gift tags were inspired by this crafty lady)
...I've stocked up on ingredients for the Great Christmas Bake-off (gingerbread men, pinolates, and dark chocolate rum balls)

What's been happening in your kitchen?

A favourite

A girl after my own heart. She loves hummus. I've never seen her eat the way she does when she eats hummus. Generally she can be a bit fussy, a bit of a grazer. So it's been a relief to find something else that I can add to the failsafe list. Along with Vegemite on rye bread, yogurt, and apple and berry bircher muesli.

I don't eat meat (and haven't done for over 12 years) and I'm yet to introduce meat to her diet. We haven't decided whether we will bring her up on a vegetarian diet yet, but I'm doing a bit of reading now to get a sense of both perspectives. In the meantime I'm on the hunt for some vegetarian meals for a fussy almost-one year old. Do you have any goodies up your sleeve?

 ... 

I've been referring to the recipe from this book for years, but over time my version of hummus has evolved. In my opinion the secret ingredients in a good hummus are soy sauce (you can omit salt this way), a splash or two of sesame oil, and a good quality tahini.

I don't like my hummus with too much garlic and sometimes infuse garlic slices in olive oil for a more subtle flavour...and I must try this version with roasted shallots. It might sound a bit daggy, but my favourite way to serve it as a dip is with cocktail onions and gherkins!

Do you make hummus with secret ingredients?

...

My hummus: 

a can of chickpeas (I like the organic one that comes in a yellow tin, can't remember the brand!) or a cup of raw chickpeas soaked 

+ a good overflowing dessert spoon of tahini 

+ a small clove of garlic crushed (or infuse a few slices in olive oil for a more subtle flavour) 

+ juice of a lemon

+ 3 or 4 big glugs of olive oil (I tend to use a bit of olive oil as this makes it beautifully smooth and creamy)

+ tons of black pepper

+ splash or 2 of soy sauce/tamari (wheat-free option)

+ a couple of splashes of sesame oil

...whizz in a blender and add more olive oil/warm water to get the consistency you like...

(let me know if you try it!)

Winter holiday - Part I

A change of scenery, some sunshine and a little adventure. That was what the holiday was all about.

Grandfather was looking after a friend's secondhand bookshop and house on the Gold Coast, and we flew up to keep him company and swan about in a waterfront villa. Was fun to play pretend for a week. K and I enjoyed sleep ins while JanMa and Grandfather entertained the Little One in bed and fed her spoonfuls of yogurt (every mouthful is a victory so this must be recorded!). We ventured out to hill top villages (where we live in our dreams) and hunted down wallpapered coffee stores and little treasuries.

We spent a day in Brisbane, looking up at buildings new and old, finding patterns in the cityscape, getting caught in flash sun showers and exploring South Bank. After a lot of 'looking' at GOMA, the Little One seemed desperate to be 'doing'. Fortunately we stumbled across the children's room at the State Library of Queensland, with games and puzzles, and blankets on the floor covered in secret pouches with tucked away toys. Gold mine for a curious babe. There's my hot tip there.

I remember both K and I commenting on how Saskia was changing daily up there. It was hard to pinpoint. Is her hair getting longer? Is she moving more easily? The shape of her face is changing, don't you think? She watches us like she's about to join in the conversation, right? 

In so many (wonderful) ways, that week away felt like much longer.

One for the baby book

Little One woke up yesterday morning with the tip of a little white tooth peeking through her bottom gums. I just caught a glimpse as she laughed. She's kept it well hidden since, but both Mama and Papa have felt the little ridges. Her first tooth!

There haven't been any red cheeks or much crankiness at all. Just super long naps during the day. For the moment...

*Photo taken on our visit to Norma. On a rare moment that she'll eat in 'public' (it always helps that someone other than Mama does the feeding). Since the little tooth has appeared though, her appetite has disappeared. Hmmmmm...

Here comes the train - Part II

After a little break and a taste of stewed pears, the Little One is now digging the solids thing.

I baked some sweet potato the other day and she almost jumped out of the Bumbo to get at the spoon. Bananas are next, and then avocado. Keeping first tastes pure and simple

Oh - and she's just discovered how satisfying it is to blow raspberries with a mouthful of purée. Was funny the first few times...

Thank you so much for all your comments and suggestions on this first food post. For those of you looking to start your little ones on solids soon there are some helpful tips in the comments section. I also quite like this website for interesting fruit and veggie combos and nutritional information.