Calorie boosters for your baby

Worried you little one is not getting enough calories? Maybe he or she is falling off the growth curve, not gaining enough weight, or is just a picky eater. Or maybe he or she is growing just fine and you just want to feed you baby some foods to nourish his or her mind and body. Fat is great for your baby's developing brain!

Here are some healthy ideas.

-Millet mash or pooridge (see previous post on millet) cooked with goat milk or coconut milk. (instead of cooking millet in water or broth, cook it in milk. try to avoid cows milk!) You can do this with any whole grain.

-Oatmeal- put 1/4 cup of rolled oats in coffee grinder or food processor (Not necessary if your baby is 9 months or older and can handle a chunkier oatmeal). Will be a powder consistency. Heat 1/2 cup goat or coconut milk in saucepan. Once its boiling, add oat powder. Turn heat to low and simmer until it is a pooridge consistency. Add ground flaxseeds and pureed blueberries or apple sauce to sweeten.

-Creamed Kale recipe (previous post). You'll just need to puree it more for your 6-9 month old.

-Peas simmered in coconut or goat milk. Buy frozen organic peas. Heat on stove top with a little milk to soften. Add more milk as they begin to cook. Throw in food processor or blender to puree for 6-9 month old. Older babies like the peas as a finger food. Make extra- can freeze for later!

-Fish oil. Get a baby syringe/dropper and just squirt it in his/her mouth (can do up to 1/2-1 tbsp/day). I have been doing this with Cece since she was 3 months old. Great omega 3 fatty acids!

-Smoothies- blend coconut milk/goat milk, banana, ground flax, avocado, 1 tbsp coconut oil

-Grind flax seeds in coffee grinder and add to anything! See previous post on seeds ("Give your child the seed of life.")

-Goat yogurt- pricey but very healthy! Whole Foods carries it. Can add to smoothies or spoon it to your baby plain.

-Egg YOLK (not the white). Boil a few organic eggs in advance. Peel away the white from one egg and smash the yolk in a saucepan. Add some milk (mama or goat) to make it more liquid consistency. Can add a steamed veggie as well- like spinach or carrots. One of Cece's favorites since she was 6 months old!

You can definitely make these recipes in advance and freeze. Be sure to freeze in BPA-free plastic of glass jars so that BPA doesnt leach into the food as it freezes.

Healthy additions:

These foods can be added to any recipe for a healthy boost.

-Nutritional yeast

-Ground flax, pumpkin or sunflower seeds

-Powdered kelp (can find in the spice section of health food store)

-Hemp protein powder (more appropriate for older babies)

High calorie fruits/veggies:

-peas

-carrots

-sweet potatoes

-parsnips

-squash

-mango

-banana

Steam any of these veggies. Add coconut, mama or goat milk and blend in food processor or blender to make more liquid consistency for 6-9 month olds. Can freeze!

Try to avoid cow's cheese and nuts (even though they are high calorie). These are allergenic foods and you don't want to introduce until your babe is 1 yo.

Cece feeling content after her first few bites of solids- sweet potato mixed with mama's milk.

AGEs will Age you!

Advanced glycation endproducts, or AGEs, are formed either exogenously (outside the body) or endogenously (inside the body). They are formed exogenously during cooking when sugars are heated with fats and proteins. They are formed endogenously as part of the aging and disease process. The formation of AGEs has been implicated in many inflammatory conditions, such as diabetes, Alzheimers, heart disease, and premature aging. AGEs increase oxidation and inflammation in your body. The good news is is that you can do something about this. You can control your exogenous intake through your diet and your cooking habits. Heres how:

-Cooking with water prevents sugars from binding to proteins. Poaching and boiling is the best way to cook meat. Roasting and broiling is the worst way.

-Steam vegetables or eat them raw.

-Avoid brown baked goods, like brown cookies and brown bread crust. Stay away from the Cinn-a-bon! The sugar frosting on top of the brown pastry is carmelized (ie. HIGH AGE content). This browning of foods is called the maillard reaction, in which a chemical reaction takes place between an amino acid and a sugar.

-Avoid barbequed and smoked meats. These foods are through the roof high in AGEs. Blackened meats are very carcinogenic, increasing your risk of certain cancers, such as pancreatic cancer.

Eating raw and steamed foods when possible can significantly reduce your intake of AGEs, thus decreasing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, alzheimers, and premature aging.

Millet- a Super Grain

Millet is an ancient whole grain and has many uses beyond what we typically know it as, which is bird seed. It is widely consumed around the world in many dishes, ranging from breads, soups, muffins and flat breads. It is one of the least allergenic grains (no gluten!). It is not only easy to digest, but it is also a good source of fiber, B vitamins, and essential amino acids. Of all grains, it is highest in protein and iron. Millet is a good source of phytic acid and phytate, phytonutrients found to be beneficial in lowering cholesterol and decreasing your risk of cancer.

It has a mild nutty flavor and is very versatile. Cook millet in vegetable broth for added flavor (1 cup of millet: 2 cups liquid; cover and simmer). The more liquid you cook it in, the fluffier and softer it will become. It only takes about 15-20 minutes to cook. It's cheap too- only about $1.50/lb.

It makes a great first cereal for your baby. See pooridge recipe below.

For the rest of the family, add sun-dried tomatoes, olives, basil, oregano, fresh or frozen spinach and crumbled goat cheese for a greek twist. Or black beans, cumin, mushrooms, corn, red pepper, and salsa for a mexican variety. Make a breakfast cereal out of it-cook it in your favorite milk subsitution (I like almond milk), add raisins, chopped nuts, and maple syrup. The possibilites are endless. See below for a delicious muffin recipe.

As a finger food or snack, give your child Millet puffs. You'll find this in the cereal section of your health food store. Nature's Path makes a good one. Can be eaten alone or added to yogurt.










Super Millet Pooridge- appropriate for 6 months and beyond
-1 cup water
-3 tbsps millet
-1 organic egg, hard boiled
-frozen organic spinach

1. Boil water. While it is boiling, put 3 tbsps millet into blender or coffee grinder. Grind for 2 mins.
2. Whisk the millet powder into boiling water and let sit over low heat for 10 mins. Whisk frequently.
3. Add hard boiled egg YOLK (do not feed white to your baby until 12 months)
*Can add your pumped breast milk at the end to sweeten it a bit!

Millet Mashed "Potatoes"- appropriate for 8-9 months and beyond
If you're in the mood for comfort food (like mashed potatoes) but don't want to eat the high glycemic potatoes, then try this recipe. Its kind of like my Cauli mash recipe but with millet added.
Ingredients:
-2 tbsps oil (coconut, grapseed or olive)
-2-3 cloves garlic
-1 medium onion, chopped
-1 tbsp butter or Earth Balance
-1 cup millet
-2 cups cauliflower, chopped
-3 cups vegetable broth
-nutritional yeast
-salt and pepper

1. Saute onion and garlic in oil for 5 mins.
2. Add all the remaining ingriedients except for seasonings (S+P and nutritional yeast)
3. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-25 mins.
5. Remove from stove. Season. Mash with potato masher or spoon.
6. Serve with your favorite gravy or top with shredded cheese. Yum!

Millfins (makes 12 muffins)
can be served as snack or desert; appropriate for kids 12 months and older

Ingredients
-1 organic egg
-3 tbsps organic butter, melted (or Earth Balance)
-1/2 cup milk subsitute (almond, rice or soy)
-1/2 cup honey
-2 cups oat flour (throw 2 cups rolled oats in food processor and blend)
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp soda
-1/2 tsp sea salt
-1 cup millet, uncooked
-1/2 tsp guar gum (a thickening agent used in gluten free baking)

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix all wet ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Still mixing, add the dry ingredients slowly. Add millet last, and stir through the mixture.
3. Spoon mixture into greased muffin tin
4. Bake for 17-20 mins.

Recipe from: The Anti-Inflammatory Diet and Recipe Book

Probiotics and Prebiotics- What's the difference?

PRObiotics are the good bugs in your body that support a healthy immune and gastro-intestinal system. Since our diets are typically void of probiotics and our lifestyles can promote extermination of them (ie. taking antibiotics and stress), it is a good idea to supplement with them. You can get them at any health food store in the refrigerated section. Start supplementing your child at an early age to build a solid foundation of health. See previous post on fermented foods for good food sources of probiotics. Common strains of probiotics include Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium.

PREbiotics are the non-digestible food sources for the PRObiotics. The bugs have to eat too right? Afterall, they've been so good to you- they deserve a good meal! We get prebiotics by eating foods that are high in oligosaccharides. Oligosaccharides are the carbohydrates found in certain beans, vegetables and fruits that cannot be digested so they hang out in the GI tract and feed the probiotics, promoting their growth.

Sources of Prebiotics include:

INULIN, which is found in:

Fruits: Apples and Bananas

Vegetables: Jerusalem Artichokes (see recipe below), onions, garlic, leeks, and asparagus

Herbs: Chicory root, Burdock root, and Dandelion root

Raw Apple Cider Vinegar

FOS: a source of inulin added to foods, such as yogurt

Recipe:

Jerusalem Artichoke and Carrot Soup

Delicious soup for the WHOLE family. Appropriate for 8-9 month olds and beyond.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

-1 small onion, chopped

-1 tbsp olive oil

-2 tbsps butter (or Earth Balance vegan butter spread)

-1.5 lbs Jerusalem Artichokes

-1 lb carrots

-6 cups vegetable stock

-2 tbsps. fresh grated ginger

-salt and pepper

-bunch of parsely, finely chopped

-Dollop of organic plain yogurt (optional)

-Nutritional Yeast (optional)

1. Saute the onion in oil and butter until soft.

2. Discard the hard knobbles of the jerusalem artichokes and chop them. Chop the carrots.

3. Combine all the vegetables together with the onion for 5 mins. Add the stock and ginger and simmer for 20 mins.

4. Puree in a blender or with an immersion blender and season with salt and pepper.

5. Top with parsley, yogurt, and nutritional yeast.

Creamed Kale

If you're in the mood for something creamy...and leafy, then try this delicious dish. The coconut milk adds a nice nutty flavor to the greens. Quick and easy and of course full of vital nutrients!

The kale is a great source of vitamin A, C, K, Iron, Magnesium, and Calcium. Yes, contrary to popular belief, milk is not the only good source of calcium. Green leafy vegetables are great sources of Calcium.

Coconut milk is a great brain food! It is full of medium chain saturated fatty acids to support optimal cognitive and metabolic function. It'll add satiety to your meal, keeping your belly feeling full and happy longer.

Creamed Kale
1 bunch of kale, chopped (can also use spinach or collards)
1/2 can of coconut milk
1 tbsp dijon mustard
2-3 tbsps rice vinegar
1 leek
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
oil
salt and pepper

1. Saute garlic, onion, oil and leek in a large saucepan/stew pot. About 5-7 mins.
2. Add coconut milk, mustard, and rice vinegar.
3. Simmer on med heat, covered, about 12 mins. (Kale should be very tender and wilty).
4. Season with salt and pepper.

Add garbanzo beans and serve over a bed of brown rice for a complete meal.