FEEDING BABIES. PART 2

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

When I titled my last post on feeding babies as "part 1," I honestly thought the series would begin and end there. Just Part 1. Thanks for humoring me. But it turns out a good number of you enjoyed those notes I had mustered from feeding Curran and said you were looking forward to said series. So here we are! Our little guy is a huge part of my everyday life and feeding him consumes a good part of his waking hours so I'm learning things along the way.

For frame of reference, Curran is almost one year old (what?! I know). From about 6 to 9 months old I could get him to eat a puree of just about anything. I assumed I had the worlds greatest eater, I coudn't mash up my greens and lentils fast enough, and then he learned he could say no. Around 10 months he got a little more opinionated and now turns his head and spits things out so we are compromising - you still have to eat fruits and vegetables but everyone is entitled to not like things. I try things out a few times, with days between, before I take his refusals seriously. I usually have better luck with things he can pick up himself (cue the baby-led weaning advocates) so am including a few recipes here for finger foods that work well for us and a smoothie for good measure. Again, I know each baby is different. I got away with throwing steamed vegetable cubes on his tray for a couple weeks but he has since caught on that those things are straight up boring and I don't blame him. But you should still try it before your mini person wises up. He was crazy about blueberries for a week and now won't touch them. I think giving things a break keeps them from burning out and then you can try again. I am not a master, but appreciate other moms sharing ideas and feedback so I figured I would throw my two cents in. 

When we were on the road, I used some store-bought organic baby food squeezer packs and he loved (loves) them. Great in a pinch, no junky fillers, but I still find it much more cost effective and less wasteful to make food for him myself. I bought these reusable Squooshi packs and we both get what we want. Other things I find easy for on the go are the Dr. Praegers vegetable patties (they are in the frozen section at Trader Joe's, Whole Foods and other grocery stores, and I just let them thaw in the fridge or my bag), clementines and mandarins, blueberries, cooked rice-pasta (the fusilli shape are easy to grab). These are the things I throw in my purse when we head down to the park or are running errands and I know we'll be out awhile. Nothing ground breaking but the gamut of finger foods for someone with limited teeth is trickier than I thought. Anyway. Included are some niblets that Curran will eat (for now) and I hope this may help a few of you out in your quest to feed your little one well. 

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

Green Smoothie

Makes 2 small

I give him half and then save the other half in the fridge and it keeps just fine for a day or two. The trick to not having chunky greens is blending them alone with your liquid of choice until they are completely smooth. Like spinach milk. Then you add in the rest of the ingredients to blend. Both spinach and romaine are considered 'sweet' greens so their flavor adds no bitterness here. 

• 1 cup baby spinach and/or romaine
• 3/4 cup coconut water or almond milk, as needed
• 1 ripe pear, cored
• 1/2 cup frozen mango
• 1/4 of an avocado

Into a blender, combine the spinach/romaine and your liquid of choice. Run the blender until the greens are completely blended in. Add the pear, mango, avocado and more liquid as needed and blend until smooth. 

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Mini Sweet Potato Muffins

Makes two dozen minis

I made these for Curran but Hugh has eaten half of them so don't perceive these as strictly kid food. They have no processed sweeteners, so the banana and bit of maple keep these just sweet enough for your little person. Pumpkin puree will work in place of the sweet potato flesh if you have that handy.

• 1 large, extra ripe banana
• 2 eggs
• flesh of one small steamed or roasted sweet potato (about 1/3 cup)
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil or warmed coconut oil
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/3 cup almond meal
• 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• turbinado sugar, to sprinkle on top

Preheat the oven to 360'. In a large mixing bowl, mash up the banana with the back of a fork. Add the eggs and whisk well to mix. Add the sweet potato flesh, salt, cinnamon, vanilla, maple and olive or coconut oil and whisk to blend well. Add the whole wheat, almond flour, oats and baking soda and mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix. 

Grease a mini muffin tin well with coconut oil spray or butter. Fill each well 3/4 full and sprinkle a little turbinado on top because even if you don't want them eating a lot of sugar, you have a heart and it's just a teeny bit. This makes two trays full. Bake for 16-18 minutes until just done. Wiggle them out of the holes to let them cool. 

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Black Bean + Green Bites

Makes two dozen

The first time I made these, Curran loved them. Now it depends on the day. If your baby likes yogurt or hummus, put a little dollop on top of these and it helps hide the green flavor. Parmesan cheese is very low in lactose so even for dairy sensitive babies, this shouldn't cause much of an issue.

• 6 ounces baby spinach (or any other tender green)
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4-1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup flaxmeal
• 1 cup cooked and drained black beans
• pinch of salt and garlic powder

Just barely steam the spinach. Let it cool and squeeze out the excess water. Into a food processor, add the squeezed spinach, egg, olive oil, parmesan, flaxmeal and beans, and a pinch of salt and garlic powder. Pulse a few times to combine. Preheat the oven to 375'. Line your baking tray with parchment. With damp hands, roll the mixture into small 1/2" balls and place them on the baking tray. Bake for 12-15 minutes to cook and remove to cool. The bites will keep for a week in the fridge or half may be frozen. 

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

Baby Food II . Sprouted Kitchen

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FEEDING BABIES. PART 1

Baby Food . Sprouted Kitchen

My sweet boy! I love this first photo because if you peek beneath the table, that is Curran mid leg flail. When he gets in his little eating seat he starts swinging his legs around like he's getting ready for take off. The kid is quite the enthusiastic eater and it may be one of my favorite qualities about him. In his limited communication skills, when he is not kicking his legs, he is squawking at me to feed him quicker and not dare leave my post as spoon manager.

I know this post will only appeal to a fraction of you, but when I started making baby food I figured it'd be no big deal. I cook, I can mash up food. But turns out it does take a second thought. It's not necessarily rocket science, but I figure the more I expose him to now, before he realizes he has a choice, the better. I'm not a master by any means, but thought I would share a few notes that have worked for us in case they may be helpful for anyone else. Curran is almost 8 months old and pretty close to eating the same things we're eating (generally speaking) but here are a few things I've learned so far:

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- I've mostly been using my immersion blender to get things smooth. I know there is special equipment to make baby food but I think that's a gimmick. Outside of baby food, I use my immersion blender for soups all the time and think it's a great tool to have. 

- To not make myself crazy and feel like a short order cook, I try to have one bulk baby food session that gets us through most of the week, maybe takes me an hour if I have the groceries. A little squeeze of lemon juice preserves them for a week no problem. I prepare a decent size container for the fridge and freeze another small bag full for back up. Then sometimes when I make meals for Hugh and I, Curran has some of whatever we're having to try new things. For example, I made us a minestrone soup a few nights ago and just whizzed some with the immersion blender for him. It sounds obvious, but babies can get bored of foods too, so giving them some of yours changes things up AND it starts the habit of everyone eating the same thing. 

- I can get Curran to eat most things but if I've made him something he's not thrilled about, I just hide it in with something he does like so I don't waste it. He will eat anything with a sweet potato or banana so I make the super green mash below and while he doesn't love it plain, mixed into a little potato or banana, I can get tons of greens into him. 

- On the go. I was gifted these and they work great. Hold a decent amount and don't leak. Bananas have also saved me in a pinch and you don't even need a container. I just slice it in half and dig out of the banana itself like it's own little bowl. Because I mentioned he is a yeller when he's hungry, I also keep the Happy Baby snacks (the happy creamies and puffs) in my bag. It also helps him pick things up. And speaking of feeding himself, halved blueberries, ripe pears, bananas and avocados have gone over well. Roll them in flaxmeal, oat flour or crushed rice cereal to keep them from getting too slimy to grab or just expect a mess and be ok with it. 

The recipes below are general amounts. A mash can be pretty forgiving but it's always easier to add water than take it away. If you've made it too thin, a little mashed sweet potato can help thicken things back up. 

Baby Food . Sprouted Kitchen

CARROT LENTIL MASHIES // Makes about 2 cups

I've used turmeric in here but it stains both his fair skin and clothes so use at your own discretion. 

• 1/2 cup water
• 4 large carrots
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 cup cooked lentils
• 1/2 tsp. everyday seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, cilantro or parsley
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 Tbsp. coconut oil

Boil the carrots and garlic clove in the water until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils, seasoning, herbs and salt and pepper. Use the immersion blender to puree chunky or smooth as you need. Stir in the coconut oil while it is still warm. 

BERRY OATS // Makes 2 cups

I can leave this chunky for Curran's age. If your baby is younger, blend it with an immersion blender after you add the coconut milk. I also add flax meal but know that can sometimes be an allergen so add when appropriate. I also eat this in the morning on occasion so doubling it has never gone to waste.

• 2 cups water
• 3/4 cup old fashioned oats
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 1 cup fresh or frozen berries, slightly mashed
• pinch of salt and cinnamon

Bring the water to a boil and add the oats. Cook until softened and most water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and berries and cook another 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in the salt and cinnamon.

Baby Food . Sprouted Kitchen

SUPER GREEN MASHIES // Makes 2 cups

You want to steam everything until just soft enough to blend but not to the point it gets brown and mushy. Just keep an eye. A squeeze of lemon helps it stay fresh. Double this recipe if you want a bag full for the freezer. Curran doesn't love this plain, but I sort of use it as a concentrate of goodness to mix into other things. I put a spoonful or two with some mashed avocado and he eats it no problem, or I'll just mix it into any other food he's eating. More greens the better!

• 1 cup water
• 1/3 lb. green beans
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1/2 a pear, roughly chopped
• 2 cups packed spinach
• 2 cups roughly chopped kale

Bring the water to a gentle boil. Add the green beans and broccoli and boil for 2 minutes. Add the pear, spinach, kale, cover and steam another 2 minutes until wilted. Add a squeeze of lemon and blender everything until chunky/smooth. 

SQUASHY QUINOA // Makes 2 cups

I roast whole acorn, butternut or kabocha squash and mash half for him and I eat the other half for lunch. To roast, preheat to 400', halve the squash, scoop out the seeds, rub the flesh with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper and roast for about 25-35 minutes depending on the squash. Whatever it takes until very soft. 

Goat dairy is much easier for them to digest than cows milk. They sell it at Trader Joes, Whole Foods and health food stores.

• 1 half a roasted acorn squash
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup goat yogurt
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• grate of fresh nutmeg
• pinch of salt and pepper

Scoop out the squash flesh and mash it with a fork. Stir in the quinoa, yogurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir to blend. Thin it with a little water if the mash is looking super thick. 

Baby Food . Sprouted Kitchen

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