Saturday 25 February 2012

Let Loose

My older son Eric can’t believe I don’t have any games on my cell phone.  He is completely awestruck as to why I would have a smart phone with no games on it.  As obvious an answer it is to me, I find it difficult to say, “I use my phone as a phone…if I wanted to play a game I would break out the hungry hippos”.  Instead of accepting my answer gracefully, my 12 yr. old i-brainwashed son replied, “why don’t you let loose once in a while and download a game on your phone??”  LET LOOSE?  Obviously he didn’t remember the day I had the family dinner all planned with meat out of the freezer and thawed and ingredients prepped and ready to go when a friend called and asked if we wanted to go out for dinner with them.  I was beyond flaccid when I agreed to that!  I can let loose with the best of them.

He ended up saving me from my uptight existence by downloading Temple Run.  The sales pitch conversion occurred when he told me he had put many adults onto this game and they loved it.  How could I say no?  Basically it’s a guy on a treasure hunt all the while being chased by crazed monkeys.  Sounds a lot like my life at home on a weekend. (treasure = wine, crazed monkeys = my boys)


I suppose the game is pretty good in a mind numbing, vertigo inducing kind of way.  Thanks Eric, I’m now as loose as a goose and lots more fun at parties.
I figured in keeping with the theme of letting loose, we could take a break from cooking a batch of baby food today and instead just grab some from the freezer that I’m sure you’ve thoughtfully prepared a few days ago if you’ve been following along with this blog and trying out some of the recipes. J

I’ll take you through some good tips to keep in mind when freezing your purees and thawing them to ensure they are safe for baby.
Two great books I’ve used as reference are Ruth Yaron’s “Super Baby Food" and Daina Kalnins RD, CNSD and Joanne Saab RD’s “The Hospital for Sick Children Better Baby Food".


Ready…Set…Evolve…

Freezing

·         Always transfer purees into portion sized baby food freezing trays or into ice cube trays when they have slightly cooled, but haven’t cooled completely.  By allowing them to cool off a bit it will minimize the condensation collection on the wrap of the tray.

·         Once the cubes are totally frozen you can pop them out of the tray and transfer them into freezer bags to save some space.

·         Sometimes it’s tricky getting the cubes out of the tray so if you leave them out on the counter for a couple of minutes while you run and check your favourite blog post, (maybe mine?) they will begin to soften around the edges making them easier to pop out of the tray.  Make sure not to leave them out any longer than a few minutes though…you don’t want them to start thawing at all.

·         Label the freezer bags with the name of the dish and the date so you know that you have up to 3 months from that date to use them up.  Any cubes still left in the fridge after the 3 month mark, toss them out.  You wouldn’t want to take any chances.  Water crystals tend to build up the longer the food is in the freezer so the nutrients may evaporate upon thawing.

·         If you make a puree with an ingredient that was previously frozen in it’s raw state, such as un-cooked frozen blueberries or strawberries, it is safe to re-freeze the new puree.  However, if the previously frozen ingredient was a food that was cooked first and then frozen and thawed, you can’t re-freeze the new puree due to the threat of potential bacteria growth. 

Simple rule of thumb:

Ingredient used was raw then frozen then thawed and re-used in new puree = o.k. to re-freeze new puree.  Ingredient used was cooked then frozen then thawed and re-used in new puree = not o.k. to re-freeze.

·         Frozen fruits, berries and vegetables are o.k. and convenient to use in a pinch in baby food purees.  They are typically flash frozen in their raw state so they’re frozen at a very low temperature, very quickly, which retains most of their nutrients.

Thawing

·         You can thaw frozen purees in a microwave on a defrost setting or in a saucepan as long as they are completely heated through.  Allow them to cool and stir thoroughly before feeding to baby.

·         You can also thaw the frozen cubes in the refrigerator the day before you want to use them.  Think about what you will need the following day for baby’s meals and take out an appropriate amount of cubes from the freezer and put into small storage containers in the fridge to thaw and be ready to heat up for baby the next day.  Refrigerated purees should be used within 48 hrs. so make sure if you’ve put some in there to thaw you use them up within that time period.

·         Never thaw purees at room temperature or in warm water…especially ones containing meat.  The outer layers of the puree can become warm enough for bacteria to multiply even though the inside is still frozen.

·         Once purees are thawed, cooked and fed to baby, never keep any uneaten leftovers from the feeding bowl.  The bacteria from baby’s saliva can be present in the leftover food so it’s best just to discard it.

·         Make sure baby’s food isn’t too hot.  Luke warm is best as their mouths are a lot more sensitive than an adult’s.  So make sure to thaw and heat through the puree well, then stir to distribute the heat and allow to cool slightly so it’s warm rather than hot.

·         I use little glass bowls from The Pampered Chef to thaw purees in the microwave.  They are the perfect size to thaw and cook 1 serving (2 tbsp.) of food and are very easy to keep clean.

So there you have it…a little time to let loose and keep your apron in the closest for a few days and use up some of those purees you’ve got in the freezer and maybe even play a game or two of Temple Run!

Saturday 18 February 2012

Sleep Tight, Eat Right

Little does soundly napping in his familiar crib Carter know that tonight will be his first sleep…or lack there-of…in a big boy bed.

My husband and I are both excited and tortured at the thought.  We’re excited to move on to the next milestone and the ability to cuddle up in his bed to read him that last story of the day…which was challenging but attempted by his 12 yr. old brother one time in his crib.  I’m tortured at the anticipation of startling floor thumps in the night courtesy of falls out of bed, and sleepless nights due to his realization of freedom…no bars! 
We’ve been talking to him about it lately and reading him stories with simple plots of his favourite characters taking the big plunge from crib to big boy bed.  He came to the mattress shop with us today to pick out the bed…he happily sat on it, laid down on it, and attempted to jump up and down on it.  Given all of this positive feedback you’d think the transition would be seamless.  But I have to remember that 2yr. olds are like fickle adults without a conscience…I have a hunch that liking big boy beds in stores vs. real life are not exempt from this fact.

I’ve done a bit of research to get some advice on the subject and Baby Center has some good info. along with Tot Sites.
I’ll let you know how it all goes, although it may have to be translated from incoherent sleep deprived words into English.  We’ll see.  Here we go…


Let’s get my mind off this and back to the business of homemade baby food.  Here is a tried and true carrot and rutabaga puree that I made for Carter as a young baby and still make for him and the rest of the family now.  Just like I’ve said before, babies are simply mini toothless humans so don’t be afraid to make real food for real babies.  You can bet that babies will enjoy the taste of the same foods that healthy adults like.

A rutabaga is kind of like a cross between a savoy cabbage and a turnip.  Choose a firm and heavy rutabaga with no spots and one that’s not too big.  They are an excellent source of potassium and a good source of vitamin C.  As for carrots…I think we all have a handle on the benefits of these babies.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Coddle Me Carrot & Rutabaga Puree

Age – 6 months +

Ingredients

·         6 carrots (about 2 cups chopped)

·         ½ of a rutabaga (about 1 ½ cups chopped)

·         1 tbsp. of butter

Baby Steps

·         Peel and chop carrots and set aside

·         Peel and chop rutabaga and set aside

·         Add chopped carrots and rutabaga to a steamer set over boiling water, cover and cook for approximately 23 minutes or until veggies are very tender.

·         Remove from heat and transfer veggies to a food processor, blender or bowl to use a hand blender to puree.

·         Add the butter and some of the cooking water to the veggies 1 tbsp. at a time and puree to desired consistency.  The thinner the consistency desired the more water you will want to add.

·         Let cool for a few minutes then transfer to freezing trays to be used within 3 months, or to a food storage container in the fridge to be used within 48 hours.

Makes approx. 12 servings (1 serving = 2 tbsp.)

So whether your baby is in a crib or big boy or girl bed at the moment, may they…and you…sleep tight and eat right.

Sunday 12 February 2012

A Saint's In Town


I thought it was very considerate of my 2yr. old to suggest we make special little Valentine treat parcels for his daycare classmates to affirm how special they are to him.  I also thought it was considerate of him to use up all the stickers that were supposed to go on the cards to decorate his body with instead.  O.K. maybe it wasn’t his idea to make the gifts, but I bet if he knew what Valentine’s Day was and what it meant to millions of people around the world he would want to…or maybe he would just say, “ewww gross!”  Either way, I think it was a nice thing to do.
We don’t usually go all out at our house in celebration of St. Valentine.  Not quite sure why we celebrate the way we do by sending cards, chocolate and fuzzy toy animals which are usually heart clutching gorillas, bears or monkeys  donning a message something to the effect of giving up the heart to the lucky gift receiver.  I suppose any holiday centered on expressing to loved ones and friends that they are cared for is worth celebrating.

People have been sending Valentine’s Day cards since the 1800’s to proclaim their love to their special someone.  I came across a couple on Wikipedia when I did a search on the history of St. Valentine’s Day…

Valentine card, 1862: "My dearest Miss, I send thee a kiss" addressed to Miss Jenny Lane of Crostwight Hall, Smallburgh Norfolk.



A tiny 2-inch pop-up Valentine, circa 1920

I think Valentine’s Day traditions change depending on what stage of life you’re in.  With kids in the house you’re typically not spending a full day with you partner drinking champagne by a fire and eating peeled grapes while expressing your undying love for each other.  With kids a big part of the picture, why not make it fun for them too.  You can always get a babysitter for the following weekend to go to that romantic restaurant you wanted to go to on Valentine’s Day.   This way you won’t have to sit shoulder to shoulder with other couples at tables arranged in a mess hall fashion in order to accommodate the maximum capacity of patrons out in celebration of a Saint no one understands the relevance of.  The closeness in seating arrangement makes it impossible not to hear the “first daters” awkward conversation fillers, and for them not to hear your riveting conversation about how awesome a deal you found at Walmart today on diapers.  Yes…it’s much better just to wait a week or two and then get your romance on.

So then, that leaves February 14th. for a family day of fun.  There are some great suggestions for a Valentine’s Day full of fun for the family at “She KnowsParenting.com"

I’m on board with the one about making a special breakfast for your clan.  It could be a thoughtful breakfast in bed for your spouse and kids, but I would stick with breakfast at the table or highchair or else you’ll have an extra thoughtful load of bedding laundry to do.


For us, eggs are the perfect choice for a special breakfast…everyone from babies to teens to adults usually love them and they are super easy to prepare.  The Egg Farmers of Ontario at “getcracking.ca" have some great nutritional info., recipe ideas and fun facts about eggs including the fact that eggs are packed with 14 essential nutrients that you and your family need to stay healthy and active.

Eggs do pose an allergy concern in babies, however it’s the protein in the egg white that presents the greatest risk.  Babies 8 months and over can have scrambled egg yolks but you should wait until they are 12 months before using the entire egg just as a precaution.

Ready…Set…Evolve…

Let’s Get Crack-a-Lackin…on Toast

Age – 8 months +

Ingredients

·         1 egg yolk

·         1 tbsp. milk

·         1 tsp. unsalted butter

·         ¼ cup of cheddar cheese

·         1 piece of whole wheat toast

Baby Steps

·         Melt butter in pan over medium heat.

·         Separate egg yolk from egg white and use only the yolk.  The white can be added to another egg you’re cooking for yourself or another family member.

·         Add milk to egg yolk and stir together.

·         Add eggs to pan of melted butter and cook thoroughly until no longer runny, approx. 5 mins.

·         Make toast.

·         As soon as toast is ready transfer to a plate and let it cool for 2 – 3 minutes.

·         Sprinkle ½ the cheese on to toast.

·         Add cooked eggs to toast on top of cheese.

·         Sprinkle with remaining cheese.

·         Let stand for 2 – 3 minutes so cheddar starts to melt and meal cools off a bit.

·         Cut into manageable pieces for your baby to eat with their hands as a finger food.

Makes – 1 BIG serving so you can share with another family member.

Note - For older babies you can try adding tiny chopped tomatoes on top of the egg before adding the cheese.

No matter what you’re doing this Valentine’s Day I hope you all have fun and most importantly are not out paying an exorbitant price for dinner because a Saint’s in town.

Sunday 5 February 2012

Bye-Bye Spontaneity

Some things are best left up to chance.  Like when I blindly reach into my purse at a stoplight on my drive in to work to choose today’s lipstick colour.  Although this may not be the best example of chance since every colour of lipstick I own is a variation mocha/pink…a very low risk consequence.

There used to be many instances in my life where painstaking planning and organization weren’t required…I bet all you post parental units remember what I’m talking about and concede that those days are long gone.
The sooner we embrace the fact that planning and organization is the reality of a level life with kids, the sooner we will feel less like overwhelmed stress cases.

Answers to simple questions have changed dramatically.  “Hey, would you like to grab a coffee after work?”  Pre-parent answer – “Sure”.  Post-parent answer – “My husband is working late tonight and the daycare will charge me $5 for every 5 mins. past 6pm. I arrive, so no, I don’t think so.”
We can still do all the fun things we used to enjoy pre-baby, it just takes more effort and forethought that’s all.

There is also the little issue of where to house all the baby paraphernalia to hide the fact that you could open your own Babies R Us.  Believe it or not, with a little contemplation you can find fairly inconspicuous places for all items.
When Carter outgrew his baby stuff we gathered it all together to give to a friend who was welcoming a new little one in the near future.  Below is a picture of all the “stuff” we had for him, and believe it or not, he used everything a multitude of times.  It was shocking to see it all together…talk about baby invasion!!  But when we lived day in and day out with the items they were situated peacefully around the house so their presence wasn’t so encroaching.


Babble.com has a great article on 11 Home Organization Tips for New Parents to help us de-clutter our way to a little more sanity.

Being planned, deliberate and organized in meal preparation for baby also goes a long way in helping to keep you motivated, happy and at peace with the process.
It’s important to have all your ingredients out and at hand when you start into a recipe.  There’s nothing worse than getting through the first bit and moving on to cooking then realizing you still have more chopping to do.  Take everything you need out of the fridge and all the tools such as peelers and measuring cups and spoons out of their hiding places.  Get all the peeling and chopping done first and set aside, then dive into the cooking.

 I’m going to share a recipe for a great staple tomato and veggie sauce that can be used in several different meals for babies 6 months +, as long as they have gone through their first solids trial period to rule out any allergic reactions to certain foods.  It makes about 4 cups so the prep is worth the fruits of your labour.
The recipe calls for peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes, so I’ll go through a simple boiling water method to get the peeling done easily.

·         Score an “X” on the bottom of each tomato with a sharp knife and place in a large bowl.

·         Cover tomatoes with boiling water and leave for 2 mins.

·         Move tomatoes from boiling water directly to a cutting board and leave for 1 min.

·         Skin should easily peel back. Start peeling from where you scored the “X” on the bottom.


Ready…Set…Evolve…

Babe-Essential Tomato & Veggie Sauce


Ingredients

·         1 tbsp. of butter

·         1 cup of chopped onions

·         1 garlic clove diced

·         1/2 cup of chopped carrots

·         1 cup of chopped mushrooms

·         1/2 cup of chopped, peeled zucchini

·         1/2 cup of chopped green pepper

·         7 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

·         4 fresh basil leaves chopped, or 1 tsp. dried

·         1/4 cup of chicken broth (homemade or low sodium store bought)

Baby Steps

·         Prep and chop all veggies, and peel and seed tomatoes using the boiling water method noted above and set aside.

·         Melt butter in a large sauté pan over med/high heat.

·         Add onion and garlic and cook for 3 mins. until onions become translucent.

·         Reduce heat to medium and add all the rest of the veggies except the tomatoes and continue to cook for 7 minutes stirring often.

·         Add tomatoes, chicken broth and basil to veggie mix, stir well and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to med/low, cover and cook stirring occasionally for approx. 30 minutes.

·         Remove pan from heat and let cool for a few minutes.

·         Transfer to a blender, food processor, or large bowl to use a hand blender to puree.

·         Puree into a nice smooth sauce.

Makes- approx. 4 cups

Sauce can be kept in the fridge for 48 hrs. to use in other baby meals such as pasta or rice and chicken etc.  You can add the sauce and then freeze the new meals in freezing trays.
If you freeze the sauce alone and want to add to pasta dishes once thawed, you can do so, however, you cannot then re-freeze the new meal.  For example, if you’re making pasta or rice and chicken for the family one evening, take some of the pasta or rice and chicken and cut or puree into tiny pieces that baby can handle and add a defrosted and warmed sauce cube for an instant healthy meal.  The key rule to remember is once something has been cooked then frozen, you can’t thaw it and re-freeze it again.

Take a deep breath, get organized, but fly by the seat of your pants when choosing your lipstick colour today.