At Peter Luger's restaurant - Lamb chop, lunch like a champion

When you're Margaux, you eat like a champ. That means when grandpa Mike and Mimi visit New York and we take a trip to Peter Luger's restaurant, Margaux doesn't get left behind.
Ready to go in her cooler bag: her first lamb chop. Considering she ate a bit over 8 oz of it and left a very clean looking bowl, we can say it got her seal of approval.

For babies: 7 months and up
Note: This comes after you have introduced your baby to poultry as white meat comes before red meat. Baby needs to eat lean and less fatty types of meat before being able to digest a more fancy one.

Reproduce it:
20g/70 oz of lamb chop
One big new potato
120g/4 oz of tomato medley (mix of small cherry tomatoes, yellow tomatoes, black cherry tomatoes)
4 sprigs of rosemary
1 teaspoon of sunflower oil

Wash and peel the potato and tomatoes. Cut thin slices of the potato and the tomatoes in two.
Cut up the rosemary sprigs.
Put everything in a steamer basket (if using the Babycook this is water level 3). Using the Babycook, it takes only 15-20 minutes but of course adapt this timing to your own food processor.
Once cooked, keep a teaspoon of the cooking water and add a teaspoon of sunflower oil and mix.

Taste to check the temperature before giving it to your baby. Wish you had some for yourself. Change the quantities to adult's size portions. Be as happy as your baby.

Disclaimer: I am using the guidance of my wonderful Parisian pediatrician and the classic French book of Laurence Pernoud on how to raise your child. I am not a pediatrician nor a nutritionist, just a French mother sharing recipes. Always check with your own pediatrician especially if your baby has any allergies or health issues.

Don't steal! This is my own recipe, if you want to share it, please credit A La Maud.

Margaux's first salmon

For babies: 6-8 months
Note: You should introduce fish once you have introduced meat, starting with white meat, then red meat and finally fish (white fish, salmon and tuna - shellfish comes later).

This is a bit more sophisticated than cod and helps to widen your baby's horizons.

What's in it for bébé:
Salmon is what I call a miracle food: lots of omega 3, iron, phosphorus, vitamin A which is baby's friend for growth, good eyesight and boosting the immune system and last but not least, vitamin D for strong teeth and bones. It's a winner!
Fennel is filled with vitamins A and E and helps baby's digestion

You will need :
0.5 oz/10g of salmon
6 oz/170g of a mix of eggplant, fennel and tomato
1 teaspoon of olive oil

As easy as 1, 2, 3:

1. Peel all the vegetables and cut them into cubes, along with thin slices of salmon.
2. Put everything in a steamer basket and steam for about 15 minutes (If you are using Béaba Babycook, this is water level 3 and only use 1 teaspoon of the cooking liquid when mixing) 
3. Add the olive oil* and mix to a smooth purée.

Who says there's no time to cook for baby? Save even more time by cooking it for yourselves: we used the same ingredients for us, grilling everything on the barbecue. Summer cooking made simple, healthy and tasty.

This makes one balanced lunch for bébé. Follow with a plain yogurt for dessert and you've just covered all of your baby's needs.

*I use ZOE for Kids olive oil, specially formulated for babies, it's organic, extra virgin olive oil with a fresh  fruity flavor and comes in an aluminium tin which helps to protect it from light and heat.

Disclaimer: I am using the guidance of my wonderful Parisian pediatrician and the classic French book of Laurence Pernoud on how to raise your child. I am not a pediatrician nor a nutritionist, just a French mother sharing recipes. Always check with your own pediatrician especially if your baby has any allergies or health issues.

Don't steal! This is my own recipe, if you want to share it, please credit A la Maud.

Taste of Summer: Peach, nectarine and vanilla compote

What better way to kick off baby's summer taste buds than with peaches and nectarines? Add a little vanilla and you've got one happy, healthy baby.

For babies: 6 months and up
Note: this is after baby has been introduced to solids and can start mixing fruits. For more information read my page Starting solids

What's in it for bébé:
Peach is full of vitamin C and has lots of water and little sugar, making it ideal for hot summer days.  It's also very easy to digest for fragile babies' intestines.
Nectarine is not only filled with vitamins B3, C and E but also phosphorus, which helps baby's growing bones.
Vanilla helps babies to relax and prepare them for a good night's sleep.

You will need:
3 peaches
3 nectarines
1 vanilla pod (do NOT use vanilla essence as it contains alcohol, and you want your baby to taste pure vanilla. If you don't have vanilla pod, just skip it.)

Peel all the fruits and cut them into pieces. Scrape off the vanilla from the vanilla pod, using a sharp knife to cut it lengthwise. Put everything in a steamer basket and steam (If you are using Béaba Babycook, this is water level 1 and only use 1 teaspoon of the cooking liquid when mixing) then mix to a smooth purée.

This makes about 3x 3.5 oz/100g jars. One jar along with 4oz/120ml of milk (breast milk or your usual baby formula)  makes a balance afternoon meal for bébé.

Disclaimer: I am using the guidance of my wonderful Parisian pediatrician and the classic French book of Laurence Pernoud on how to raise your child. I am not a pediatrician nor a nutritionist, just a French mother sharing recipes. Always check with your own pediatrician especially if your baby has any allergies or health issues.

Don't steal! This is my own recipe, if you want to share it, please credit A la Maud.

Summer Read: French style

If you are going to read just one book this summer, then this should be it. It's funny, down to earth, and it is uncanny how true everything is. I read it pregnant on a vacation to Italy and could not put it down. Even my husband was a fan. Everything reminded me of my own childhood. We were lucky enough to attend her book signing and she is a very sweet lady as well. Just grab your best sunglasses and read. A must.

French Children Don't Throw Food (UK version)
Bringing Up Bébé (US version)
Pamela Druckerman

The Oatmeal Blanket

Just when we decided to have a baby, I started this blanket. Not knowing yet if it was going to be a boy or a girl I chose some wool I had and decided to match it with other neutral colors. A friend of mine named it "The oatmeal blanket". I loved the name so decided to keep it. With it I made a set of socks, scarf and hat for newborn.

Door guardian: la cocotte

Playtime and door guardian for my nephew Charles!

Heartfelt sweater

For a newborn, first little sweater. In white cotton, for a boy or a girl.