Heart to plate, there's a beetroot in my cake

With a spoon in one hand, a camera at the ready in the other, and a tiny person sitting slightly skew-whiff in a highchair looking back at you with intrigue: the moment when your little one gets her first taste of real, albeit rather mushy and not particularly appealing-looking, food is an exciting (and slightly daunting) part of parenthood. Whatever your pre-child relationship with food may have been,
the arrival of these tiny little bundles of joy sets many parents on a new journey that continues well beyond the highchair stage.

We all want thriving, happy and healthy children and food plays a huge part in that. Nothing makes us happier than seeing little hands tucking in eagerly, smiling faces around the dinner table and, of course, empty plates. The little people that join us on our journey, however, are born with minds of their own, tastebuds that take time to evolve, and personalities to boot – one of the reasons why we love them so dearly! So occasionally (well, actually, quite regularly), we have to think a bit more creatively about how and what we will be serving for dinner in order to achieve ‘empty plate’ status at the same time as providing the nutrition their growing bodies need.

We believe food magically connects people and we created this book to share our passion with anyone who loves to cook and eat simple, healthy whole foods that nourish body and spirit. Take these recipes as a foundation to create your own. Have fun, make a mess, experiment with different ingredients and let the kids give you a hand.

Making this book has been heaps of fun and our little folk have been by our sides the whole time as our most enthusiastic and most valued recipe testers. No matter what stage of the food journey you find yourself on (be it starting the weaning adventures with a small baby or trying to encourage healthier eating habits in an older, more stubborn eater), we hope you will find a few dishes here that you will eat together with delight.

By Jen and Judy

Click here to buy the book.

So it’s almost Easter we thought we’d share our favorite Jen & Judy organic meals and some from our other inspirators. Enjoy!

Stuffed sweet potatoes with chickpeas, asparagus and arugula

Belly filling sweet potatoes meet tender spring greens. A collision of winter and spring. Recipe * For the Sweet Potatoes * 4 medium-large sweet potatoes, washed and scrubbed * 1 cup loosely packed arugula * * For the Chickpeas * 1 (16 ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained * 1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil * 1/2 tsp. salt * 1/2 tsp. cumin * 1/2 tsp. chili powder * * For the Asparagus * 1/2 lb asparagus spears, trimmed * 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil * 1/2 tsp. salt * 1/2 tsp. black pepper  * * For the Dressing * 2 tablespoons tahini paste * 2 tablespoons lemon juice * 2 tablespoons water * 2 tsp. maple syrup * 1/4 tsp. salt * 1/4 tsp. black pepper Instructions 1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees. 2. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Prick the sweet potatoes all over with a fork and then place them on your baking sheet. Transfer them to your pre-heated oven to bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft enough to be easily pierced with a small pairing knife. Remove from the oven and set aside, covering to keep warm. 3. Meanwhile, spread the chickpeas out onto a paper towel. Then use a second piece of paper towel to pat the tops dry. Transfer the dried chickpeas to a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the olive oil, tossing to coat. Then sprinkle with the salt, cumin and chili powder. Transfer the baking sheet to your pre-heated oven and roast the chickpeas for 20 minutes, stirring them once half way through cooking time. Remove from the oven and set aside. 4. Meanwhile, toss the asparagus on a rimmed baking sheet with the olive oil, salt and black pepper. Transfer to your pre-heated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. 5. To make the dressing, add all of the ingredients in a small bowl or jar. Mix until well combined and smooth. 6. To serve, slice the sweet potatoes open, being careful not to cut them completely in half (you want the bottom to remain intact), and gently pry them apart to create space in the center. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of the dressing inside each of the sweet potatoes. Then stuff with the arugula, asparagus and chickpeas, diving the ingredients evenly between the sweet potatoes. Drizzle with the remaining dressing. Serve immediately.

Source: By Floating Kitchen