Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Toddler "Nachos"

I have a 22 month old daughter.  She has the most beautiful smile and is unbelievably sweet and funny, and absolutely brightens every day.  Until it's meal time, that is.  When it's time to eat, the independence I prayed she would possess comes out in full force and I wonder from where in the world this child got her stubbornness.  Of course, deep down I know it's probably a little pay back for my own unrelenting independence as a child (my mother often tells me how I would not let her walk me to class the first day of Kindergarten) and the stubborn streak I still have.  To be honest, I'm glad she has her own opinions and I hope she voices them throughout life, I just wish they would melt away when it's time to eat.  I've tried every trick I know to get her to eat veggies, and she's just too smart.  Cheese sauce?  Nope.  Roasted with maple syrup?  Ha!  Added to pasta sauce?  Puh-leaze.  I even put spinach into a berry smoothie.  No dice.  If I fed her chocolate chips for every meal, she would gladly eat any I put in front of her, but alas, I just don't think I can be an effective parent if her only nutrient is sugar.  So, mealtime calls for creativity.  And, this is one meal I'm rather proud to have come up with, despite it's simplicity.

I call these "nachos" because I top semi-homemade tortilla chips with a quick guacamole/salsa concoction with black beans since my picky little girl does love beans.

 Everything you need (and more!)

Semi-Homemade Tortilla Chips:
6 Fajita Sized Tortillas
Olive or Vegetable Oil
Kosher Salt



Preheat oven to 350.  Brush each side of each tortilla with oil then stack tortillas and cut into eighths.  


Spread in single layer onto baking sheet and sprinkle with salt.  Bake for 5 minutes, rotate pan 180 degrees and bake another five minutes.  Remove and let cool.


Toddler Friendly Guacamole:



Cut one ripe avocado in half, remove pit and scoop out insides.  Smash in bowl with salsa and amount of your choice.  Mix in black beans.  (Oh, and see that-there tool in the background?  It's a Flexicado, a.k.a. avocado scoop, and I highly recommend it.  Even if you're one of those snooty-I-don't-do-gadgets people.  My mother-in-law gave it to me, and it's awesome.) 


Top tortilla chips with guacamole and serve to picky (or not so picky) toddler.  It may not look all that appetizing but just trust me on this one!  Add whatever fruit you can get the little one to eat, and you have a complete meal.

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