Moong Dal Soup for babies as a weaning food

 Introducing of soups to babies as weaning food helps in making the meal a full one. Dal soup or vegetable soup are a wholesome meal by itself. Moong Dal is very healthy digestive food. 

Ingredients:
Split Yellow Moong Dal - 1/4 cup
Salt - a pinch
Pepper powder - a pinch (optional)

Method:
Pressure cook the dal for about 5 to 6 whistles. Open mash and let it cool, Grind it to a smooth paste and add 1 cup of water and make it to a liquid consistency. Add salt and pepper powder to it. Feed the babies during lunch time or during morning breakfast or as inbetween meal in the morning. 

Variations:
Can add a twig of curry leaves or coriander leaves or a few mint leaves while pressure cooking. Ensure they are removed fully and not ground along with the dal. 
Adding pepper is definitely optional.

Brown rice cereal as first food for babies

Ingredients:
Brown Rice - 1/2 kg

Method:
Fry the brown rice in a dry pan till they get fried well. When cool grind it to a fine powder. Sieve it through a sieve and ensure no big parts remain.

How to make a cereal porridge?
    Take 1 cup of water and bring it to a boil. Add 1/4 cup of the powder to it and mix well. Bring it to a boil stirring constantly in a low flame. It can be mixed in breast milk or formula milk and be given to babies as first food.

As an addition fruit purees or vegetable purees can also be added. Add just a pinch of salt or a pinch of sugar too. 

Carrot Puree for kids

One of the best baby foods is Carrot Puree. It can be started as early as the kids start eating solid food.

Ingredients:
Carrot - 1 no
Ghee or Unsalted butter - 1/4 tsp

Method:
Peel the carrots, wash and cut into small cubes. Pressure cook it with about 1/4 cup of water by covering it.

Blend the carrot in a blender ensure it is not too thick or too watery. Add the butter or ghee mix well.

Ensure that this is given in the mornings or in the afternoon for easy digestion.

Kichadi for babies (Weaning food)

Ingredients:
Rice - 4 tbsp
Moong Dal - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt a pinch
Water - 1/2 cup

Method:
Wash and pressure cook rice and dal together. When warm remove add salt and ghee and mash well.

The babies can be fed with this weaning food. Initially the consistency of the mashed kichadi should be very fine so that it will be easy for the baby to swallow. Gradually the consistency can be increased to semi solid and solid state so that once the baby gets teeth it will chew the food.

Dalia Porridge - Recipe for infants

Dalia always makes a complete satisfied meal. Porridge made out of Dalia helps the babies have a satisfying meal.

Ingredients:
Dalia - 2 tbsp
Dates - 2 nos
Milk - 1 cup

Method:
Chop dates to fine pieces after deseeding it. Pressure cook it with dalia in 1/2 cup of water for 3 whistles. Blend it with 1/2 cup of milk to a fine paste.

In a hard bottom vessel add the remaining milk and the ground paste and mix well so that no lumps are formed. Serve luke warm.

While serving it to the babies, ensure atleast 1 tbsp of water is given after every 4 or 5 tbsp of this porridge.

For older kids and teens, add 1 cup of milk to the ground paste and serve warm or chilled as per their taste.

How to cook Mashed Rice for infants

One of the best weaning foods that is recommended by most peadiatricians is Rice Mash. It is easily digestible and more hygenic. Many a times, this mashed rice is ground to a fine paste in mixer which is not advisable. It have to be cooked very softly and mashed thoroughly and if it is the first food it can be diluted with breast milk too. 


Ingredients:
Rice - 1/4 cup
Water - 1 cup
Ghee - 1/2 tsp

Method: Wash rice thoroughly and pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles. Remove from cooker and mash it with a flat bottom spoon along with ghee. It have to be of a very fine paste and smooth consistency. Feed it luke warm.

Apple Milkshake - First recipe for toddlers and kids

This is a great recipe to introduce fruits for kids. This also can be given with milk for school going kids as a breakfast or evening drink.

Ingredients:
Apple - 1
Badam - 1 no
Cashewnut - 1 no
Honey - 1/2 tsp

Method:
Cut apple into pieces and pressure cook it. Grind it to a fine paste with Badam and Cashew. Transfer it to a feeding bowl and then add honey and mix well

Note: It is better to check with your pead to add Badam and cashew to the apple while giving it to toddlers.