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What does “feel-good food” mean? It depends on who you ask. That’s why, each month, our Feel-Good Food Plan—with nourishing recipes and a few wild cards—is hosted by someone new. For October, VP of digital video June Kim writes about cooking dinner (and reading novels) as a new parent.
Exactly one year ago, my life completely changed: I had a baby. Early on, she’d wake up multiple times a night, hungry for milk. In those long evening hours, I’d fantasize about the day she’d finally be able to eat solid food, and how perhaps that would be the key to her—and me—sleeping through the night.
When she was around five months old, I noticed her curiosity starting to grow. She watched in wonder while I’d eat my toast and scrambled eggs in the morning. She opened her mouth when food was nearby. At her next pediatrician appointment, we got the green light to start her on solids. I’ll never forget the day she first tasted real food—mashed avocado.
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My baby girl doesn’t shy away from flavor. Luckily for me, she’s enthusiastic about trying almost anything. With a few adjustments, she can eat whatever I’m eating: use-it-up frittatas cut into thin strips, mojo meatballs sans the chile and salt, lemony zucchini pasta cooked past al dente. It’s become a rewarding challenge to test out and save recipes that are both flavorful enough for me and safe for my baby. That way, at the end of a long day, I can spend my time enjoying a meal with my family, instead of worrying about making multiple dishes to suit different needs.
October’s Feel-Good Food Plan leans into recipes that are low stress, baby-appropriate, and tasty enough for the adults in the room.
October’s Feel-Good Recipes
This fall I’m leaning into a slower pace. I’m working on being present, on simply existing in my favorite season with my curious toddler. There’s nothing like a shared meal to make you appreciate the here and now, so it was important to me to instill that in my daughter as soon as she started solid foods. There’s something beautifully communal about all eating the same thing. Some nights, this doesn’t go according to plan. And that’s okay too.
I’m a simple girl—put a cheesy carb in front of me and I’m happy. This orzotto is the epitome of comfort in a bowl with its sharp cheddar sauce that coats bitsy pieces of broccoli and orzo. It’s a recipe that checks a lot of boxes for me. It is composed of pantry staples, comes together in one pot, and hits the table in 30 or so minutes. It’s also a dish developed with babies in mind. Not seasoning the orzotto as it cooks means it’s ready for my daughter to devour by the baby spoonful. (Babies younger than one are not supposed to have added salt.) Then, after serving up her portion, I can season the rest for myself—and add some spicy broccoli florets atop for an adults-only garnish.
When I first started my daughter on solids, I wanted to ease into it. Though I’d learned how to perform CPR on a baby, of course I never want to test out those skills. I went primarily with mashed-up foods like avocado, roasted sweet potatoes, and plain rice porridge. When I felt ready to take a step into real recipes for her, one of the first dishes I cooked for us was this comforting dal. Given how quickly it comes together, it has a ton of flavor. Grated apple give the lentils a slight sweetness, while garlic, ginger, and onion provide a savory base for warming spices like turmeric and cumin. When she first tried it, I scooped up a few lentils in her dainty silicone baby spoon and fed it to her as she eagerly explored the new sensation of food in her mouth. She ate spoonful after spoonful and I made a mental note to keep this recipe in the weekly rotation.
Vegetable fritters are something I love to keep on hand as quick additions to lunches and snacks for the little one. I simply pull one from the freezer and give it a quick zap in the microwave. Even though I make this recipe (sans salt) primarily for my baby, I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t sneak a few of these herby cauliflower fritters for myself too. I love that this recipe uses a clever shortcut to make this recipe that much easier to pull together: a bag of frozen cauliflower rice.
Anytime I’m feeling even slightly sick, I crave rice porridge. This pork and shiitake congee uses a genius technique of rinsing and freezing the rice prior to cooking, which breaks down the rice and cuts the cook time in half. Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of the recipe—it has a surprising depth of umami thanks to ground pork and fresh shiitakes. When serving to my little one, I omit the soy sauce for her and just drizzle some on top along with some chili crisp for me and my husband.
More Feel-Good Finds for the Month
Adjusting to my postpartum body has been quite the experience. Most of my pre-baby clothes fit differently, if at all, and I’ve been having trouble finding practical outfits that make me feel good in this new era of life. I’ve always been a Big Bud Press fan, but especially now, I’m forever grateful for these structured pants that have just enough give in the waist. Bonus points for the food-inspired color.
As a mom, self-care has taken a back seat. It’s a new reality that I’m intentionally trying to course correct. Having small, special items on hand can really help. When it comes to lunchtime, I rarely have the time to put together a nice meal between work meetings, but I can always reach for a tin of Fishwife x Fly By Jing Smoked Salmon to serve over some leftover rice and any fresh veggies I have on hand (like cucumber, lettuce, or avocado) for a satisfying lunch that’ll tide me over until dinnertime.
Before I had my baby, I read a fair amount. This habit unfortunately flew out the window once my baby arrived and I found myself too tired to pick up a book for months. Nothing struck me enough to pull me back into a groove, until I started reading Real Americans by Rachel Khong. It’s a story that spans three generations of one Chinese American family with themes of family secrets, race and love, the complexities of class and wealth, and more. I could not put it down.
Join us again next month, when commerce producer Alaina Chou will host November’s Feel-Good Food Plan with a weeknight recipe I’ll have on repeat all fall and winter.