Thursday, August 4, 2011

To eat or not to eat


I have been meaning to do this post for awhile. Just recently, someone we know posted pictures of their 5 month old eating oreos. Oreos? Really? 5 month? I have a problem with this and part of me thinks that this should be considered child abuse. For multiple reasons. But as Nick quoted last week "if you judge people, you have no time to love them". After all, Nick thinks I was abusing our child by not letting him eat meat. Which by the way there are a million reasons why you should wait as long as possible to feed your child meat if at all. Ask me some time and I all go through my list. Liam is eating meat now but only once a week. You can call it a compromise. Since I am not judging anyone and their parenting skills, I will share, out of love, some recipes I make for Liam.

#1 Super Cereal
(Liam eats this every day)
So this is a super easy recipe that can be made in a variety of ways.



Ingredients:
2/3 cups whole grain (millet, steel cut oats, quinoa, brown rice)
4 tbs legumes (black eyed peas, pinto beans, black beans, navy beans)
4 cups of water
1/4 cup flax seed (if desired)

Directions:

Ground dry ingredients ( I use my blender)


Add water and ground ingredients to medium sized pot. Heat mixture, stirring frequently, until it begins to boil. Lower heat and let boil for ten minutes, still stirring frequently.



When finished place in individual ice cube trays to freeze. When ready to eat defrost 2-4 cubes (depending on how hungry baby is).

If you want to go crazy add bananas or applesauce. If you are really crazy like me add sweet potato and spinach.

#2 Homemade Veggies and Fruits

So there are a variates of ways to make theses too.

Ingredients:
Any vegetable or fruit

Directions:

Using, a steamer cook the fruit or vegetable until soft. If using a potato of any kind, peal the skin off after cooking. Add cooked fruit to blender and 1/2 the water remaining int the bottom of the steamer (this is where a lot of the vitamins and minerals have gone from the skin of the fruit). Blend until you have reached the constancy that your child is accustomed to. As with the Super Cereal place in ice cube trays and freeze for later.


#3 Homemade applesauce

I mean can this be any easier?

Directions: Peal skins off of apples. Throw in blender. Ta da. Homemade applesauce.



#4 Banana Wheat Bran Muffins

Ingredients:
2-1/4 cups wheat bran
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 bananas, mashed
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons agave nectar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper cups.

In a large bowl, whisk together the wheat bran, baking powder and brown sugar. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the mashed bananas, egg whites and agave nectar.

Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.


Yummy :)


I had to throw this last picture in of my mom making airplane noises as she feed Liam.