Expanding food palate

Before Calan was born I knew that I would make his baby food. While as a family we are not the healthiest eaters, it is important to me to know as much as I can about the food I am eating. I still like my junk food, but I like my organic veggies too. For me, moderation is key.

Calan enjoying a new oatmeal recipe this morning.

However, I have gotten a little too complacent when it comes to making his food. I am realizing that my son is 9 months old and I am still feeding him a lot of the same stuff he was eating at 6 months. It was just so easy to steam a vegetable and puree it and serve it. I did not have to worry about him choking or him making a mess. Just serve and done. But as his mother, it is my responsibility to make sure that he learns how to eat more foods and eventually can feed himself. Could you imagine a first birthday without knowing how to eat cake?

So, I am working on expanding Calan's food choices. He is no longer a vegetarian (though he is not quite a fan yet). I am finding that he likes the taste of new foods, but new textures are hard for him to swallow. He is getting there and seems to be OK, so far.

I am trying to introduce several new foods into Calan's diet this week. Here are a few recipes that I am using this week from "Top 100 Baby Purees" by Annabel Karmel:

My Favorite Oatmeal
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. rolled oats
6 dried apricots, chopped (new food for Calan)
1 pear, peeled, cored, and chopped

• Put the milk, oatmeal, and chopped apricots into small saucepan, bring to a boil, simmer stirring occasionally for about 3 minutes. 
• Then puree mixture with chopped pear.

Fillet of Flounder, Carrot, Cheese, and Tomato (I used cod instead of flounder)

4 med. carrots, peeled and sliced

8 oz. flounder fillets (Cod was new for Calan)

2 Tbl. milk

3 Tbl. unsalted butter

2 med. tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (new food for Calan)

1/3 c. grated cheddar cheese

• Steam carrots for about 15 minutes. 
• In the meantime, cook fillets in a pan, cover with milk and 1 tablespoon of butter, and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes or until cooked. 
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a saucepan, saute tomatoes until mushy. Stir in cheese until melted
• Blend carrots and tomato mixture together. 
• Flake fish, making sure to remove all bones.
• Mix fish with vegetable mixture.

Calan liked the oatmeal, but the fish did not get the warmest welcome. He liked eating it, but when he would get a larger piece of fish, he did not like it. I think that it is just going to take some time, but I am glad that we are moving forward.