March Mums 07 Cooking Chat

[library-laksa]

OK SO... this is a chat thread to talk about baby food ideas and advice for our March bubbas :chef: :chef: :chef:


thought we could start with some info on what our bubs currently eat so we can get some new ideas :D

i have the womans weekly cookbook for babies & toddlers, also a great little booklet 'the yummy scrummy in your tummy cookbook' which i will post some recipes from. its given me heaps of ideas for different combinations!

[jaxcoop]

:wave: i want that book! i went looking the other day and couldn't find it!
ok so cooper is eating jar and tin food (:shame:) buttttt......i made him a apple & oatmeal thingy yesterday and i got a 1/2 :thumbsup:! He loves the jar stuff, can't get enough of it! he loves all the fruity ones. he's not real keen on the custards which is probably a good thing. He also loves his pumpkin and carrott to.

great thread libary-laska :thumbsup: i will be back!!

[library-laksa]

:chef: how do you cook for bub? pre-prepare or make when you make your own meals?
ok so what we do is make batches of fruit & veg purees, freeze them in ice cubes trays so i have a nice row of labelled freezer bags and i just mix'n'match! i usually take food out to defrost every 2nd night but i could just heat it if i needed it straight away...

what foods has bub had?
we have tried apple, pear, carrot, zucchini, sweet potato, potato, pumpkin, cauli. just started with fish and tonight we are doing beef. he also eats fresh mashed banana, avocado (or both together "bananocado" :)) and yoghurts. for snacks, he loves milk arrowroot or rusks or fruit in the mesh thing (banana, mandarin, gonna try kiwi fruit next)
i'm a bit unsure on dairy so he's only had yoghurt, no custards etc.

Harps' usual food day
BREAKFASTapple+pear puree with vanilla yoghurt OR farex, then a milk arrowroot
LUNCHveg puree or avocado+natural yoghurt "baby guacomole" or "bananocado"
DINNERveg/meat puree, then fruit and/or yoghurt
SNACKS milk arrowroots, rusks, fruit in mesh thing

if we're out for meals, sometimes i take defrosted puree or sometimes the heinz organic or only organic jars of veg. i've also had a couple of the fruits (sometimes mixed with yoghurt), he likes them! he's had pear+apricot swirl & rhubarb+polento duo. i tasted them, they are nice lol :o

:confused: how much are your babies eating? sometimes H only has a few mouthfuls but other times 3 cubes of veg and then fruit+yoghurt too!

[library-laksa]

PUREE COMBOS/RECIPES

~steam/stew/boil fruit&veg then puree (optional: blend with breastmilk or formula)~
i steam them in the microwave then use a hand blender with a chopper attachment...

VEGIE COMBOS
pumpkin, sweet potato, broccoli
pumpkin, carrot, apple
zucchini, yellow squash, potato
green beans, sweet potato
green beans, yellow squash, potato
pumpkin, potato
cauli, carrot
cauli, potato, carrot
avocado, pumpkin
broccoli, potato

FRUIT COMBOS
melon, banana
papaya, banana
apple, pear
pear, peach
avocado, banana
avocado, apple

Chicken, zucchini & parsnip puree
1 chicken breast fillet (170g)
2 sml zucchini (180g)
1 sml parsnip (120g)
~chop veg coarsely, boil in 310ml water until veg soften and chicken cooked through
~blend or process until smooth.

Beef, carrot & sweet potato puree
150g beef rump steak, diced into 3cm pieces
1/2 sweet potato (125g)
1 large carrot (180g)
~chop veg coarsely, boil in 375ml water until veg soften and beef cooked through.
~blend or process until smooth.

Poached fish puree OR mash
1 piece boneless white fish
2-3 tbsp breastmilk or formula
~place fish in sml saucepan, cover with water. bring to boil, simmer until fish is white & firm
~cut or flake fish into small pieces, mix with milk then mash or puree depending on your baby
~serve with pureed veg

OK i'm on a roll now with the typing. Al took Harper and put him to bed coz i am all sick sitting up in bed so i'll post this then some of the 7-8 month recipes, they look yummy! :chef:

[library-laksa]

7-8 month recipes

the booklet i have says to start making their food lumpier to encourage chewing with gums and any teeth they might have! in a couple of weeks, i am going to try to start doing more steamed veg for myself then just mash some up for Harper... (the mash can be frozen up to a month too!)

VEGIE MASH IDEAS
asparagus, beans, parsnip, peas, cabbage, button mushrooms, leek

FRUIT MASH IDEAS
apple, prune, apricot, blueberry, grape (seedless), mandarin, mango, papaya, peach, strawberry *Please note that the current recommendation for introducing strawberries is after a baby has reached 12 months of age*

MASH COMBOS
mixed veg topped with 1tbsp finely grated tasty cheese
leek and mushroom (3:1)
strawberry, blueberry + yoghurt (natural or vanilla) *Please note that the current recommendation for introducing strawberries is after a baby has reached 12 months of age*
pumpkin + sweet corn (mashed canned creamed corn)
peach + apricot

Banana with semolina
~blend 2tsp ground semolina & 80ml water in small saucepan. stir over heat til mixture boils and thickens. cool to room temp.
~push bananas through sieve into bowl
~combine 1tbsp each banana puree and semolina to serve

Fruity porridge
~cook 1/4 cup quick cook oats and 3/4 cup breastmilk or formula over gentle heat, stir until thick and looks creamy. add any combination of pureed fruit.

Baby guacamole
~mash 1/2 avocado and mix with 1tbsp natural yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon juice to desired consistency. optional: add rice cereal.

[kel2boys]

Ohhhh Michaela I love this thread.....
does that make you feel better LOL :p

No really great idea! Will def. get some ideas....

We are pretty boring atm, just pot/pump/carrot/chicken or pot/pump/zucchini and for fruit its just apple/pear, yog/banana, baby muesli/formula.
Mesh dummy is pear, banana, grapes, rockmelon.

Thats about it - looking foward to being more adventurous:yes: :)

I shall go searching for some receipes...............

[AquaDevil78]

:thumbsup: Thread LL... i'm too tired and blugh to think of anything right now except Antonio loves Rock Melon, mash half up in it's on skin (makes a great bowl - easy to clean) :laughing:

Will write some recipes tomorrow tho :yes:

[Gigglesmum]

I have bought 2 books by Lucy Burney that a few of my friends used as their bibles when starting their bubs on solids, "Boost Your Child's Immune System" & "Optimum Nutrition for Babies & Young Children". I was only able to get the books off the internet, bought from Amazon.

Burney has recommended that if a person is to eat any organic food in their life, the best time is their first foods.

These books have taken all of the guess work out for me, and have given me a meal plan for the first month and lots of recipes up until they are teenagers! The first 2 weeks I started Maia on one meal a day. Just one food at a time for 2 days. Today I started breakfast, organic brown rice porridge & pear puree. She has been loving her food! :thumbsup: I am slowly stocking the fridge with the organic cubes of vegies & fruit.

[Gigglesmum]

Here is one recipe from Lucy Burney's "Boost Your Child's Immune System".

Blueberry & Apple Puree
Blueberries contain antibacterial compounds called anthocyanidins, which are particularly effective against some forms of E. coli bacteria, the main culprits in tummy upsets.

Makes about 20 cubes.
1 kg bag organic eating apples
1 punnet organic blueberries
filtered water for steaming

Peel, core and chop the apples. Wash the blueberries well. Steam the fruit together for 10-12 minutes until nice and soft, then puree to desired consistency.

[Gigglesmum]

Just in regards to library-laksa's fruit mash ideas, it is recommended not to start bubs on citrus fruits until they are 1 yrs & not to start on strawberries until 2 yrs do to high allergy foods.:no:

[nemosmum]

OH WOW!:)
Micheala Harpers having heaps of "real" food can I ask how much milk is having also?:detective:

Iris is still on 99% boobie milk and only has apple/pear puree once a day (sometimes shes not even interested in that so just has bm)


I cant wait to till she can have more stuff but for now its good as gold breast milk with a dash of apple and pear
:D

[library-laksa]

hey Sarah, he's still having 6-8 breastfeeds! piggy... you'd think he'd be fatter!!

[nemosmum]

W O W thats heaps wheres he putting it all???? hahahahaha:detective:

[library-laksa]

Just in regards to library-laksa's fruit mash ideas, it is recommended not to start bubs on citrus fruits until they are 1 yrs & not to start on strawberries until 2 yrs do to high allergy foods.:no:
thanks for that info, i will do some more research :)

[library-laksa]

the below from the wholesome baby food website, i will add a note to the recipe.


Strawberries
Please note that the current recommendation for introducing strawberries is after a baby has reached 12 months of age. Many infants are introduced to strawberries earlier than 12 months old; most often when they have been eating Stage 2 commercial baby foods.
Most pediatric resources will tell you to hold off on introducing strawberries until a baby is between 10-12 months of age. The early end of this age range takes into account the non-food sensitive and non-allergic baby. We urge you consult your personal pediatrician when it comes to introducing potential allergenic foods. As mentioned, there are some infants who are clearly not food-sensitive and your pediatrician might give the go-ahead for foods at an age earlier than the commonly recommended age.

The book Managing Food Allergy and Intolerance, (published for Health Care Professionals and The General Public) indicates introducing strawberries between 12 months and 24 months of age for the allergic/allergy prone infant. If you have any concerns regarding the introduction of strawberries (or other potentially allergenic foods) please consult your pediatrician!
Strawberries are acidic and may prompt rashes even in the infant who is not food-sensitive. When you do introduce strawberries, we would recommend introduction of a very small amount to begin with. Strawberries need only be mashed and served or cut into tiny pieces and served as finger food.