The Baby Foodie

Picky Eater Tip: Baby Food Squeeze Pouches

Perhaps you have seen this new way of packaging baby food, in little squeeze pouches.  Well in some ways it is kind of brilliant.  If you are really on the go and don't have utensils or a bib you can just squeeze the food into your little ones mouth.  In all truth I never had much need for them until recently.  My little guys is mostly beyond completely pureed foods and well I made most of his baby food but that is not the case for the little girl that I babysit about 4 days a week.  She is a picky eater and I consider it my mission to get her to try new foods and textures but sometimes she just won't try anything.  So her mom showed me these pouches and low and behold she will eat anything in a squeeze pouch, I mean anything -broccoli with peas, rutabaga, pumpkin you name it and they have it.  Now I am not saying you should only feed your child from squeeze pouches, I work daily on utensil use with her, as well as, broadening her pallet but I have to give a bit of credit to the creators of these little pouches- they are kind of amazing.  

 So, if you little one is on an eating hiatus and you struggle with getting the healthy food in give these a try.  There are several companies that make them, mostly organic.  I have even thought of taking some of my homemade purees and putting them into a pastry bag with an icing tip attached and making my own.  I think as long as you hold the bag and do the squeezing this just might work.  Who knows it's just a thought.  

 

Great Coupon Website

I just found this website and I love the money saving tips and select your own coupons.  If you have second and want to save a few bucks check it out. 

http://www.mommysavers.com/

Slow Cooker Family Meal- Indian Stew

I got this recipe from Better Homes and Garden but I wanted to share- it is really tasty.  I did modify it a bit by adding a mixture of 2 different curries but that was my only modification.  Serve it with rice and Naan, you can sometimes find Naan in the freezer section of your grocery or pick some up from you local Indian restaurant.  My 14 month old son loved the garbanzo beans and the chicken, which comes out so tender you can cut it with a fork.  Don't be afraid of giving your little ones curry, it is such a super food and on its own it really isn't spicy hot.  Just think children in India eat it all the time. 

slow cooker indian chicken stew

Prep: 15 minutes

Slow Cook: 4 to 5 hours (high) or 8 to 10 hours (low)

ingredients

2  lb.  skinless, boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces

1  medium  onion, chopped

3  cloves  garlic, minced

5  tsp.  curry powder

2  tsp.  ground ginger

1/2  tsp.  salt

1/4  tsp.  ground black pepper and/or cayenne pepper

2  15-oz. cans  garbanzo beans (chickpeas), rinsed and drained

2  14.5-oz. cans  diced tomatoes, undrained

1  cup  chicken broth

1  bay  leaf

2  Tbsp.  lime juice

1  9-oz. pkg.  fresh spinach (optional)

    Hot cooked rice (optional)

directions

1. Lightly coat a 6-quart slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray or oil. Add chicken, onion, and garlic to the slow cooker. Add curry powder, ginger, salt, and pepper to the slow cooker. Toss to coat. Stir in drained beans, undrained tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on high-heat setting 4 to 5 hours or low-heat setting 8 to 10 hours.

2. Stir lime juice into cooked stew. Stir spinach leaves into stew and let stand 2 to 3 minutes to wilt. Serve with rice. Makes 8 (about 1-1/2 cup) servings.

Quick Toddler Meal Idea

Sometimes you just need to put food on the table that doesn't make you cringe, too much, and has some nutritional value without spending lots time preparing it.  My go to quick toddler meal is microwaving some Cascadian Farm Organic Winter Squash, opening a can of organic canned chicken and dicing up some fruit.  The canned chicken is flaky so little ones with only a few teeth can usually eat it without any problem and as I stated in the previous post you just can't go wrong with the frozen winter squash.  It's not a glamorous meal but it hits some main food groups, my kiddo loves it and it takes about 8 minutes from start to finish.

 

Tip of the Week: Time Saving Squash

Squash, one of the staples of a baby food diet.  It is naturally smooth and sweet and comes in a variety of shapes and sized.  My son has been a fan from day one, but it does take a bit of time to prepare and when in a hurry I often turned to the jarred variety.  Until the day I discovered Cascadian Farm frozen Winter Squash, absolutely delicious straight from the microwave and is cheaper per ounce then most organic jarred baby foods, especially if you catch it on sale.   No additives just really tasty squash and the best part is you can serve it to the whole family or add it to just about anything your cooking for dinner.  Heat and Enjoy!

Have started babysitting a little girl the same age as J. 4 days a week. Sorry for the lack of post, I'm still getting used to the schedule. Will post later this week.

Sautéed Veggies with Rice

 

This recipe can vary depending on what veggies you have available and your child's taste. 

1.  Prep your vegetables by washing, trimming tough parts, and chopping into small pieces.  I left a bit of the skin on my zucchini because i was preparing this for an older infant.  For new eaters please remove all skins, seeds and tough parts. I chose carrots, zucchini and mushrooms.

2.  Saute lightly in a small amount of olive oil until tender.

3. Transfer to a blender

4.  There is no science to the measurements just use your best judgment and your knowledge of your child's taste and age.

5.  Add a scoop of brown rice.  If you do not have some already prepared brown rice you can use brown rice cereal just be sure to mix the cereal first then add to the blender.  I have found that when you add the dry flakes directly to the blender with the veggies you then have to figure out how much water to add and it just doesn't seem to blend as smooth.

6.  Add a tablespoon of cream cheese, it just makes it blend easily and gives it a smoother consistency.

7.  Cool and you are ready to serve or freeze.

Add Ons

-Herbs: maybe a dash of oregano or thyme

- Sour cream or another smooth cheese

-A few diced pieces of chicken

     

Cloth Napkins

Here is a picture of my baby boys first set of cloth napkins.  A 1st birthday present from his Granna, a devoted cloth napkins user.  I mean growing up she used to try to put them in my lunch box for school, not exactly the 'cool' thing to do in the 80's.  She had such a good time at the fabric store picking out the patterns that she couldn't stop and made him about 20 of them, I'm not complaining that just means more time between washes.

Reasons to Use and Love Cloth Napkins 

• If you have ever fed a baby or toddler you know how messy it can get, cloth napkins are super absorbent, can be used like a wash cloth and don't fall apart
• They are Eco-friendly
• They are cheaper then buying a garage full of paper towels
• They can be made in lots of pretty colors and patterns
• They wash easily
• Lets face it they just work better

You can of course buy cloth napkins but if you can sew a straight line or have a good pair of pinking shears you can make them yourself.  These are hemmed around the edges but you could just cut a square of fabric with the pinking shears and that would work just fine.  They may fall apart faster but you should still get several years out of them.  

Cloth Napkins

Here is a picture of my baby boys first set of cloth napkins.  A 1st birthday present from his Granna, a devoted cloth napkins user.  I mean growing up she used to try to put them in my lunch box for school, not exactly the 'cool' thing to do in the 80's.  She had such a good time at the fabric store picking out the patterns that she couldn't stop and made him about 20 of them, I'm not complaining that just means more time between washes.

Reasons to Use and Love Cloth Napkins 

• If you have ever fed a baby or toddler you know how messy it can get, cloth napkins are super absorbent, can be used like a wash cloth and don't fall apart
• They are Eco-friendly
• They are cheaper then buying a garage full of paper towels
• They can be made in lots of pretty colors and patterns
• They wash easily
• Lets face it they just work better

You can of course buy cloth napkins but if you can sew a straight line or have a good pair of pinking shears you can make them yourself.  These are hemmed around the edges but you could just cut a square of fabric with the pinking shears and that would work just fine.  They may fall apart faster but you should still get several years out of them.  

Veggie Fritters From Leftovers

I am a leftovers queen and I love the idea of creating something new from last nights dinner.

These Veggie Fritters are pretty basic, you will need some leftover mashed potatoes, an egg and whatever veggies you want to add or need to use up before they go bad.

The Method

•  
• Dump the leftover mashed potatoes in a bowl -about 1 to 2 cups will do
• Grate vegetables right into the mash potato mixture ( I used a carrot and chives but zucchini, squash or any veggie will do)
• added a handful of homemade bread crumbs and stir together

This is the part where you will just have to let your creativity fly.  Add herbs or cheese whatever you think your little one will enjoy.

Then fry them up in a little veg. oil.  Try to keep them small little pancakes size so that they are easy to handle.  Fry until they are a nice golden brown then lay on some paper towels to soak up the extra oil.

Let them cool and then they are ready to serve.  If you add some sliced fruit or a side of your choice you have a nice little meal or they make a nice snack.