Introducing Solid Foods

Up until this point, Benjy has been only drinking breastmilk.  He has not had any solid foods and other than a bit of formula at the hospital, he has been exclusively breastfed.  Benjy is 5 months old and is showing many of the signs for starting to eat real food.  I am following the World Health Organization's suggestion to hold off solid foods until 6 months.


I don't think I have mentioned this in much detail, but Benjy seems to have a sensitivity to dairy.  If I have any in my diet he spits up a lot and has very mucousy poops.  Since I have cut it out and done my best to avoid it, the amount of spit-ups and mucousy poops has gone way down.  This is another reason why I am apt to wait a bit longer to start him on solids to avoid him having any long term allergies.

Most of my experiences with babies' starting food has usually been with pablum or jars.  Although jarred food is good for when you are in a pinch, I plan on making my own food for him to eat so I know exactly what is in it. Another concept that has me interested is the concept of Baby Led Weaning.  This method of weaning a baby is essentially allowing them to eat small finger foods right from the start of the process.  As I still have a few more weeks until Benjy is 6 months, I am going to continue to research it and see if this method is right for me.

Do you have any suggestions on a good way to introduce solid food?

 

Under Construction

I started playing around with the settings and everything is funky right now so bare with me while I try to fix it.

Wordless Wednesday 9-7-11

Tasty Tuesday: Kettle Corn

My goal is to bring you a tasty recipe every Tuesday.  Any recipe that I share is something that I have made and know works out well.


This week's recipe is the perfect addition to any Autumn Party.



Kettle Corn ( author unknown)


1/2 cup of popcorn
1/4 cup vegetable oil or butter flavoured oil ( I used canola)
1 1/2 -3 tbsp brown sugar ( lightly sweet to very sweet
Salt to taste


Heat oil in a large heavy saucepan that has a lid ( Dutch oven/ spagetti pot)
Pour in the popcorn, sprinkle sugar on top, and cover
Once the popcorn starts popping, shake continuously until all the popcorn is popped.  ( Using oven mitts to hold the lid on as you shake is a good idea)
Transfer to serving bowl and salt lightly.  Makes 8-10 cups


Side note: Making only 1-2 batches at a time.  Any more than that the sugar begins to caramelize in the pot and burn.


Meg

Autumn is in the air

It is starting to get crisp outside.  Maybe in your neck of the woods it is still very warm, but where I live the temperatures begin to drop very early.  It was only 4C this morning.

So since fall is quickly approaching and who am I kidding winter as well, I have made the colours of autumn show on the blog.  If you noticed my new title banner which I made myself is a little different than normal, that is because it is.  It was made with a program that I am currently reviewing and will be hosting a giveaway for sometime next week.  Stay tuned.

Tomato-less Chili

 I am unfortunately allergic to tomatoes.  I developed this allergy when I was 18.  I get lovely rashes and headaches when I eat most things with tomatoes in it, but oddly enough, BBQ sauce in small amounts does not bother me.

But  no pasta sauce, salsa, or pretty much most things with tomato paste in them.  Most things I have lived without, but I have really missed chili.  So I did some experimenting the other night and actually came up with a pretty good substitute.

I pureed 1 red pepper with a medium onion with some water.  Then I also pureed about 2 cups of zucchini with some water.  I mixed them together in a pot with some ground chicken I had fried up.  I also added a pack of Old El Paso chili seasoning, a can of white kidney beans, and 1/2 jar of green tomatillo salsa.  The end result was quite yummy.

My red pepper chili

Comparing my red pepper chili to the regular chili I made for my tomato loving husband.  Doesn't look half bad..

Benjy is 5 months/ New Car Seat

I can't believe how quickly time has gone by.  My little boy is already 5 months old.  I was organizing things this morning and put away his old sleepers.  I held them up to him and there is no way he would fit in them now, but at one time they were loose on him.

He is 20lbs and 27 inches.  Quite a bit bigger than the 8lbs 1/2 oz and 19 3/4 inches he was at birth.

Because he is nearing the weight limit of his infant car seat which is a Graco Snugride, we decided to get him a new car seat.  We have a 2010 Nissan Versa Hatchback, so not just any car seat will fit well into our car.  The two choices that I found from other reviews that fit well were the Graco My Ride 65 and a Safety 1st seat.  I like our Graco products that we have so I went with that seat.

Here is a picture of Benjy sitting in his Graco My Ride 65 in Spiral.