The Art of Cooking Archives | Zoe Weston

Make Your Own Organic Baby Food

Zoe Weston — Sat, 08 Mar 2025 21:56:31 +0000

Make Your Own Organic Baby Food

As parents increasingly prioritize their children’s health, homemade organic baby food has become a popular choice. By preparing nutrient-rich meals with ingredients like oats, rice for congee, vegetables, and fruits, caregivers can ensure their little ones get a wholesome start.

Why Organic?

Organic ingredients are grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, offering a cleaner, safer option for babies whose digestive systems are still developing. Oats, rice, vegetables, and fruits are versatile staples that can be transformed into delicious, age-appropriate meals packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Oat Porridge: A Gentle Start

Oat porridge is an excellent first food for babies, typically introduced around 6 months. To prepare, grind organic rolled oats into a fine powder using a blender or food processor. Combine 1 tablespoon of oat powder with 1/4 cup of water, or breast milk, and cook over low heat, stirring until it thickens (about 5-10 minutes). For added nutrition, mix in mashed organic fruits like bananas or steamed apples. Oats provide sustained energy and support healthy digestion.

Congee: A Soothing Rice Porridge

Congee, a traditional rice porridge, is another gentle, easily digestible option. Start with organic white or brown rice (white is softer for younger babies). Rinse 1/4 cup of rice, then simmer it in 2 cups of water or broth for 30-40 minutes until it breaks down into a creamy consistency. Stir in pureed organic veggies like carrots or peas for a boost of vitamins A and C. This simple dish is minimally processed, best to nurture growing bodies.

Adding Vegetables and Fruits

Organic vegetables like sweet potatoes, zucchini, or spinach can be steamed and blended into smooth purees, then mixed into porridges or served standalone. Fruits such as pears, peaches, or blueberries—rich in antioxidants—add natural sweetness and encourage a taste for healthy flavors. Always introduce new ingredients one at a time to monitor for allergies, a cautious approach that supports long-term wellness.

By making organic baby food at home, parents take control of what goes into their children’s bodies, fostering a generation that’s stronger, healthier, and less reliant on industrial food systems.

Tips for Success

Use fresh, seasonal produce from local farmers’ markets for maximum flavor and nutrition.
Store small batches in BPA-free containers or ice cube trays for easy portioning.
Avoid adding salt, sugar, or honey (for babies under 1) to keep it pure and natural.

Making organic baby food with oats, congee, veggies, and fruits is more than a meal—it’s a commitment to raising thriving kids.

The post Make Your Own Organic Baby Food appeared first on Zoe Weston.

Turn The Mundane Into A Blissful Experience: The Cozy Life

Zoe Weston — Thu, 19 Dec 2024 21:56:10 +0000

Coziness permeates my life, it’s actually my lifestyle. I recently learned about the Scandinavian term hygge (pronounced hoo ga). The simplest way to define hygge is what we call cozy in English. I was thrilled to learn that in Scandinavian countries this is a vibe or feeling that all aspire to create and live in their daily lives. It is even deeper than that as its core meaning is to turn mundane tasks into blissful experiences – rejoicing in simplicity.

I believe that if everyone adopted a hygge lifestyle the health benefits would be astounding. When coziness gets woven into all parts of your life, everything gets a bit lighter, easier, softer, more comfortable, and maybe even more beautiful.

The Danes entire culture is based on hygge. They say it is about finding joy in the simple things in life. It could be as simple as having a cup of tea while watching the sun rise, reading a book by the fire, listening to the birds sing while writing in a journal or having a special meal with family and friends.

I like to create cozy vibes with cooking bliss. Cooking dinner is a sacred ritual for me. I light candles, put on my favorite apron, play my Medieval Vibes playlist on Spotify, and pour a glass of wine, make a cup of tea or make my recent favorite – a mix of lilikoi juice, coconut water and Pellegrino on the rocks. I also love to make the table setting beautiful with beeswax candles, fresh flowers or herbs from the garden, and pretty cloth napkins. All meals start with a prayer of gratitude: We thank all of the people, plants and animals who brought us this food, please let it nourish our body, so be it.

As a child my mother made our home so cozy during the Christmas season. We would all decorate the tree together, a wreath went on the front door and lights went around all of the windows. On our dining room table she spread out all kinds of sweet treats and the obligatory bowl of mixed nuts with the nutcracker next to it. Stockings were hung up by the fireplace. During the whole month of December my brother and I would enjoy hot cocoa and Christmas cartoons in our pine scented family room, basking in the glow of the tree lights.

How can you make one mundane task a cozy experience? I’d love to hear your stories. Wishing you a safe, healthy, beautiful and cozy holiday season. Blessings, Zoe

P.S. If you’d like help creating a healthy, cozy, beautiful home sanctuary, click here to schedule a free 20 minute initial consultation.

The post Turn The Mundane Into A Blissful Experience: The Cozy Life appeared first on Zoe Weston.

Holiday Traditions & Saint Zoe

Zoe Weston — Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:25:38 +0000

Since childhood I’ve preferred to make Christmas gifts instead of purchasing ready made items. I’ve made many things over the years – knitted booties, beaded earrings, cookies, cakes, beeswax candles and quilts. This season I tried something new. I created a pickled medley of herbs, spices, veggies and eggs. To make it more visually appealing I chose different color ingredients and two sizes of eggs – chicken eggs and the much smaller quail eggs. What homemade gifts do you love to make? I’d love to hear about your favorites.

Here are a few of my favorite quilt designs from years past.

ZW Quilts, Blue & Gold Japanese Garden

ZW Quilts, Owl Triad

ZW Quilts, Red French Decadence

ZW Quilts, Babushka

ZW Quilts, Blue & Gold Angels

This year I read Stories of the Saints, by Carey Wallace. A beautifully illustrated book filled with wonderful stories. I loved learning more about Saint Nicholas and how he got woven into the Christmas season. I found out there is a Saint. Zoe. Who knew? So here is the weird thing. For the last 7 years I have had a ceramic tile, with the word FAITH on it, hanging in my bedroom. I found it at a secondhand shop for a few dollars. When I read about Saint Zoe, it said she is the saint of FAITH. It gave me chicken skin, as we say here in Hawaii. Do you have a favorite Saint? I ask Saint Anthony to help me find things, and I’ve always admired Saint Francis for his connection to nature and animals. My favorite Saint is Hildegard von Bingen. She has written much about spiritual life, health and composed some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. Treat yourself, listen to the Voices of Angels – perfect with a cup of tea and a bath – you will feel heavenly.

Saint Zoe of Rome

Loneliness happens, especially during the holidays. Sometimes a simple text can cheer someone up. It feels good to be remembered, to be included and loved. How many simple holiday cheer texts can you send out this season?

Wishing you and yours a life of peace, health, joy, family and friendships. Cheers to living a sacred life, Zoe

The post Holiday Traditions & Saint Zoe appeared first on Zoe Weston.

Italian Comfort Food – Zuppa Pavese

Zoe Weston — Wed, 11 Jan 2023 20:27:00 +0000

Cozy Wintery days are far and few between for me. Maui does get a few chilly days however, and it is a welcomed change in the general vibe. Even if it only lasts a day or two, I enjoy throwing on a hoodie or a sweater and making some warm comfort food. One of our family’s favorites is an Italian dish called Zuppa Pavese – soup made Pavia-style – hailing from the city of Pavia in the Lombardy region of Italy.

My son will actually ask for this meal by name, a rarity in and of itself. He told me that it is his comfort food and I agree there is something very special about this soup. It can be made in about 15 minutes and has only a few ingredients. The combination of these ingredients becomes a magical, hearty soup, only one bowl needed and you will feel full, warm and nourished. Try it yourself and let me know if you like it.

Zuppa Pavese – pronounced – zoopah pahvesay

Ingredients

Butter or ghee

Crusty bread – but any bread will do, a piece for each person

Broth – any broth will do, we use chicken bone broth, 2 1/2 cups per person

Eggs – 2 per person

Parmesan Cheese – grated

Ground Nutmeg

Ground Black Pepper – course

Fresh Cilantro

Preparation

Melt butter in a saucepan (medium heat) , brown/toast the bread in the butter on each side – put each piece into a soup bowl when it’s done.

In the buttery saucepan add broth, keep on medium to low heat. Add the raw eggs one at a time – you will be poaching them in the broth. It must come to a boil very slowly so that the eggs stay intact.

While that is coming to a boil, prepare the bread in the soup bowl – sprinkle parmesan and nutmeg on each piece – as much as you like. Pick cilantro leaves (de-stem), and set them aside to add to the soup at the very end.

Once broth has come to a boil – keep it on a very low boil until the eggs are cooked to your liking. We like our eggs a little soft in the middle. Turn off when eggs are done, and scoop them out immediately and put on top of bread pieces in each bowl. Then pour broth over bread and eggs. Sprinkle your bowl of soup with cilantro leaves and top it all with the black pepper. Bon appetito!

The post Italian Comfort Food – Zuppa Pavese appeared first on Zoe Weston.

Family Traditions, Swiss Christmas and The Art of Cooking

Zoe Weston — Sun, 18 Dec 2022 21:45:14 +0000

It’s true I’m not a “winter” person, but there is something magical about having snow, and creating a cozy enchanting sanctuary during the Christmas season. I love the vibes created when making a fire, a pot of your favorite stew, fresh baked bread, some hot cocoa, tea, or spiced apple cider. Nighttime brings your favorite slippers, a hot bath, pajamas, and a good book or Netflix and chill. There is something so therapeutic about this experience.

I love cooking, whether it be winter or not. It doesn’t feel like a chore to me unless I am very tired. Cooking is the only art form that uses all five senses. I’ve always loved trying new recipes, learning how to make my favorite meals, and mastering the art of creating healing foods – broths, soups, stews, teas, juices. One of the only times of the year that I bake is at Christmas. This is when our family makes Christmas cookies, Swiss style. We turn on the Christmas music and get out our fancy cookie cutters called springerle to make beautiful Christmas art.

I’ve explored a variety of cookies over the years. We’ve done simple sugar cookies, butter cookies, chocolate chip, gingerbread, and chocolate shortbread. Then one year I decided to learn the art of springerle. Springerle are Swiss cookie cutter molds. The originals were made with wood and nowadays many are made with a strong resin. There are thousands of designs, all intricately carved scenes that you stamp onto your cookie dough creating a cookie scene vs. a cookie shape. Because my son is half Swiss this has become part of our family tradition. There are many different doughs that are considered traditional springerle dough, all of them are spiced, similar to gingerbread, but much lighter, no molasses is added to the mix.

Other Swiss traditions we keep in our family include following an advent calendar – it’s mostly for the children. They get to open a little window, which usually hides a small piece of chocolate inside. On December 6th, my son gets to put a boot outside the door to see if St. Nicholas is going to bring him some treats or Krampus will bring him coal. He has lucked out so far. Swiss Christmas celebration is practiced on December 24th, our Christmas eve. That is when presents are opened and a big family dinner is held. It is very likely that on December 24th or 25th a meal of raclette might be served with a variety of accoutrement. This is a meal of melted raclette cheese served with boiled potatoes, cut up vegetables and sometimes meat, often bacon. The Swiss will enjoy winter sports during the day such as skiing, snowboarding, iceskating, and sledding. Hiking is popular too. The most magical part of a Swiss Christmas is the tree. Instead of putting a string of lights on the tree, the Swiss have actual candles that are clipped to the tree and lit, as in real fire. It is so beautiful and slightly scary too. Every shop is decorated with beautiful romantic Christmas scenes. Switzerland in December becomes a real life fairy tale.

Wishing everyone wherever you are a wonderful, magical, cozy winter season. Aloha from Maui!

The post Family Traditions, Swiss Christmas and The Art of Cooking appeared first on Zoe Weston.