Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Monday, July 6, 2015

Easy Sloppy Joe's!

They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Right? Right. Well, y'all are in for a treat today. So I figured what better way to nab a southern guy than through his stomach. But we don't want to ruin our girly figure either, so don't worry ladies! That won't be an issue!!


This is a favorite around our house. So if you're serving your best friends, the significant other in your life, or your kids, you needn't worry! Even with the veggies cut up and hidden inside, this will be a favorite at your next dinner party.

What you'll need:

  • 1.5 lbs ground turkey meat
  • 1/2 medium onion diced
  • 1 green bell pepper diced
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp spicy brown mustard
  • A Dash of worchestershire sauce 
  • Dash of salt (I don't use a lot... some people use 1.5 tsp... a dash will do)
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
What to do:

  1. Combine ground meat, onion and pepper in a HOT skillet. // cook until meat is completely cooked through. 
  2. Add the water
  3. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. 
  4. Bring to a slow boil. 
  5. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until most of the water is gone and everything starts to get thick. 
  6. Remove from heat and add to buns! 

It's seriously that easy, y'all! And the best thing is that the calorie count for one serving is 171 without the bun! Talk about easy and good for you! Serve with some yummy collard greens and you've got yourself the best southern meal! 
I'm a lover of food, so getting to enjoy something super southern without all the fat is a huge win for me! I'd love to know what y'all think if you make this!

Previously seen back in May at Heart of Life
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Friday, May 22, 2015

Mississippi Comeback Sauce

Y'all, I cannot be the only person out there that once they find the "perfect" condiment I use it on practically everything I can... right? RIGHT?! Well, thanks to my husband I have found this perfect condiment. Being the nicest blogger ever, I made him suggested he recreate the making of this sauce so I can share it with y'all!

This was something Josh found via facebook. One of those recipes that one of his aunts or friends or someone had shared on their wall. He thought "oh. That sounds good." and wrote down the recipe. Of course, he didn't actually share it to his wall, so I cannot fully credit where we found this. Also, I decided to leave the name the same, cause that's just what Josh keeps calling it.

It's so easy though, and the flavor... Y'all... I put this on scrambled eggs. It's just that good!

What you'll need:
* Don't let the size of the list scare you away. If you're like me, you most likely have the majority of these things in your pantry, spice cabinet, and fridge!
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup ketchup
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce. (NOT the powder. There is a difference, y'all!)
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard (We used spicy brown mustard)
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp tabasco sauce 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 Tbs lemon juice. 
What you'll need to do:
  1. Combine all ingredients into an airtight container (like a good ole mason jar) 
  2. Refrigerate overnight
  3. Enjoy as a dip, topping, or whatever your little heart desires! 

Seriously, y'all. It's THAT easy. The reason to refrigerate overnight is to let the flavors "marry" together and get to know each other. Trust me... it makes all the difference in the world. So good.

If you try this, please tell me what you think. I love hearing from other bloggers when they try something I've shared! Hint, cucumbers dipped in this tastes really good too.
Happy Friday, friends! xoxo
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Food Is Better in the South

Welcome to the south! Where grits are at every breakfast, our tea is sweet, and the chicken is fried.

It's no secret. I love food. Yes, food is needed to keep you going and keep your metabolism going. But for me, food is also fun. This is also why I gained a TON of weight several years ago. Granted, now I know how to splurge and enjoy something more fun than a salad. It's a happy balance, y'all.

Surprisingly, Monroe doesn't have a whole lot of authentic southern restaurants. There's one BBQ/ Wings place on the edge of town, but I'm 100% honest in saying I'm scared to go in there. That side of town is essentially the other side of the tracks. #IDontWantToBeMugged. True Story. lol. However, if you were to come visit me there are some true "southern" venues we'd have to visit.

|| The Varsity. "What'll ya have? What'll ya have? Have your order in mind and money in hand". This is their classic welcome. I would insist on a good ole fashioned chili dog, onion rings, and their signature Frosted Orange.

|| Blue Willow Inn. Downtown Social Circle, GA. This is like 10-15 minutes from where I live. Imagine tree lined streets, old southern houses, and friendly neighbors. Literally old movies with the pretty antebellum houses is how the street looks where Blue Willow is set.
So not only is the scenery perfect, the food is to die for! We're talking fried chicken, fried green tomatoes, collard greens, black eyed peas, corn on the cobb, and of course sweet tea. For dessert? We cannot forget the peach cobbler.
Have I mentioned how excited I am that I have a peach tree in my backyard? lol!
For Sale at the inn or on amazon.com 

|| J. Christopher's. While doing research for this post, I actually discovered there's one of these in Nashville! Good news for my TN friends!
This place is strictly breakfast, lunch, and brunch. So tons of grits, oatmeal, and BLT's! Their motto is "familiar food with flair". Always good and super affordable.

None of these places sponsored me to write this post. These are just three really amazing southern restaurants that we would absolutely visit if you came to see me. Of course, if you wanted to eat in I'd make some fried chicken, greens, mashed potatoes and fresh corn from scratch. Who can turn down a good home-cooked southern meal?
Want more southern? Head over to Lora's page today to check out a southern recipe I'm sharing!

Linking up with Amanda
Amanda Moments
What are your favorite southern foods? Tell me about the food in your area!!
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Get Fit with Fit Snack

Snacks. Everyone needs them. In fact, if you're trying to get or stay healthy, it's suggested to eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day rather than 3 large meals. But, in a world where chips and ice creams have taken over and almonds are too expensive, how are you supposed to snack healthy? Worry no more! Now there's Fit Snack!

Fit Snack offers a healthier way to snack. 
The website says,
"Each Fit Snack box is packed with the most delicious and healthiest products on the market.  We strive to include a diverse experience of full and sample size items that are as good as they are good for you.
Every box is different - half the fun is getting the mystery box of goodies delivered to your door each month."
This is true. With the exception of one item in the box, the kids loved everything, and I loved it all. I didn't feel guilty for snacking throughout the day, and I could really notice a change in my body and the way I felt!

I think out of all of the subscription boxes I've tried lately, this one has been my favorite. I really enjoyed everything in the box. If I had the money to spend on this each month, I would definitely invest. It's something that has really helped me stay on track with getting into a healthier lifestyle.

What was in my box?

1. Level Life bar. If y'all remember from Taste Guru, these were included then too. I was able to get a bite, but Ainsley pretty much devoured this one as well. I'd say it's pretty clear that these need to be stocked in our pantry!
2. Simply 7 Snacks. These were just amazing! My box had quinoa and lentil chips. They tasted just like what you'd expect from an unhealthy chip, but of course they're better for you.
3. Complete Energy Bites. It's basically a little chocolate bite that's intended to give you a boost of energy. I liked the taste, and they actually made me feel relatively full. I didn't really feel much of a difference in my energy. According to Fit Snack, lemon flavors are coming soon. YAY!
4. Lenny & Larry's cookie. First of all, it's a monstrous cookie! I had to share with both kids. Not sure how one person could eat one cookie, but it was SO SO good! It's also jam packed with protein, so win-win!
5. Nogii Protein Powder. I LOVED THESE! I made the protein shakes in my blender with a little bit of ice, milk, and peanut butter. SO SO good. They were perfect first thing in the morning before my workout. I think these were my favorite part of the box!
6. Fit Snack Veggie Chips. OK, when I first saw "veggie chips" I thought of the sticks from wal-mart that were supposed to be veggies made into a chip. These were actual veggies!! The kids didn't really get past the apperance of being real veggies so they wouldn't even try them, but Josh and I LOVED them!
7. Fit Snack Raw Almond & Pumpkin mix. Pumpkin seeds are my favorite part about Halloween, because who doesn't love a good roasted pumpkin seed? This mix was a perfect in between meal snack to make you feel full without getting off track.
8. Sunbutter. A peanut butter not made from peanuts. (Meagan, you might want to look into this one!) It's peanut & tree nut free... made with sunflowers! It really tastes amazing. Ainsley wanted to eat it right from the package.
9. Oven Baked Organics - Pancake mix. These made really delicious pancakes. They were fluffy, delicious, and the perfect pancake!

So what's the deal with Fit Snack? It's super affordable with different subscriptions to choose from. Monthly plans are $19 + $5 S&H = $24 a month. Want to save a little money though? An annual subscription saves you 17% and gives you 3 bonus items!! Join now and you'll get a free gym bag! A $10 value! There's really nothing to lose with signing up!

Have you tried Fit Snack yet? What did you love or hate about it?

* I was given these products in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg
 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Taste Guru

Who here is trying to eat better? Probably a lot of us. With a ton of "fad diets" and the Whole 30 challenge and things like that floating around, how is one supposed to know what is right for them? Do you want to cut out sugar? What if you want to cut out carbs? It's a nightmare just trying to do the right thing for your body! Not anymore!

Say hello to Taste Guru! It's a monthly subscription where you get tasty gluten free items right to your door. Taste Guru gives you 7 to 10 items each month; all are 100% gluten free and all have a huge variety.

Now. I know what you're thinking, "gluten free? come on! I want my food to taste good still!" I worry about this too. My dad's side of the family eats only gluten free foods, and I will be 100% honest that not everything that is gluten free tastes the best. If I was asked to try this box 8 or 9 years ago I would have passed so quickly!
Such is not the case, y'all. This food is actually good. My kids my not have agreed with that on all of the items, but I enjoyed most everything.

Yes, I am being honest here. I didn't enjoy all of the items included in the box! But hey, this is life. Not everything is going to be perfect and we're not supposed to enjoy everything presented to us. Also, everyones' taste buds are different and there may be things in here that you like and I don't! So there's that.

So, what did I get in my box?

The contents:
1. Better Batter fudge brownie mix. Who doesn't love brownies? This was a great inclusion in my box this time because Josh actually prefers brownie to cake. They came out fudgy and delicious. A bonus for someone who doesn't bake that well (me). On the back of the product information sheet, there was a recipe for (extra) fudgy brownies!
2. Tea's Tea green tea. This was kind of flavorless. It really tasted only like water to me. Which is fine, but I was expecting more of a "tea" taste. If that makes sense.
3. Ipps egg white chips. Holy yum, y'all! I was all about these chips! The kids didn't like them because of the pepper flavor (I got sea salt & black pepper in the box). I loved them though. They were so light and crisp but not overly filling. I even tagged my aunt in Twitter because they eat gluten free, and I knew they'd love these!
4. Dang coconut chips. These were basically dried coconut shavings. I'm a huge coconut fan, so for me these were a grand slam out of the park win!
5. Nocciolata organic hazelnut spread. This reminded me of a lighter version of Nutella. I love Nutella, so this was a nice surprise. Very tasty on toast in the morning.
6. Swoffle Dutch treat. I didn't try this one. My oldest, Zander actually ate it. However he loved it and didn't even let me get a bite.
7. Yum Earth Natural's sour beans. These to me were like a more natural version of sour patch kids. They really looked like beans, but they were sour and tasted like a really good candy. It was a good thing I got a few when I opened the bag because the kids devoured these within 3.5 seconds!
8. (This was supposed to be) Ass Kickin'. honey roasted peanut. However, I got two things of sour beans. This was good because the kids LOVED the sour beans, and so they both were able to get their own package. My husband was very disappointed that the peanuts did not show up because when he read the description on the product information sheet included in the box, he wanted the peanuts. Bummer!
9. Mamma Chia squeeze - Mango Coconut flavor. This was not a hit in our house. Everyone got a taste of the one squeeze package. No one wanted to finish it. I'm not sure if it was the Chia seeds in the squeeze or what, but it was kind of a big statement that my kids didn't want to eat a squeeze.
10. Level Life protein snack bar. YUM! A chocolate coated protein bar with caramel inside! YES PLEASE! this was so good. I'd run the risk of eating way too much if I had a whole box!

So there y'all have it! Taste Guru! It's really easy to sign up. For $24 ($19 + $5 S&H) you can have amazing (tasty) variety in your mailbox. Happy mail day! A yearly plan is only $240 ($15 + S&H + 3 bonus items = 17% saving!) What's there to lose?

Have you ever tried a subscription food box? Are you interested in trying this one? If you use my special link to sign up, the lovely people at Taste Guru will include a free grocery tote ($10 value!) So what are you waiting for? You know you want some yummy food sent right to your door!

* I was given these products in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own
(& my kids!)
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Wednesday, March 11, 2015

Exciting Ramen & Hey Kerri Llama!

Show of hands to those of y'all that were forced to eat Ramen for dinner because that's all you could afford? Don't be shy, I'm pretty sure all of us have been there at some point. What if I told you I could make your Ramen taste better than just noodles with seasoned salt? OK, sure I wouldn't eat it unless I really had to, but at least now it tastes like an actual meal!

I present to y'all,

For Teriyaki Ramen
What you'll need:
*based on one serving / one packet of Ramen
  • 1 Packet Oriental flavor Ramen
  • Spoonful of Grape jelly
  • 2 Tsp (approx) of Sugar
  • (optional) 1 Tsp of Instant coffee
What you'll do: 
+ Boil a pot of water & cook noodles as normal. I really hope y'all know how to boil noodles! If not, please google! ha.
+ Drain most of the water off the noodles. Leaving enough to mix with the seasoning packet (included) Return noodles back to pot for mixing
+ Mix jelly, sugar, coffee, and seasoning packet until well blended
+Enjoy!

*For a little something extra, you can throw in some peanuts for more flavor and some crunch!

*Now, I don't like my Ramen super soupy, so these can be adjusted depending on how much water you like in yours. These directions are based on my preferences. 

Now, what if teriyaki isn't your favorite? Not a problem!!

Cheeseburger Ramen! 
What you'll need:
*based on one serving / one packet of Ramen
  • 1 Packet Beef flavor Ramen
  • 1 spoonful Ketchup
  • 1/2 spoonful Mayonnaise
  • 1 spoonful Mustard
  • 2 Tsp Pickle juice
  • Handful Crushed up cheese-its (or orginal Doritos, because we didn't have cheese-its... Improv, people, it's how I roll!) 
What you'll do:
+ Cook the noodles, just like above!
+ Drain most of the water off the noodles. Leaving enough to mix with the seasoning packet (included) Return noodles back to pot for mixing
+ Mix everything together until well-blended!
+ Enjoy!

What's the last meal you spiced up with a few changes?

And now, I'd like to introduce another one of my amazing
Mama Llama sponsors! So don't run off just yet! 

I'm so happy to have Kerri from Hey Herri Blog on my sidebar this month! Her blog is so fun, and I really wish Canada wasn't so far away so we could maybe get to meet!
Take it away, Kerri!!

Describe yourself in four words. 
Adventurous
Girly
Organzied
Caring


 I really love your blogging style. What made you start blogging?
Thank you! I wish I could remember exactly how I stumbled into the *lifestyle* blogging world because for the last four years I only ever thought of blogs being beauty and style related. All I remember is it was Erin's blog Living in Yellow sometime last spring then I found Anne's blog from Love the Here & Now. Before that I had a blog created (after trying and failing at being beauty related) but was completely intrigued by the whole lifestyle concept, I decided I wanted to give it a try. Anne's blog is actually what pushed me to take my own seriously and made me realize it was actually something I wanted to do - boy am I glad I found her blog :)

You're a new addition to the crayon box. Which color would you be, and why?
Ouuuuuuuu, this is a good question! I'm going to go with a deep jet black that has gorgeous hues of different colored glitter when the light hits it.

But not the chunky glitter that makes it really hard to color with and scrapes the paper - more like I finely milled sprinkle of sparkle.

Can we call it Midnight Magic as well? ((editor's note: YES! good answer!))


What's the best advice you've ever gotten about blogging? 
"Never hit publish on a post that you wouldn't want to read yourself." -This is something that I try to take into consideration with everything I write. ((editor's note: This is a good one and I would agree!))

What's your favorite movie quote?
"You know, I really thought it was that can't-eat, can't-sleep, reach-for-the-stars, over- the-fence, World Series kind of stuff." - It Takes Two.

THIS QUOTE WILL NEVER GROW OLD! And now I want to watch every Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen movie!


If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? 
Hands down chicken stir fry with extra water chestnuts! I don't think I could ever get sick of that meal. Chicken is the only *meat* I eat, honey garlic sauce is amazzzzzzing plus simmered vegetables are drool worthy.

And it may or may not be one of the only meals I can make without ruining ;)


Isn't she so fun, y'all? I just love her AND her blog! Who wants to join together to go see her in Canada?
Want more HKB? follow along!


 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Friday, February 27, 2015

Easy Monkey Cupcakes : Pinterest Win!

As y'all may recall, I promised to make Monkey Cupcakes for Zander's birthday. I also promised to share the outcome. And the verdict is, Monkey Cupcakes were an overall pinterest win!

In true blogger form, I felt the need to break down the original pin and compare it to what I actually did. Here's what I pinned.

Starting off, this gal wants you to make your own cupcakes by hand. Sorry but, ain't nobody got time for dat! This mama has never been one to make cupcakes from scratch.  Cooking is my forte... not baking. So, to prevent a disaster in Kitchen Camacho, I opted for a cake mix from a box.
You can see the other ridiculousness she calls out for on the post.

On Monday, I did a practice run on the decorating part of the cupcakes. Lucky for me this past weekend my mother in law brought cupcakes for a mini birthday celebration with Zander so I had those to practice on! My mistake with the practice was I forgot to use the nilla wafer for the face. Instead, I drew on the face. Clearly my piping skills are less than desirable.
This is why we practice!  
So here's what I actually used:

  • 1 box cake mix (plus what the cake mix called for to bake!) 
  • 2 tubs chocolate frosting. I only used one, but the extra was just in case!
  • Chocolate graham crackers. I used 1 and a half sleeves. 
  • Nilla wafers
  • Orange frosting for piping. Or whatever color you want the mouths to be. Zander wanted orange.
  • Candy Eyeballs. These can be found at Wal-Mart!

Chocolate Dust! 


What I did:
+ Bake cupcakes as directed per the cake mix box.
While the cupcakes were baking, I started prepping the decorating stuff. This took quite a bit of time. Lucky for me once the cupcakes were done baking they still had to cool before I could start decorating. (Pro tip: if you're doing this with your kids, there WILL be a mess and cookies WILL go missing. Also, the kids will be asking 15,472 times if the cupcakes are done and if they can eat them.)

Decorating prep included:
+ Crush graham crackers into chocolate dust. For this I used my food processor. (pictured above). It was much faster and easier than crushing by hand. It also made the dust finer. This is my substitute for the "chocolate sanding sugar" that the original post called for.

+ Cut 24 nilla wafers in halves for ears on each monkey.
Pro tip: I used a serrated knife & sawed the nilla wafers to cut them in halves. I found when I used a non serrated knife and tried to chop them in half, they basically crumbled or flew across the kitchen!

+ Drew smiles and noses on whole nilla wafers for the monkey face.

Assembly: 
Once the cupcakes were cool, I frosted them with the chocolate frosting.
Each cupcake was then dipped into the graham cracker dusting to give the look of "fur"... now here's the hard part. When you do this, the frosting loses its stickiness. I learned this the hard way.

In order to stick the halved nilla wafers on the sides for ears, I had to spread a little frosting on them.
Place the smiley face nilla wafers where the nose and mouth would go. (I had to do the frosting trick here too.)

Put two candy eyeballs above the mouth wafer. These sat in nicely without any extra frosting.
And VOILA! Monkey!

Definitely a win. I won't know until Zander comes home from school today if they were a hit with the kids. I should have known yesterday ON his birthday, but silly Georgia CLOSED Walton County schools for "severe weather". Which is dumb because we weren't affected by the "winter storm" at all. So I'll let y'all know how they went over with the other kids.
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

(Really Awesome) Spinach Coated Chicken

It's no secret around here, I'm not a professional food blogger and I'm really bad about taking pictures to share amazing recipes. However, there is the brief moment where I shine through and remember to document experiments in the kitchen!

For this particular recipe, I was inspired by the mayonnaise commercial that tells you to coat the chicken in mayo and then top with bread crumbs. Apparently to keep the chicken moist or something like that. Whatever the commercial said. Clearly I paid attention. 

I did a little google search on that recipe and found this one: "Amazing Chicken Recipe"
I, however took a twist on it. Mostly because I *ahem* ran out of mayo. Oops. Improv to the rescue in Kitchen Camacho!

What You'll Need:
  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves. 
  • A Spoonful of mayonnaise. 
  • 1/2 cup Spinach Dip of your choice
  • 2 Cups Seasoned bread crumbs * 
** I used my homemade Seasoned Breadcrumbs
  • Garlic, Salt & Pepper to season chicken. (season to taste). 
What To Do: 
+ Pre-heat your oven to 425
+ Grease a shallow baking dish
+ In a small bowl, mix the mayo and spinach dip
+ Season your chicken and coat with the dip mixture
+ Roll your coated chicken in the bread crumbs
+ Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the chicken isn't pink & the juices run clear. 
Enjoy! 
The whole family loved this dish. It paired well with mixed veggies! 
Do you ever have to improvise with recipes to make sure dinner gets on the table?
 photo featured sponsor2_zpsov6ixzlo.jpg

 photo TRLSigNov2014_zps7a838dc4.png

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Food Before One... Just for Fun


Here's something that's sure to spark a debate if you're into that sort of thing:
 "When to introduce food to your baby". 

If you were to ask, 10 different moms, I can almost guarantee the answers will be all over the map. There will be a handful that will say "I gave my baby food at three months and he/she is just fine." Then there will be the ones that swear by the "no food before 6 months 'rule'". And of course others that will say "Food before one is just for fun". This is one of the beautiful things about being a mom. The kids are YOURS!! You get to pick when it's right for your own child, and not have to worry about what the "rules" are. (Seriously though, why are there even still rules? Can't we get past those?)

I'm here today to share my experiences with both kids, because quite honestly... both kids were fed very differently.

Zander was a "jar- food" baby. He had the baby cereal / baby oatmeal mixed with the jars of baby food. Baby mush. He was also my formula-fed baby. I tried to breastfeed him, but I was a first time mom, I wasn't properly informed, and it just didn't work out. YES, I was super guilty about it then, but now (looking back), at least he was FED! Baby's gotta eat, right? Right.
When he was three months old, Josh and I realized he was drinking a LOT of formula. We also thought this meant he was still hungry. So ignoring everything the doctors said, we fed him some baby cereal and veggies. HE LOVED IT! Sure, it took a few weeks for him to get over the tongue reflex where all babies just push the food right back out, but he eventually figured it out.

Here come all of the nasty comments about how "he wasn't ready!" Trust me, I've heard them all... give me your best shot! lol.
1 year old Zander enjoying some peas. 
Ainsley was a completely different story. She was my breastfed baby. We exclusively breastfed for 7 months. At 7 months, pumping at work got a little more difficult for me and we had to introduce formula; at that point she was combo fed with formula and breast milk.

We waiting to introduce food to Ainsley until she was 6 months old. We also didn't introduce baby cereal or jars of baby food. We went the "baby led weaning" route. It's a common way to introduce babies to food in the UK and overseas. In my mind, I wanted to go this way because I didn't want to buy extra food, and if she could eat what we ate, then all the better!

I read a TON about baby led weaning before we reached the 6 month mark. I started with softer foods, but from what I read I didn't have to. Again... all about your gut and your choices, moms.
Ainsley was fed avocados, sweet potatoes, etc. Just not in the jar form.
8 month old Ainsley munching on a waffle
In Ainsley's case, the "food before one just for fun" was definitely the case. She was NOT interested in food. She mostly played with it when we offered her anything. Occasionally, like the pictures above and below she would eat something, but it wasn't always the case. We also learned that she had a slight egg allergy at 6 months old when we tried scrambled eggs. This was also something she grew out of. Now she just doesn't like eggs at all. Stuff like that you can't learn from books or doctors. You learn by doing.
It's just like I continuously say in here. You have to go with your gut. For Zander, he was (and still is) my food baby. He rarely turns anything down. Ainsley just isn't that interested in food. Then, or now.
10 month old Ainsley eating a burrito. 
I'm just blessed that we were able to do what we wanted with both kids. Both kids are happy and healthy. I'm not trying to say you have to do what we did. I'm only sharing my experiences and hoping that y'all realize it's OK to do different things with different kids... even when those kids are your own! HA!
20 Month Ainsley enjoying Banana ice cream
If you're a mom - when did you introduce foods to your kid(s). I'd love to hear!