Photo: sygyzy

The ChowBaby has been on a no-food kick for a while now. Okay, no-food is a bit of an exaggeration. But even Stacie (who babysat last week) would agree, he hasn’t been eating much. Even she seemed a little concerned. And then I got a little concerned too. Until I remembered our philosophy that kids (especially kids like mine) have a natural ebb and flow when it comes to appetite. By respecting that (and not freaking out), and consistently offering delicious and nutritious foods (ie, not just anything to “get” him to eat) I was helping build a foundation for healthy eating for life.

Sure enough, the tides turned this weekend. And when my little guy made it clear that he had entered a new phase Saturday morning by eating 2 eggs, 2 slices of watermelon, a bowl of granola, some strawberries, a glass of milk, I admit I got a little excited. We hit the market and as we walked past all the in-season produce, we grabbed what seemed like everything in site. Atticus threw veggie after veggie and fruit after fruit into the basket. And, inspired by his excitement, I went home and made meal after meal of dishes I haven’t made in a while. One of the easiest? Roasted Basil Peaches made with my first peaches of the season.

I used those delicious white donut peaches. But any ripe peach will work. Paired with fresh basil, these make a great, healthy, and unexpected dessert.

Roasted Basil Peaches
(for kids 8+months)

4 organic peaches

2 tbsp organic unsalted butter

4 tsp organic brown sugar

8 leaves fresh organic basil

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Wash, halve, and pit peaches. Place flesh side up on a nonstick or lightly oiled baking sheet.

3. Place 1/2 tbsp butter and 1/2 tsp brown sugar in the pit of each peach.

4. Wash, dry, and finely chop basil. Sprinkle one quarter over the pit of each of the peaches.

5. Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the peaches are tender. Serve immediately.

Note: For youngest eaters, spoon out the flesh and mash after baking. For older kids and adults, these can be paired with vanilla ice cream for an extra sweet treat.