When it comes to creating tasty food that’s appealing to little ones, Annabel Karmel has cornered the market as far as I’m concerned. My first “introduction” to Annabel Karmel was when I started making foods for the twins. I just couldn’t stomach the idea of several dollars worth of jarred food flying off the shelves every day.
So I got out my handy Braun hand blender and I started to whip up peas, carrots, and baby cereal. Then I got stuck. I was lacking in creativity for preparing my babies’ foods and they weren’t quite ready for roast beef and onions–or so I thought.
Boiled fish, papaya and avocado anyone? Yep, my girls loved it. Someone had recommended her cook book First Meals, and this is where I first realized that food for babies doesn’t have to be bland.
So here’s why the sneaky mama loves Annabel Karmel. She has turned preparing foods for little ones (her cookbooks include more than just infants), into an art form. Even my pickiest eater is hard pressed to turn something down from one of her cookbooks.
Annabel Karmel is a cordon bleu trained chef but she began as a harpist and singer. She has performed with Liberace, Boy George and a host of other interesting characters. She didn’t entertain the idea of writing cookbooks for children until she became a mom. Sadly, she lost her first baby at 13 weeks due to a viral infection. When her son was born and wasn’t eating properly she set out in the kitchen to create something fresh, healthy and delicious. She is one of the first to add spices and other strong flavors to some of her recipes.
She confesses that she ‘experiments’ on her kids and her kids’ friends. Anyone who comes to her house is fair game and their feedback is invaluable. She says it helps her tweak her recipes just so.
So why does the Sneaky Mama love Annabel Karmel? If you are looking for a collection of books that give great kid friendly recipes this is it. There isn’t anything better out there that I’ve found–and believe me I’ve scoured all manner of bookshelves looking. You may look at the recipes and think they are eccentric–but they’re delicious. Who wants to eat plain steamed broccoli when you can eat it stir fried with garlic and soy sauce? Believe it or not, the flavorings may just be the boost your child needs to throw their picky eating habits out the window! A suggested cookbook to start with is her Family Meals.