If you read Piper’s 21 month update you know we’re still struggling with a very picky eater on our hands. I’ve been trying my best to be patient and think of clever ways to sneak in vegetables to her meals. To be honest dinner time has become pretty dreaded around here  — typically I’m alone with Piper and trying to cook and all she wants is to be picked up. It’s the witching hour and she’s pretty cranky. So between trying to figure out a meal she’ll actually eat and prepare it I get a little wiped out.
I recently had the opportunity to try out the new All-Clad Prep&Cook appliance and let me just say it’s a GAME CHANGER in the kitchen!! It’s an all-in-one appliance cuts, prepares and cooks food – it can easily replace so many other devices in your kitchen (saving space for sure). This innovative cooking food processor allows users to steam, whip, mix, stir, simmer and more thanks to its five attachments designed with specific cooking tasks in mind.  It has several different automatic programs — simmer, soup, sauce, steam, pastry and dessert that makes cooking a breeze. You can also use the adjustable manual setting to time cook up to two hours from 90-270 degrees! It comes with a set of different blades for your different cooking needs and a steamer basket.

I’ve been trying to include Piper with my cooking and find she’s much more likely to try something if she helped make it. She also has an obsession with buttons so she was really intrigued by the All-Clad Prep&Cook and really excited that I let her turn it on! Together we made broccoli tots and quesadillas with pureed butternut squash, spinach and cheddar cheese. She happily tried both meals :) Read on for the recipes!

Butternut Squash, Black Bean & Spinach Quesadillas

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butternut squash puree (Directions below)
1/4 cup smashed organic black beans (rinsed)
Handful of finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup organic cheddar cheese
2 Tortillas
1 tsp smoked paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the puree wash and chop peeled butternut squash. Place in the steamer basket to the All-Clad Prep&Cook and fill the base with 3 cups of water. Put the steamer basket on top and use the Steam setting to steam the butternut squash for 20 minutes. Let it cool. Remove the steamer basket and excess water and place the ultra blade into the Prep&Cook. Add the squash and smoked paprika. Use the chop button to puree the squash until smooth.
2. Fill your quesadilla! Spoon a layer of butternut squash onto one tortilla. Next place a layer of black beans, gently smashing with a fork. Sprinkle a layer of chopped spinach (the finer you chop this the easier it will be for your kid to not notice it!) and finally add a layer of shredded cheddar cheese.
3. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan over low heat and cook the quesadilla until the cheese is melted and its golden brown and crispy on both sides.

Broccoli Bites

Ingredients

2 cups of broccoli
2/3 cups cooked quinoa (see below how to make it in the All-Clad Prep&Cook)
1 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 of a small onion, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove of garlic chopped in half
1 egg
Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the mixer blade in the bowl and add 2 cups of water and 1 cup of dry quinoa and a drizzle of olive oil. Put on the lid and launch the P3 simmer program at 200 degrees for 20 minutes with the stopper on the top.
2. Let the quinoa cool and measure out 2/3 cup to use in the recipe.
3. Clean out the bowl and insert the ultra blade knife. Add broccoli, onion, garlic and mix at speed 11 for 10 seconds – take a peek and see how the broccoli looks. You want it finely chopped – so likely you’ll need to do a few more seconds of chopping.
4. In a bowl combine all ingredients and mix until thoroughly combined. Place on a greased sheet pan and bake 25 minutes or until the tots are golden on top.

Want to learn more about this awesome new all-in-one appliance from All-Clad that will save you time and hassle in the kitchen? It’s available for $999.95 at Amazon.com and SurLaTable.com and would make an amazing Mother’s Day Gift for any mama in your life! 

This post is sponsored by All-Clad. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Mama Notes in business!

Photography by Anna Reynal