Foods for the 9 to 12 month old baby

YUMMY APPLE PORRIDGE



This wholesome porridge made of oats, apples and milk can be served as a dessert or breakfast after your baby is 6 months. Milk is a good source of calcium, which is extremely important for the development of your baby's bones and teeth. Oatmeal is high in energy, protein and fibre.


Ingredients
3 tablespoons quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon jaggery (gur), grated
1/4 apple, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon butter

Method

1. Heat the butter in a pressure cooker and saute the oats for 2 minutes.

2. Add the milk and 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.

3. Add the jaggery and apple pieces while the porridge is hot and mix
well, using a whisk. Serve lukewarm.

SPINACH PASTA PUREE



Now that your baby is above the age of 6 months, try this whole wheat pasta purée. The addition of spinach provides iron and folic acid. Paneer makes it all the more delicious and also provides calcium for the healthy growth of your baby's bones. This purée is a good source of vitamin A that is necessary for healthy skin and good vision and folic acid necessary for normal growth and development of your little one.


Ingredients
1/2 cup spinach (palak), chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons whole wheat pasta (spaghetti, penne, stellini , or any other small pasta)
1 tablespoon paneer (cottage cheese), shredded
salt to taste

Method

1. Boil 2 cups of water in a pan and add the pasta.

2. Allow it to cook completely. Drain out all the water and keep the pasta aside.

3. Cook the spinach in approx ½ cup of water and allow it to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Add the cooked pasta, paneer, salt and mix well.

5. Bring it to a boil and cool slightly.

6. Liquidise this mixture in a blender to make a smooth purée.
Serve lukewarm.

SPRING VEGETABLE RISOTTO

This dish makes a mildly spiced meal for babies who are fond of bland, yet tasty food. The vegetables provide vitamins and fibre while the cheese adds calcium to your baby's diet.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons rice, washed
2 tablespoons carrots, grated
1 tablespoon broccoli, chopped
1 tablespoon french beans, chopped
2 tablespoons spring onions, chopped
1 tablespoon onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, grated
1 teaspoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons cheese, grated
salt to taste

Method

1. Heat the butter in a pan, add the onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Add the rice with 3/4 cup of water and allow it to cook till the rice is done.

3. Add the carrots, broccoli, spring onions and french beans and cook till the vegetables are soft.

4. Add the cheese and salt and mix well.

5. Mash it to the consistency your baby likes. Serve lukewarm.

BABY OMELET (8 months+)

2 Egg Yolks
Milk or Formula
Puréed Chunky Veggies
Cheese

• Prepare a small frying pan with a pat of butter or a dab of olive oil and heat
  
• Scramble Egg Yolks & Milk or Formula in bowl
  
• Pour Egg mixture into heated pan
  
• Scramble Egg mixture until almost cooked and add Veggies
  
• Cook until Egg mixture is no longer runny
  
• Add small bits of shredded cheese (Swiss, American, Cheddar or Parmesan)
  
• Scramble again when cheese has melted
  
• Serve with Fruit Dices, Yogurt, and/or Petite Toast Points with Fruit Purée Spread
  
• Great for Lunch or Dinner too!
  

Ensure that the Baby Omelet has cooled enough for Baby to eat! (Please use only those ingredients that baby has eaten without any allergic reactions!)

SPROUTS KHICHDI



This yummy khichdi made with sprouted moong has a hint of subtle spices like onions and garlic. If your baby enjoys these, it will ensure that meal times are splatter free and more enjoyable. Fresh curds make a perfect accompaniment for this khichdi.

Preparation Time : 10 mins.
Cooking Time : 15 mins.

Makes 1 cup.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons rice, washed
2 tablespoons sprouts (moong or matki)
1 teaspoon onion, chopped
1 small clove garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
1/2 teaspoon ghee
a pinch asafoetida (hing)
salt to taste
Method
1. Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle,
add the asafoetida and garlic and sauté for a few seconds.
2. Add the chopped onion and salt and sauté again for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the rice, sprouts and 3/4 cup of water and pressure cook for
3 whistles.
4. Coarsely mash the khichdi and serve lukewarm with fresh curds or raita.

Porridge and banana

3 tablespoons porridge oats
6 tablespoons milk
½ small banana

Place the oats and milk in a small, preferably non-stick, milk pan and bring just up to simmering point, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer gently, uncovered, for about 3 minutes. The porridge should be thick and creamy.

To serve: For younger babies, purée the porridge and banana to the desired texture with an electric/hand blender, adding a little previously boiled milk or water if a thinner consistency is required. For older babies, mash or chop the banana and mix with the porridge, thin with a little milk if necessary and serve.

APRICOT AND FIG PUREE



Most babies take to figs very enthusiastically because of their mildly sweet taste and grainy texture - something new for their palates. Apricot and fig puree, thinned down with milk, is a good combination rich in vitamin A and fibre. Milk adds calcium which is required for the healthy development of your baby's bones.



Makes 1/2 cup.
Ingredients
2 dried apricots
2 dried figs
1/4 cup milk

Method

1. Soak the apricots and figs in lukewarm water for about half an hour. Drain both the apricots and figs and deseed the apricots.

2. Add milk it and liquidise in a blender to make a smooth purée.

3. Strain to remove the seeds of the figs. Serve immediately.

Cereals

Suji Upma (rava upma):

You will require ½ cup of suji, 1 tablespoon on oil, mustard seeds, onions (optional), boiled and diced vegetables (optional) and buttermilk (optional). You can also add other vegetables for taste and nutrition, such as onions, peas and carrots. First saute mustard seeds, onions and boiled vegetables (optional) in oil. Then add suji and lightly fry for a few minutes. Once brown, you can add either 1 glass of water or 1 glass of butter milk (make sure it is not very sour) and keep stirring. Once well cooked, remove from gas, season with corriander leaves and serve warm. Remember that upma becomes lumpy very quickly, so make only when the child is ready to eat. Reheating upma ruins the consistency.


Suji kheer (rava kheer):

You will require ½ cup of suji, 3-4 tablespoons of sugar and 3 cups of milk. First boil the milk and then add suji. Cook it on slow fire, and keep stirring (to prevent lumps) until the consistency is semi-solid. Then add sugar to the suji. Garnish with powdered badaam or elaichi. Cool and serve warm.


Dalia (from broken wheat):

Dalia can be made with vegetables or without vegetables. The advantage of making it with vegetables is that the child also gets some essential vitamins and minerals.

Dalia without vegetables
Start with equal quantities of wheat dalia and lentil. Add dalia to boiling water and cook it for some time (until half-cooked). Then add lentil until both the dalia and lentil are well-cooked. You can add salt and butter to taste.

Dalia with vegetables
Dalia is prepared in the same fashion as above. Except instead of cooking only dalia, you can also cook other vegetables like potatoes, onions, peas and any other green vegetables with it. You can also season it with sauted garlic or ginger.

Pumpkin Malagutal (south Indian dish):

You will require equal quantities (say 4 tablespoons) of white pumpkin and either tur dal or moong dal. First peel the pumpkin and dice it into small pieces. Then lightly roast the dal of your choice. Next, take both the diced pumpkin and the roasted dal and cook them in boiling water; you should also add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to taste. Once cooked, add ghee or butter for flavour. Malagutal can be served with rice, and is a very nutritious dish for an expectant mother as well as the baby.


Spinach Malagutal (south Indian dish):

The recipe for this dish is similar to the recipe for a pumpkin malagutal. Except instead of pumpkin use spinach. Although a blender is optional for the pumpkin malagutal, it will be required for the spinach malagutal, since the baby will find it difficult to eat spinach in the original form.

GOLPAPDI

This is a traditional Gujarati sweet dish which has been a hit with babies not only while they were teething but even in later years. Every winter, I still make and store a large batch of golpapdi and usually everyone has one piece in the morning with their breakfast.
It is full of energy, carbohydrates, calcium and iron. The ghee provides large amounts of vitamin A.



Ingredients
1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
3/4 cup jaggery (gur), cut into small pieces
1 teaspoon poppy seeds (khus-khus)
1/4 teaspoon cardamom (elaichi) powder
1 teaspoon desiccated coconut (optional)
5 tablespoons ghee, melted

Method

1. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on a 150 mm. (6") diameter greased thali. Keep aside.

2. Melt the ghee in a frying pan and add the wheat flour, stirring continuously till it turns golden brown in colour.

3. Remove from the flame and add the jaggery, cardamom powder and coconut. Stir well.

4. When the jaggery melts and the mixture is still warm, pour it into the greased thali with poppy seeds and spread it evenly with the help of the base of a small bowl (katori).

5. Cut into diamond shapes while still warm.

6. Store in an air-tight container when cool.