Family Meal

When I reflect on my years as a nanny, I am most grateful for three things: the families I worked with, the nanny friends I made, and the experience of raising children. Before I had considered having my own children, I had a hand in raising several children. Of course, it is different when it is your baby that is with you all day, every day. Still, most of what I learned is easily applicable with my biological baby. (Because my nanny babies are my babies, too.)

One of the ideas that I've transferred to my family is Family Dinner. Whether you want to save money, give your baby only the best, raise a child with a broad pallet, have specific health needs, or you want to save time, make a meal the entire family, baby included, can eat. This is nothing new or fancy, but in the land of jarred food and short order cook moms, this "old school" thinking is so far removed that it is new-fangled. And just like they did it "back then", all you need is a blender (which you can get for as low as $10 at Target, and it will do the job... As for me, I like my immersion blender) in addition to what you would use to make your own food. No fancy steamers, no odd containers, no $150 tool you will use for 4 months. (I'll discuss freezing later.)

This one-pot simple soup is fast, easy, and delicious. And did I mention one pot? Who doesn't like that? Whether your kids are 6 months or 396 months old, this makes a great meal.

Chicken Soup For All! (4-5 people...)

You will need:

8 small chicken thighs (thighs have more iron, so I like them for Baby, but you could use white meat, too), cut into bite-sized pieces
4 cups of low-sodium or home-made chicken or vegetable stock
2.5 cups of water
1 tablespoon of salt-free poultry seasoning (this is my favorite!)
4 large carrots, peeled and diced
4 stalks of celery, leaves included, diced
1 cup of lentils, rinsed and picked through for stones (they will make your teeth and blender cry)

Throw all the above into a pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover partially, simmering until the lentils are cooked, about 20-30 minutes, depending on the type of lentil (I used French green lentils) and your preference of doneness.

Modifications:

Triple lentils and omit chicken for vegetarian version.

Blend until smooth for babies 4-7 months.

Strain from broth and chop (in blender or hand chopper, like the kind for nuts) and add back to broth for babies 7-12 months.

For babies 12-18 months, make sure your ingredients are diced to a size your baby can safely handle before cooking. You know your baby best.


Tia Jessica inspired cantaloupe popsicles (ages 4 months - 400 years old)

If you don't have popsicle molds, get some. For bitty ones, get the Annabel Karmel one-ounce molds.

Put cantaloupe wedges into blender. Puree until smooth. Test the cantaloupe. If you didn't get a particularly sweet melon, add some agave syrup or white grape juice. (You could also sneak in some cucumber and sweeten slightly.). Freeze. Enjoy!

This also makes nice baby puree without the sweetener.