Healthy Toddler Meals: Charlotte’s Stir Fry
As Charlotte grows, I’m trying to introduce different flavors to her in the hope that we’ll avoid the super picky eater stage that seems to hit most toddlers. I was emailing with my friends Raina and Lara about baby / toddler food and Raina mentioned that she makes a tofu stir fry for her two kids.
Raina inspired me to make two different stir fries for Charlotte — one with tofu and one with chicken. Both were a hit though I think she preferred the tofu over the chicken, adding further evidence to my hunch that Charlotte might be a vegetarian at heart. The veggies are always the first thing she picks off her plate!
You can use whatever veggies your child enjoys. I used broccoli because that is Charlotte’s absolute favorite. I also added some sliced mushrooms.
I used a stir fry sauce from Trader Joe’s called Trader Joe San® Soyaki but you can use whatever you sauce you prefer. I added a touch of corn starch — just a teaspoon — to the sauce to thicken it.
I served the stir fry with brown rice. Charlotte and I both enjoyed it — though I did add some hot sauce to mine to spice it up a bit more.
Charlotte’s Stir Fry
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 boneless skinless chicken breast (or a few tenderloins) sliced into bite sized pieces
or
1 package of firm tofu cubed - 1/2 cup broccoli florets
- 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/3 cup stir fry sauce (mix in 1 teaspoon of corn starch if you wish to thicken the sauce)
- brown rice for serving
Heat oil in sauté pan. Add garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
If using chicken, add in chicken and cook until nearly cooked through. Add in vegetables. Cook until starting to soften. Add in stir fry sauce and cook until the veggies are cooked to desired doneness and the chicken is cooked through.
or
If using tofu, add in veggies. Cook until starting to soften. Add in cubed tofu and stir fry sauce. Cook until tofu is warmed through and the veggies are cooked to desired doneness.
Serve over brown rice.