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!