making auntie liz proud - recipe bonus!

We're going to make nutriontist-in-training Auntie Liz proud! In an effort to be as balanced nutritionally as possible, I've been trying to give Aiden a really good variety of the foods he's already tried and the new foods we're introducing. Today he started eating squash with daddy at breakfast. May not be a favorite, but it seems he'll gobble anything. He would eat my hair if I let him.

Now I can't claim to have the best diet in the world, but I don't think I'm as picky as some people make me out to be. I don't like green stuff much. I'm a protein addict. I never drink soda (because I can't handle the fizz). I hope that Aiden will be a good eater and I hope to avoid too much over processed crud. I vow to not go overboard where my kid isn't allowed to have punch at birthday parties or eat out like a normal person, but I hope that I can at least encourage him to be more varied in his diet (like I try to be now, after realizing for many years how I'd go with the most convenient things and eat it all the time until I was sick of it). It's funny how being responsible for someone else's eating has made me more aware.

I'm learning more about foods that I'd never even heard about before. Like Quinoa: called the "mother grain," it is a complete protein, making it a delicious alternative to meat. Plus, it's high in iron and other minerals, including manganese and magnesium. Happy Baby has a recipe they call Mama Grain. It mixes quinoa with organic bananas, black beans, and DHA algal oil. That is next on Aiden's new protein list. Then we may venture into the Baby Dhal, which I think is an Indian food that I've tried without really knowing what it is. It's a mixture of red lentils, potatoes, and carrots. This will all be a precursor to starting the meats, which I'm pretty sure will be the ickiest puree for me to make. Maybe we can try them as minced meats or finger foods once he's a bit older and has more teeth.

Here is the Mama Grain recipe (since this blog is an archive of sorts too):

Step 1: Pick through 1/4 lb. dry black beans and remove any discolored or malformed beans and any debris. Place in colander, and rinse well with cold water. Drain. Place in bowl with 3 times the amount of cold water, and cover. Soak for 6-8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator. Using the same water you used to soak the beans, simmer (don’t boil) in a covered pot for 1 hour, or until tender.
NOTE: If you use canned beans, rinse several times to remove all salt.
Makes 1 - 1/2 cup cooked black beans

Step 2: Quinoa • Rinse 1/2 c. quinoa thoroughly to remove any powdery residue. Place in colander, and rinse well with cold water & drain. Place 1 c. cold water and rinsed quinoa in covered pot and simmer 20 minutes, or until translucent.
Makes 1 - 1/2 cup cooked quinoa

Step 3: Banana • Steam 4 large bananas until tender, which intensifies the flavor.
Should make 3 cups cooked banana

Step 4: Puree 3 ingredients together with any water left from steaming the bananas. Puree to a thick, chunky consistency. You will have 12 - 1/2 cup portions or 48 – 1 oz. cubes that you can freeze for up to 6 months well covered. I take them out of the plastic ice cube trays and put them in plastic bags to avoid leeching.