Tuna Cutlets

Well hello again... Yes, I’m back from the land of the living dead and no, I wasn’t gone forever contrary to what you may have thought! I know I’ve to get my act together and stop this disappearing nonsense once and for all. But you’ll never believe how busy I’ve been the last month and my blog has always been at the back of my mind, slowly gnawing its way in front until the guilt of neglection could not be ignored any longer and so here I am J

Work has been particularly stressful the last month or so and while I am glad that I’ve been given more responsibilities, it has almost burnt me out completely. I could not be more relieved that the University will be closed for the Christmas Holidays starting next week. Yay!

To add to that we have been a bit concerned lately of Kochu’s slow weight gain over the past couple of months. I know what you’re thinking, that I shouldn’t be so worried if he is happy and healthy, which he is (thank God!) but it seems to be that as he grows his appetite seems to be diminishing. Kochu has been a fussy & picky eater since Day one, but you’d think he would have gotten better over time. So to put our minds at rest we were referred to a Nutritionist. As far as she’s concerned Kochu is healthy but she did recommend that we start including more calorie rich foods in his diet to help with the weight gain. In other words, in the very little amount of food he takes, we’ve to try and get as many calories in as we can.

So when usually all doctors recommend we stay away from butter and margarine and deep fried foods, our nutritionist suggested that we give these to Kochu (in moderate amounts, of course). So we’ve to try and add 1tsp butter into every meal he has and also make sure he has 5-6 meals a day. And also in every meal he has we have to incorporate protein, carbs and fruit/vegetable.  It isn’t as easy as it sounds, but she has given us some meal ideas to try and so I’ll be hopefully adding more interesting recipes into here soon. J

So today’s recipe isn’t exactly a special toddler’s recipe. It’s our all-time favourite tuna cutlet recipe. I wanted to add this in here coz I did make this for Kochu to get him to eat his fish and also something deep fried which the nutritionist recommended. I’ve adapted this from Marias Menu to Kochu’s taste. It’s pretty simple to make and tastes delicious. Kochu will have at least one full cutlet on his good days…sigh…  J

Oh and sorry but Kochu kind of distracted me towards the end of making the cutlets and so I totally forgot to take a pic of the end result. Instead I've just added a general pic of a cutlet(photo courtesy - http://recipenewz.com), just to give you an idea, in case you’re not familiar with cutlets. J 

Tuna Cutlets

Recipe Source : Marias Menu

Ingredients

Canned Tuna in Oil – 2 cans (refer notes)

Carrot – ½, grated

Potato – 1 big, cubed

Onion – 2 medium, chopped

Ginger & garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Green chilli – 1

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

Coriander powder –2 tsp

Fennel powder (perumjeerakam) – ½ tsp

Garam masala – 1 tsp

Pepper powder ½  tsp

Curry leaves

For coating

Egg whites – 2

Plain flour (maida) – 2 tbsp

Water – 1½ – 2 tbsp

Salt – a pinch  

White Bread crumbs – 2-3 cups

Instructions

1.       Drain the oil from tuna.

2.       Cook the potatoes with salt till it is well done. Let it cool completely.

3.       Heat oil in a pan & add chopped onions, ginger & garlic, green chilli & curry leaves& salt. Cook till the onions become soft & start changing the color  Add the grated carrots. Cook till the carrots are done. Add the masala powders & mix well. Cook for 2 mins. Add tuna pieces & mix well. Cook for 5-7 mins, till everything is combined well. Let the mixture cool down completely.

4.       Add the cooked potatoes to the tuna mixture & mash them & combine the two. Make sure there are no lumps. Shape the mixture as per your liking

5.       Make a thick paste with flour & water & salt (a pinch). Add the beaten egg whites to this & whisk till you get a smooth batter. Dip the shaped cutlets in this batter & roll in bread crumbs. At this stage the cutlets are ready to freeze. You can store it in a zip lock bag & freeze it for 1-2 months. Keep the frozen cutlets at room temp for 30-45 mins before frying.

6.       Heat oil in a pan on med – high flame. When the oil is really hot (not smoking) add the cutlets & fry it till its golden in color. Drain on a paper towel & serve hot with ketchup.

 Notes

You can use canned tuna in spring water but I think the ones in oil taste better. Here I definitely want more calories and so I used the ones in oil but the healthier low fat version would be tuna in spring water if you’re watching your calories.

Also take care while adding salt as the tuna is already salty and so add little amounts initially and then adjust accordingly towards the end.

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First Came Love, Then Came Marriage…

Then came YOU!

Watching my husband and son together always melts my heart. It's a reminder that because I fell in love with him, we have him.

Three years ago yesterday R and I tied the knot.  My how time flies.

I'm not going to do the super sappy anniversary blog post where I tell R that he's my best friend and the man of my dreams because I'm sure I've said that enough times already.

But I'm thankful for the ups and downs we've been through and for being there for me every single time and most importantly thank you, for giving me the joy of my life, Kochu!!! Looking forward to growing old with you for sure... :)


For this week's recipe I thought I'd put up how to make those yummy Marshmallow treats from Issac's & Annabelle Birthday party. So here are the details on how to make these fun – and SUPER easy little treats!

Marshmallow Pops

You will need...
Marshmallows
Cadbury Milk Chocolate Melts
100’s & 1000’s
Lollipop sticks

Directions:
1. Melt the chocolate melts in the microwave, according to package instructions.
2. Dip each marshmallow (with stick) into the melted chocolate, until the whole marshmallow is coated. You could instead coat just half the marshmallow to give it a rugged look, but either way it will still taste good.
3. Sprinkle with 100’s& 1000’s and top with a M&M while chocolate coating is still warm.
4. Stick into a Styrofoam board to allow the chocolate coating to harden.

Enjoy! Cute and tasty treats ready in minutes!

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5pm Panic - Tasty Toast

Issac is often really tired and hungry after a fun packed day at day care when he gets home, so the meal I offer him needs to be easy to eat and not challenge his dislikes, as the last thing I want is a meltdown.

I'm sure all mums and dads need a repertoire of tasty quick meals that can be put together in a matter of minutes. Ideally they still need to give your little one a variety of nutrients, include protein to fill up your little ones tummy and keep them full until dinner and hopefully go some way towards meeting their iron or calcium needs. When all else fails crackers with cream cheese, avocado or peanut butter , a boiled egg with soldiers or yogurt with fruit slices are pretty good options for the 5pm panic.

I've recently found that Issac likes bread and enjoys being able to walk around with it as eat it slowly, taking his time and doing his thing while eating finger foods.

My sis-in-law was the first to introduce me to the combination of jam & cottage cheese and I must I was pleasantly surprised. Cottage cheese is by far my least favorite of all cheeses, but of course it is healthier. So not only does Issac get a sweet treat, I can be happy knowing he’s also eating something healthy :)

This is just a different take on your usual French toast and really simple to make. You can be sure your kids will love you for it!

And coz last week I just went on and on about stuff, lets just get straight into it this week, shall we? I'll save my stories & nonsense for another rainy day :P

French Toast Squares

INGREDIENTS
3 slices white bread
1 tbsp sugar free fruit spread
1 tbsp cottage cheese (refer Notes)
1 egg
1 tbsp milk

METHOD
1. Remove the crusts from the bread and cut each slice into four squares.
2. Spread two slices with the jam. Spread the third slice with cottage cheese and sandwich it in between the jam slices.

3. Beat egg and milk together in a shallow dish.
4. Melt the butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. Dip the jam sandwich into the egg mixture and turn to coat.
5. Put the egg-coated sandwich into the pan and fry for 2-3 minutes, until the underside is golden. Flip over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes then transfer to a plate.

6. Allow to cool slightly and check temperature before serving – be careful as the jam can become very hot.

Notes

You can use sugar free fruit spread if you want to make it extra healthy without compromising on taste.

Cream cheese is also another option to use instead of cottage cheese.

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Pumpkin & Raisin Bread

I can't believe we are into the 3rd week of October already. Life seems to be just passing me by and I feel like 24 hours a day is just not enough. Juggling work and family is definitely not easy as I thought it would be.

And it definitely does not get easier when someone or the other keeps falling sick in your household. Both R and I have used up all of our sick leave in the past couple of months as it seems out of the three of us, someone is always sick, the usual culprits being me and Issac. :(

I guess I should be thankful that my workplace is a family friendly environment or else I don't know what I would have done. At times when I think about it, I feel that I would have fired me with the amount of days I've been off work! But lucky for me, my manager doesn't feel the same way and I'm glad that they are flexible enough to let me work from home to make up hours now and then.

Every woman I know who has a job and is a parent has to deal every day with making enough time for both. I never really am able to do it. I just keep stealing from one part of my life to give to the other. (I figure by the time my son is in college, I'll be caught up.) Balancing it all is definitely one of the biggest sources of stress in my life.

Of late I feel that Issac has been missing out on a lot of motherly care. With the new job and additional responsibilities, I just can’t seem to find the time or the energy to cook proper homemade meals for him like I used to when I was a stay-at-home mom. And with the added minus of the sickness rotation we are on, he definitely is in dire need of showers of affection and care.

I struggle mightily in my role as a full-time working mother. A role I feel I've never quite come to fully balance, resulting in the unsettling sense that I’m juggling two extremely volatile balls, either of which I’m in constant danger of dropping at any given moment.

Furthermore, it’s a role that only allows me to spend, on average, three quality hours each day with Issac throughout a five-day work week. Weekends aside, that amounts to a mere 15 hours per week - barely a part-time job. And not always the fun kind when you stop to consider that most of those hours occur at the end of the day, when we’re both tired and cranky and not exactly the most ideal versions of ourselves.

I realize, of course, that this isn't necessarily an issue for some working moms – namely, those who derive a great deal of personal identity and satisfaction through their chosen professions. Unfortunately, I am not one of those women.

In truth, I have always worked more out of necessity than to fulfill any real calling in life. With a fair amount of shame, I will admit that I simply never quite figured out what I wanted to be when I grew up. And so I've spent my adult life wandering rather aimlessly down a meandering career path, with no real sense of where I've been or where I’m going.

So, it’s only natural that I should feel a certain amount of envy for the stay-at-home moms who spend their days with their children, while I in turn sit chained to a desk.

You can guess where I’m going with this… Yes, I think I've got a case of the Working Mom’s Guilt. So, what do I do to make myself feel better? 

I've promised myself that from now on, no matter how stressful or busy my work day has been I wouldn't take my work home with me as I've been doing of late. Even if I get only few measly hours of quality time with Issac on a week day, I’m going to make the most of it. Even if I’m tired and exhausted beyond thought, I’d still find the energy to run around the house playing peek a boo or roll on the floor with him pretending to be a puppy!!

Today’s recipe is a result of my guilt as well. I've been pretty slack in making Issac more of my homemade meals and he’s been thriving mainly on instant oats and rice and veges and yogurt for a while now. L

So I've finally got my act together again and so you can be darn sure to see more interesting toddler recipes coming your way soon! J Now onto today’s special- Pumpkin and Raisin Bread. It’s very straightforward to make (a simple process of mixing wet and dry ingredients) and the slightly dense texture is perfect for little ones as it’s very soft and ‘squidgy’.

It’s suitable for babies who are already confident with finger foods and it’s a painless way to get them to eat up their veggies.

I wouldn't say it was a super duper hit at home, but my picky eater did definitely eat most of it. And he most certainly did not just turn his nose up at it  instantly and totally ignore it, so that's always a plus in my book.

And what do you know, I've actually got step by step pics for this one (not that it was really needed!). But I had my phone on hand and I just clicked away. Since I took the pics on my phone, the clarity ain't that great but you'll get the picture :)

Pumpkin & Raisin Bread
Recipe adapted from : AllRecipes.com

DRY INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup light brown sugar
big pinch baking soda
pinch salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
big pinch allspice
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

WET INGREDIENTS

1 egg
few drops vanilla extract
1 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade) Refer Notes
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tbsp raisins

1. Preheat the oven to 350 deg F.

2. Thoroughly mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. In a second bowl, stir together all the wet ingredients.

4. Combine the contents of both bowls and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon until everything is well mixed (the mixture will be quite ‘wet’).

5.  Empty into a small, greased cake tin and bake for 40 to 50 mins until firm and golden. You can use a loaf tin here but I just used what I had on hand.

6.  Serve warm with some honey or golden syrup (optional).

Notes:

To make your own pumpkin puree:

Peel the pumpkin, cut into dice and place into a saucepan. Just cover with water.
Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer until tender (approximately 5 to 10 min).
Drain and mash well.

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DIY Mickey/Minnie Mouse Birthday Banner

Here’s the long promised tutorial on how to make your own Mickey/Minnie Mouse Birthday Banner.  I’m sorry I don’t have step by step pictures, which I know would have made this tutorial a whole lot easier to follow. But I made this banner over a couple of weeks (not that it takes that long, I just didn't have the time) and I wasn't organised enough. But I will remember this for next time though, I promise J

But for now you’ll need…

• Black Card Stock

• White Card Stock

• Glue (lots of it!!)

• Scissors

• Ribbon

• Round cup/dish for the white insert

Steps:

1. Start by getting a Mickey/Minnie head template for your invite.  I just googled "Mickey head template."  You'll get lots of images to choose from.  Print out the template of your choice.

2. Trace on black card stock and cut out with scissors.

3. Open a new "document" in Paint and type "H" in the font that you want; I used the Walt Disney font I downloaded. I saved that I repeated for every letter until I got all the letters I needed for "Happy 1st Birthday Issac & Annabelle."

4. Then, I printed out each letter on white card stock paper. 

5. Next use a circle cutter to cut out the letter so it fits on your Mickey head.  If you don't have a circle cutter you can use a small round dish or cup like I did.

6. Use glue stick to stick it onto Mickey's head.

7. Once you've got all the letters, get the hole puncher. Punch a hole each on Mickey’s ears and thread your ribbon through it and you end up with this:

Now you have an adorable Mickey/Minnie Mouse banner for your party! Hope you understand my tutorial. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. 

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Hey Everyone!

So let's be honest. I've been pretty lazy about this blogging thing lately. Well, lazy maybe isn't  the right word -- I just haven't had the time to say it. So I've let this slide in a serious way.

But when I was feeling guilty about being a lousy blogger the other day I remembered the reason I started this in the first place: to give all working moms a place to find quick and easy recipes to feed their kids without the guilt of not being able to devote their full time & attention to their kids, and if necessary, complain about the ins, outs, complexities, irritations and joys of being a working mom.

Some days there's nothing better. Other days... well, let's just say that there are days when I would give just about anything to be alone at home, curled up on the sofa with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate.

So that's me. Do you agree? Let me know. Write about it - the good days, the bad days, and the days that may have been better spent on the beach without your boss or your kids. Do you have recipes to share with us that you know is sure to be a winner with the kids? I’d love to hear from you!. Let's face it, I know a lot about being a working mom but not everything. Hehehehehe J

 Send your stories /recipes to honeytjames@gmail.com and I’ll feature them here. Looking forward to hearing from all the beautiful and wonderful moms out there…. Ta.

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Oreo Pops

I saw these Oreo pops first in one of the photos of Nolan Paper Airlines {First Birthday Party}.

I knew I had to make these the moment I laid my eyes on them. How cool do they look? Oreo pops are one of my favorite miniature treats. A few bites of Oreo goodness, coated in chocolate, on a stick - super cute, delicious, and unbelievably easy to make.

Oreo Pops 
Ingredients:
1 package of Oreos
1 tub of cheesecake filling @ room temperature (refer Notes)
1 bag of Cadbury's Milk Chocolate Chips
1 bag of Cadbury's White Chocolate Chips
Chocolate sprinkles
Lollipop sticks

1. Chop up those Oreos until they are a bowl of Oreo powder goodness. A food processor can be helpful here, but it's pretty easy to use your hands as well.
2. Mix in enough filling so that the cake holds together when squeezed. You should be able to roll a firm ball that holds its shape.
3. Refrigerate the cake balls until firm, or place in freezer. A word of caution - you do NOT want to dip frozen cake balls into chocolate! The cake will expand as it defrosts, and it will crack the chocolate coating. Firm is ok - frozen is not. If you are having problems with cracking cake pops - they are likely too cold and/or your chocolate too hot.
4. Melt a small amount of the milk chocolate, and dip a lollipop stick in about 1/2". Stick at least half-way into cake ball (make sure you don't poke all the way through!). Repeat with remaining cake balls.
5. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm around the lollipop stick.

1. Melt  the white chocolate in your microwave safe bowl, according to package instructions. Make sure that you melt enough chocolate so that you can submerge the entire cake pop without tilting the bowl, and without hitting the bottom.
2. Once cake pop is completely covered, lift it out of the chocolate.
3. Once removed from the chocolate, excess coating will start dripping off of the pop. Hold the cake pop in one hand, and gently tap your hand to help remove excess coating, turning the pop as you go so the excess will come off evenly. 
4. Dip cake pop into chocolate, so that it is completely submerged (make sure to cover the chocolate around the lollipop stick!). It's really important that the entire cake ball is covered with chocolate - otherwise, the cake will escape from any and every tiny hole in the chocolate (trust me, it's not pretty).
5. When you have no drips left, hold cake pop upside down for a few seconds to allow coating to dry a bit before inverting. If you are adding sprinkles, sanding sugar, or other decorations, wait until the cake pop is about halfway dry before you start. If the coating is still too wet, the weight of the sprinkles or other decorations may displace the chocolate.

1. Let them setup on a cookie sheet. I made them a day in advance and kept them in the fridge. You WILL need to hide them. Or make an extra batch. :)

Notes

You can use a block of cream cheese or even butter cream frosting instead of the cheesecake filling I used. It will still taste pretty awesome!

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Issac & Annabelle's Mickey & Minnie Mouse Birthday Party

OK, first things first. I’m  really sorry to have just disappeared  for so long without any updates but blame it all on the total madness in my life right now. The past month has been a roller coaster ride for me and my family in more ways than one.

Just to give you a quick update into my life over the last month, so you’ll understand & hopefully forgive me, Issac (Kochu) turned ONE, he then got chicken pox, I got promoted (yes, finally but more about that some other time!), my husband bought me a new car (I know, talk about awesome gifts!!), I’m learning how to drive (again!!), my Brother and family has relocated to Christchurch (YAY!!) and we just celebrated both Kochu and Annu’s (My niece) 1^st birthday. So now do you see why blogging dropped off my radar the last month? J

So, last weekend on September 8^th we celebrated Kochu’s and Annu’s 1^st Birthday. My brother and his family were moving to Christchurch this month and so we decided we wanted to celebrate the kids birthday’s together. It took me and my sis-in -law at least 2 weeks of planning to get everything organised and make sure it was just perfect for the kids. And I’m pleased to say it was. We did have a few hiccups along the way but I’m glad it all worked out well in the end.

Anyway, there were so many fun things I wanted to share about this party, so this post is a long time in coming!

We had SO much fun with this Mickey & Minnie Mouse theme!  Are you ready to {finally!} see the details??

Who hasn't had a Mickey/Minnie Mouse birthday party?!  This was my dilemma in planning this party.  We wanted to steer clear of the commercial Mickey/Minnie party gear and somehow reinvent this classic party.  It took some work and planning, but I think I was more excited on party day than Kochu or Annu! But then again both of them are far too young to understand the theme but we had fun planning and organising it anyway.

The reason we chose this theme was since there were two birthday angels we wanted a cute couple theme and I thought Mickey and Minnie fitted in perfectly.

Birthday Boy

Isn't he the cutest little Mouseketeer you've ever seen?! I had a hard time getting him to keep his ears on and I think this is the only picture we have of him with it on. I made the ears myself and they are pretty easy to do. I’ll put up a tutorial soon, in case anyone’s interested J

Birthday Girl

Annabelle looked absolutely adorable in her red & white polka dot dress and her Minnie Mouse headband. I wanted to make these for the girls as well with the ears and bow but we ran out of time and had to settle for these cute headbands with big bows. All the girls at the party got one each.

Invitations

Again I wanted to make my own but in between chicken pox and work and a house full of guests, handmade invitations were not an option. Instead I downloaded a template I found online here and customised it a bit to suit our theme.

Decorations

Our party was all about red, black, white and yellow with lots of polka-dots! I made the birthday banner to fit in with our Mickey & Minnie theme and I must say I’m darn proud of the end result J Watch this space for a tutorial on how to make your own Mickey/Minnie birthday banner.

There weren’t much decoration done throughout the hall. The reason being we got friends in to blow up all the balloons the night before but did not foresee two overly excited toddlers jumping on them and bursting most of them!

Food

Being the first b’day of our first-borns we went all out with the food. The birthday cake was a three tiered cake with the Mickey & Minnie theme. The bottom tier is double chocolate with Cookies 'n Cream buttercream then Cookies 'n Cream with Cookies 'n Cream buttercream then the top is double chocolate with chocolate buttercream!

We had samosas, spring rolls and dumplings as starters.

The mains were catered by Tandoori Palace and I must say they did an awesome job. We had Tandoori Chicken Drumsticks, Peas Pulao, Malai Kofta, Chilli Chicken and Butter Naan. YUM!!

Dessert was Chocolate & Hazelnut Ice-cream & Vanilla Ice-cream.

My sis-in-law & I made these yummy chocolate dipped treats-marshmallow pops & oreo cake pops and they were SO tasty!  And you can't go wrong with Oreos!  They were a hit!  (I first saw these here at the Hostess with the Mostess Blog.). I promise to put up a post about how to make these soon.

Entertainment

This was by far my favourite part of this party.  We wanted this to be kid friendly especially since it was  a party for the kids.  I read about how a friend of mine (Manju @ Manju’s Eating Delight’s) had a face painter at her son’s first birthday party recently and that got the wheels in my head rolling.

Enter Melanie Poppins! She is a children’s birthday party entertainer here in Christchurch. She was just awesome. The kids loved her and so did the adults! JJ

Melanie did face painting for our young guests and also for some of our older guests still young at heart! She made pirate sword balloons for the boys and flower corsages for the girls. She also had a very cute Harry the Lop Eared Rabbit out available for a cuddle while she did the face painting. Even Issac got a cute moustache!!

Melanie even hosted a Magic Show for the kids but I’m pretty sure the adults enjoyed it as well. And last but not the least she also played Pass the Parcel with the kids, while the parents started on the food, and made sure every child got a present.

The kids had a tons of fun! And I’d definitely recommend her without any hesitation what so ever.

Party favors

We sent home these gift bags with each child.  I filled up the bags with some Mickey/Minnie Mouse favors! Blue for boys and Red for the girls. I printed out the names of every kid at the party on a Mickey/Minnie mouse silhouette  and stuck them on the bags so I knew I hadn't missed out anyone and it also added a personalized touch to the bags.

The  Party Planners!

Whew. I absolutely love throwing parties.  But I think I need a week off now--or a vacation! 
What a fun party!  And both Issac & Annu enjoyed every minute, so it was all worth it! My next few posts will be DIY tutorials, so please do drop by sometime in the upcoming weeks and check them out. Till then, alvida!

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Stage 4 (10-12 months)

Your 10-12 Month old baby has probably found a few foods that are truly their favorite foods. At this point, chunkier "table foods" are a big part of his meals and he or she may not like those thinner purees anymore. With his independence growing, he may also begin to show preferences for certain foods and refuse to be spoon fed.

Take heart - while this stage of eating may be a bit frustrating, it won't last forever. Giving your baby the opportunity to choose the foods he/she wants to eat and how much he/she wants to eat is important; let your baby be your guide and try not to get frustrated. As long as you are offering a balanced diet of fruits, veggies and protein, he/she will be getting all the nutrition he/she needs!

GRAINS & SEEDS:
Any Type

FRUITS:
Berries  | Citrus

VEGETABLES:

Cucumbers | Spinach| Tomatoes

PROTEIN:

Whole eggs | Any fish

DAIRY: 

Whole milk as a drink after 12 months

Breast-fed babies may also be weaning now but remember, there is no reason to wean your breastfed baby until your baby is ready.

After 12 months, your baby is now ready to start trying out more of the adult type foods. If possible, let your baby join the family at mealtimes at the table and get him/her to have  whatever is being served to the rest of the family.

The fun has started and now you can pat yourself on the back and enjoy watching your little one devouring new tastes and flavors with gusto!

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Stage 3 (8-10months)

By now your baby may be eating 3 "meals" a day and possibly enjoying a snack or 2 in between. Don't fret if your baby is doing only one solid meal a day still. Just make sure you follow his hunger cues and slowky try and incorporate 3 meals into his day.

At this stage even though baby's milk is still important, it can take a backseat to his solid meals. You can offer your baby his solids first and then his milk. According to Plunket, at this stage a baby must get around 600ml of milk a day.

Foods acceptable at this stage:

GRAINS & SEEDS:
Amaranth | Barley | Buckwheat  | Flax  | Kamut  | Millet | Oats  | Pasta  | Quinoa  | Rice  | Wheat  | Wheat Germ  | Sesame

FRUITS:
Avocado  | Apricots | Apples | Bananas | Blueberries | Cantaloupe | Cherries | Cranberries | Dates | Figs | Grapes | Kiwi | Mangos | Nectarines | Papaya | Peaches | Pears | Persimmons | Plums | Prunes | Pumpkin

VEGETABLES:
Artichokes | Asparagus | Broccoli | Butternut Squash | Carrots | Cauliflower | Eggplant | Fennel | Green Beans | Leeks | Mushrooms | Onions | Parsnips | Peas | Peppers | Summer Squash | Sweet Potatoes | Zucchini

PROTEIN:
Beans/Legumes | Beef | Chicken | Egg Yolks (Whole Eggs) | Fish | Ham (natural) | Pork | Tofu | Turkey

DAIRY: 
Cottage Cheese | Colby | Edam| Cheddars | Ricotta | no soft cheeses like Brie or Bleu!

Spicing It Up a Bit!
You can start adding spices to your babies food now to give it a bit more flavor and variety. Don't go overboard and add as much as you would for an adult.  Start slow and one spice at a time maybe so that you can find out which ones your baby approves of and those they don't. The 4 day wait rule applies here as well.

I started adding spices to Issac's food almost halfway through Stage 2 and I can definitely say I noticed some improvement to his eating patterns!

Pretty soon your baby will be reaching out for whatever's on your plate, and that's when the real fun begins!! Until then, go on,be adventurous and mix and match different combos of fruit and veges and let your baby go wild on a culinary adventure like no other. J

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Stage 2 (6-8 months)

If your 6 month - 8 month old baby is just starting solids at this stage, start slowly, preparing a very small amount of whatever food you have chosen to begin with. Offer milk to your baby first and then offer your little one solids. It's important to remember that baby's milk continues to be more important than solids at this age - don't worry when baby won't eat more than a few bites.

Your baby might still prefer mushy pureed food, up until 7-8 months, but you can start experimenting with thicker textures. The idea is to make them like texture along with taste.

And this is where the fun really begins! It's really rewarding to discover and serve foods that your baby loves. And to see his look of contentment after a good meal! The fact that you've prepared it yourself means that you know it's fresh, and safe for your baby.

Here is a list of foods you can give your baby now. Continue mixing together foods you've already introduced without allergies or reactions.

Cereals & Grains :
Rice | Barley | Oats

Fruits :
Avocado | Apple | Apricots | Banana | Mango | Nectarines | Peaches | Pears | Plums | Prunes

Vegetables :
Sweet potatoes | Pumpkin | Butternut Squash | Carrots | Green Beans | Courgette | Peas | Parsnips

Protein :
Chicken | Tofu | Lentils | Chickpeas

Dairy:
Yogurt

The introduction of fruits and vegetables over the coming weeks have one unwelcome side effect, though. Your baby's stools will change in colour ... and in smell!!! But it's normal, so don't worry. If baby's stools seem a bit too firm, try avoiding apples and bananas - they can sometimes be constipating.

At the end of this first stage, you have successfully introduced baby's first foods. Your baby is now enjoying a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.

WELL DONE! You can now give yourself a pat on the back.

The eating habits you've formed at this early stage will stay with your baby for a long time to come. By experiencing a wide variety of tastes now, your baby will be far less likely to become a fussy eater later on. And most importantly, you've got your baby off to a healthy, wholesome start.

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Stage 1 (4-6 months)

This has to be the most nerve wracking and scary stage for most parents. I know it was for me! Introducing solids is a a huge milestone that can seem really daunting at first, especially if your making your own baby foods.

This page should give you an idea about what foods you can start your babies on that are safe, healthy and nutritious. Remember there is no "set in stone", "right" way for starting solids. Follow your gut and also let your baby lead you.  You can be sure that your baby will make it absolutely clear if they like or dislike something!

Baby cereal and soft cooked thinly pureed fruits and veggies should be your baby's first solid food experiences. Experiment with single ingredients only and always follow the 4 day wait rule with introducing each new food. 

Rice and Oatmeal cereals are the least of the allergenic grains and thus most babies are started out with those cereals.  You don't HAVE to start with cereal -  feel free to try avocado instead or even banana.

Here are some examples of other first foods deemed safe as first foods for babies.

Cereals & Grains :

Rice | Barley | Oats | Raagi | Broken Wheat (Sooji Gothambu)

Fruits :

Apple | Banana | Avocado | Pear | Peaches | Apricot

Vegetables :

Carrot | Pumpkin | Peas | Sweet Potato

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Corn Chowder

Not sure if you know, but I have a darling niece Annabelle (Annu) who's just a month younger than Issac. She is an absolute doll, and I'm not exaggerating. She is the cutest baby girl I've ever seen. She doesn't smile easily at strangers like Issac but when she does, Oh my God, it could melt a rock!

Even though we are in the same country, it still takes couple of hours on a flight to get to them, so I'm not able to see as much of her as I'd have liked to. I have this dream of her and Issac growing up to be best buddies since they're the same age and all. My brother and I being brought up abroad missed out on the closeness and friendships between cousins and not a day goes by when I don't regret not trying a bit harder to get to know them.

I don't want that for Kochu & Annu. Like someone once said "Cousins are those childhood playmates who grow up to be forever friends", that's what I want for them and all our children. Sometimes, I wonder if we should just pack up and go back home. Wouldn't growing up in a joint family be just wonderful? Children in joint families learn to be flexible in life, learn lessons of patience, tolerance, cooperation and adjustment because they have to live happily with people of different mentalities. They start to appreciate the fact that no two people in this world are exactly same; no two people can be equally good or bad as the other, at a very early age. At the same time they can enjoy their childhood too with lots of kids of their age group, who also happen to be their blood relations.

I'm not saying that children growing up in nuclear families have no sense of family values but just that it can create a disconnect between your child and your extended family. I wish that our children get to spend at least some part of their childhood amongst their grandparents and all paternal cousins. It would help them learn a few lessons for a lifetime. Then again these are just my views and so don't expect you to be in total agreement with me. But, just a thought for the day, eh?

Now back to business. Lately I've been feeding Kochu quite a lot of soups. It is the easiest possible way of getting the most nutrients into him without compromising the look or taste. Today's' recipe is  a family favorite and can be spiced up a bit more for adults. This is so easy to make and its a dish that can be shared by the whole family rather than having to make something else for the baby.

Coming up next Pumpkin & Apple Soup... Watch this space :)

Corn Chowder

Source :Jamie's Dinners

1 celery stalk

1 medium onion

1 ½ tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

3 cups 1% milk (refer notes)

1 medium potato, peeled and cut into little cubes

3 spring onions

2 cups frozen corn

¼ cup chopped fresh chives and/or parsley (optional)

1. Pull the leaves from the celery stalks and set them aside. Chop your celery and onion. 

2. Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the celery (not the leaves), onion, and thyme. Stir until the vegetables start to brown. 

3. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir for a few more minutes. Pour in the milk, add the potato and bring to a boil, stirring the whole time so the soup doesn't stick to the pot. Cook until the potatoes are tender, but not mushy – this will take around 10 minutes. 

4. Meanwhile, chop the celery leaves, trim the ends off the spring onions and slice them thinly. When the potatoes are tender, stir in the corn, spring onion and celery leaves. Bring the soup back to the boil, then serve.

Bon appetit!

Notes

I didn't have 1% milk on hand so I used 1 cup vegetable stock and 2 cups milk instead. Still tasted pretty good.

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