As I mentioned in my post, yesterday, probiotics are especially necessary if you're on an antibiotic... like Avie currently is. But they are super important for your overall health, even if you're not taking medication. Some probiotics are easy to get into a toddler (like yogurt or Kefir)... but I tend to like variety in everything, and probiotics are no exception.
So, I found a couple, clever ways to get some of that good stuff into my little tot:
Miso Soup
Surprise! Miso is a probiotic. If your little one likes soup (and/or broth) then this should be fairly easy for them to... well, swallow.
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 Cup carrots or cabbage, finely sliced
2 Cups veggie broth or water
1-2 Tablespoons of Miso Paste
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Saute onions until translucent. Add vegetables and saute until tender. Pour in veggie broth or water, cover and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add Miso paste and dissolve. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes
Salmon with Dill Sauce
Oh, look, it's another Ina Garten recipe from Food Network. YES! I'm obsessed with Food Network. If your kiddo doesn't like salmon, then don't make the salmon... You should still make the dill sauce, however, because you can put it on a turkey roll, or use it as a dip for pita bread or veggies.
This is the recipe for the dill sauce (click here for the entire Ina Garten recipe):
1 cup good mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon white wine vinegar
12 fresh basil leaves
3/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped scallions, (white and green parts)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 teaspoons capers, drained
I made this for dinner (my husband and I ate sandwiches but Avie just got a hunk of salmon with sauce smeared on top) and it was delicious. But how is it probiotic? It's not. So how did I sneak probiotics all up in that goodness?
Pickles!
Not just any pickle though. These pickles. After shaking up the jar, I poured some of the cloudy pickle juice into the food processor with the other ingredients. Then I went ahead and threw one of the little gherkins in there. I didn't use any capers though... I figured the pickles would take care of the brine-y salt flavor. But, feel free to use both.... live dangerously.