Cookbook review: It all begins with food

When I first heard that the founder of Love Child Organics had come out with a cookbook, I knew that creativity wouldn’t be lacking in these recipes. Love Child’s line of organic baby pouches and snacks for toddlers were some of our favorites when our son was younger and as a very health-conscious parent (a little too much sometimes), it is one of the companies I really trust. Leah Garrad-Cole has done an amazing job pulling this recipe book together.

The vibrant photos of the dishes she prepared really draw you right in. She promises healthy recipes for the most time pressed parent, and most importantly, she delivers on that promise. This is definitely a trusted resource for parents wanting to find very tasty recipes that the whole family will enjoy. I love her tips for “growing adventurous eaters” and she tackles the topic of clean eating like a pro, providing reliable information and connecting readers to organizations like the Environmental Working group and Healthy Child Healthy World for more tips on making the best food choices.

Out of all the recipes in the book (and we are still discovering them), the one I went wild for is the Chickpea and Spinach curry made with coconut milk. It was simply amazing for a mom who loves a good curry. The pizza quesadilla recipe is a new classic in our house, but it’s really the yummy snacks that are unforgettable. Our favorites? The peanut butter protein bars, the banana bread with dark chocolate (and spinach!), and the banana boats were so cute to recreate (and they didn’t stay on my son’s plate for long). There’s still so many recipes left in this book that I can’t wait to make this summer including the creative smoothie recipes she’s come up with (PB&J smoothie anyone?), homemade popsicles and the frozen chocolate peanut butter bark that I always seem to lend on when I open this book. Yes, this one is certainly not a cookbook you want to miss.