Tropical Chicken and Brown Rice

image courtesy zatarains

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (Brown/or Jasmine) Rice
2 cups water
1/4 cup papaya cubes
1/4 cup mango cubes
1 or 2 boneless chicken breasts
pinch of ginger and nutmeg if desired

1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a medium saucepan.
2. Cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes or until rice is soft, fragrant and a bit soupy.
3. Take out the chicken breast(s) and cut into small pieces, transfer back to saucepan
3. Add more water if needed and stir frequently to stop sticking to the pot and add more milk or water if necessary.
4. Cook an additional 15 minutes or until chicken is done

Once the mixture is fully cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes and then transfer to a blender or food processor. Puree or chop as needed for your baby's age and texture requirements. This makes a great finger food meal for older babies and toddlers alike.

Pea CousCous

image courtesy myrecipes.com

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 cup organic low-sodium chicken stock
2 tsp. olive oil
¾ cup dry couscous
¼ cup peas

In small pot, add chicken stock, olive oil, peas and bring to boil. Turn off heat, add couscous. Let sit for 6 minutes. Fluff couscous mixture and puree to desired texture. *leave whole for older, more mature, babies.*

Teething Biscuits

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 to 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Beat eggs and add sugar, vanilla extract and flour. Mix well. Roll dough between two sheets of floured wax paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut desired shapes and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Let stand overnight for 10 to 12 hours.

Bake at 325 degrees F for 20 minutes.

Not Your Mama's Apple Pie

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
3 cooking apples, sweet!
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon water or apple juice
Small pinch of ground cinnamon

Peel, core and dice the apple into small pieces. Add to the lemon juice and water and cook over medium heat in a small saucepan for 20 minutes or until soft.

Mash or puree to desired consistency. Beat in the egg yolk (or infant cereal) and sugar until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until set. Cool before serving.

Apple Pear Supries

 Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 cooking apples, sweet!
1 pear

1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon water or apple juice
Dash of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

Peel, remove core and dice the apples and pear into small pieces. Add the lemon juice and water (or apple juice) Simmer on low in a small saucepan until soft, about 20 minutes.

Mash or puree the fruit. Whisk in the egg yolk and sugar until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes or until set. Cool before serving.

Menu Ideas Part 3

Suppertime Specials:

Soft cook (roasted, broiled or stewed) meats (beef, chicken, turkey or fish) are ideal for healthy dinners. Avoid trying to grind tough or hard cooked meats.

Age: 10m+

Meat & Potatoes

Potatoes, cooked and mashed
Meat, cooked and diced

Puree all ingredients. Mix milk (age appropriate) into ground food for desired consistency.

Combination Dinner

Meat, cooked and diced
Vegetables, cooked and diced
Rice, cooked

Puree all ingredients. Mix stock or water into ground food for desired consistency.

Spaghetti Dinner

Lean Ground Beef, cooked and drained
Thin Spaghetti, cooked and drained
Tomato, peeled and diced

Puree all ingredients.

Baby's First Chicken Pot Pie

photo courtesy west side dinner swap

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken, cooked and diced

1/2 cup green beans, cooked to tender

1/4 cup carrots, cooked to tender and diced

1/4 cup potatoes, cooked to tender and diced

TINY pinch of each: salt, pepper, oregano

Water to suit

Combine all ingredients and puree. Add water to achieve desired consistency.

Lentil Soup

photo courtesy saidaonline

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3/4 cup red lentils (these will break down best for baby)
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup peas

Stir together water, lentils, carrots and peas in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until all of the vegetables and lentils are fully cooked and tender. Puree until desired tenderness.

Sweet Chicken & Potato Puree

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast half

1 large (12oz) sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a small saucepan, poach chicken breast in enough water to cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 170*F. Remove from saucepan and cool. Reserve the poaching liquid.

In a medium bowl, add sweet potato, olive oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss until potatoes are coated. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 350*F until potatoes are tender. Cool and puree.

Grind chicken in a food mill and mix into pureed potatoes. Add enough poaching liquid to reach desired consistency.

Beef & Carrots

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

1/2 pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 large (4oz) carrot, cut into 1 inch chunks

Place beef into a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours or until meat is fork tender; adding carrot during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Remove meat and carrot and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Puree half the beef with 2 tablespoons reserved broth. Repeat with remaining beef and more broth. Next, puree the carrot. Stir beef and carrots together. Add more broth if desired to reach the consistency your baby desires.

Chicken & Apples

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 boneless skinless chicken breast half
1 medium apple (sweet), peeled, cored and chopped
2 teaspoons unsweetened apple juice

In a small saucepan, poach chicken breast in enough boiling water to cover the breast. Cook for 15 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature is 170*F. Remove from saucepan and cool. Reserve the water the chicken cooked in and set aside. Cut up chicken into small pieces.

Puree apple in a food mill or mini food processor with the apple juice until the consistency of applesauce; set aside.

Grind the chicken in the food processor and mix in applesauce. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons reserved chicken liquid or until it's the consistency that your child likes.