This post is dedicated to the bright spots of parenthood. One of them is Koffie en Kind, a haven for parent and baby.
While the littles crawl, scoot, and run amuck between the playhouse, toy car track, building blocks, little chairs and table, playground set, and row of tall windows adorned with brightly hued curtains, we adults can catch up on cozy couches and enjoy an espresso and slice of cake, made by a local bakery. The light and colors are joyous.
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If only we could read their little (and yet so big!) minds...
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On a tastier note, my child loves pancakes. In a both-hands-full, make-it-a-tall-stack sort of way. And he wasn't eating vegetables. So, I tried putting the vegetables in the pancakes. Bingo. The current winner is a tomato, shallot, and kale recipe that he can't get enough of (it's easily adapted to suit different tastes- try spinach, curry powder, and cauliflower for a korma pancake!). I make big batches and freeze in stacks, so mealtime is as simple as reheating.
Tomato, Shallot, & Kale Baby Pancakes
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 shallot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 cups fresh shredded kale (or 1 cup frozen)
- 4 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup spelt flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 2/3 cup milk or formula
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- Sauté shallot and garlic in 1 tsp olive oil over medium-low heat until really soft but not browned, about 10 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium, and add kale. Cook until either fresh kale is bright green or frozen kale has thawed, then fold in tomato paste and cook, stirring, for another 2-4 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine spelt flour, baking powder, and milk or formula, whisking until smooth. Add egg and coconut oil, and continue whisking until smooth.
- Add shallot/garlic/kale mixture to the batter and stir with wooden spoon until blended.
- Spoon batter (ladles for big pancakes, table spoons for little ones) onto a hot griddle lightly greased with 1 tsp olive oil. Flip when golden, cook the other side, and let cool on a plate. Freeze in stacks of 3-4 in a plastic bag, and thaw in microwave as needed.
