What's for dinner?

Gatlin what are you doing???

Enjoying some yummy food??? 

Did you know mommy made that just for you???

Shocking I know!!!

I really enjoy cooking. I have had my share of "Oh my gosh, this is gross" dinner disasters, but I really enjoy being in the kitchen. When we had Gatlin I knew that I really wanted to make his food. I have issues with some of the ingredients listed on the back of the commercial baby foods. Equally troublesome is the color of some of the green foods, that aren't exactly green anymore. Anywho, I had a lot to learn as far as preparing baby food. It has really been a fun learning experience. Making Gatlin's food has introduced John and I to some new foods as well.

The process has been pretty simple and affordable. I make a month's worth of food at a time. I use ice cube trays to freeze the food, and then transfer them to ziploc baggies. (TIP: Run water over the sides of the ice tray to help the food slide out of the tray easily)

Here is a list of things we have made so far:

Avocados and Bananas 

We started Gatlin on these two foods at around 5 1/2 months. They are the easiest to prepare and you can mash them up without having to use a food processor. You simply peel the banana and mash with a fork. (TIP: Don't use a food processor or you will end up with banana soup!) The same goes for the avocados, you cut around the pit and them just mash the "meat" with a fork. (TIP: Make sure the avocado is ripe enough, if not it will be difficult to mash)

Apples and Pears

You are basically making applesauce. You wash and peel the fruit and then add about an inch of water in a pot.  Boil/steam the fruit until fork tender. Then just pulse a few times in a food processor. This past week I made baked apples. You wash and core the apple (leave the peel intact) , cut in half and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake face down in deep pan with an inch of water until tender, then pulse in processor or mash. This is one of Gatlin's favorites!

Carrots

I buy the baby carrots already washed and peeled so you just dump them in a steamer basket (I use our rice cooker) until fork tender, then pulse a few times in a processor or mash.

Plums

This may be be Gatlin's overall favorite so far! You slice in half and pit, then steam in steamer basket. Then peel the skin and pulse in a processor or mash.

Sweet potatoes

Puncture the skin of the potato and bake the whole potato at 350 degrees until the skin separates from the potato. Then just peel the skin and mash.

Peas and Green Beans

Since it was the middle of winter when we started this, I purchased frozen bags of these veggies. You cook according to the directions then pulse in processor.

Butternut Squash 

One butternut squash goes a long, long way! You cut in half and scrape out the gunk. Then just place face down in one inch of water and bake for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees or until tender. Then just scrape from the skin and mash.

Quinoa

Over the last few weeks we started adding quinoa to Gatlin's meals. It is a great source of protein, iron and fiber. I make it in the rice cooker with double the water to the quinoa. I make enough for a week's time and just heat up for each meal.

Yogurt

Gatlin is really not sure about yogurt yet... I am not sure if it is a texture or flavor issue, but we buy plain natural yogurt in a 32 ounce tub. He doesn't mind it if it is mixed with fruit, so I have been sneaking it in that way. (Be sure to check with your doctor about when to introduce dairy) 

A typical lunch or dinner meal for Gatlin is one cube of a vegetable, one cube of a fruit, a tablespoon of yogurt, and a tablespoon of quinoa. I typically end up mixing the vegetable with the quinoa and the yogurt with the fruit.

For breakfast Gatlin usually has either baked apples or fruit and yogurt. Sometimes if he gets fussy in the afternoon I will give him a cube of banana in his snack holder thing. (Not sure what it is called but it is basically a little net with a handle that teaches him to feed himself)

So far introducing solids has not been very challenging as far as what Gatlin will eat. My biggest challenge is getting Gatlin to pay attention to me... not the dog during meal time!