Mummy and Me Lunch!

Introduce your toddler to the delicious flavors of India with this simple, quick, and healthy lunch! The sauce is nice and thick and sticks really well so little ones can easily eat with their fingers. Not only is this super yummy, but its super quick, just 15 minutes to the table! Gotta love that.

Adapted from Rachel Ray's Big Orange Book

1/2 lb of an easy to pick up (for little fingers) whole-wheat pasta, such as penne, farfalle, etc

1 tbs butter

2 tbs honey (if you are cooking for children under one, substitute maple syrup)

1 c chicken or veggie stock

2 or 3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp curry powder

3 tbs chives

grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

hot sauce for Mummy

Yeilds 2 adult portions

Cook the pasta according to package directions. (reserve 1 cup pasta water for the sauce)

While the pasta is cooking, heat the butter, honey (or syrup), and stock in a small sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add the carrots, curry, and chives and heat through, about 10 minutes. Then lightly puree the carrot mixture to form the sauce. Toss the sauce with the pasta, adding some of the reserved pasta water until the desired consistency is reached. Divide into portions and mix in a few dashes of hot sauce into Mummy's bowl. Top both portions with the grated cheese and serve!

The Big Binky Problem

Let me start by saying I am not against the use of binkies. Doodle uses one. I am however, against the unnecessary and harmful use of the binky. Back in my pre-Doodle days of being a preschool teacher, I've seen first hand the issues with binky-overload. It is physically damaging for children to over use a binky. Constant sucking can make older children's lips raw. It also prevents or hinders children from learning more age-appropriate ways of comforting themselves. So what's a parent to do? Here's some handy tips:

-As soon as possible, limit binky usage to ONLY when the child needs it and only after trying other soothing techniques first.

-Remove the binky within minutes of the child calming down.

-Try to keep baby well fed and well rested with a clean diaper. That will result in fewer fussy moments when binky is needed.

-Try to take away the binky entirely before the child in one year of age.

Those steps alone tend to work really well when used from birth, or a very young age (less than 6 months) but with some patience will also help decrease binky use in older children. I've found that Doodle is slowly needing her binky less and less, and will likely wean herself off of it entirely before she is one. I still bring it with me wherever I go, but find myself rarely using it.

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