Anni Daulter
DCL
I find that many parenting books can trigger paranoia in even the most rational of parents. One of my friends even stopped reading books during her pregnancy just because she thought she might go nuts. But Organically Raised by Anni Daulter is a break from the norm. Daulter is a professional cook and mother of four, who approaches parenting with an open heart. While there's no shortage of knowledge, she successfully removes the anxiety from parenting. But at the same time I learned some truly enlightening information about how to mold our little ones into healthy grown ups ready for the world ahead. I was pleased that Daulter sent this lovely read.
The first aspect of the book that you're sure to praise is that it's completely beautiful. The cover along with the adorable photography makes you want to keep reading. I read from cover to cover in one night. But even more valuable is the knowledge found between the covers. While most green savvy parents are likely to be well informed on some of the more novice information including buying organic, breast feeding, and some of the sustainability tips, other chapters and tidbits shine some light on essential parenting practices that can truly shape a child for the better. Daulter explains how and when to start babies on solid foods and the recommended first foods. She talks about why juices should be avoided and how to get your child to eat the rainbow.
And then we get to the good stuff—the recipes—beautiful purees for every season, from plum puree to peach, papaya, and mango along with a sidebar of the nutrients that each provides. She talks allergies, vegetarianism, and veganism for babies and toddlers. The book provides pages and pages of baby blends and cereal recipes like the apple cranberry blend, the "pack em in" kale superfood blend, and the "tropical dream" with papaya, mango, banana, and cottage cheese.
My favorite chapter was the Adventurous Eater, which talked of introducing ethnic cuisine to a child's palate at a young age. In a country where beyond pizza and noodles we rarely venture down the road of ethnic cuisine with our children, it was enlightening to read that toddlers can often handle most spices like cilantro, sage, seaweed, and red pepper. In fact, if you want them to have a wide open palate, it's your responsibility to show them these flavors early on.
The book also offers recipes for the well-rounded toddler like a basil-walnut pesto quesadilla, fig spread, and goji berry hummus. I just couldn't resist trying my hand at some of these simple, yet mouth-watering recipes. I went with Natalia's Old Fashioned Whole Wheat Pancakes with Warm Blueberry Agave Syrup. The syrup was wonderful and the hearty pancakes were indulgent and delicious, but at the same time they felt hearty and healthy. An ideal recipe to please the little ones but provide necessary nutrients as well.
Natalia's Old Fashioned Whole Wheat Pancakes with Warm Blueberry Agave Syrup
Syrup 1 cup fresh blueberries ¼ cup agave nectar 2 tbsp water
Pancakes 2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour 2 tsp baking powder 1 tbsp ground flaxseed 1 tsp ground cinnamon 1 tsp vanilla extract 2 tsp agave nectar or honey 1/8 tsp salt 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 cup unsweetened organic brown rice milk 1 ¼ cup whole milk organic yogurt 1 tbsp melted butter, cooled 1 tbsp butter for cooking
Method
1. For the syrup, combine 1/2 of the blueberries with the agave nectar and water in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Strain the mixture. Add the remaining blueberries to the syrup. Set aside but keep the mixture warm.
3. For the pancakes, blend the flour, baking powder, flaxseed, ground cinnamon, vanilla, agave, and salt together. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl and add rice milk and melted butter.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients with a whisk. The batter will be a little lumpy.
5. Heat a skillet up to medium heat and add butter. Add the batter to the skillet until it spreads out to about 4 inches.
6. When the pancakes start to bubble, flip them. Pour the warm syrup atop and serve.
