When Leah started solids, my goal was to feed her the kind of food I want to eat myself. That means not just nutritionally balanced, but also something good to look at. Food that makes mealtime pleasant. After all, under one year old, when her main source of nutrition is still formula or breastmilk, solids are about the experience. Chewing, feeling, tasting, and seeing.

This morning, I prepared naturally colored tricolor pancakes and yogurt with mango.

Tricolor Chickpea Pancake
I soaked chickpeas overnight, then boiled them for about an hour until soft and blended them smooth. I divided the mixture into three portions. To the first I added banana. To the second, steamed spinach. To the third, steamed beet. I spooned small portions onto a baking pan and baked them at 350°F for 10 minutes. She had six small pancakes, two of each color, and enjoyed every bite.

Mango Hemp Seed Yogurt
For the homemade yogurt, I blended in hemp seeds for a boost of healthy fat and omega-3s, then topped it with mashed mango. The mango was sweet with a hint of tartness, which paired so nicely with the creamy yogurt.

She loved seeing, playing with, and tasting all the different colors and flavors on her plate.