Feeding Flynn

Sweet Potato Apple Mash

2009-12-02T01:24:00.000-08:00

Hi all, yes it's been a long time between drinks. Like everyone I think I need 48 hours in a day and another me. One to be the mummy and one just to get everything that needs to be done, done!!! I'm sure you can all relate.

Excuses aside, let's get back to great baby recipes/ purees for your bub!

Here's one that is just brilliant and was sent in by one of our gorgeous Qubies facebook fans-Jules

Sweet Potato Mash

(Suitable from 6 months onwards)

1 large sweet potato
2 apples
1 Qubie - the simple way to freeze and store breast milk and baby food!

Steam/bake/pop all ingredients into a saucepan with a little water and cook on a medium/low heat until tender. Pop into blender and puree to desired consistency. Add a little water if too thick. Cool a little and serve. Pop your leftovers into your Qubies and freeze for another day.

Ciao for now
x

Creamy Carrot and Ginger Baby food

2009-09-12T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Here is a yummy simple homemade baby food recipe I made yesterday for Flynn, but I can't claim credit for it! I found it on the BabyUniverse site. It's really simple so give it a try. I wasn't sure how Flynn would go with the Ginger, but he ate the whole lot so there's a good indicator. Apparently Ginger is a great aid to digestion and is used in infant preparations to help upset baby tummies! You learn something new everyday!
Ciao for now..
Alex

Creamy Carrot and Ginger
Suitable for baby 7 months upwards

2 carrots, peeled and cubed
1/2 white potato, peeled and cubed
30gm water or homemade chicken stock
30gm cream (optional)
1/8 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 Qubie tray (baby food container)

1. Place the diced carrots and potatoes in a saucepan and just cover with water. Simmer until tender, then drain. Reserve some of the cooking water (unless you are planning on using homemade chicken stock in this recipe).
2. Puree the carrot and potato mixture in a food processor, along with the water (or stock), ginger and cream (if using). You can adjust the consistency of this puree to suit your baby by decreasing or increasing the amount of stock (or water) that you use.
3. Serve this tasty puree as a main meal to a younger baby – or as a veggie accompaniment to a main meal!
4. Pop any left overs in your Qubies for next time.

Tips on freezing baby food

2009-08-31T18:02:00.001-07:00

Hi all

Making baby food is so easy. The best part is you know what your baby is eating, you know that baby is receiving lots of important nutrients and you also know that there are no preservatives and additives involved. It's also super cheap to do so why not make it in bulk and freeze most of it so you have food ready to go!

One of the simplist ways of doing this is to freeze your baby puree into your Qubies then once frozen simple pop the cubes into labelled and dated freezer bags. At meal time you just take what you need or mix and match to make a different meal at each sitting.

Q: How long can baby puree stay in the refridgerator?
A: It's recommended that fresh pureed homemade baby food is kept in the freezer for no longer than 48 hours. This limits the growth of bacteria and also reduces the food getting that "freezer taste".

Q: What can you freeze?
A: You can freeze almost anything... except food in their can, however once it's out you can freeze it. You also can't freeze eggs in their shells!

Q: How long can my Baby food cubes stay in the freezer?
A: Generally 3 to 6 months. The long the food remains in the freeze the more it builds up ice crystals which may have an effect on the nutrient level of the food upon thawing. So try to use sooner rather than later!

Q: Can I use frozen fruit and vegtables to make baby food and then re freeze it?
A: Yes you can as these foods have been "flash frozen" so that they may retain the majority of their nutrients.

Q: Does frozen food retain nutrients?
A: The freezing process itself does not destroy nutrients.

Q: How do I safely defrost food?
A: Never defrost foods out on the kitchen bench. This can leave your food unsafe to eat.
There are three safe ways to defrost food:
* in the refrigerator,
* in cold water,
* or in the microwave.
It's best to plan ahead for slow, safe thawing in the refrigerator. Small items may defrost overnight. After thawing, cook immediately.When microwave-defrosting food, plan to cook it immediately after thawing because some areas of the food may become warm and begin to cook during microwaving.

Hope this helps.
For more info visit: http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/FreezePage.htm

Ciao for now!

Baby food vegetable purees

2009-08-24T21:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Here are a couple of simple baby food recipes to help introduce vegies to you baby. Experience has taught me with my 2 that this is by no way a guarantee that they will continue to each vegies once they become a little older - ARGH!

Carrot and parsnip puree
(suitable for 6 months plus)
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1 parsnip, peeled and diced
1 Qubies (baby ice cube tray for baby food)

Simply steam or boil your vegetables until tender then, puree to the desired consistency. If you need to adjust the texture add some boiled water or baby's usual milk. If it is too watery add a couple of teaspoons of baby rice cereal to thicken. Cool and serve.
This is a perfect recipe to freeze, just place the left overs in your Qubies!

Broccoli and Cauliflower puree
(suitable for 6 months plus)
1 large floret of broccoli
1 large floret of cauliflower
1 Qubie

Simply steam or boil your vegetables until tender, then puree to the desired consistency. If you need to adjust the texture add some boiled water or baby's usual milk. If it is too watery add a couple of teaspoons of baby rice cereal to thicken. Cool and serve.
Again, perfect to freeze the leftovers for another time. Just pop leftovers in your Qubies.

Ciao for now!
x

Sweet Potato delight

2009-08-06T03:18:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Flynn is nearly 11 months now so the super pureed baby food days are over..... BUT here is a fantastic easy recipe that combines fruit and veg for a yummy meal. Let me know what your baby thinks!

Ciao for now!

Sweet Potatoe, Apple and Rice
Suitable for baby 6 months onwards

1 apple, peeled and chopped
1/3 Sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 tablespoon rice
1 Qubies baby food freezer tray

Place all ingredients into a saucepan with enough water to cover. Bring to boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until tender and rice is soft. Drain any excess water. Puree to the desired consistency. Once cooled, serve to baby. Freeze the leftovers in your Qubies.

A little ray of Sunshine

2009-07-03T19:52:00.000-07:00

Hi all

It's a cold windy rainy day in Melbourne brrrrr (but it was sunny 20 minutes ago) so I'm putting something bright and happy and summery for Flynn.
Stay warm!

Banana and Peach Sunshine
(suitable for babies 6 months +)

1 banana
1 peach (canned is fine)
Rice cereal (optional)
1 Qubie (ice cube freezer trays for baby food)

Simply mash / puree banana and peach together. If you find the consistency is too runny simply add some rice cereal to thicken it. Serve straight away!

Make sure you freeze the leftovers in your Qubies for tomorrow.

Idea: Add 1 or 2 cubes to natural yoghurt and serve!

Chicken for all

2009-06-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

Hi all

I finally found my camera cable so I can transfer photos again - hooray. Problem is all baby food puree tends to look the same so I do apologise if you look at my fantastic photos and think "hmmmm, that looks just like pureed.......". When my life becomes calm again and I have as much free time as I had as a single person I think I'll definitely do a photography course - it's on my list of "to do" things! Sound familiar :)

In the meantime this is a great homemade chicken dish because it's super duper easy and it can have a dual purpose. Make a double batch and puree and freeze half for baby in your Qubies baby food container. Use the other half to make into Chicken pie. I make this recipe all the time as I can feed Flynn and because it's so simple I know that Tyler who is now 3 will also eat it! Once you've made it a few times, add your own vegies like peas or mushrooms to give it a bit more color and baby a bit more variety.

Chicken for all
(suitable for babies 7 months onwards)

4 Chicken thighs
1 tbs oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 small carrot, grated
1tbs flour
50gm butter
1.5 cup milk
100gm tasty cheese, grated
400ml can creamed corn
2 Qubies baby food container

Step one
Place chicken into a saucepan with water and simmer/poach until cooked through. Once cooked, remove from water and wait until chicken has cooled. Once cooled shred chicken by hand. Place shredded chicken into the blender.

Step two
Place oil in a fry pan with onion. Cook on a low heat for approx 10 mins until onion becomes translucent. Add carrots and continue to cook until carrots have softened. Place ingredients into the blender and wait.

Step three
To make Bechemel Sauce place butter in a saucepan and melt on a low heat. Add flour and stir for a couple of minutes. Add milk and continue to stir until mixture thickens. If it becomes too thick add some more milk. Once thick add cheese and creamed corn.

Step four
Add as much or as little sauce into the blender and you like. Blend all the ingredients to the desired consistency.

This is really really yummy. For Flynn I often will add cooked pasta or rice and freeze it with the chicken. It's perfect for freezing and I always make too much!

Happy cooking!

Dad's Family Beef Casserole to share with baby

2009-06-06T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hi all

Making baby food that baby and Mummy and Daddy can share is a great time saver. My husband made this fantastic casserole recently and we pureed some for Flynn who also loved it! It's also an ideal recipe to freeze and serve later now that we are in winter.

See how you go and make sure you let me know what you think

Dad's Family Casserole
Suitable for 7 months onwards

1kg beef topside, cut into 2cm cubes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
6 whole baby onions peeled
2 whole cloves of garlic
2 medium carrots, thickly sliced
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups beef stock
A good shake of each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce
440g can of Guinness
2 tbsp brown sugar
4 - 5 springs fresh tyme
2 bay leaves
2 Qubies baby food freezing containers

1. Prepare the beef
Preheat oven to 180 degrees
Cut beef into 2.5 - 3cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the oil to the beef and mix well.
Heat a large frypan over a medium heat. Brown the beef in 2 or 3 batches. Remove each batch and place in a casserole dish.

2. Add the vegetables.
Reduce the heat and add a little extra oil to the frypan. Add the vegetables and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the flavour base.
Sprinkle the flour or other seasoning over the vegetables and stir until coated. Gradually pour in the stock and Guinness and stir well. Add the remaining flavour base ingredients and heat stirring until the mixture boils. Pour over the beef in the casserole dish and stir to combine.

Cover the casserole dish.
Place in the oven and cook until the beef is very tender (approx 1.5 - 2 hours). Stir every 40 mins or so, add water if needed to keep the ingredients just covered.

Serve with mash potato or pasta.

For baby: we made pasta and pureed the pasta with the casserole - it was DELICIOUS! Make sure you have lots of left overs to freeze into your Qubies as I can guarantee you baby will be wanting this again - yum.

Moving with baby while making Chilli

2009-05-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

I've had the best intentions of writing a recipe every couple of weeks however life again went into complete chaos!!
How would you feel to hear your husband say "um, we're moving states in 2 weeks" - ARGH! I knew it was coming but I didn't realise it was going to be so soon. All you defence wives out there will sympathise with me I'm sure.

I guess this might be a great time to talk about being organised. Thankfully I always have a freezer full of frozen baby food which I prepared in my Qubies so on the day of our big move which involved a plane trip all I had to go was place a few different cubes into containers and they were defrosted by the time Flynn was hungry. As always I had my lamb shanks (Flynn's absolute favorite) and a few different containers of fruits). Flynn is now also eating lots of hand held foods such as bananas, strawberries, bread and cheese. He is nearly 9 months now and loves his food. If your baby isn't at this stage yet don't worry. Tyler who is now 3 gaged on literally everything that went into his mouth that wasn't completely mashed until he was 1 year old!

So this is my excuse for being so behind. At the moment we have things everywhere. I'm still trying to find my camera cords so I can't give you a photo of this weeks fabulous recipe so I've opted for an update of my gorgeous Flynn, bread in mouth. Isn't he adorable - can you tell I'm the mum :).

Moving on..... Here is another yummy recipe from one of our Qubies mums Martha. If you've got a recipe you'd like to share with other mums please feel free to email me at the Qubies website.

Vegie Chilli by Martha
(Suitable from 9 months)

1 onion, chopped finely
Paprika - dash
Cumin - dash
Red capsicum, sliced
Pumpkin, peeled and cubed
Potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup red kidney beans
cooked rice
2 Qubies baby food ice cube trays

Place a little oil in a heavy saucepan
Add onion and cook on a low heat until softened. Add dash paprika and cumin.
(Note: neither of these spices are hot)
Add the vegies listed or add some more of your own.
Add the kidney beans and continue to cook on a low heat until the vegies are soft.
Once cooked, blend to the desired consistency. Add rice and serve.

This recipe is suitable for freezing, so grab those Qubies containers and pop the rest in the freezer for a later date.

Chicken Yum in the baby Tum

2009-05-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

Hi all

What a crazy week.
If any of you have ever moved you know how hectic preparing and packing can be! Add in the fact that we've had 3 weeks notice and you'll understand my life at the moment is just MAD! Of course this is just another little thing life throws at you to keep you on your toes. I've also just about run out of baby food cubes in the freezer and so on Mother's Day afternoon had to do a big cook up for Flynn who is an eating machine which is wonderful!!!

This is a fabulous recipe from one of our Qubies Mums. It's packed with lots of healthy vegetables and as always if there is something you don't like just substitue it or take it out.

Let me know what you think or if you have a recipe that you'd like to share please feel free to email me at: alexandra@miinkimoop.com.au

I hope you all had a wonderful Mother's Day filled with cuddles and kisses xxx

Chicken with Pasta
Suitable from 7 months

1 chicken thigh, diced
1/2 cup spiral pasta (or try cous cous or rice)
1 small can creamed corn
1/2 cup pumpkin, peeled and diced
1/2 cup zucchini, peeled and diced
handful spinach
1 squash, diced
2 Qubies baby food containers

Steam or boil chicken and place in the food processor
Prepare pasta according to packet. Once cooked place into food processor
Steam/boil vegetables until soft, add spinach leaves and cook for a further 2 minutes
Place vegetables into food processor with chicken and pasta and process to desired consistency.
Add the tin of creamed corn and mix with a fook.

Serve one happy baby and freeze the leftovers into your Qubies for a later date.

Secret rice

2009-05-05T23:28:00.001-07:00

Hi all

Obviously photography is not one of my strong points so please excuse my 'artistic foodie photos'...

Anyway, most of the recipes on here are for introducing solids to toddlers however I was chatting to a girlfriend who has trouble getting her 2 year old to eat vegetables and lets face it, who doesn't. Tyler, my 2 year old is a terrible eater. He is just like his mum and could literally survive on bread, rice and pasta! So we had to come up with a way to give him a little roughage as well. Hence, Secret Rice! Tyler absolutely loves rice so I just add whatever vegetables I have in the fridge to his rice and he eats it!

Keep your Qubies in the cupboard as this is not suitable to freeze but it is a great recipe to give to your toddler when you want to start introducing lumpier food as the vegetables are either grated or chopped finely.

Secret Rice
Suitable for 10 months onwards

1/2 Cup Basmati Rice (low GI rice) or which ever rice you prefer
1 Cup water
1 tablespoon grated carrot
1 tablespoon finely chopped cauliflower (as it's white they can't see it!)
1 tablespoon finely chopped broccoli
1 tablespoon corn
1 tablespoon peas
1 tablespoon butter

Place all the ingredients into a saucepan over a low heat. Pop on the lid and allow the water to be absorbed by the rice - this takes about 15 mins. Allow the rice to sit with the lid on for another 10 mins then cool and serve. Enjoy!

Variations: use what ever vegetables you like in what ever quantities you like. Occassionally I add some "Kecup Manis" to give it a slightly sweeter flavour.

If you have any clever ways to give your little darling vegetables that you'd like to share please send me an email: alexandra@miinkimoop.com.au

Just add Ricotta

2009-04-20T00:44:00.001-07:00

Hi All!

I found the hardest thing with a new baby was managing my time.

Before Tyler and Flynn I had it down pat. I had a list and things were ticked off and completed in a day. Now.... well lets just say, I'm happy if I actually tick anything off (usually I'm just ticking off my husband - ha ha ha - sorry, bad joke!).

And I guess when you're trying to keep the house in a semi state of neatness (if you want to visit me, come anytime but if you want to visit the house, please give me a month's notice) and look after a new baby while trying to do all the 'other stuff', it can be crazy. If you don't have time to create home made baby food with lots of ingredients there is still lots of things you can do that are easy, nutritious and really quick.

Last last baby food recipe was just adding fruit to natural yoghurt - easy and super yum.

Today I've got another super easy one to share!

Ricotta and Vegies
suitable for babies 8 months and above

1 pre-prepared cube of vegies (Flynn loves sweet potato)
1 tablespoon of smooth ricotta.

Defrost the vegie cube (the sweet vegetables I think work the best eg carrot / pumpkin) and add to ricotta. Serve warm.

How easy is that!!!! Let me know what your babies thinks.

Pop your Qubies baby food containers back into the cupboard as this isn't suitable to freeze.

Chat later!

Home made baby food is soooooo easy! Just add yoghurt

2009-04-12T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hi all!

Get ready I'm on my soap box this morning!

A few days ago while out with a few friends, I was introduced to a new mum with a 7 month old girl. Needless to say the baby was just gorgeous, all chubby and cuddly. The stay at home mum was proudly explaining that her little girl was a big eater and it was costing her a fortune (jokingly of course). "She eats 2 of those (brought) baby food containers at each meal!" I couldn't believe I just heard that. I subtly asked why she was eating brought processed food rather than good old home made baby food and the response was "I'm just too busy!". Honestly, what a ridiculous excuse! Diplomacy took over and I didn't say a word....

When you consider the time and money aspect, I think it's quicker to whip up a big batch of baby food and freeze the left overs. Then you have food ready to go in a second. In this 'economic climate' it's also soooooo much cheaper. Come on, grab a whole pumpkin, steam it, puree it and Viola, healthy, preservative/additive free food for Flynn for a month!

Okay, got that off my chest! Let me know what you think? Am I just ranting and raving???

Well this brings me to one of the easiest meals you can introduce to baby after plain old fruit and vegetables.

Natural yoghurt and fruit (suitable from 8 months)

3 tablespoons natural yoghurt
1 or 2 baby cubes of fruit puree

Simply mix the fruit puree with the yoghurt and serve - easy!

As I made "Jenny's Fruit Medley" a few days ago, this is perfect for Flynn to add a little variety.
The guidelines I have do say to introduce cow's milk from 8 months however I have found Flynn is fine with dairy.

This is not suitable to freeze, so pop your Qubies away!

Qubies! Once you've finished with your boobies... or so I thought....

2009-03-31T20:41:00.000-07:00

Hi all

I thought today I'd do a product review on Qubies . Some of you may know about Qubies but if you don't, well hold on to your hats. This is a brilliant product, designed by an Aussie mum (me) to help other mums & Dads!

There are a few "challenges" when it comes to storing and freezing baby food. How do I store baby purees so I can get to it easily, how will I actually get the baby food out of the container once it's frozen without breaking the container, can I combine foods to make interesting and nutritious meals for my baby, does the ice cube tray have a lid so there is no freezer burn or freezer smells? The list goes on and these were the things that drove me crazy - my huge lack of sleep probably didn't help. In my desperation I created what is now being described as the "best baby food container on the market!" Qubies!

What's the difference? It's quite simple really. Qubies has a lid made from silicon which means that it's non stick. Secondly, the dividers are now on the lid. This means you can place your puree into the base without having to spoon food into little compartments making a mess. Once the food is in, simply pop on the lid and freeze. Once the food is frozen, give the container a twist which releases the cubes. Then you simple remove the lid and "VIOLA" 30ml cubes ready to use for baby.What I like to do for Flynn is make a big batch of food. For example lamb shanks. I pour the pureed shanks into the Qubies then I freeze. Once frozen I transfer the cubes to a freezer bag. At meal times I then mix and match my cubes. For example 1 lamb shank cube plus 1 potato cube plus one broccoli cube. Then the next meal I change the combination. This way I know I'm introducing Flynn to lots of different foods, giving him lots of variety and nutrients.

You can also use your Qubies to freeze Breast milk! This was a godsend for me. When Flynn was born as he was readmitted to hospital with Bronciolitis. Sadly I had to express all of his milk but I was able to freeze it and give it to him as 30ml cubes initially. As he grew I increased it to 60mls and so on.

Once you've finished using your Qubies for baby you can then use them for "grown up" endeavours such as freezing: lemon juice, stock, herbs, pestos, gravy, tomato paste, coconut milk, lime juice, condensed milk, egg whites, ice cubes and more!

Check out the Testimonials and see what other mums are saying about Qubies.

And don't worry if you are from overseas, Qubies are posted all over the world!

Chat again soon, Alex

Wonderful Weeties

2009-03-24T18:53:00.001-07:00

Do you find that sometimes you keep giving your babies the same baby food puree? I do. It's great to chat to other mums/dads/grandparents to see what they are giving their babies.

I was having a great old chat with my Mother-in-law Cath a few days ago. She was having a wonderful time reminiscing about how much my husband Pj ate as a baby. He was a right old guts. Apparently breakfast time consisted of 3 Weetbix! Now, I think this may be a slight exaggeration or... if you knew my husband, maybe it's not. Anyway, it got me to thinking, why haven't I given Flynn Weetbix????????? Once warm milk is added, the Weeties become all soft and squishy - perfect for a baby!

So guess what Flynn's now having for breakfast...

I'm not sure if Weetbix are a worldwide phenomenon. In Australia, they are little rectangular biscuits made of wheat which you have for breakfast. IF there are any Aussie Ex-pats reading this, could you please let me know if Weetbix are sold overseas!

Wonderful Weetbix

1 Weetbix, crushed by hand
warm Milk, formula or breast milk.

Add enough milk to soak into the Weeties until they are soft and a little runny.

This is not suitable to freeze in your Qubies

Babies first lamb shanks

2009-03-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

It's funny how I have 2 totally different sons! Tyler my first (nearly 3 years old) would have a little taste of anything offered then turn away. In fact he is still the same. If it's the choice between playing or eating, playing always wins! Flynn on the other hand, LOVES TO EAT. So far we've mastered the cereals, fruits and veggies so I figure it's time to bring in the big boys. The one food Tyler did love was my shanks. So time for Flynn to give it a go.

Shanks are a great meat to introduce to babies because once cooked the meat is so soft and sweet and it will provide a ton of nutrients including iron to bub. The best part from babies perspective is he/she can have a great munch on the shank bone at the end! I think this is Flynn's favorite part!?

See how you go with this recipe. Feel free to add more vegies...

Easy Peesy Lamb Shanks with Vegies

1 small frenched lamb shank
1 tbs flour
1 tbs oil
½ small onion, diced
1/2 zucchini, diced
1 small carrot, diced
200gm can crushed tomatoes
1 cups water or vegetable stock
2 Qubies containers (http://www.qubies.com.au/)

Turn on oven to 100 Degrees.
Dust the shank with the flour.
Place oil in a large oven proof saucepan and turn to medium.
Brown shank. Remove from saucepan and place aside for now.
Place onions in saucepan on a low heat till softened, then add the zucchini and carrots.
Continue cooking for another 10 mins or until all the veggies are soft.
Add crushed tomatoes, stock and the shank. Bring to the boil.
Place lid on saucepan and move to oven.
Cook for approx 2 hours, or until meat falls away easily from the bone.
Remove from oven and let cool a little. Remove bones and puree to the desired texture.
Pour puree in to your Qubies Tray and freeze ready to use.

At meal time I will use 1 or 2 cubes of shanks and I will add another cube of vegetable such as sweet potato or pumpkin.

Good luck and please, let me know how you go!

Green Banana mush

2009-03-09T04:17:00.000-07:00

For ages now I've given Flynn mushed banana and he loves it! He sees the spoon coming and the mouth just opens like a little baby bird. This is how it is with all baby food I've given him so far..... On the weekend I brought some wonderful avocados for the sole purpose of giving them to Flynn. I couldn't believe he didn't like it! This is a child who sees the bowl and bib coming and starts to scream with delight. I remembered on the back of his rice cereal package seeing a recipe of mashed banana and avocado and though, now's the perfect time to give it a try. I mean, it does sound YUCK. Well, it's not, it's actually YUM!!!!!

Here's how you do it...

Green Mashed Banana
1/3 Avocado
1/2 Banana
Mush together and serve straight away.
Keep the Qubies (www.qubies.com.au) in the cupboard as this one can't be frozen.

Blue Surprise

2009-03-03T03:14:00.000-08:00

You know life is good when you discover you have an eater! If you've got one you'll understand if you don't... well I sympathise because Tyler still has no interest in food. Today I accidently left Tyler's fruit on the floor, within seconds, Flynn made a commando crawl v-line for it!!!!! Doesn't he realise we're not up to lumpy yet??? I think it's time to be a little more creative with his baby food...

Blue Surprise

1 super juicy sweet peach (canned is okay too!) peeled, stoned and diced

1 soft pear, peeled, cored and diced

75 grams blueberries, fresh or frozen

2 to 3 tablespoons rice cereal

2 Qubies - www.qubies.com.au

Place all the fruit into a saucepan. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for approx 5 mins, stirring occasionally until fruit is soft. Place in a blender and puree. Add rice cereal while hot. Wait a couple of minutes and add more until you reach the desired consistency. Cool and serve.

This is where you can start to be inventive - substitute what ever fruits you like! Have fun!

Pop the left over baby food puree into your Qubies baby food container and freeze for the future.

4 P's

2009-02-19T03:23:00.000-08:00

. ........................................................... The 4P's do not stand for 'panicked', 'pushed for time','procrastinating' and 'p-arghhhh!'. Well they might but for now I think it's time to move on from rice cereal to pureed pumpkin, potato and pear - and not all mixed together....

Babies first foods can be what ever you like. Depending on what you read/who you speak to the advice varies but I say go with the flow. All you need to do is this:

Pureed Pumpkin
Cut a pumpkin into pieces and steam or boil with a little water or microwave, until pumpkin is soft. Place all the pumpkin and a little water into a blender and blend away. Add a little more water if it's still a little thick. Give bub his first try and freeze the rest in to your Qubies (www.qubies.com.au) for the future.

Pureed Potato
Same as above except, use a potato

Pureed Pear
Same as above except, use a pear

I think you get the idea!

After baby has had his/her milk, give him some of his new food to try - I'm sure he going to just love it!

With the left overs, freeze them into your Qubies baby food freezer container (www.qubies.com.au) . Once frozen, place into freezer bags and label ready for meal time. Couldn't be easier!

Happy puree-ing!

First there was Rice Cereal

2009-02-11T20:30:00.001-08:00

It's funny even though I've gone through introducing solids to Tyler it's amazing how quickly you forget. I'm managed to rumage through all the pamphlets given to me by my Healthcare Nurse just to make sure 'I'm doing it right!'. Not a lot to muck up but hey - nothing like a little reminder.

One tablespoon of rice cereal with a few tablespoons of formula and viola - a meal only a baby could love! Flynn is set up in his little rocker, bib is on, mummy is relaxed - time to go.....

Well let's just say it's a messy business. Most of this yummy (??) food is ending up all over Flynn's face but he is having a fabulous time! Tyler never got excited about food but Flynn looks like he is about to jump out of the chair if I don't give him another bite!

20 mins later and I think we are done for today. Not a bad effort for his first time - mummy very proud!

We'll keep with the rice cereal for a little until he gets the chewing and swallowing sorted, then watch this space as I'll keep you up to date with gorgeous yummy puree recipees for your bub!

In the beginning...

2009-02-10T21:54:00.000-08:00

Baby food is not the most exciting topic but once you've had that baby it becomes one of the most talked about topics at Mothers Group - I know, been there done that etc! With my first son Tyler it was a super stressful time because I always imagined that my gorgeous little baby would come with a manual. Boy was I surprised to find that they forgot to add that to my little parcel. Like most of you this new phase represented fear and uncertainty but it was so exciting to think my little baby was growing into a little toddler. I managed through and discovered it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be. Mostly it was fear of uncertainty. So now I have my second son Flynn and he is fast approaching 5 months. Time to start the process again! As I invented the Qubies (http://www.qubies.com.au/) I've found I'm receiving emails asking how to introduce solids to babies. Let me just reinforce I'm no expert, just a mum who has gone through trial and error and found what worked for Tyler. As I'm about to start the process again with Flynn I thought it might be a great idea to keep a 'blogg' so you can keep up with the joys of 'introducing solids'. I'd also love to know how you're going and please, if you have any fabulous ideas, moments of inspiration I'd love you to share them!