Hi, I’m Eleni and I’m the mum of Little Hands. Since May of 2019, when little hands began to eat solid foods, we try to discover the magical world of tastes, smells, and textures!
I am a kindergarten teacher by profession, but at this time I have decided to be a stay-at-home mom and the exclusive chef for my Little Hands. I listen to music all day and go crazy for travel, crafts, and taking care of others.
I’m trying to make our dishes nutritious, healthy, tasty, and beautiful – this is one of the ways I express my unbridled creativity. I started sharing my creations with my audience on social media, Little Hand’s father would be the sole recipient of endless pictures and creations, so I am sure he is thankful to you all for that.
Our journey to solid foods began with a good measure of stubbornness and difficulties in the beginning but then developed into a wonderful, continuous, and sometimes messy play. Baby-led weaning (BLW) was a one-way street for us, as the little explorer always wanted to be independent by reminding us that we should trust our children and let them show and lead the way. After all, parenthood is the greatest gift and lesson of life.
Little Hands was created with a lot of love, and personal time – then evolved thanks to your own push and trust. Sharing my ideas and recipes with you is something that gives me great joy. After all, I understand and share the anxieties and daily worries of a mom, from “what food to eat tomorrow?” to “why does not my child eat?”…
Trust your child and let it show you the way …
My motto is “Your child will show you the way” while I believe that it’s not the end of the world if Little Hands rejects food. I will offer it again, with different ways of cooking and presentation because I can never be sure of what day he will decide to try it, but never, pushing or forcing it.
I am also well aware that our children are very different across many aspects not just food, just like in a kindergarten class. Some children will easily eat what they are given, others may need repeat exposure to food, some want to be more involved (eg through shopping, stirring the pot or choosing the cut-out and cutting their vegetables, etc), others need a sense of control in choosing what to eat between 2 or 3 options.
In Little Hands, you will find recipes that are kid-friendly and as nutritious and healthy as possible, always based on my knowledge, experience, research, and beliefs. In my recipes, I try to use a lot of fruits and vegetables, with as less gluten as possible (this is why you will find recipes with alternative flours and with the label “gluten-free”). You will not find any refined sugar, especially since I have not been using any in my own cooking either.
That said, I do not believe that children should be completely “sugar-free”, but I believe that if we reduce the sugar content of daily foods while maintaining the factor of taste, then it is a big victory. The goal is to have a solid foundation in the nutrition of our children since nutrition is also a matter of education and something that is cultivated. Whilst I don’t forbid I will indicate and suggest alternatives without imposing them. Additionally prohibiting foods may sometimes have the opposite effect.
When I create my recipes I try to keep them simple without too many steps. Where possible, I also provide kid-friendly options for allergy sufferers or parents with dietary preferences.
Whatever the reason that led you to my website, I hope you and your own little hands enjoy the recipes here! If you have any questions do not hesitate to contact me on Instagram, Facebook or info@littlehandsblw.com.
Eleni
