Baby Food: First soup

While I was weaning Neil, I came across these first soups which are not just yummy and healthy but also very easy to make. I'm sure all new mommies will love to give them to their infants....

Lentil soup (dal ka paani)

This watery lentil soup is a good source of protein, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, and zinc.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup filtered water
• 2 tbsps split yellow gram (moong dal) or split red lentils(masoor dal)
• Pinch of turmeric (haldi)
• Pinch of salt (optional)

Method:

Boil the lentils in half a cup of water with a pinch of turmeric (haldi) until it is completely cooked and soft. Mash the dal and add the remaining water. Boil again for a few minutes and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a clear dal soup.

You can gradually reduce the quantity of water to the mashed dal to make it thicker and a more wholesome meal for your baby.

Watery rice gruel (chawal ka paani)

A staple in many Indian homes, this soup is a good source of protein, vitamins, calcium and starch.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of filtered water
• 2 tbsps rice

Method:

Boil rice in water until it is completely cooked and soft. Mash it a bit and strain through a wire meshed sieve 0to get a thin watery rice soup.

Initially offer your baby the water alone, gradually you could include the mashed rice as well. You could add some mashed dal and vegetable stock. Besides the added nutrition your baby may find it tasty.

Barley water

Barley water is believed to be a good source of iron, calcium, vitamin C and protein.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsps barley (jau)
• 1 tbsp ISI marked freshly packed jaggery gur
• 3 cups of filtered water
• 1 tbsp of lemon juice

Method:

Pressure cook the jaggery and barley in 3 cups of water for 15 minutes. Strain the liquid and add some lemon juice. Mix well and serve.

Carrot and beetroot soup

This vegetable soup is a good source of Vitamin A & C, calcium, iron, folic acid and protein.

Ingredients:

• ¼ of a beetroot, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups filtered water
• A slice of lemon

Method:

Add the water to the chopped beetroot and carrot. Pressure cook till the vegetables are completely cooked and soft. Mash the mixture. Strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a clear vegetable soup.

Initially offer your baby the water alone, gradually you could include the mashed vegetables as well. You can also add potatoes for an interesting variation in taste as well as to make the soup thicker.

Note: Ensure your baby is wearing a bib as beetroot may stain her clothes.

Apple and carrot soup

This soup is a good source of Vitamin A & C, calcium, iron, folic acid and protein.

Ingredients:

• 1 apple, peeled and chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
• 2 cups filtered water

Method:

Add water to the chopped apple and carrot. Pressure cook till it is completely cooked and soft. Mash the mixture. Strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a clear soup.

Mixed vegetable soup

This vegetable soup can be included in your baby's diet once you've introduced a couple of vegetables to her. You can make the soup thick or watery. It is a rich source of vitamins, calcium, phosphorus and iron.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 piece of a medium-sized carrot, peeled and chopped
• 1/4 piece of a medium-sized potato, peeled and chopped
• a small piece of bottle gourd (lauki or doodhi), peeled and chopped
• 1/4 piece of medium-sized tomato, peeled and chopped
• small part of a medium-sized cabbage (patta gobhi), chopped
• 3 cups of filtered water

Method:

Cook all the vegetables in the water till they are soft. Mash the mixture and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a thick soup or strain only the water to get a clear soup.

You can use the clear soup as a base for the baby's rice cereal mix as well.

Lentil and sweet potato soup

This hearty soup is an excellent source of iron, B vitamins, Vitamin A and potassium.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp pigeon peas (arhar dal or toor dal)
• 1/2 of a medium-sized sweet potato (shakarkandi), peeled and chopped
• 2 cups filtered water
• Pinch of dry roasted cumin (jeera)

Method:

Cook all the ingredients in the water till the dal and the sweet potato are soft. Mash the mixture and strain through a wire-meshed sieve to get a thick soup or strain only the water to get a clear soup.

Breakfast Recipes and Ideas for Kids

I was looking for some new and healthy recipes for my son, Neil. While I came across many of them, sharing what I tried and liked out of all I found.

Try some of the following healthy different ideas for breakfast for your kids that require very less preparation time, yet appeal to your kids because of their unique appeal.

Cinnamon Biscuits

1 packet flaky biscuits
Castor sugar
1 1/2 tea spoon Cinnamon
3 tbsp melted butter or margarine

Heat oven to 450 degree. Separate biscuits and divide into halves. Mix sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Dip each piece into melted butter and then roll in the sugar mixture. Place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown.

Potato Dippy Dip

1 medium-sized sweet potato (raw) peeled and grated
1 egg slightly beaten
1/4th cup flour

Mix ingredients. Heat approximately one tablespoon of oil. Drop spoonfuls into the pan. Cook for about two minutes on each side, until turns golden brown. Serve with applesauce. Children love to dip it in applesauce.

Apple Sauce

5-6 medium size apples
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Wash apples and cut into quarters and place them in a saucepan. Add water and cook them covered until the apples become soft. Put the apple mixture through a sieve. Transfer back the syrup into the saucepan. Add sugar and let the juice simmer. 

Glazed Bananas

1/3rd cup frozen orange juice concentrate
6 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced in 1 inch pieces
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1/2 cup ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped nuts
Chocolate syrup

Heat orange juice. Add banana pieces and cook for three minutes. Add vanilla and cinnamon and stir for another 2 to 3 minutes until the moisture is absorbed. Serve warm. Drizzle with chocolate syrup and top with nuts before serving.

Orange Crispies

3 small oranges
1 tbsp Wheat germ
1 tsp Peanut butter
1 1/2 tbsp honey / sugar syrup

Peel and cut orange pieces into halves. Cook wheat germ in oil until brown. Add peanut butter and stir until melted. Add sugar syrup or honey. Stir until wheat germ gets coated completely. Place it on a small plate and cool the preparation. Sprinkle over orange slices and serve.

Frozen Shake

1 cup milk
1 cup frozen banana chunks
Chocolate syrup

Place all the ingredients in a blender and make it a smooth paste. Add chocolate syrup to taste.

Novel Toasts

You can even make simple toast more healthy and exciting for your kids by preparing the following healthy toppings:

Cinnamon Toast

Make a mixture of two teaspoons of cinnamon and half cup of sugar. Sprinkle over a buttered toast.

Orange Toast

Combine one tablespoon of orange juice, one tablespoon of orange rind and half-cup of sugar, put this on a half-baked toast and return to the oven. It will become a chewy topping.

Lemon Toast

Combine one tablespoon of lemon juice, one tablespoon of lemon rind (The natural outer covering of food) and 2/3rd cup of sugar and put on a toast and bake. 

Infant Weaning... First Food For Babies_Purees

Weaning is the process of gradually introducing the infant to solid diet and reducing the supply of mother’s milk. A fully weaned infant derives all its nutrition from solid foods and is off breast milk completely.

Today, most pediatricians advocate starting weaning only after the infant is six months old. Infants who are weaned too early may suffer dietary deficiencies as the milk is replaced by weaning foods.

Also, weaning around six months is easier and more enjoyable as the baby can sit up and take an active part in feeding. The tongue thrust reflex is settled by now (young babies will automatically push solids out of their mouth with their tongue).

Let's begin with some healthy and colorful purees. I am trying to help new mothers with some of the baby food recipes which are not just easy to make but also healthy to eat. I searched for these recipes at various places and with some edits, I am putting them here for you now -

• Avocado and kiwi purée : This refreshing combination of fruits is a great source of vitamin E and vitamin C

Ingredients:

    Half a ripe avocado
    1 ripe kiwi fruit

Method:

Mash the avocado well. Peel and mash the kiwi. Push the kiwi through a sieve to remove the pips, then mix with the avocado.

Note: If you prefer, offer individual fruit purées instead of a mixture of avocado and kiwi fruit. Do speak to your doctor before offering your baby any imported or exotic fruits.

• Broccoli and cauliflower purée : This combination of vegetables is a good source of iron and vitamin C.

Ingredients:

    1 large floret broccoli
    1 large floret cauliflower

Method:

Steam the vegetables until they are tender. Purée in a blender or mouli (food mill) and adjust the texture with boiled cooled water or baby's usual milk.

Note: If you wish you can opt to prepare a purée with only broccoli or only cauliflower.

• Pear and apple purée : This tasty mix of fruits is an excellent source of vitamin C

Ingredients:

    1 ripe pear, peeled and sliced
    1 apple, peeled and sliced

Method:

Place the pear and apple in a small saucepan with one tbsp of water and cook over a low heat, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender. Purée in a blender or mouli (food mill).

• Musk melon purée : Musk melon is a good source of betacarotene and vitamin C

Ingredients:

    Large slice of musk melon (kharbooja) or any other melon like honey dew.

Method:

Peel and deseed the melon. Purée the melon and, if desired, add a little baby rice to thicken up.

• Lentils with pumpkin pur: This wholesome meal is a good source of iron, betacarotene and B vitamins.
  
  Ingredients:
  
      50g split red lentils (masoor dal)
      120g pumpkin(kaddu), peeled and diced
  
  Method:
  
  Boil the lentils in water until soft. Steam or microwave the pumpkin until tender. Drain the lentils in a sieve. Add the pumpkin to the sieve and place the sieve over a bowl. Using a wooden spoon, press through the mixture, stir and serve.
  

To u my son...as you turn One.... with loads of Love!!!

A year's gone by

How time has flown

We can't believe

How Neil has grown!

He's such a joy

And so much fun

Oh my! Our baby's Turning One!

Time flies like anything. It seems as it was just a few days back when I first held you in my arms. Trust me there is nothing more joyous and amazing than holding your firstborn child in your arms for the very first time. Your daddy had you first and kissed your forehead with tears filled in his eyes. He said to me "see, here comes my champ". And that is how I named you "Neil" meaning "a champion". when i first saw you, my heart was filled with love, so much love. Never before had my heart known such love. I didn't think it was possible to love something or someone so much. I had butterflies way down in my tummy and this sense of awe came over me. There you were, perfect, beautiful, mine. Yes, indeed, you were mine, no ours :)

It's hard to believe that was one short year ago.The year seems to have passed in a jiffy. Today, you turn 1. It's amazing to look at you today and realize how much you have grown and changed over the past year. Every milestone you reach and every new experience that delights you puts a smile on my face. I just love to watch you explore. Yet, just one short year ago, you were a beautiful, healthy, newborn baby asleep in my arms. A year has brought so much change, so many smiles, and so much love in our lives.

Let me tell you son that the last one year has been the most joyful, exhausting, funniest and fullest year of my life. I have watched you grow and develop your own little personality. I love the way you smile at everyone, your ability to get adjusted in a crowd easily; 

I love when you try and babble every new word you hear; you amaze me with your sharp memory by recalling things told you days back; I feel so happy when people compliment you for your natural spikes; 

It feels like music in ears when you say 'mamma' and 'dadda', i love it when you offer your food to me, i love your dance, your hug, your special kiss.....oh I love everything about you. I love you so much son, my little rock star you are........

 

Now that one year has gone by, and you have grown from a tiny, fragile newborn to a robust, adventurous one year old, I love you more with passing day. The past 365 days were fun to be with you. In that span of time, my life has forever changed. You make my heart smile more than I ever dreamed possible. Wish you a Happy first birthday my precious angel!!

Loads of love

Mamma

xoxo

 

 

Did u eat Barfi!!

Last weekend I had a chance to watch my first movie with my son. This was a long awaited movie as I last visited a cinema hall almost around 11 months back. Hence, I was too  excited to watch a movie in a theatre. I am a choosy movie lover and the very first promo of Barfi had caught my eye. Hence, I landed up at the cinema hall with high hopes to have made a good decision.

I must say I was not disappointed.Though this movie has its fair share of humour; but along with it the movie demonstrates some genuine emotions that are rarely felt or seen in the world today. Barfi teaches you a lot. Here a few little lessons I learnt from the movie:

Barfi! is a silent love story that Basu tries to bring alive with some dazzling play of images and music. The first lesson it gives is that "Actions speak louder than words". The movie beautify shows you that that true love is blind to all the prejudices set down by the materialistic society. It can nourish itself deeply even in the midst of pauperism and follow a completely no-holds-barred course. 

Let's talk about the characters of the movie now. The Chaplinesque portrayal by Ranbir as Barfi (or Murphy) does try to do something different than the usual movie characters. Barfi’s character reiterates few important lessons- 

1.  Life is about finding happiness in small things rather than in being wasted in lusty pursuits. 
2. Imperfection is all around us. How we handle our flaw determines our life’s happiness. 
3. Handicap is not a disease. It’s a way of life.
4. If God gives you a problem, he gives you ample of chances to rectify that problem.
5. Always wear a smile
6. Embrace your shortcomings.

The movie also puts light on an issue like autism. Priyanka plays the autistic Jhilmil who yearns to be considered as a woman. Her character teaches you that Here's what her character taught me-

1. Every heart can feel love, happiness, anger, jealousy, hatred and sadness.  (Jhilmil teaches us that one quality that is probably totally missing in today’s world – selfless love. Giving all that she could give – companionship, joy, love – for just little care and attention in return).
2. A mind can be under-developed, but a heart is always at the right place. 
3. Trust is the most important thing ( Barfi’s lamppost test. He would check how much people would trust him and also, if they will leave him in a crisis situation. The same holds true for Jhilmil. )

Illena's character as shruti happens to be a happy-go-lucky character who Barfi falls in love with.  After a brief romance, Shruti chooses material comforts over true love and leaves Barfi heartbroken to marry the moneyed man. She regrets later in the movie later though. But this is what her character taught me:

1. When opportunity comes your way, grab it with both hands
2. Don't live a life with regrets

The movie has hundreds of such ‘Aww’ moments. They make you laugh, they make you cry. They make you want to go back to childhood, when things were simpler and relations purer. Today, the spirit of relationships has changed totally. Purity is rarely seen. O life!! Why can't it be as sweet as Barfi?

Mad Over Donuts :)

"Donuts. Is there anything they can't do?" Matt Groening

It was after a gap of 3 long years that I once again had a chance to dig my teeth into mouth-watering donuts. Thanks to my sis-in-law who actually re-introduced them to me. These days, my perspective of looking at dishes and tasting them has completely changed. Now I eat and taste to them to first find out how pleasant it is to my taste buds, and second, how is it made; what all it comprises of? Seems i am taking deep interest into cooking with each passing day.

Same happened with donuts too. Earlier I used to just eat them b'coz they were delicious, but now I wanted to actually cook them deliciously too. And hence, after tasting a particular type on recomendation of Neha (my sis-in-law), I once again fell in love with them. Immediately the next day, I was searching for the recipes to make them. After going through a couple of recipes, I came across this one (mentioned below) and decided to try my first donuts using this recipe. This simple donut recipe can be made up in advance and you can simply cut the donuts to shape and fry them before rolling them in sugar. The dough will last for a few days in the fridge if wrapped properly.  

Yesterday, being Sunday, my husband was home and hence perfect time for me to try my hands on something new (These days I prefer weekends for my experimental stuff as my husband is readily available to look after my little angel, Neil). Also it was a double celebratory occasion, being my sister's b'day and friend's anniversary, I thought to give this recipe a try.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

500g plain flour

250ml milk

75g sugar

75g butter

1 egg

1 tsp. baking powder

Vegetable oil to fry

Method of Preparation:

1. Sieve the flour and baking powder together into a large bowl.
2. Add the butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar.
3. Beat the egg into the milk, then make a well in the flour mixture and pour the milk mixture into it.
4. Mix together to form a soft dough, then put into the fridge until ready to use.
5. Roll the dough out to 1cm thick before cutting into the shapes of your choice.
6. Fry the donuts in 180C oil for around 30 seconds, then turn them over and cook for another 30 seconds. Remove from the fryer and drain on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
7. Whilst still warm, roll in granulated sugar.

Icing sugar shouldn't really be used to roll donuts in as it is more likely to just melt into the donut; instead, use granulated sugar. 

I did a little experimentation with the glazing part where I used Jam on a few donuts and melted dairy milk chocolate on few others. After this I rolled them over in sugar (powdered to fine granules). The outcome was delicious; though just a little less perfect than the one I tried from M.O.D. but it was indeed worth writing :) I can definately put efforts to make it a spot on next time. But for now, this is a good to go recipie for a first trial. I am sure you will be praised for it :)

Recipe source:  http://www.donutrecipes.co.uk/simple.html

Bread Idli

This quick, easy and tasty dish was taught to me by my mom-in-law. Honestly speaking, when she first spoke about this dish, I was like, what is this dish gonna be like? I never ever expected that it would taste so great. But it was indeed yummy. 

It can be easily made as a quick snack or even as a breakfast some day. Just try it out and tell me how did it treat your taste buds.

Ingredients

• Bread slices,cut into roundels 4

• Yogurt 2 tablespoons

• Oil for brushing

• Salt to taste

• Potatoes,boiled and mashed 2 medium

• Green chillies,chopped 2

• Fresh coriander leaves,chopped 1/4 cup

• Turmeric powder a pinch

• Rye for Tadka
 

Method

Whisk yogurt and salt in a bowl.Fry rye in 1 tsp oil, and as soon as it starts to splutter, take it off the flame and add it to whisked yoghurt. Set aside. In another bowl, combine potato, green chillies, coriander leaves, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Heat a non-stick tawa. Drizzle a little oil. Apply potato mixture on one side of a bread roundel and yogurt mixture on the other side. Place the potato side of the bread on the tawa. Cover and cook till potatoes turn red. Then Serve hot.