Complete meal finger food for self feeding toddlers

My baby is 11.5 months old but he has been rejecting all attempts to bed fed. All he wants is to be a big boy and feed himself, so mommy has to improvise his meals. Since his guts has been great and shows no sensitivity to any food so far, we decided to start him at eggs at 11.5 months old.

Ingredients:
Brown rice, ground
Quinoa, ground
Millet, ground
Egg
Cauliflower, steamed and mashed
Olive oil

Instructions:
1. I have previously made a batch of super porridge and froze them. Thawed a piece for the omelette. Otherwise, boil fir 5-7 mins to cook the ground grains.
2. Combine porridge, cauliflower mash with egg to fry an omelette.

Baby Friendly Complete Nutrition Fish n Chips

This dish is a little tedious than my usual dishes.

It was London theme day on school and I was going to make fish n chips. I was thinking about how I could work in the vegetables when I decided to switch to fishcake instead. It was convenient since my 10 months old baby was going through a phase of self feeding finger food. This fishcake is baby friendly if your baby would gnaw and chew on his food.

Here goes. London inspired fish(cake) and (sweet potato mini) chips.

Prep time: 10 mins
Steam time: 15 mins
Bake time: 20 mins (if you bake together.  I was cooking in big batches and had to do twice)

1. Steam lemon sole, sweet corn, potato and purple cabbage.
2.Mash above ingredients together, add corn starch to bind and coat with a layer of bread crumbs. Bake at 175 degrees Celsius for 15 mins, or till crunchy and golden.
4. Shred sweet potato to desired. In my case today, these are closer to flakes. Add extra Virginia olive oil,  a dash of paprika, toss and bake at 170 degrees for 20 mins.

This dish was well received by both babies and the older kids. So the extra effort is worth it. :)

Super Brain and Immune Booster Pasta

It has been incredibly busy recently, hence for the lack of updates. Obviously, busy or not, duties as a mother continue. The dishes I have been preparing had to be more efficient.

Here is a super quick and nutritious meal I whipped up for the family last night.

Prep time: 10 mins, 5 mins before cooking and 5 mins there after.
Cook time: 12 mins

Ingredients:
-fresh cod fillet
-garlic
-spinach
-pasta
-kelp
-extra virgin olive oil
-fresh rosemary
-fresh English parsley
-fresh lemon thyme
-Broccoli Sprout powder
-Chia seeds
-sea salt

1. Dice up a head of garlic, pinch of sea salt, rosemary, English parsley and lemon thyme. Add these to olive oil to infuse and coat the cod.
2. Steam the cod, with spinach with the infused oil and its herbs.
3. Boil pasta simultaneously for 10 mins.
4. When pasta is cooked, drain the water. Add in a dollop of butter. My daughter and I love love love butter, hence why we go through copious amount of butter in the house. Stir in steamed spinach and the gravy from the cod (2).
5. Sprinkle on Chia seeds and Broccoli Sprout powder from the Super Sprout series. I prefer to serve cod on the side.

The beauty of this quick dish is that I was busy with the kids half the time it was cooking on his own. This was served to the entire family, including my almost 4 year old and 10 month old baby (salt was omitted for the baby).

Super Dessert for Babies: Cranberry & Raisins Rice Pudding

The boy gobbled down today's meal so quickly that I knew I had another winner on hand.

Since he had a nice bowl for dinner shortly ago, I thought I will make him dessert instead. It smelt so nice that I tasted it myself. Pass on adult's palate too. Ha. He ate the first serving fast and asked for more, so this mother gladly fed him 10 tablespoons of this nutritionally and calories dense meal. And he had another 2 tablespoons (estimate) of raw blueberries.

Ingredients:
1. Organic cranberry: is incredibly high in phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti carcinogenic, optimises the balance of bacteria in our digestive tract. Likely blueberry, cranberry is low allergenic and suitable for babies.
2. Organic Raisins: amazingly high in calories,raisins also provide relief from constipation, electrolytes and polyphenolic antioxidants.
3. Baby Nat basic rice cereal
4. Organic raw wheat germ: should be used more often in our meals. Raw wheat germ is the most vitamin and mineral-rich part of the wheat kernel.
5. Water

Instructions:
1. Blitz raisins and cranberries till it is paste like
2. Add rice ceral, wheat gèrm and water. Add water and stir to delight.

Super Immune Pesto Chicken Pasta

My 3 year old and husband ate tonight's dinner so quickly I knew I have a winner on hand.

Ingredients:
Free range chicken breast, diced
Spinach
Garlic, one whole head
White sesame seeds (I happen to have this at home, would have loved pine nuts)
Lemon Balm (home grown, great for sore throat and cognitive development)
Lemon Thyme (home grown)
English parsley (home grown, super food, best known for its healing property)
Sage (home grown, immune booster)
Teddy bear pasta
Olive oil
Kelp powder
Sea salt
Cottage cheese (optional)

Instructions:
1. Boil pasta. Probably takes 8-10 mins.
2. Blend spinach (90%), herbs (10%), handful of sesame seeds, head of peeled garlic and olive oil.
3. Heat some olive oil in pan. Fry diced chicken breast.
4. When chicken is almost fully cooked, add in blended vegetables puree. Stir for 10 mins or till chicken is thoroughly cooked.
5. Stir in pasta. Season with organic kelp and sea salt.
6. Add cottage cheese if desired. Gives the extra calcium. My girl is a cheese monster and expects cheese with her pasta.

Total time: 20 mins

Baby friendly Ngau Nam Mein (Beef Brisket Noodles)

Are there times when you don't know what to cook for the family? I was feeling that with the baby today.

Since we are serving organic beef in school today and I thought I will give the same protein to the baby.

I have been missing life in Hong Kong and then inspiration hits me.

I whipped up this dish for the little boss - Baby Ngau Nam Mein.

Ingredients:
Radiant organic millet noodles
Organic beef
Steamed cauliflower
Puree of apple, blueberry and guava

Instructions:
1. Boil organic millet noodles which tasted like kuey teow. Cut to desired size.
2. Boil beef till well done, dice fine
3. Steam cauliflower, apple, blueberry, guava. Blend the latter three so they make a nice sweet gravy.
4. Serve all together.

The baby approved and ate about 5 oz easily. And I am a happy mommy. :)

Cannellini and Sunflower seeds Pie

Just baked this pie in school and it was satisfying to hear the children chorus 'I want more I want more'.

Today's snack is low gluten (mainly because I didnt use GF oatmeal), egg free, dairy free and highly nutritious.

Cannellini beans is high in protein and iron, boosts memory and is great for a growing young child. It is buttery in taste and great for adding a nutty creamy texture to the dish.

Sunflower seeds is rich in vitamin Bs, E, calcium and calories. So it is great for sustaining the energy of our active little ones.

Ingredients:
1 cup Tapioca flour
1 cup Potato flour
1 cup Oatmeal
1 cup Cannellini beans (partially mashed to retain texture)
1/3 cup Sunflower seeds
Baking powder
1/3 cup soaked chia seeds (to replace eggs)
2/3 cup Olive oil

Instructions:
Bake at 160 degrees celsius for 25 mins.