Winter Baby Food - Warming Up Recipes

Winter is here, and it's just about time for these comforting recipes that will warm your baby up.



Baked Winter Squash - from everything.com

While most finger foods for baby are steamed rather than baked, winter squash is an exception. These hard-shelled members of the gourd family can be steamed or baked. Since winter squash are usually large, consider what to do with leftovers.

Many older children will prefer baked squash (which can be topped with sugar and cinnamon) to the steamed variety, which will be milder in flavor.

2 Servings
1/4 medium winter squash
2 cups water

1. Wash the squash thoroughly. Cut it open and scoop out the seeds.
2. Place face-down in a shallow pan of water. Bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, or until squash is tender, but still slightly firm.
3. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.
4. Cut small cubes of squash from the shell, and serve to baby as finger food.

Creamy Cauliflower Soup - from wholesomebabyfood.com

Here is a yummy cauliflower soup recipe suitable for the whole family.

2 tbs butter
1 large onion
2 large potatoes (peeled and cubed)
2 carrots, chopped
2 cups natural chicken broth
1 head cauliflower – chopped
1 cup milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Melt the butter in a large pot. Stir in the onion and sauté until onion is translucent. Stir in the potatoes and carrots and cook for 10 minutes.

Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil then stir in cauliflower. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to a simmer. Simmer until vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.

Puree in batches in a blender or food processor, or in the pot using an immersion blender. Return to low heat and stir in milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Heat through. Serve garnished with parsley.

Baby Christmas Dinner - from New Mummy's Tips

150g minced turkey
½ tsp olive oil
¼ onion – diced
1 small carrot – diced
1 small potato – peeled & diced
½ stick celery – thinly sliced
¼ small swede – peeled & diced
1 tbsp frozen peas
250ml stock made from Boots Baby Organic Chicken Stock Cubes (£1.49 for a six pack)

Brown the turkey. Drain off any liquid and put to one side
Sauté onion in oil
Add carrot, potato, celery and swede, sweat for about 10 minutes
Add stock and peas
Simmer until vegetables are tender
Blend to desired texture

Makes approximately two – three servings.

Photo: ©iStockphoto.com/Fertnig

Super Yummy Smoothies for Your Baby

Burst of Vitamins - Our Favorite Smoothie

1 banana
1 apple
1 orange (it's usually recommended to start with citrus fruit after the 1st year)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
dash of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in blender, mix until smooth and serve.



Autumn Smoothie - from wholesomebabyfood.com

1/2 cup plain, vanilla or banana yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 frozen banana

Combine all ingredients together in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Serves one grown-up and one baby.

Winter Smoothie - from wholesomebabyfood.com

1/2 cup plain, vanilla or banana yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cranberry sauce
1 apple, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
dash of cinnamon
1 frozen banana

Combine everything in a blender.
Blend until smooth. Serve immediately. Serves one grown-up and one baby.

Funny Food Songs for Kids

Recently I came across some cute food songs you can sing with your kids. Here are the songs I like the best:



The Vegetable Song

Sung to: "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"

Carrots, Peas, and Broccoli,
Vegetables are good for me.
For my snack and in my lunch,
Veggie sticks are great to munch.
Carrots, Peas, and Broccoli,
Vegetables are good for me.

Vegetables

Sung to: "Mary Had a Little Lamb"

We are pumpkins, big and round
Big and round, big and round
We are pumpkins, big and round
Seated on the ground.

We are string beans, green and fine.....
Growing on a vine.
We are onions, round and white....
We make soup taste right.
We are carrots, orange and long...
Help us sing our song.
We are cabbage, green or red....
See our funny head.
We are corn stalks, tall and straight....
Don't we just taste great.

I Like Veggies

Sung to: "Are You Sleeping?"

I like veggies, I like veggies.
Do you too? Do you too?
I like corn and carrots, I like corn and carrots.
And peas too! And peas too!

For more songs go to www.preschooleducation.com

Baby Food Allergies - 10 Important Questions to Ask, 5 Resourсes to Get Good Answers

Food allergies is a very important issue when you're just about to start introducing solid foods to your baby. As a parent you should know what questions to ask and get good answers in time.

Food Allergies Questions Checklist:

1. What are food allergies?
2. What are the signs and the symptoms of food allergies?
3. What products are considered the most and the least allergenic?
4. How much time does it take for a food to cause a reaction?
5. Are food allergies dose related?
6. How to identify food that could be bothering your baby?
7. How to prevent food allergies in babies?
8. What about the treatment?
9. Are there any medical tests for food allergies?
10. Is that true that children can overgrow their allergies?

When looking for answers take into consideration the differences in approaches to food allergies in breast- and bottle-fed babies.

And here's the list of online resources where you can find answers to all the questions related to food allergies.

1. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)

Tons of useful information on allergy. You may want to start with FAQ if you don't have any specific issue.

2. AskDrSears.com is an excellent site every parent should bookmark (though I usually use the book which also answers many of my "baby questions").

3. Homemade Baby Food Recipes

A great source of first food recipes and interesting articles.

4. Parenting a Child with a Food Allergy

The web log dedicated to parents with children who have food allergies.

5. DrGreene

I was not familiar to this site before but found this article very helpful and well organized when was looking for information about dealing with food allergies.