Boston Baby Mama

I was recently invited to be a contributor on Boston Baby Mama, where first time moms write about a huge variety of topics. There are product reviews, rants, raves and reflections on parenthood.
(There are also haiku poems about saggy breasts and poop :)
It was fun to get creative and write a reflective piece on parenting!
My first post is called Scoot Marks, check it out, and let me know what you think!
MamaK

Sweet Treat

William just loves this new product I found at Whole Foods Market: Little Duck Organics Tiny Fruits!! He yells for "mmmu-mmmu-muh!" (more).

And I have to add, that MamaK finds them delicious too! They are simply freeze-dried fruit, unprocessed and nothing added, great for an on-the-go finger food snack. The mango bits melt in your mouth, while the strawberry pieces are somewhat more toothy.  So far we've only tried the Strawberry Mango, but are looking forward to trying the Blueberry Apple and Apple Banana. Check out the Little Duck Organics website for more information.

In My Freezer...

Now that William is pretty much done with purees (other than what I mix into his oatmeal, yogurt or cottage cheese), it has become a challenge to keep stocked with fresh, healthy finger foods.  One solution: the freezer!

After eating thawed frozen berries

I love that our local grocery store, Stop & Shop is carrying more products from it's "Nature's Promise" line of organics!  In my freezer right now: organic peas, green beans, "California mix" (broccoli, cauliflower and carrots), mixed berries, edamame/soybeans, ravioli.

In my Baby Cubes 2 oz.: firm tofu chunks, braised turkey in broth,whole blueberries and blackberries, whole beans. These are all "leftovers" from previously opened items.


Here is a great recipe shared with my by a friend whose son was born just down the hall from William, same day, within hours. They seem to have similar palates!
These are excellent broken up for early self-feeders, or whole for more advanced.  I made these in a mini muffin tin, and froze them.
Ricotta Muffins
1 16 ounce package frozen organic spinach
1/3 cup of whole milk organic ricotta cheese
2 egg yolks
Spices: basil, oregano, garlic, and/or onion (dried or fresh)

Cook the spinach for a little under the amount of time the package says. Drain the spinach and put in a bowl.

Add Ricotta

Add Egg Yolks

Add Spices

Mix/blend ingredients together (depending on how smooth or chunky you want it).

Lightly spray a muffin tray with Canola and spoon ingredients into the cups.

Bake @ 375 until golden and spongy, about 25 minutes

Enjoy.

William, meet Poultry

I recently introduced William to both chicken and turkey (yes, after beef!), and tried recipes that would give the protein a soft texture. William has absolutely no teeth yet (he's a bit of a late bloomer at almost 10 months), so other than some great gumming skills, we don't have much to work with!
Last week I made a delicious slow-cooker chicken stew, and just last night got creative and made my own braised turkey breast.


Chicken Stew (adapted from Pillsbury's "Creamy Herbed Chicken Stew" recipe)

2 large carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

2 large potatoes, peeled and chunked

1 medium onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 medium stalk celery, sliced (1 cup)

chopped fresh herbs (or dried. I used fresh rosemary, thyme and sage)

salt to taste

pepper to taste

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks

hot tap water to cover

2 cups fresh snap pea pods

1/2 cup half and half

1/8 cup all-purpose flour

DIRECTIONS

• Spray 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place carrots, potatoes, onion and celery in cooker. Sprinkle with herbs, and a tiny bit of salt and pepper. Top with chicken. Pour in hot water to just cover ingredients.
• Cover; cook on Low heat setting 7 to 8 hours (or High 4-5 hours), adding pea pods (strings removed!) for last 5 to 10 minutes of cooking. This can also be done on the stove in a heavy-bottomed pot. Use a very low setting if you have time to cook longer, medium-low if you have less cooking time.
• Remove chicken and vegetables from cooker to serving bowl, using slotted spoon; cover to keep warm.  In small pan over medium heat, mix half and half, flour and more herbs; stir in liquid from cooker. Cover; cook about 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to adult taste.
• Reserve some cooked veggies and chicken to shred for baby, stored with a little liquid to retain moisture.  For other family members (or baby too!), pour sauce over chicken and vegetables.

Braised Turkey "Soup"

3 thin cut turkey breast cutlets, cut into strips
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 slice of onion, diced
garlic powder
salt
pepper
herbs (I used fresh thyme and sage)
hot water

In small pan, heat oil over medium heat. Add turkey, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Saute until all of the turkey is cooked through (no longer pink).  Add onion and herbs and saute a minute more, until onions have started to become translucent.  Add hot water to just cover the ingredients (or more water if you really want a lot of broth).  Cover and reduce heat to low, simmering at least an hour, stirring occasionally.

You could also add veggies to this (chopped carrot, potato, green beans, peas) for the last 15-20 minutes to make it a complete meal!

Innobaby Glass Food Storage

I found another great food storage option that is the perfect size for finger foods.



These little glass containers made by Innobaby are great for on-the-go, and the lid snaps on securely, with a silicone seal so it doesn't leak!
Please visit my online store Play With Your Food! All of the products that I love and have mentioned here are available securely through Amazon. The link is on the left.  Happy shopping!
MamaK