Great Recipes for the picky baby

Tough weeks

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 10:58:00 +0000

I didn't blog for a few weeks now… but I have a good reason :o) my baby-girl have been through a lot in the past few weeks. We had a throat infection...It was a nightmare! Without any warning such as sneezing or coughing, she woke up one night very hot. Dry, without any sweat, that scared me sooo much! We never had any fever previously. My girl was screaming… She was refusing to drink milk or water. So I just sat with her for the rest of the night, applying dump towel on her body. We sat like that, hugging and I crying till her temperature finally subsided. I didn't want to give her a cold shower, because I just didn't want to stress her more, until of course there is absolute need for it. I wasn't prepared at all, and still cursing myself for it, because we didn't have any Tylenol or Ibuprofen in the house! She finally slept for 15 minutes in my hands.
The next morning, after failing to feed her with anything, we went to the doctor. PD prescribed us antibiotics for three days. I thought that will be it… But she woke up again and again for the next two nights with the high fever. Then she started coughing. All those days I will put boiling kettle in her room ( got this tip from one of the forums). Since day one, she wouldn’t sit without me even for a minute. I was carrying her in my hands all the time. My princess didn't eat anything for two days, just some milk and water. I thought I am going to shoot myself. On the third day, she finally had half of banana and toast. On the fourth day, I was desperate and called that doctor again, telling her that our girl didn't eat properly for days. She calmed me down, saying that it’s normal. While I was talking to her on the phone, our son was having his dinner and my baby-girl step down for the first time, to pick up some of pasta from his plate. I just started crying and laughing at the same time.
After that horrid experience, may be three days later, she was teething! Well, we have two molars and one canine came out :o) Hurray!! And… one lower incisor on the way.

Easy muffins recipe for kids

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:18:00 +0000

2 cups of flour.
1/3 cup of vegetable oil.
1/3 cup caster sugar or apple sauce.
1 egg lightly beaten.
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
3/4 cup buttermilk.
1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
150 g of added flavors ( such as pineapple, ripen banana, sweet potatoes, chopped nuts(1 year +), raisins or dry fruits)
Preheat oven to 180 C. In the bowl mix all dry ingredients. In the separate bowl combine all wet ingredients. Then mix it all together and add additional flavors. Scoop it in to greased muffin tins up to 3/4 of a tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
We don't have buttermilk in our supermarkets. Here is the substitute for it. Take 3/4 cup of cow's milk add 1 table spoon of lemon juice or vinegar. Mix it well and wait few minute for milk to curdle.

What i find out about tropical fruits

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 03:43:00 +0000

We’ve been living in Kuala Lumpur for about a year and a half now, and I had that fear of feeding my baby-girl any tropical fruits. I just didn't know, should I or shouldn’t I? Well I found out that most of them are totally safe and nutritious and do not invite any reactions with most babies. My daughter loves all the tropical fruits, especially Papaya. Usually she enjoys it just cut up in pieces. I was surprised that papaya started beating the banana as her most loved fruit!

Generally it is safe to feed tropical fruits at about 8months. Just watch for any reactions to them and as explained before, introduce the types one by one, separating them by a few days.

Papaya is rich in vitamins C, A, E, folate (natural folic acid) and potassium. It is also a good source of fiber.

Here some more tropical fruits nutrition information:

Passion fruit: I gave it to my daughter at 8 months. Just scoop it out and feed with a spoon, or mix into smoothies and purees. Passion fruit is a good source of vitamins C and B. Great source of fiber and Iron too. This fruit has a fantastic aroma, I'm sure your kids will enjoy it.

Pineapple: It's like all citrus fruits, so postpone it till your baby's first birthday. Cut into small pieces or use in smoothies or meats recipes. It's a great source of vitamin C, B1, B6, copper and fiber. It has good anti-inflammatory effects.

Mango: If your baby is younger than 8 months, you may want to steam it gently. Otherwise this fruit is great as it is or mixed with other fruit purees and smoothies. Mango is great source of vitamins C and A.

Star fruit: This fruit is a great source of Potassium, Vitamins C and A. It’s also a good source of fiber and Calcium. You can use it in smoothies, or just cut up to pieces in fruit salads. Offer this fruit at 8 months or so.

Durian: Here in Asia it’s a most beloved fruit, they called "King of fruits". Even though it has a strong and peculiar smell, Some people and most Asians enjoy them so much. I'm not brave enough, but I heard people say it tastes heavenly. Here, little kids enjoys this fruit too. This fruit is a good source of fiber, thiamin, Vitamins B6 and C.

Jack fruit: It's pretty much like Durian, but is far less smelly. I found this fruit tasty, and it is said to have healing qualities. For example it is prescribed by those-in-the-know twice a day for about four days to help treat Urinary Tract Infections. Boiling the root of jack fruit and drinking the tea is a very well known treatment here for controlling Asthma. Also it helps with reducing fever and diarrhea. Besides that it is full of Vitamin C and potassium. Just like Durian, kids enjoy this fruit from an early age.

Kiwi fruit: Researches showed that Kiwi can cause allergic reaction. If your kid is allergic to peanut butter, milk or eggs, then there is a risk to have allergic reactions to Kiwi. Otherwise Kiwi can be introduced at 8 to 10 months. Kiwi fruit is reach in fiber, vitamin C, potassium and folate.

Lychee: Very tasty, sweet and juicy :o) It's Ok to introduce them at 10 months. This fruit is high in vitamin C and Copper. It nice to eat raw as it is, or if you offering this fruit for the first time, you may wish to steam it gently.

Mangosteen: It's purple in color with "seeds" inside it. The flesh is white. The fruit is incredible! It's rich in Vitamins B1, B2, and B6, calcium, potassium and iron. It also packed with antioxidants. Consumption of this juice improves your health overall, decreases pain, improves your immune system and has anti-inflammatory powers. It will be fun for your baby to try something new. You can introduce it at 8 months, as it is, or extract juice out of it.

Persimmon: My all time favorite. :o) We cultivate them in my home country too. Make sure it is ripe, otherwise they are not tasty and quite tangy. There are two types: one is mushy when ripe, other is just like an apple, firm when ripe. Persimmon is packed with vitamin C and contains potassium, iron and calcium. The good age for introduction is 10 months.

Kiddy Fish Pasta Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 10:16:00 +0000

1 White Fish fillet cut in small pieces or 1 small can of chunky tuna.
1 cup hot Whole Milk
1 tablespoon flour.
1 teaspoon of butter.
1/4 cup cauliflower.
1/4 cup mushrooms.
Pinch of Oregano
1 tablespoon fresh cream (optional).
Sea salt (optional)

In the sauce pan, melt the butter on the medium heat. Add flour, and stir for few seconds. Pour in hot milk and continue stirring to avoid lumps. Keep stirring till bubbles appears. Mix in fish and veggies and cook for few minutes till all done.

Pasta with tomato sauce recipe (8 months +)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:49:00 +0000

1 cup of minced meat, chicken grated twice.
1 big tomato minced.
2 tablespoon of tomato paste.
1 onion minced.
1/4 cup of fresh parsley finely chopped.
1/4 cup of fresh basil finely chopped or 1 teaspoon dry.
1 teaspoon dry oregano.
1 clove of garlic minced.
1/4 cup of water or homemade broth.
Pasta cooked. Any shape your kid prefer.
1 tablespoon of olive oil for frying or any other oil.
Grated cheese.
Sea salt an pepper.
Pinch of brown sugar.

In the frying pan or sauce pan place oil over medium heat.
Add onions and fry till golden. Add any of the minced meats. Then add tomato, tomato paste, garlic, spices(parsley, oregano, basil),salt, pepper and sugar. Add liquid to the mixture.
In the cooking process you can add some shredded carrots, zucchini, spinach, or mashed peas too. To get some veggies in their tummies :o)
Bring sauce to boil and cook till meat is tender.
Serve with cooked pasta and sprinkle with your kid favorite cheese.

Homemade sausages recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:32:00 +0000

1 cup of mince beef, lamb or chicken, minced twice.
1/4 cup onions minced.
1/4 cup parsley finely chopped.
1/4 cup of any other veggie you want to add, like zucchini, broccoli, carrots or peas.
Sea salt and pepper.
1 teaspoon of water.

Combine all the ingredients together in the bowl, till well mixed. Form sausages.
You can fry them in little bit of oil or grill them till meat is ready.
Serve with some pasta or make pita bread sandwiches with some green salad and cream in it.

Kiddy noodles recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 08:02:00 +0000

1 chicken boneless breast cut in small pieces, shredded or minced
1/4 cup of mushrooms ( you might want to use shiitake for originality:o)
1/4 cup of broccoli florets
1/4 cup of shredded carrot
1 clove garlic, grated
noddles of your choice.
tip finger of ginger, grated
1 tablespoon of oil for frying
1 teaspoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of oyster sauce
1/2 teaspoon of cornstarch or flour dissolved in 1/4 cup of water

Combine cornstarch and soy sauce with a chicken pieces in the bowl, set a side.
Place oil in the wok or frying pan over medium heat.
Add garlic, ginger, mushrooms and chicken with it sauce.
Stir fry for several minute or until chicken is cooked.
Add carrots, broccoli and continue stir frying for other minute. If too dry add a little liquid like broth or water.
Add oyster sauce, then noodles. Gentle stir fry, turning noodles as you go till well combined.
Enjoy. This recipe won't take more than 15 min.

Green smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:21:00 +0000

1 banana
1/2 cup spinach leaves
1/2 cup frozen broccoli
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup of carrot juice

Blend all of it ind the food processor till well combined and smooth.

Papaya smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:15:00 +0000

1 cup papaya. Peeled, seeded, cut in chunks.
1 banana
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon cream cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
ice

Place all the ingredients in the blender, and blend till creamy.

Apricot and orange smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:59:00 +0000

1 can of apricots in natural juice or handful of fresh apricots, peeled and seeded.
1 cup of fresh orange juice
1 cup yogurt

If you are using canned apricot, drain them and place in the food processor with orange juice and yogurt. Blend till smooth and creamy.

Papaya smoothie
Berry smoothie recipe
Carrot and banana smoothie recipe
Peach smoothie recipe
Kiwi smoothie recipe
Watermelon smoothie recipe
Banana smoothie recipe
Mango smoothie recipe
Green smoothie recipe

Berry smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:55:00 +0000

1 cup of mix berries (fresh or frosen)
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup apple juice
ice

Place all the ingredients in the food processor and blend till smooth.

Carrot and banana smoothie

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:45:00 +0000

1 banana
1 carrot
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of orange or apple juice
crashed ice

Combine and blend all the ingredients together till smooth. Enjoy. One of the best way to feed your kids with veggies without their knowing.

Peach smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:40:00 +0000

1 peach fresh or canned
1 small banana
1 cup fresh orange juice
crashed ice

Place all the ingridients in the blender and blend till smooth.

Kiwi smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:33:00 +0000

2 kiwi
handful of strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 small banana
1 cup yogurt
1/4 orange juice
ice cubes (optional)

Place all fruits, yogurt and juice in the food processor and blend till well combined.

Watermelon smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:25:00 +0000

1 cup watermelon
1/2 raspberries
1 cup fresh orange juice
ice cube (optional)
maple syrup to taste

Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend till smooth consistency.

Healthy banana smoothie recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:17:00 +0000

1 ripe banana
1 handful of strawberries
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup cottage cheese
crashed ice (optional)

Place fruits in the blender and blend till well combined. Top with fresh strawberry.

Banana smoothies recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:48:00 +0000

1 banana
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup strawberries

Blend all ingredients in the blender till frothy and smooth consistency.

Healthy mango smoothie recipes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 04:48:00 +0000

1 ripe mango
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup whole milk
maple syrup to taste (optional)
crashed ice (optional)

Blend all the ingredients in the food processor until smooth and well combined.

Chicken and pumpkin stew recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:44:00 +0000

1 chicken fillet cut in small pieces
1 onion
1 teaspoon butter or veg.oil
1/2 cup of pumpkin
1/2 cup of carrot
1/4 cup of sweet peas. I usually precooked frozen or fresh peas and remove the skin, because my daughter hates it.
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1/2 cup of homemade broth
Precooked pasta
Sea or Rock salt (optional)

Melt some butter in the sauce pan. Add chopped onions and stew them for a while. Mix in chicken, stew it for 5 minutes. Pour in broth and cook chicken till done. Add vegetables continue cooking for other 15 to 20 min. Season with salt and add chopped parsley. Serve on it's own or with some pasta on the side.
You can vary this recipe with all kinds of vegetables. You can use sweet potatoes, parsnips or corn instead.

Eggplants with chicken recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 03:22:00 +0000

Last week winner recipe :o) I discovered that my baby-girl loves taste of fried onions in the butter. I was mixing this dish with cooked vermicelli (or any other little pastas) or brown rice.

Eggplants with chicken.
2 small eggplants
1 small onion chopped
1 teaspoon butter
1 clove garlic (optional)
1/2 carrot finely chopped.
1/2 cup homemade chicken or beef broth.
cooked shredded chicken or beef.
Sea or Rock salt (optional)

Melt butter in the sauce pan. Add chopped onions and stew it for few minutes till soft. Add carrot, garlic and eggplants, stew veggies for a while. Pour in homemade broth and cook until vegetables are soft. Season with little bit of Rock/Sea salt. Mix in pasta or rice.

Why choose organic food for your baby?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:42:00 +0000

To be honest I never was bothered to buy organic food. Everything changed however when my daughter came along. My son grew up on natural food, as we used to have our own garden, and people in my country weren’t much into chemical pesticides treatment 13 years ago. When we shop these days though, we try as much as possible to get organic produce.

Children are more sensitive than adults to toxins, so choosing organic is a way to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, pesticide residues and herbicides. Studies show that, on average, organic food has 95% fewer chemicals than non-organic foods. It also contains more antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

For many parents, the jury is still out on Genetically Modified foods. If it is something you are concerned about, organic food is GM-free.

Don't forget the feel-good factor. Buying and eating them is a real guilt-free pleasure. It's great to know that you're not only helping the environment, you're feeding your family on good, pure food, that tastes better than processed food and has no hidden poisons, which is more than you can say for what you pick up at the average supermarket.

Perhaps one of the most important advantages of organic food is that it is pure nature-grown food. Forget E-numbers, hydrogenated fats, artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, preservatives – none of these additives that are lurking in processed and fast foods, are permitted in organic ones. There are no residual antibiotics, growth hormones or BSE in organic meat, no pesticides in organic milk, and no hidden starch bulking out organic baby food. If you want a diet based on natural food that hasn't been tampered with – think organic.

Apple sauce recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:38:00 +0000

2 red apples
Cinnamon pinch
1/2 teaspoon Brown sugar – optional
2 tablespoon water

De- seed, peel and cut in cubes apples. Put it the pan on the medium fire. Add cinnamon, sugar (optional) and water. Bring it to boil. Cook for 15 min till apples soft.
You can go for a bigger amount and freeze for later. Use apple sauce for dips, sugar substitute in recipes and yummy addition for yogurt and smoothies.

Avocado Dip Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:26:00 +0000

1 ripe medium-size avocado
1 small garlic clove, crushed
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp yogurt or sour cream.
various raw vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cucumber, celery, baby corn, carrots, snow peas
Cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh out of the skin. Transfer the flesh to a blender or processor
and add the garlic, lemon juice, and yogurt. Process until the dip is the consistency you prefer.
Or, you can place the ingredients in a bowl and mash together.
You may want to blanch the snow peas and corn slightly first.

Our one year old baby-girl schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 02:16:00 +0000

8 a.m.: Milk. About 150 ml

8.30 a.m.: Breakfast.

10 a.m.: Snack.

11 a.m.: Snack.

12 noon.: Milk (180 ml) Nap time. Yeah, I know. We don’t eat lunch anymore at this time. I’ve tried so many times :o)

3.30 p.m.: Lunch :o) or should I call Dunch :o)

5 p.m.: Snack.

6 p.m.: Milk. (150 ml)

7.30 p.m.: Dinner.

8.30 -9 p.m.: Milk (190 ml)

I'm still breastfeeding. My milk supplies are getting lesser and lesser though, so I started to mix breast milk with the formula or sometimes with cow's milk. She doesn't like cow's milk on it's own yet.

Toddler On-the-go Meals

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 09:39:00 +0000

One of the best ways to keep your little one happy while you travel in the car, plane or just having a day out at the park, is to bring some healthy tasty snacks along. Spend few minutes to think trough what your child would prefer, to avoid a lot of spitting and fussiness outside. When your toddler is happy, everyone on the journey will be happy too :o)

Here are a few suggestions:

Peeled, seeded, and wedged apples, oranges, pears, plums or grapes. Put them in the Ziploc bags or small containers. Bananas are great too, but don’t peel them or cut them till they’re ready to be eaten (they go black and mushy very quickly).
Mini bagels (or normal sized ones cut in pieces) with some cream cheese spread.
Mini muffins -They are easier to hold then normal size ones :o)
Cucumbers, celery, or carrots (for older toddlers), peeled and cut as sticks to be easy to hold. My daughter loves cucumbers, although we have only six teeth.
Pretzels -They are crunchy and fun to eat.
Cheerios- Make sure to get low sugar ones.
Raisins along with other dry fruits. Such a yummy healthy option: o). They look cheerful an appealing in that Ziploc bag.
If your toddler is above 2 years old, chop some nuts too. Make sure your little one doesn’t have allergies to any of them.
Crackers are also a good-to-go snack. Always fun to munch.
Cheese sticks- Cut your baby’s favorite cheese in to stick for easy hold. Or cut it in to different shapes :o)
Homemade veggie chips – Peel carrots, zucchini, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, turnip or apples into thin slices. Place them on a sheet slightly sprayed with oil. Bake the vegetables at 140C for about 30-40 min, or until crisp and golden brown. You can cut your veggies into “french fries” sticks and bake them about an hour and a half.

Different kinds of vegetables cook for varying lengths of times, so it is important to check for doneness frequently.

Do not forget to take some liquids with you. Water is the best. It will keep your baby hydrated, thirst satisfied. Of course if your baby prefers juices, it’s fine as long as they are low in sugar. My baby is still on the breast milk/formula, but I never leave without a Sippy-cup of water :o)