Jonathan has recently delved in to the world of solids! I am so excited to start sharing with you some of the foods I am feeding him! In fact, my whole idea to blog began when David was about this age. My mom kept telling me that I should get these ideas out there for other moms. It took me about a year to finally get it off the ground, and by then David was well past baby mushes, so I’m glad to finally have a reason to get these baby recipes out to you!
^^^ My foodie babies!
I’m really excited today to have paired up with Nell at Whole Parenting! She writes a great blog on all things kids and natural parenting, and also has an Etsy shop full of hand made goodies for moms and kids! I am so happy that she is generously giving away one of her adorable Bandit Bibs to one of you! These bibs are handmade, organic, and fashionable too! Check out the Rafflecopter for entry information below! Today on her site you can get my tips for introducing your baby to solid foods.
^^^ How cute is this? Perfect for the little drooler in your life! If not for your own baby, enter to win one for a Christmas gift!
Oh, and for those of you that are not parents, and are not in need of the latest and greatest baby mush combos, fear not! I like to keep my blog focused on what I know best, and my day-to-day experiences. So I will be sharing baby posts from time to time, and sharing things that have really worked for us, but all of the grown up recipes that you know and love will continue to come your way! Moms and Dads need to eat too you know! Next up—homemade Pumpkin Spice Lattes!
^^^ For all the grown ups in the house!
So, without further ado, here are two Halloween inspired baby food combos for you to try with your littlest vegans! They have been HUGE hits with my chunky monkey, er, dinosaur, and I hope that your little ones will love them too!
^^^ Aren’t they the cutest little dinosaurs? I know I’m biased, but c’mon!
Pumpkin Pie
Everyone loves pumpkin pie, so why not share with the baby in your life? Pumpkins are high in fiber and Vitamins A, C and beta carotene. Bananas are high in potassium, and Vitamins B6 and C. Coconut oil is a “good” fat, important for brain development and healthy growth, and is also helpful for moisturizing the skin from the inside out!
2 T pumpkin puree
2 inch piece of ripe banana
1 T baby cereal (rice or oatmeal)*
breast milk or water to thin as needed (don’t go too thin!)
optional:
pinch of cinnamon (1/8 teaspoon)**
1 teaspoon coconut oil
Mash all ingredients to a lumpy consistency and serve!
^^^ Thoroughly enjoyed.
Monster Mash
Something about the green and black combo makes me think of Frankenstein—every time I make this mash for Jonathan or David (a loooong time ago) I think Monster Mash! Avocados are another healthy fat, and are high in fiber. Black beans are high in fiber and iron. And if black beans aren’t your thing, avocados and bananas pair well too—just skip the garlic and cumin!
^^^ Baby guacamole!
¼ – ½ ripe avocado
1 – 2 T black beans
1 T baby cereal (rice or oatmeal)*
breast milk or water to thin as needed (don’t go too thin!)
optional:
1/8 t cumin**
1/8 t garlic powder**
Mash all ingredients to a lumpy consistency and serve (note, black beans in pictures are slightly bigger than how I served them to Jonathan). Mash them to your baby’s/your comfort level.)
* My pediatrician recommends that we use fortified baby cereal to increase Jonathan’s intake of vitamins rather than serving him home prepared rice or oatmeal. As a vegan, iron levels tend to be lower than someone who might be getting large amounts of iron from animal meat. With a daily vitamin, and healthy consumption of dark leafy greens, your iron levels should be fairly high (mine were great during my last blood draw during pregnancy—go prenatal vitamins, go!). I always feel like it’s best to err on the side of caution though, so we feed Jonathan the fortified Earth’s Best Organic baby cereals. You can find these everywhere, even Target!
** I like to add spices to baby food to expand their palate. Start small, and work up to higher amounts. I think there is a huge misconception that babies need to start with very bland foods. Check out my post over on Whole Parenting for more ideas about introducing solids to your baby.
And now for the giveaway….get your clicking fingers ready and….GO win Nell’s fabulous Green Grocer Bandit Bib!
^^^ Isn’t this adorable? Love the foodie baby print!
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[…] Staying warm inside! Stay tuned for a post on Friday about the first solid foods Jonathan is trying […]