I'm not sure if it's the photo accompanying the section entitled "Nirvana," India's baby cupcakes or mama mantra recommended to be displayed in one's kitchen, but altogether Anni Daulter's cookbook/guide, Organically Raised: Conscious Cooking for Babies and Toddlers, delivers on the health trifecta: great taste, nutrient-dense and doable.
With recent research pointing out the lasting health threats of chemicals used in food production, fear and frustration seem to dominate many conversations about food ingredients, products and "should-do's" for new parents, grandparents and caregivers. It's so refreshing to open up a book that speaks to the beauty, freshness, ease and love that can make feeding a new child a rewarding adventure for the whole family.
With sub-headings like "the adventurous eater" and "the Cultural Café," this book embraces all, from the most novice kitchen food preparer, to persons of all socioeconomic levels (pointing out how cooking and breast milk are cost-effective and healthier options). It invites the whole family unit to participate in raising a new baby or toddler, organically (let me be clear: there isn't a dish in there -- even the purees -- that any adult and even a curious older brother or sister wouldn't find delicious).
On a serious note, Daulter tackles one of the biggest issues of our time: conscious eating. For those with a newborn, newborns, toddlers or a crew of all the above, I give them the most slack when it comes to choosing convenience. Many parents will describe the early days as 'sleep walking' or "sleep feeding" through life. However, from what experts like Dr. Alan Greene teach us, those early weeks, months and years are when food exposure matters the most. I love Anni's mindfulness tips for their ability to remind us in the hectic moments that convenience that sacrifices health is a lose-lose for us all.