Petit Pointers: Better sleep for you and baby!

To help you and your little love get the rest that you both so desperately require, here are a few of our favorite tips & tricks!

1. Avoid prolonged eye contact when you're putting your baby down to sleep. It is extremely stimulating for babies and that's the last thing you want to do at bedtime.
2. Avoid playing excitedly with her when preparing for bed. A quiet environment and dim room work wonders coupled with a calm, soothing voice.
3. A drop or two of lavender oil on a tissue near your baby's crib may help lull your little one off to sleep. Please keep in mind, that fragrances are not recommended for children under 6 months of age.
4. An established bedtime routine is essential. Some suggestions include:  a warm bath, reading a short book, listening to soothing music, a favorite song sung by Mom or Dad or a gentle massage.  The key is repetition!  Try to do the same things in the same order night after night as it helps your baby feel secure and in turn, relaxed.
5. Relax on nighttime diaper changes just a bit. Most babies stir during the night but will go right back to sleep unless woken by a diaper change. If your little one wakes, sneak a quick diaper check and don't change him unless he is soiled. Prior to bedtime, place him in a high-quality overnight diaper which is extra absorbent. If a diaper change is necessary, a warm wet wipe is less likely to wake him.

Sweet dreams to you and your bébés!

Vegan Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

We've already told you why we think Butternut Squash is so fabulous and now we have another super scrumptious recipe to convince you all over again! This is the perfect cold-winter-day-kind-of-soup that will warm you straight to the core.  It is quite versatile if you leave it on the thicker side: try wrapping it up in a tortilla for a toddler-friendly sweet burrito that's even easy for chubby hands to hold without making a mess.

Vegan Butternut Squash and Black Bean Chili

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large or 2 small butternuts (sliced in half with seeds scooped) roasted
• 1 1/4 cup black beans
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• Up to 4 cups of vegetable broth to taste and consistency
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste
• Pinch of dried oregano topping at end *optional

Directions:

Set a dutch oven over medium-low heat.  Then add the olive oil, onion and garlic to sweat down a bit - approximately 3-5 minutes.  Using a spoon, scoop the roasted butternut squash from its skin and add to the onions and garlic.  Next, use an immersion blender and add the beans, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Slowly, very slowly add the vegetable broth, stirring through until you've found the perfect taste and texture for you!

We hope this delicious dish will quickly become a part of your recipe arsenal.  Bon appetit to you and your bébés!

Tips and Shortcuts from Our Kitchen to Yours!

• Make bananas last an extra 4-5 days! When you arrive home from your grocery trip, take a quick 2 minutes to wrap the stems of your banana bunch with a 5 inch square piece of saran wrap. Each time you remove a banana, be sure to replace the saran wrap and you're guaranteed an extra 4-5 days for your bananas.

• Freeze over-ripe bananas for future baked goods. Over-ripe bananas that have been frozen and defrosted are extremely easy to peel and slide out with a puree consistency. This makes blending into baked goods (banana muffins and breads) a snap!
• Freshen hard bread or rolls in five minutes. Place bread into a paper bag and roll down the open end to close it. Sprinkle the bag with 1 - 2 tablespoons of water then place bag in a low heat oven (around 250 degrees F) until the paper bag is dry and bread is soft and warmed through, about 5 - 7 minutes.
• Balance a wooden spoon across a pot of water to prevent it from boiling over. Remember from 7th grade science class that wood is not a good heat conductor so the boiling water will shy away from the "cool" wooden spoon. It also helps break up the bubbles when they get to the top, preventing a boil over. What a great tip!

• Stretch the shelf life of your potatoes.  Place an apple in your potato bag. How easy is that? Bonus: it also prevents your potatoes from budding!
• How to test baking soda or powder freshness. It's easy to keep baking soda in the fridge (for a fresh-smelling fridge) and to forget when you actually placed it there because they can last so long.  If you need to find out if your baking soda or powder is still fresh, add one teaspoon of water to one teaspoon of your soda or powder.  If it fizzes, it is still fresh.
• Keep your pantry shelves clean!  Hang onto extra coffee tin and take-out container lids. Set your oils and condiments that can drip onto these lids for a clean and organized dry storage option.
• Incredible ideas for your ice cube trays. Ice cube trays are excellent for storing homemade pesto sauce, lemon juice, roasted pepper or tomato puree and chicken stock. Remove from trays when frozen and store in labeled freezer-safe bags for use in the future when you're pressed for time.

• Remove garlic smell from your fingers in less than a minute. Turn on your faucet and position a stainless steel knife under the water, angling the blade downward. Rub the fingers of each hand together in the water flowing off the blade for about thirty seconds, and voilà - back to normal!
• Simple cleaning of your blender or food processor.  You can't get much easier than this one: fill your blender or food processor about half-way with warm, soapy water. Carefully place or hold the lid in place and turn on for 20 - 30 seconds.  Rinse and store upside down on a dish rack or towel until dry. Easy breezy!

We hope these simple tips and tricks are easy to incorporate into your kitchen routine. Bon appetit to you and your bébés!

Michelle's Musings: Tips for Airplane Travel with Children

As I sit to write this personal post, I am filled with deep anxiety of a day coming up this week: the day I will fly with three boys under age six to visit relatives in Texas. The trip sounded well and good when I booked our tickets four months ago - several days filled with laughter, relatives and overdue catch-ups, but it's funny how mother nature blocks out the chaotic memories of travel with children! 

I've traveled with my boys over 10 times now and it never seems to get easier but that doesn't mean it can't be manageable!  Below I will share my list of the best ideas I've collected over 5 1/2 years of travel with kids:

1. Let your little ones burn off steam BEFORE boarding. Allow them to run, yell, somersault and jump before boarding your flight. They will burn off extra energy and be more tired on the plane - it's a two-for-one!
2. Snacks are critical. It's no surprise that children eat... A LOT and often. Don't get caught in an airport or on the plane without snacks that are good for chubby, clumsy hands. Keep in mind you don't want to pack something that smells very strongly in case it drops below your neighbor's seat. Some good ideas: berries, bananas, raisins, cheese cubes, nuts (if your child doesn't have an allergy), hummus wrapped in tortillas, cream cheese and jam sandwiches and carrot sticks. If you have enough time to include your children in the snack prep, they are more likely to eat them once on the plane.
3. Have an arsenal of distractions and then have back-ups for that arsenal! I have a 5 year old, 3 year old and 16 month old so when I pack, not only do I need several activities but they also need to cover a wide range of ages. My five year old is very happy with a fully-charged ipad with 2-3 movie options and several apps such as Sight Words or Angry Birds. My 3 year old is into dinosaurs at the moment. I already purchased a new T-Rex that I will hand to him the day we travel. New toys are guaranteed to receive at least an hour of attention. He will also have a dinosaur coloring book, stickers and tin foil. Yes, I know it sounds weird but he LOVES to wrap and unwrap other toys with the foil and stays focused for at least 45 minutes at a time. The baby loves flip books so I will bring several for him as well as a game I call "guess the relative." I place pictures of the relatives we are traveling to visit in a folder that I pull out and repeat the names to him. Hopefully this will make him a little more comfortable around the relatives that he does not see very often.
4. Don't forget special items. Each of my boys have a special blanket or lovey. These are critical during moments of change, challenge or stress. Some people think bringing lovies out in public is improper, but I am willing to bet they would rather see that than hear any or all of my boys screaming for 4 hours straight.
5. Load some new apps on your iphone or ipad.  Parenting has a fantastic list of 25 apps for children - we are huge fans. Check out the list here: Top 25 apps
6. Be prepared for take-off and landing.  We all know how uncomfortable our ears can be when taking off and landing. Help make it easier for your little ones by offering your older kiddos a piece of chewing gum (ages 4 years+). For the younger ones give them a bottle, sippy cup or water bottle filled with water to help pop their ears - the sucking action is what does the trick.
7. Splurge - buy the seat for your 0 - 24 month old if you can. Don't get me wrong, being able to place your baby in your lap and fly free is an AH-MAY-ZING deal but nine times out of ten your baby will not fall asleep. If you can purchase a seat and strap your baby's car seat in the chair, this frees up two whole hands to aid in soothing, distracting, serving and cuddling. Also, if the baby falls asleep and big brother needs something, you are free to help!
8. Last but not least - bribe bribe bribe (grown ups)!  One thing I never fail to bring along is a bag of Lindt Lindor Truffles and disposable foam earplugs (easily found at convenient stores). Why? To pass out to the grown-ups on the parameter of your seats, of course! I pass them out as everyone gets settled in their seats and take the opportunity to introduce my boys to them. Then, I emphasize that I have done my best to prepare the boys for travel and hope to have enough snacks and activities to make my neighbors' trip comfortable as well. This inevitably softens those around us so hopefully if the dreaded tantrum (or eek! tantrumS) happens, they won't be as tough or judgmental. Fingers crossed! Don't forget the flight attendants, too.

Safe travels, everyone! Happy holidays to you and your bébés!

Michelle's Musings: Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Holiday Cookie Sandwiches

The smell of cookies baking during the month of December always brings me back to my childhood holiday memories; my grandmother and I used to spend every rainy afternoon perfecting all sorts of cookie recipes. Below I am sharing one of my all-time favs, Gluten-Freee Chocolate Orange Holiday Cookie Sandwiches! This is the perfect recipe to try the next time cold or wet weather keeps you and your little ones indoors. 

*A quick,fun fact about baking with kids: getting your little ones involved in the kitchen is a really GREAT way to introduce them to math. In no time at all fractions will be a...piece of cake!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Orange Holiday Cookie Sandwiches

Cookie ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted organic butter, room temperature
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 cup Organic brown rice flour (Arrowhead Mills makes a great option)*
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 orange zested, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice

*note: you can substitute regular all-purpose flour if gluten intolerance is not an issue

Cream filling ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted organic butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 orange zested, plus 1/2 teaspoon fresh orange juice
• Small pinch salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

To make the chocolate cookies, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy.  In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and orange zest.

Add the dry ingredients slowly into the butter mixture (1/3 at a time, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl) until thoroughly combined.  Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap and press down to about 1-2 inches.  Cover in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to cool for at least one hour, but not longer than one day.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thick.  Quick kitchen tip:  Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the cookie dough to roll it out so the dough does not stick to your rolling pin.  This saves lots of headaches!

Using a 2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out the dough.  Bake on a heavy baking sheet lined with a Silpat for 13 - 15 minutes.  Place the baking sheet on a wire rack to cool the cookies thoroughly before handling.  Be sure to use a spatula when lifting the cool cookies from the baking sheet.  They are delicate due to the cornmeal and can crumble unless handled carefully.

Next, to make the filling, combine the butter, powdered sugar, orange zest and salt in a bowl.  Cream the ingredients until thoroughly blended and fluffy.

To assemble the sandwiches, place about 1 - 2 teaspoons of the filling onto a cookie.  Top with another cookie and press down.  Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. (Although they probably won't last that long!)

Bon appetit to you and your bébés!

Time Saving Tips: Helping Busy Mothers Reclaim the Family Dinner

Launching our baby food company, Petit Organics while being full-time moms (we have a total of five kids between the two of us!) has been quite an experience.  At the beginning, our friends thought we were nuts to take on the challenge, but we have always truly believed in what we are doing – providing families with the only 100% organic, fresh baby food delivery service in Manhattan. After a long day whipping up perfect purees, the last thing either of us wants to do is head straight into our home kitchens to toil away for another hour making dinner.  We’re guessing most of the working moms out there share our sentiments! Since starting our business in 2010, we have gathered some fantastic shortcuts for getting a tasty dinner on the table quickly and efficiently. Read on for ten tips that will help you take back control (along with your sanity) when creating a delicious dinner for your family.

1. Commit to meal planning on a weekly basis.  Write down seven days worth of dinners so that you can make a complete shopping list before going to the grocery store.  This will prevent last-minute ingredient runs or impulse purchases (hands off the Oreos)!
2. Think about how leftovers can be used in the next days’ meal.  This will cut prep-time substantially. See below for a delish roast chicken recipe, we always make two a time so that there is some for the next day – leftover chicken is SO versatile…perfect for soups, pastas, salads, etc.
3. Let go of some recipes. Do you find yourself begging your kids to eat your perfectly prepared pan-seared scallops?  Ask yourself if those scallops are REALLY worth the arguments that usually ensue.
4. Have a list of at least five meals that you ALWAYS have ingredients for in the pantry. This will help out in situations when you are running late or don’t have time to go to the grocery store.
5. Your freezer is your FRIEND! It is so easy to double a marinara sauce for pasta and freeze half.  Same goes for a hearty chili in the winter or veggie lasagna in the summer.
6. Get a slow-cooker, they are AWESOME!  The idea of dropping ingredients in a slow-cooker and eight hours later you have a delicious and complete dinner is, well… amazing!
7. Don’t be afraid to take some extra help when you can get it.  Need to sneak some veggies into one of your meals? Petit Organics is here to help nourish the whole family.  Seriously, we are not kidding about this, our purees are a fantastic addition to so many recipes! See below to learn how to make super easy green rice that your picky toddlers will gobble up.
8. Kids love theme nights. Monday is Mexican night, Wednesday is Italian night and Friday is slow-cooker night. This idea is extra fun for your little ones if you allow them to help select the theme.
9. Set a routine and keep it by having a definitive dinnertime. This will keep your kids from moping around the kitchen asking “When is dinner going to be ready?”  
10. Don’t underestimate your little helpers and have your kids pitch in. It’s no secret that kids love to feel important – this is the perfect way to include them in tasks such as mixing, sprinkling spices or setting the table.

Green Rice

Makes 6 servings

• 2 containers of Petit Organics simply zucchini (or 1 large zucchini, cooked & pureed)
• 1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 cup brown rice, cooked
• 2 tablespoons shallots, minced
• 3/4 cup pecorino cheese
• Kosher sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

Prepare brown rice according to the directions. In a large bowl, combine zucchini purée, stock, rice, shallots, cheese, salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Serve warm.

Roast chicken

Makes 6-8 servings

• 2 organic roasting chickens (washed with insides removed)
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• 1 tbsp dried oregano
• 1 tbsp dried rubbed sage
• 2 tbsp kosher sea salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper
• 1 large lemon, quartered
• 1 large onion, quartered
• 4 cloves garlic, whole
• 3 cups reduced-sodium organic chicken stock or water
• Butchers twine for trussing the chicken

Set oven to 350 degrees F.  Place chicken (breast side up) on a roasting rack in a pan.  Mix the thyme, oregano, rubbed sage, sea salt, pepper and olive oil until a paste-like consistency forms.  Using your hands or a spoon, slide the paste under the skin and rub liberally on the chicken breasts.  Use any extra on the outside of the skin all over the chicken.  Place half the lemon, half the onion and 2 cloves garlic in the cavity of each chicken and truss the chickens.  Add chicken to the pan and bake uncovered in the oven for 1.5 hours.  It is also very easy to toss 4-5 sweet potatoes on a sheet pan for 45 minutes during the cooking process.  Sautee some fresh baby spinach in olive oil and voila – dinner is served.  Most families will not eat both chickens in one meal, so you can easily use the leftover meat for another meal or two later in the week.  Think chicken enchiladas or chicken and rice soup (both easy to freeze).  We are all about the multi-tasking!

Bon appetit to you and your bébés!

Sweet Potatoes: Sweet Rewards

This "superfood" is known for its powerful nutritional punch and can be enjoyed as early as four months of age.  We at Petit Organics, have such respect for the sweet potato - its creamy texture and soothing properties are perfect for a baby's developing digestive system.  Sweet Potatoes are packed with antioxidants, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, iron and fiber.  They are also excellent immunity boosters, and soothe the stomach.

Recipe of the Day for you and your Foodie-in-Training:

Protein-Packed Sweet Potato & White Bean Dip

Yields 2 1/4 cups or 8 snack servings

• 2 1/2 containers Petit Organics' Simply Sweet Potatoes (or one large sweet potato, steamed and pureed)
• 1 cup navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• Dash of cinnamon to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

This kid-approved recipe is super simple and is a great way to get your little one in the kitchen with you - after all, children are four times more likely to try a new food if they help prepare it!  Put all ingredients into a food processor or blender and mix until smooth.  Alternatively, you can use a potato masher until you reach your desired consistency.  Drizzle with a olive oil for flavor.  Serve chilled or at room temperature with healthy dippers like fresh veggie sticks, pita bread or homemade tortilla chips.

Bon appetit to you and your bébés!

Making Baby Food 101

Making your own baby food may seem daunting, especially if you’re not really a superstar in the kitchen…but we promise, you can do it!  As the founders of Petit Organics, it is our mission of to bring 100% organic, fresh baby food to the many busy families in the NYC area. We are huge believers in the fresh baby food movement, whether you order from us, or make it yourself – we are here to help!

You probably want to know why fresh baby food is better than the grocery store brands. Well, besides the fact that the shelf stable stuff taste like paste, processed baby foods have added sugars, preservatives and starchy fillers.  Processed baby foods are also cooked at extremely high temperatures, and unfortunately this eliminates approximately 90% of the vitamins and nutrients.  So, now that we have you convinced that fresh, organic, homemade baby food is the way to go…here are our favorite cooking methods and tips for getting started, along with a special recipe we developed just for you!

No-cooking – Banana, Avocado

Just peel the fruit, mash with the back of a fork, and serve!  If desired, you can absolutely add filtered water or breast milk to thin it out a bit.

Baking/Roasting – Sweet Potato, Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 375 F and place whole sweet potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil. For Butternut Squash, slice it in half lengthwise; remove seeds and place facedown on a lined baking sheet. Bake the veggies in the oven for 45min – 1hr, until fork tender. When cool, remove peels and puree in a blender with filtered water until the desired consistency is reached.

Boiling – Carrots, Apples
Bring a large pot of water to a boil on your stove stop. Peel the veggies/fruit. For the apples, remove the cores. Chop the fruits/veggies into 1-inch cubes and boil until fork tender (usually between 5-8 minutes). Remove cubes from boiling water, let drain in a colander, and then puree in a blender.

Last but not least, don’t be afraid to experiment and have fun!
Try adding spices to your purees such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or curry. The more flavors you introduce to your baby now, the less issues you will have with him being a picky eater as a toddler. You can also mix in your favorites grains, meats, fish and dairy products when your baby is around eight months old. Some of our favorite starter grains are oats and quinoa. We also love pureeing with winter squash and swirling into Greek yogurt, so delish!

SPECIAL RECIPE FOR YOUR FOODIE-IN-TRAINING

Apple, Maple and Oat Blend (7 months and older)

• 4 organic apples
• 
¼ cup organic quick oat

• 2 teaspoons organic maple syrup
• dash of cinnamon to taste

Bring a medium pot of water to a rolling boil. While the water boils, peel and cut the apples into 1 inch square pieces.  Place the apple pieces into the water and boil 7-8 minutes or until fork tender. Drain apples, puree until smooth in a blender or food processor and set aside to cool. In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup water to boil and add oats. Stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until oats absorb water and are soft. When finished, stir the oats into the apple puree. Add the maple syrup and cinnamon, then stir until thoroughly blended.

Serve warm or cold. Makes 3-4 servings. Bon appétit to you and your bébé!

If you have additional questions about making your own baby food, please feel free to email us at support@petitorganics.com.

Michelle's Musings: Artwork, artwork, EVERYWHERE is artwork!

It's almost winter break in NYC - the sights, the smells, the very joy of the holidays is upon us!  When I excitedly pick up sons from their last day of school before break, I am thinking of all the cookie-baking, snow angel-making and relaxing we will be doing over the next three weeks. Then suddenly, my sons' teachers hand me a pile - a mountain really - of artwork from the past semester.  I think to myself, "What will I do with it all?  Shove it into a folder and hide it in the back of our storage closet, or leave it in the garage to yellow and crinkle?  Wait until the boys are asleep to drop it in the garbage can, then strategically cover it with more garbage so they never know that Mommy trashed their beloved scribble-scrabbles?"  Tell me...how can I, in my heart of hearts, throw away something as special as this apple tree my 5 year old made me that clearly should be displayed in the Museum of Modern Art?

Enter a genius idea, courtesy of my friend Kelen Bunner - make a photo book of the artwork!  Hang onto their artwork as it trickles (or floods) home over the semester and then photograph it.  You can use a handy-dandy website like Snapfish to upload your photos into an album.  Then just follow the super simple steps to turn your album into a gorgeous photo book, voila!  You end up with an amazing keepsake of your child's artwork.
















Best of all, it only takes around 20 minutes of your time...you can thank me later!

Rehana's Reflections: Bits about Life with my Twin Tornadoes

I'd like to introduce you to one of my little tornados, Chase. As you can see, he is quite the butterball. Hard to believe he was only 4 lbs 7oz when he was born! 

This is one of my all-time fav videos. The story behind it goes something like this...when Michelle and I were in the early stages of launching Petit Organics, my twins happened to be the perfect age for taste-testing all our purees and blends. One day, I was home alone with Chase trying out a new seasonal selection, Beets & Butternut...lucky for me, my camera was close by and I was able to capture an awesome moment - my little man showing the world just how great his mama's new recipe was!

Petit Pointers: Introducing Solids 101

If you're like most new moms, starting your wee one on solids is both incredibly exciting, and also quite intimidating. There are so many questions around "when is my baby ready to...?" that we've put together an easy cheat sheet on the most common questions:

• Water: As soon as you have the go ahead from your pediatrician to introduce solids (between 4-6 months), you can allow a little bit of water each day, but limit it to a maximum of 4 oz.

• Rice Cereal: This is usually introduced between 4-6 months of age. However, unless otherwise directed by your pediatrician, we highly recommend skipping the cereal stage altogether and instead start with fresh fruit and veggie purees. Many pediatricians are now suggesting this since there is very little nutritional value in commercial baby cereals.

• Dairy foods: Cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt (all made with whole milk and without added sugars/salt) are a-ok by 6 months, but hold off on cows milk until at least the 1st birthday. 

• Finger foods: These are typically introduced around 9 months, when your baby has developed a pincer grasp (able to pick things up with thumb and forefinger). Offer a variety of foods at each meal (soft pieces of fruit, cooked diced veggies and soft brown rice/pasta are all great options). Be sure these foods are diced into 1/4 inch cubes to prevent choking.

• Bread and Crackers: By 9 months babies are typically ready to try all "bready" foods as long as they are kept under close parental supervision. Your little one does not need tons of teeth for this, as his gums are surprisingly strong on their own!

Bon appetit to you and your bébé!

FAQs on our Cold Weather Favorite: Butternut Squash!

Surprisingly, butternut squash is a fruit and is closely related to the cucumber (who knew?).  It is low in fat and high in fiber, making it an exceptionally healthy choice.  This gourd is known for its creamy consistency and mildly sweet flavor, making it an excellent choice for your foodie-in-training.

Butternut squash's most notable health perk comes from its vibrant orange hue.  The color signals its richness in beta-carotene, which helps support healthy lung development in babies.  Furthermore, by incorporating this fall favorite into your little one's diet, you can help reduce the risk of inflammatory diseases such as asthma.

Recipe of the Day for you and your Foodie-in-Training: Creamy and Healthy Butternut Squash Risotto Yields 4 adult servings 3 containers Petit Organics' Butternut Squash (or 1 small butternut squash, cooked and pureed) 1 1/4 cup brown rice (medium grain preferred) 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 2 1/2 cup low-sodium vegetable broth 1 cup water Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Minced fresh sage (optional) Preparation Combine rice and olive oil, stirring to coat.  Cook in a medium saucepan on high heat, uncovered for about 12 minutes stirring constantly. Add 1 cup water to rice, bring to a boil, then simmer covered until all the water is absorbed.  Add 1/2 cup vegetable broth and stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed.  Continue adding the broth in this way until the rice is thick and creamy and the kernels are tender. While risotto stands, warm butternut squash in saucepan for five minutes on low heat. Add the butternut squash, sea salt, pepper and cheese (optional) to the risotto.  Stir to combine and garnish with additional cheese and/or sage if desired.

Bon appétit to you and your bébés!