Thursday 31 August 2017

Chickpea Flour Mini Frittatas

This is great recipe for mini frittatas that doesn't use soy and you can really add any vegetable you like. I was surprised how good these were and how well they stay together. Great for toddlers/baby's first finger food. I grated mine but you can chop also. I'm keen to try with sweet potato. Original recipe from The Mostly Vegan. This recipe made about 16 mini frittatas. Spraying your tins with oil will make them very easy to get them out.


Chickpea Flour Mini Frittatas

Ingredients

1 zucchini, grated
2 carrots grated
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
2-3Tbls nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tsp onion powder


Method

Preheat oven to 400 F.
Combine chickpea flour, nutritional yeast, baking powder and salt in a bowl with 1 1/4 cups water.
Whisk to combine and set aside while preparing the veggies.
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet.
Add all vegetables to skillet and cook until veggies cook down and begin to brown/soft, about 7 minutes then mix into flour mix.
Grease the mini muffin tin.
Divide mixture between muffin cups.
Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and frittatas are beginning to brown on top.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes (this allows the batter to set) before removing from tin and cooling on a rack.
Depending on your muffin tin, you may have to use a knife or offset spatula to gently loosen sides of frittatas before removing from tin.
Serve warm or allow to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Frittatas can be reheated in the microwave but are best when warmed in the oven or toaster oven at 400 F for 10 minutes.


Wednesday 30 August 2017

Southern Corn Grits

A very popular southern breakfast item is one of my favorites when I feel like a quick savoury breakfast. In some parts of the U.S. they serve it with maple syrup but in the south they serve it with butter and salt.


 Southern Corn Grits
(Serves 2)

Ingredients

2 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup corn grits/dry polenta
Vegan butter to serve
Salt to serve


Method

Bring water and 1/4 tsp salt to boil.
Reduce heat to medium and add in corn grits.
Stir for around 2 minutes until mixture thickens to batter consistency.
Remove from heat and add in desired extras.
I usually put in 1-2 Tbls vegan butter and 1/4 tsp salt.




Saturday 26 August 2017

Sweet Potato Rice Balls

A toddler/first solids recipe that is easy to hold and full of nutrition :)


Sweet Potato Rice Balls

Ingredients

3 medium sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
2 Tbls hemp seed hearts
1 Tbls coconut/braggs liquid aminos
2 Tbls coconut flour
shredded coconut


Method

Preheat oven to 375F.
Wash and pierce sweet potatoes and cook for 20 minutes each side.
Change oven temperature to 300F.
Allow to cool and remove skin.
When cool enough to touch place them in a large bowl and mash well but leave some solid pieces.
Mix in brown rice, hemp seed hearts, aminos and flour.
Place shredded coconut in a bowl and prepare a baking sheet with baking paper.
Spoon about a Tablespoon of mixture and make a ball in your hands, coat in shredded coconut and place on baking sheet.
Repeat until done and then bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through.
Allow to cool completely before serving.
You can freeze left overs.

Friday 25 August 2017

Fried Shiitake & Chili Mayo Sushi

Adapted from a recipe on Olives for Dinner this delicious sushi option is flavorsome with heat and crunch. Kind of like a spicy California roll.
 


Fried Shiitake & Chili Mayo Sushi

Ingredients

Sushi Rice, cooled (around 2-4 cups cooked)
Nori papers
2 egg replacers
1 cup corn starch
1-2 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms (if using dried, soak in hot water for 30 minutes)
1/4 cup vegan mayo
1-2 Tbls sambal olak (chilli paste)
oil for frying


Method

Heat oil in a large frying pan, around 1-2" up the side of the pan, and set to medium-high.
Make up egg replacers according to packet instructions and set aside in one bowl.
Place corn starch in a separate bowl.
Slice mushrooms into strips, add to egg replacer and then into corn starch, coating well.
If oil sizzles when a drop of corn starch is dropped in then it's ready.
Add the mushrooms to the oil and let fry for around 3 minutes then remove and place on a paper towel.


In a small bowl whisk together the mayonnaise and chilli paste.
On a large flat surface lay out the nori paper and with damp hands grab around 1/2-1 cup of sushi rice and spread along the bottom third of the paper.
Drizzle some spicy mayo along the middle and place mushrooms end to end on top of the sauce.
Start rolling from the rice end and roll as tightly as possibly.
When you get to the end I find wetting the edge slightly helps it stick together.
Put to the side and start the next roll.
Once finished start with the first roll and using a VERY sharp knife cut slices in the desired length.
Place on serving plate and garnish with the rest of the mayo.
I used a ziplock bag with a hole cut in the corner to drizzle with more precision.
Serve with Tamari, pickled ginger and wasabi.


Thursday 24 August 2017

Flower Nori Roll

This is a copy cat version of a sushi roll I used to get at Osaka Japanese in Layton, Utah - well as best as I can remember anyway. It wasn't on the menu but when we first started going there they told us about it. Avocado, cherry tomatoes and cilantro in an outside nori roll with a sweet miso dressing or sweet mustard  wasabi dressing.

 

Flower Nori Roll

Ingredients

Sushi Rice, cooled
Nori paper
cherry tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
cilantro, roughly chopped or stemed
avocado, sliced
red onion, finely sliced
Sesame seeds for coating

Sweet Miso Dressing

1/3 cup mild miso paste (white or light brown)
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tbls sake
3/4 water (or dashi)
Whisk all ingredients together and if using a non liquid sugar heat slightly to melt the sugar.
I out it in a squeeze bottle to drizzle with more precision.

Sweet Mustard Wasabi Dressing

1 Tbls Dijon/yellow mustard
1 tsp wasabi paste
1 Tbls Agave syrup
1 Tbls hot water
Whisk together till combined.

Method

If you're doing the outside rolls using a sushi rolling mat is the easiest ways, if you don't have one you can roll with the nori on the outside.
Place sushi rice in the top of the rolling mat and cover a rectangle around 1/3 of the length that the nori paper is and using damp hands push down till flat.
place the nori paper on top, rough side facing up.
In the bottom edge of the paper, away from the rice, place the avocado, cilantro, red onion and tomatoes.
Start rolling from the filling end up until the rice is on the outside, press firmly with the mat to ensure it stays together.
Remove mat and sprinkle sticky rice with sesame seeds.
Let sit for a few minutes until cutting so it becomes firmer.
Using a VERY sharp knife slice desired size sushi pieces.
Drizzle with Miso Sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.


Saturday 19 August 2017

Vegan Gnocchi

Adapted from original recipe on Serious Eats. This made about 6+ servings so I froze two thirds of it (before cooking). Serve with your sauce of choice, I used marinara but a lot of people like a cheezy or buttery sauce.


Vegan Gnocchi

Ingredients

2 pounds russet potatoes, washed
1 cup brown (or white) rice flour
1/2 cup sweet rice flour
2 egg replacers
Kosher salt


Method

Adjust oven rack to center middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
Pierce potatoes a few times with a knife and place on a baking sheet.
Roast until tender, about one hour.
Remove potatoes from oven and allow to cool.
Whisk together white rice flour and sweet rice flour.
Using the flour mixture, flour your counter.
Peel the potatoes and pass through a potato ricer onto the counter.
Whisk together eggs and 1 teaspoon salt.
Pour over the potatoes.
Work the egg mixture into the potatoes with a bench scrapper or fork until potatoes begin to hold together.
Work one cup of the flour mixture into the potato mixture.
Start by working the flour into the potato mixture with a bench scrapper or fork.
As soon as a dough begins to form, begin kneading the dough by hand until all the flour is incorporated.
The dough should be firm and not sticky.
If it is, add the remaining flour mixture, about 1/4 cup at a time. (You can test the gnocchi by boiling a small pot of water and cooking a small piece of dough. The gnocchi should hold together.)
Divide the dough into quarters.
Then, as you work with it, cut each quarter in half.
Cover remaining dough with a damp paper towel.
Roll out each dough eighth into a log.
Cut into bite-size pieces.
Shape by either pressing a small indentation into each gnocchi or rolling the gnocchi over a fork or gnocchi board.
Transfer shaped gnocchi to a lightly white rice-floured baking sheet.
Shaped gnocchi can either be frozen or cooked right away..

To Freeze: Place baking sheet filled with gnocchi in the freezer. Once the gnocchi are frozen, transfer to a plastic freezer bag. Gnocchi may be frozen for up to two months. Cook as directed below.

To Cook: Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook half the fresh or frozen gnocchi in the boiling water until they float, about four minutes. (Taste one gnocchi to ensure it is cooked through). Remove the gnocchi from the water with a skimmer and transfer to a bowl or pot of sauce. Repeat with remaining gnocchi. If gnocchi must be held for more than a moment, drizzle with oil and toss to prevent sticking.

Artisan Vegan Cheese

No doubt by now you've heard of Miyoko's Cremery, fabulous vegan nut cheeses available all over the US now (and beyond). Artisian Vegan Cheese by Miyoko Schinner was one of the first vegan cheese cookbook I bought, long before her cheeses were available to buy. I tried once and wasn't happy with the result and I think it came down to the rejulevac. I found this YouTube video which helped fill in the gaps which the book left out, for me anyway! You can also use rye, quinoa, buckwheat, or other grains. Wheat, rye and quinoa seem to make the best rejuvelac apparently but obviously being gluten intolerant the wheat and rye were out. So i actually used amaranth grain and it seemed to work pretty well! I made the Pub Cheddar with Chives, Hard Gruyere, Boursin (Herb cheese) and Brie (with Peppercorns).



This is the Pub Cheddar with chives which was probably my favourite.


This is the Hard Gruyere 


Boursin (Herb cheese) and Brie (with Peppercorns)








Vegan Products - August 2017

Vegan products for August YAAAYY! 

My lovely husband sent me a truffle box and a sample box from Coracao Chocolates, all vegan and a little pricey. They were very good but the chocolate is dark so has a bite to it and they use very natural/superfood typ ingredients so they don't taste like your average chocolate box.


After much research (you're welcome!) I found these vegan wines at Total Wine;
Marlborough region in New Zealand is known for their amazing Sauvignon Blancs so I always try those first!
Layer Cake Pinot Noir & Sauvignon Blanc and Paringa Shiraz are also vegan and on the Total Wine website but I couldn't find them in store (Town Center). 

Mallee Point Merlot & Pinot Noir (South Eastern Australia)
Whitehaven Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, Marlborough)
Geisen Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand, Marlborough)


I got a lovely helpful email back from the people at Menchie's Frozen Yogurt. They confirmed that all their non-dairy varieties use non-char bone sugar and so are considered vegan (sorbets, coconut milk varieties). The Pina Colada was AMAZEBALLS!
There is a caveat though...the almond milk based varieties often have egg so ask the server.
Also any non-dairy varieties that have added ingredients (such as Oreo cookies) would then be considered not vegan by the ingredient.


I've mentioned Sweet Pete's before but I had never been inside..it's so cool! Like Willy Wonka's Chocolate Facotory mixed with Wonderland. They had a few varieties of individual vegan chocolates and the servers seemed to be very knowledgeable about ingredients which is always a plus!
they also see the Go Mars bars upstairs if you consider them vegan (I don't because they use non-sustainable palm oil).
Also looks like they have GF/vegan options on their menu too, so winning!
They go by weight so these little lovelies set me back $2.


Found some bargains at Home Goods (TJ Maxx's home wares store);

Found these Free to Eat GF vegan chocolate chip cookies. I'm a fan of crunchy chocolate chip cookies because I like to dunk them in my tea so I didn't love these because they were the chewy kind but you may love that! They also had very granulated sugar so a grainy texture. Taste was good though.


They had this Palais Des Thes iced tea mix down to $1, was pretty good! A fruity oolong.


And these Simply Protein Bars which were pretty good, they came in handy on my road trip! A bit crumbly though.


And these Veggie Sticks which at first I thought were a bit bland but then they grew on me lol


Bought this organic juice from Earth Fare and it was not that great, especially for $7. Tasted a bit watered down :(


I found these vegan GF Lucky Spring Rolls at Earth Fare. LOVED THEM! They still stayed crunchy after baking, I'm sure not super healthy but nice for a treat! They came with a sauce but I didn't really like it so I made my own Sweet & Sour Sauce.




I've spoken about Little Northen Bakehouse bread before (my new favorite GF vegan bread) but I hadn't tried the Cinnamon & Raisin Bread...totally addicted to having this every morning. Their website also says they have hamburger and hot dog buns coming soon!!!!


I just discovered that Paul Newman (Newman's Own) now has organic pasta sauces and sugar free! This one was really good. I normally like to make my own pasta sauce but this is really great alternative for nights when I need an instant meal. I nearly wet myself when I found out he also has an organic Sockarooni sauce...ohmegawd!!!


Just tried the Garden Truck Food Co. last weekend at the Riverside Art Markets. I had the BBQ pulled "pork" jackfruit bun with a side of potato salad and baked beans, I think $7 altogether.
The only complaint I would have is the GF buns weren't goo and very dry but if they could find a better bun the rest was delicious!




I loved the Zen Butcher Creamy Nacho Cheese, delicious!
The Provision pesto and cream cheese was also pretty amazing!


Really been trying to find an Australia style French Dressing (like the old clear Kraft one) for one particular recipe so in my desperateness I found this Drew's Organic Italian Dressing. It was pretty good but alas not what I was looking for.



Bought this Heartland Gluten Free Lasagna. I was skeptical about the "oven ready" part as I normally soak GF lasagna slats but these really didn't need it and I was impressed with the texture, slightly chewy but not sloppy or under cooked. Used it for Roast Vegetable Lasagna. MMMMMM



I went to one of Fresh Jax's clear out sales (still very sad about the closing) and got these items...

The Better Chip Jalapeno Corn Whole Grain Chips, loved the heat from the pepper.


These Vega Snack Coconut Cashew Bars, pretty tasty and no chocolate.


And these Edward & Sons Brown Rice Snaps - Vegetable. I really liked these but I haven't really seen them anywhere else.


I had heard that Publix (Atlantic/Hodges) had Kite Hill Cream Cheese in so I went to try, I didn't try the plain only the Chive but it was pretty nice. It also has a coupon on the back side of the packaging for 50c of the next purchase.


I bought these Cascadian Farm Organic Purely O's for my 18 month old son because kept eating other children's Cheerios at the baby gym. These are super plain, no sugar and organic whole grains but he loves them so win!


I had tried the plain unsweetened Califia creamer and liked it a lot so I tried this Hazelnut one and it was SO sweet, way too sweet for me but if you like it sweet then it might be for you!


Start with chocolate end with chocolate, m I right?
I had reviewed one of these Bixby bars once before but I have now tried all the vegan ones that Earth Fare had and I loved them all! A cross between a chocolate bar and protein bar these are a lovely treat and great for travel! Judging by their website there are many vegan treats to try!




Friday 18 August 2017

Butternut Spiced Quinoa Balls

This original recipe is from Kids Spot. I thought they were a bit bland but my 18 month old loved them. There's not reason why you couldn't swap the butternut for acorn squash or sweet potato.
This recipe made quite a big batch so uncooked ones can go in the freezer, separated at first but once frozen into a ziplock bag.



Butternut Spiced Quinoa Balls

Ingredients

1/2 butternut pumpkin (cut into wedges, seeded)
1 tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup broccoli (broken into florets)
1 red onion (finely grated) (I used regular onion and cooked it first)


Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350F) and line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
Put the pumpkin into a bowl, add the olive oil and spices and toss to coat.
Arrange the pumpkin in a single layer on a lined tray and bake, turning halfway through cooking, for 25 minutes or until soft and caramelised.
Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, place the quinoa in a fine-meshed sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Transfer to a heavy-based saucepan, add 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to the boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn off the heat and set aside, without lifting the lid, for 4 minutes.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork and leave to cool.
Bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
Scoop the pumpkin flesh from the skin and place in a bowl.
Squeeze the liquid from the grated onion and use paper towel to pat the onion dry.
Add the onion, broccoli and quinoa to the pumpkin and mash together until well combined.
Dollop teaspoon-sized balls of mixture onto the remaining lined tray.
Bake the balls, turning halfway through cooking, for 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Brilliant baby/toddler recipe. You can sneak in a green veg like spinach and it's virtually undetectable.


Sweet Potato Pancakes

Ingredients

1 baked sweet potato*
1 banana
dry ground oatmeal
handful baby spinach, finely chopped


Method

Mash sweet potato and banana until gooey.
Mix in spinach.
Add in small amounts of oatmeal until the mixture is thick enough to form patties in your hand.
Lightly fry on each side until golden, around 3 minutes either side.
Transfer to paper towel and serve once cooled.
I freeze these and then pop them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds.

*Bake sweet potato, stab a few times with a fork, at 375F for 40-60 mins turning halfway through.

Snowballs

Baby recipe, these are a great way to get rid of any rice or bananas that are about to get mushy.


Snowballs

Ingredients

1 ripe banana
1/2 cup cooked rice
1/4 cup coconut flour
Shredded coconut
1/4 tsp cinnamon
coconut or non dairy milk


Method

Preheat oven to 300F.
Mash banana and mix well with rice, cinnamon and flour.
Add a little coconut milk if mixture is too dry.
Roll mixture into small balls and dredge in shredded coconut.
Place balls on a lined baking tray.
Bake for 5 minutes on each side, keeping an eye on the coconut as it can burn easily.
Let cool before giving to baby.
I freeze mine and pop them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.

Friday 11 August 2017

Potato Skin Chips

I made this with left over potato skins that had been from a baked potato but I'm sure fresh potato skins would work too, just fry for longer. They were so delicious, just like potato chips!


Potato Skin Chips

Ingredients

Potato skins
Oil for frying
Salt


Method

Using a large frying pan (I used cast iron) pour enough oil to shallow fry, around 1/4 inch up the pan sides.
Heat on high until oil is ready, you can test by dropping a small potato skin in, if it sizzles up then it's ready.
Drop the heat down to medium/high and add potato skins and fry until golden brown, moving around the pan.
Pull potato skins out and place on a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Salt as desired and serve once cooled slighly.

Baby Cheesy Pasta

This is an easy recipe to introduce baby to pasta and solid foods. It's easy for them to pick up and soft enough for them to chew. My 18 month old loved this past, to eat and to throw ;)
You can also add in pureed spinach or pumpkin for variety.


Baby Cheesy Pasta

Ingredients

4 cups cooked spiral pasta (I used whole wheat)
1/4-1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/4/-1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
1 Tbls coconut oil


Method

Once pasta is cooked and drained, coat well with the coconut oil.
Add nutritional yeast, adding more to taste and mix well.
Sprinkle over the salt if using and mix well.
Make sure pasta is cool enough to touch.









Feeding Toddler 1-2 Years - Information & Ideas


Feeding your baby is daunting to most of us who care about nutrition and can feel even more overwhelming for vegans (for me anyway). I wasn't brought up vegan so how do I know I'm giving my child the nutrients they need?

So there is plenty of information out there on the nutritional requirements for toddlers, I like to use UK guidelines cause frankly I trust them a little bit more. RDI's will vary from country to country and even site to site but the main idea is there.

Peeled, quartered grapes.

                                   


The Nutrients

RDAs (according to the Institute of Medicine) for children ages 1 to 13;
Vitamin A - 300 to 600 mg
Vitamin C - 15 to 45 mg
Vitamin D - 15 mg
Vitamin E - 6 to 11 mg
Thiamin - 0.5 to 0.9 mg
Riboflavin - 0.5 to 0.9 mg
Niacin - 6 to 12 mg
Vitamin B-6 - 0.5 to 1 mg
Folate -150 to 300 mg
Vitamin B12 - 0.9 to 1.8 mg
Vitamin K - 10mg


Vitamin B12: Vegans, both breast-feeding moms and children, need a good source of B12. Options include a supplement or fortified foods such as soy beverages, cereals and meat substitutes.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–3 years: 0.9 mcg
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 4–8 years: 1.2 mcg
Upper Intake Level (UL): Vitamin B12 appears safe at all intake levels from food and supplements.

Vitamin D: The AAP recommends all breast-fed infants receive 400 IU per day of supplemental vitamin D starting shortly after birth. This should continue until your child consumes the same amount of vitamin D from fortified milk: at least one quart per day of cow or soy milk.
Most children are more likely to have a deficiency of vitamin D than to be getting too much. However, vitamin D can be toxic in large amounts.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–8 years old: 600 IU
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–3 years: 2,500 IU
Upper Intake Level (UL) 4–8 years: 3,000 IU

Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a key player in immune system and collagen health, and helps improve iron absorption.
Excess vitamin C can cause stomach cramps and diarrhea.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–3 years old: 15 mg
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 4–8 years old: 25 mg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–3 years: 400 mg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 4–8 years: 650 mg

Calcium: For vegan toddlers, calcium-fortified foods and beverages or supplements may be necessary.
Most children won’t get too much calcium from diet alone, but when combined with supplements, it’s possible to overdose.
RDI for Children Aged 1-8: Calcium needs increase steadily throughout childhood and remain high throughout the teen years, when the bulk of the bone development takes place.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance 1–3 years old: 700 mg
Recommended Dietary Allowance 4–8 years old: 1,000 mg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–8 years: 2,500 mg

Iron: The iron content of breast milk is low, even if moms are eating well. Babies are born with enough iron for 4 to 6 months. After this age, infants need an outside source. Options include iron-fortified cereals or supplements.
Excess iron can cause serious organ toxicity. Iron poisoning is a leading cause of accidental death among children under five years old. Keep all iron-containing supplements out of the reach of children and never allow children to have more than the recommended amount of iron–containing supplements.
Young children are at high risk for iron deficiency because of rapid growth and increased needs.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–3 years: 7 mg
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 4–8 years old: 10 mg
Upper Intake Level (UL) Up to 13 years: 40 mg

Protein: Babies need plenty of protein for rapid growth during the first year. Protein needs can be met with breast milk or formula until about 8 months. After that, add plant proteins from beans and cereals and fortified soy milks. Lacto-ovo toddlers can get protein from yogurt and eggs.

Fiber: Lots of fiber can fill toddlers up quickly. Provide frequent meals and snacks. Use some refined grains, such as fortified cereals, breads and pasta, and higher-fat plant foods including sunflower butter and avocados to help vegetarian children meet their energy and nutrient needs.

Choline: Choline is needed for optimal brain and nervous system development. Many children might not get enough of this important nutrient. Soymilk, tofu, quinoa, and broccoli are particularly rich sources.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Adequate Intake (AI) 1–3 years: 200 mg
Adequate Intake (AI) 4–8 years: 250 mg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–8 years: 1 gram

Folate: Adequate folate is important to maintain normal growth rates in children.
You can’t overdose on naturally occurring folate, but fortified foods and folic acid-containing supplements should be consumed in moderation.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–3 years: 150 mcg
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 4–8 years: 200 mcg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–3 years: 300 mcg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 4–8 years: 400 mcg

Iodine: Even mild iodine deficiency could cause subtle changes in brain function in children.
Iodine excess can cause symptoms similar to iodine deficiency.
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–8 years: 90 mcg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 1–3 years: 200 mcg
Upper Intake Level (UL) 4–8 years: 300 mcg

Vitamin A: Food and supplement labels list vitamin A in International Units (IUs), but as the availability of vitamin A to the body varies depending on the source.
Vitamin A is fat-soluble, so it can build up in the body and cause toxicity. Only pre-formed vitamin A from animal sources and supplements containing vitamin A as retinol or retinyl palmitate can cause toxicity; pro-vitamin A from plant sources doesn’t have this effect.
Nutritionists use “Retinol Activity Equivalents” (1 IU vitamin A [retinol] = 0.3 mcg RAE).
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 1–3 years: 300 mcg RAE
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) 4–8 years: 400 mcg RAE
Upper Intake Level (UL) Up to 3 years: 600 mcg RAE (2,000 IU)
Upper Intake Level (UL) 4–8 years: 900 mcg RAE (3,000 IU)

Omega 3
Very important nutrient for brain development is found in a wide variety of foods including flax, chia & hemp seeds.
Essential fatty acids are especially important for children, where they support healthy brain and nervous system development and may be helpful for behavioral problems, depression, asthma, and for diabetes and tooth decay prevention.
No formal recommendations have been made regarding omega-3 intake, but keep these points in mind when thinking about omega-3s for children.
Some plants foods—like soybeans, flaxseeds, and walnuts—contain omega-3 fatty acids, but the conversion of the omega-3s in these foods to the form that is most beneficial for health may not be adequate to fulfill children’s nutritional needs.
If you’re giving an omega-3 supplement to a child, look for one with a purity guarantee.
This article is a great source of information on explaining Omega 3 and it's vegan sources.

Milks
Look for something as close to 65kcals/100ml and 3g protein/100ml as possible. You will notice that some vegan options, particularly nut and seed milks, are very low in these nutrients. For this reason, these should be avoided as a main milk drink for young children, though can be included in their diets (eg. on cereal and in cooking).

Many of the alternative milks are fortified with calcium to provide you with a good source of calcium – check the label to make sure your choice is calcium-enriched. Bear in mind that organic products are often not fortified with calcium. Personally I like Ripple because it has a similar taste to cow's milk, has pea protein and more calcium than cow's milk. I make up the extra fat in diet with coconut milk in recipes.

Current UK recommendations advise against giving rice milk to children under the age of 5 years. This is due to concerns about levels of arsenic in rice milk products, though there should be no limitation to other rice-based foods such as breakfast cereals, rice cakes and rice!




The Food

After all that is said and done, here is what I've been feeding my baby 10-19 months. If there's not link to the recipe I got it from either "Baby Nosh" by by Jennifer Browne & Tanya R. Loewen or One Handed Cooks cookbook. There are a plethora of wholefood plant based toddler recipes out there online too. I've been pretty lucky so far and he has eaten almost everything I've put in front of him and this could be that he's just easy and likes to eat or it could be because I started him on all different fruit, vegetable and grain flavors and textures from the day he started solids. Only time will tell but I believe that as long as I keep introducing him to healthy meals he will always have a taste for them...it's the best chance I can give though, right?
All toddler recipes I've posted are here.


Breakfast

It's easy to get half their daily requirements in at breakfast, especially if they've had some fortified non-dairy milk. We start off with 5-6oz of Ripple (pea milk) when we wake up, then breakfast comes around 2 hours later. I add any liquid vitamins into his first milk of the day because he tends to be very hungry and will drink it all. I usually give another milk at bedtime, and occasionally before nap.
For breakfast we normally start have a banana (which I break up into pieces) and oatmeal (around 1/2 cup cooked) with 2 Tbls steamed pears and 2 Tbls another steamed fruit or vegetable (beets, butternut squash, apple, strawberry, mango, peach etc).



Pineapple Banana Bake
(Baby Nosh)


Snacks

I don't really do snacks just because he eats enough at each meal but I always have these Cascadian Farm Organic Purely O's (organic and no sugar) in my bag, he loves these and they aren't messy;


Other good bag snacks are freeze dried organic fruit, organic fruit & vegetable squeeze pouches & organic rice husks. I always keep a selection in my bag in case we are away from home too long.

Lunch & Dinner

For lunch and dinner I usually combine a number of fresh items with cooked (usually frozen and reheated) items and try not to double up in the day for variety;

Fresh/One Ingredient Items
Avocado slices (if he's being fussy I can mash it with banana & carob powder or sprinkle slices with shredded coconut)
Apple/pear slices (peeled)
Sweet potato/butternut/acorn squash squares sprinkled with cinnamon/all spice or unsweetened shredded coconut
Peas, steamed
Corn kernels, steamed
Soy Beans, steamed
Black Beans, cooked
Bananas, pieces
Cauliflower florets cooked till soft in vegetable stock (loves the soft veg in Cauliflower Soup!)

Cooked Items (these can be precooked in batches and then frozen and reheated within seconds in the microwave or just thawed - great for road trips!)



Apple Almond Biscuits/Cookies (literally apples and almond meal)
(One Handed Cooks - Cookbook)


Pan seared tiny tofu squares marinated in garlic and liquid aminos.


Kale Chips 
(Baby Nosh - Cookbook)






Carrot Balls
(Squirrel's Vegetarian Restaurant - Cookbook)










With spinach ;)







Oatmeal Banana Cakes
(Baby Nosh - Cookbook)


Pineapple Banana Bakes
(Baby Nosh - Cookbook)


Hazelnut and Oat Bars 
(One Handed Cooks - Cookbook)


Vegan Whole Grain Toast with nut butter, hummus or avocado, cut into strips.












If he's still hungry after lunch or dinner I usually have some desserts stashed in the fridge/freezer;



Banana Energy Balls
(Baby Nosh - Cookbook)




Date Balls
(Baby Nosh - Cookbook)




If they are ready for popsicles then frozen fruit juice or these tropical popsicles are great!


Personally I have found the phone app "Cronometer" very helpful. I just use the free one.


For a week or so I tracked all my son's food intake (you can even add in recipes) and almost every day he was hitting 100% of the targets (iron, calcium, protein etc) and that wasn't including the liquid supplements I gave him (Child Life liquid multi vitamin, Liquid Health B12 & Child Life liquid D3). List of vegan vitamin companies here.

This is what one typical day looked like;


On the menu the example day above was:

Breakfast
Baby Oatmeal with pear, strawberries, hemp seed hearts & chia seeds
Banana

Lunch
Zucchini noddles with nutritional yeast
Pineapple Banana Bake

Dinner
2 x Sweet Potato Muffins (steamed and diced with cinnamon)
4 x Butternut spiced quinoa balls 

Milk
16 oz Ripple milk (pea based)

Snack
1 packet rice husks

If you're feeding your child a balanced diet or plant based whole foods and giving them a good variety you can't go wrong. 

Vegan Food and Living has some great vegan kid posts.


Plant based whole foods that have the best sources of nutrients in picture form;