Baby Food

A new section, for comments and recipes for Max's favourite (and not-so-favourite) foods.

Max is a pretty good eater, with only a few things he doesn't like. (Potatoes, salmon and zucchini.) He does like his fruit more than his veggies (I can't blame him myself). And we've started him on more "adult" foods like bolognaise sauce etc, so that one day (soon!) he can join his parents and eat their food.

Finger Food

Well, Max is getting better and better about shoving food in his mouth using his fingers. Following are some of his favourite snacks.

• sultanas
• chopped roasted veggies (we actually get him to eat potato this way!)
  potato, carrot, sweet potato
• toasted cheesey fingers
  toasted bread with grilled cheese, then chopped into fingers
• toast soldiers with vegemite or cream cheese
• fruit
  banana slices, chunks of nectarines or peaches, strawberries

And of course, the constant favourite, biscuits.

Recipes

Risotto

Use your usual risotto recipe! (I'll post mine when I have more time!) Max likes mushroom and peas in his.

Max's verdict: Mmmmm.

Smoothies

I have to say, we get these at the local cafe. Berries, honey, yoghurt all whizzed up!

Max's verdict: *slurp* *slurp* *slurp*

Roasted veggies

Chop root veggies (carrot, potato, parnsips, sweet potato, etc) into chunks. Drizzle olive oil over, and some chopped fresh rosemary. Roast in moderate oven until cooked (about an hour, depending on how big you cut the chunks!). Mash and serve.

Note:

• You may want to thin down the mash a little, we used the gravy from a roast chicken.
• You can also add garlic, but a little goes a long way!

Max's verdict: oink.

Tuna in tomato

Fry some onion & garlic in a little olive oil. Once translucent, add in tin of tomatoes and some tinned tuna. Cook until hot, then cool down.

Serve with rice, pasta, etc.

Max's verdict: yum!

Scrambled Eggs & Creamed Corn

Separate two eggs (reserve the egg white for whatever you want; Max is only up to egg yolk at the moment!). Scramble up the yolks with a splash of water and a tablespoon of creamed corn. Heat some olive oil in a small pan. Add eggs and stir continuously over moderate heat until cooked.

Note:

• they are much creamier than scrambled eggs with the egg whites added.
• try adding milk rather than a splash of water

Max's verdict: More!

Pea & Pumpkin Curry

Peel and seed pumpkin (I recommend Japanese/Kent pumpkin). Chop roughly and put in saucepan with generous handful of peas. Put chopped ginger & lemongrass into muslin and tie firmly, and add it to the vegetables. Add coconut milk to just cover, and simmer over low heat until all is tender. Remove spices (squeeze the bag to get as much flavour as possible out) and blend (or mash).

Notes:

• Freezes well.
• Is quite liquid when warm, but fairly solid when cold. I'd recommend adding rice to thicken it if serving it warm, and we thinned it down with some natural yoghurt when it was cold.
• Could also try adding chicken, sweet potato, corn.

Max's verdict: Oink.

Bolognaise Sauce

(Optional: fry chopped bacon, with fat removed, in large frypan over moderate heat.) Add chopped onion and fry until translucent (add some olive oil if necessary). Add good quality mince, and cook well. Add one-two cans of tinned tomatoes, and a generous splodge of tomato paste. Cook until all hot and bubbly. Either blend, or mash to required consistency.

Notes:

• Freezes well.
• Good parent food, too!
• Max likes his served with ricotta. (We are yet to actual try him on pasta!)

Max's verdict: Yum.

Apple Sauce

Peel, core and chop apples. Add to saucepan enough water to keep things bubbling along. Half a cinnamon stick can give a nice flavour too. Cook over low heat until very tender, then blend/mash (remove cinnamon stick first, if using that).

Notes:

• Freezes well.
• One spoon for Max, one spoon for mum...
• Can also add peaches, nectarines, pears, etc.

Max's verdict: More, please.