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Adding On to 小小宝贝’s Purée Repertoire – Asparagus Purée

Adding On to 小小宝贝’s Purée Repertoire – Asparagus Purée

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小小宝贝 has finally sprouted 2 tiny teeth, after 12 months. He’s a late “teether” just like his sister, for his Mama (yours truly) was an even later “teether”. According to my parents, my first tooth sprouted when I was 2 years old. They were going to make dentures for me as they suspected that I would be going through life without teeth!!

The good thing with having a late “teether”, especially when I’m breastfeeding him, I don’t get bitten. And the teeth start deteriorating later.

So I’m still putting him on purée diet although I’m now making his purée more chunky. And some soft fruits and vegetables like bananas, strawberries, pumpkins etc, he’s started to take bites out of them instead of being purée fed.

And I’m expanding his food repertoire so that he gets to taste a wide variety of food in their natural form without mixing them together.

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Asparagus is low in calories and is very low in sodium. It is a good source of vitamin B6, calcium, magnesium and zinc, and a very good source of dietary fibre, protein, beta-carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin K, thiamin, riboflavin, rutin, niacin, folic acid, iron, phosphorus, potassium, copper, manganese and selenium, as well as chromium, a trace mineral that enhances the ability of insulin to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells. The amino acid asparagine gets its name from asparagus, as the asparagus plant is relatively rich in this compound.

I chopped them up in small pieces. Steam them for 15 mins then blend.

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All yummy and ready for consumption!

Food diary summary…

Weaning off Breastmilk – Almond Milk

Weaning off Breastmilk – Almond Milk

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My target for breastfeeding 小小宝贝 was 12 months. He’s now 14 months old. Hmm… Seems like I’ve exceeded expectations (in corporate terms ?). Anyway the breastmilk has been dwindling and he’s deriving more nutrients from solids than BM anyway. So it’s more like a good to have but not a necessity.

And it’s more of an emotional connection for me. It’s great to feel needed. ☺️That’s why I’ve been delaying the weaning. For 宝贝 I wasn’t given a choice. She refused to latch on after I was away for one week. We will see how it goes for him.

I’ve reduced my pumping to just 12 noon lunch time and evening 6pm.

Due to experiences with 宝贝’s food allergies and eczema, I’ve been reading up a lot on nutrition, diet and whathaveyous. So instead of formula milk (cow’s milk) which has a lot of additives, I’ve decided to go with plant milk, almond milk.

Although it’s low in fats, but it’s extremely high in calcium and other forms of nutrients. In fact, even higher than animal milk. Fats can be easily replaceable through other food.

The only concern is – is he allergic to almond which falls under the high allergenic group, nuts.

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I bought this from Iherb, original, unsweetened almond milk.

I tried it myself… Eh! Quite nice!!

So I gave both of them some, in the morning. In case allergy develops, I’ve time to bring him to the clinic for anti histamine.

And guess what, both of them were fighting to drink it. Good news!!! After 3 days, it’s been confirmed that he’s not allergic to almonds. Time to try other nuts which are full of wonderful stuff! ??

The bad news is, Iherb discontinued this right after I bought my first packet. Sheesh!

So it’s off to cold storage to buy the expensive Silk brand almond milk. $15 per packet.

Food diary summary

My homemade almond milk recipe

Food Diary Summary

Food Diary Summary

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Day 1 : Breakfast 1 teaspoon brown rice cereal
Day 2 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 3 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 4 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons pumpkin purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 5 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons pumpkin purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 6 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons pumpkin purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 7 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 5 teaspoons spinach purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 8 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 5 teaspoons spinach purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 9 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 5 teaspoons spinach purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 10 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons apple purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal
Day 11 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 2 teaspoons apple purée; Dinner 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal, 6 teaspoons apple purée
Day 12 : Breakfast 3 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons apple purée; Dinner 6 teaspoons pumpkin purée
Day 13 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 6 teaspoons sweet potato purée; Dinner 6 teaspoons apple purée
Day 14 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 60 ml sweet potato purée; Dinner 30 ml spinach purée
Day 15 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons brown rice cereal; Lunch 60 ml sweet potato purée; Dinner 30 ml apple purée
Day 16 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30 ml spinach purée; Dinner 60 ml apple purée
Day 17 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 60 ml apple purée; Dinner 30 ml spinach purée
Day 18 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30 ml spinach purée; Dinner 60ml apple purée
Day 19 : Breakfast 4 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30 ml sweet pea purée; Dinner 60 ml apple purée
Day 20 : Breakfast 5 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30ml sweet pea purée, 60ml apple purée; Dinner 30ml Spinach purée, 60ml pumpkin purée
Day 21 : Breakfast 5 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30ml sweet pea purée, 60ml apple purée; Dinner 30ml Spinach purée, 60ml pumpkin purée
Day 22 : Breakfast 5 teaspoons oatmeal cereal; Lunch 30ml spinach purée, 60ml pear purée; Dinner 30ml Spinach purée, 60ml apple purée
Day 23 : Breakfast – increased to 6 teaspoons oatmeal cereal. Lunch – pear purée 2nd day
Day 24 : Lunch – pear purée 3rd day
Day 25 : Lunch – new purée – carrot
Day 26 : Lunch – carrot purée 2nd day
Day 27 : Lunch – carrot purée 3rd day
Day 28 : Lunch – new purée – banana
Day 29 : Lunch – banana purée day 2
Day 30 : Lunch – banana purée day 3
Day 31 : Introduction to meat purée. Lunch – new purée – cod fish purée
Day 32 : Lunch – cod fish purée day 2
Day 33 : Lunch – cod fish purée day 3
Day 34 : Lunch – new purée – chicken purée
Day 35 : Lunch – chicken purée day 2
Day 36 : Lunch – chicken purée day 3
Day 37 : Lunch – new purée – beef purée
Day 38 : Lunch – beef purée day 2
Day 39 : Lunch – beef purée day 3
Day 40 : Increase to 2 purées for lunch and dinner. Lunch – 1 meat purée, 1 fruit purée. Dinner – 1 veg purée, 1 fruit purée. Lunch – new purée – avocado purée
Day 41 : Lunch – avocado purée day 2
Day 42 : Lunch – avocado purée day 3
Day 43-45 : No new purée introduction (near the departure of holiday)
Day 46-59 : No new purée introduction. (On holiday)
Day 60 -61 : No new purée introduction. (Too concussed from the trip :p)
Day 62 : Lunch – new purée – pork purée
Day 63 : Lunch – pork purée day 2
Day 64 : Lunch – pork purée day 3
Day 65 : Increase of no. of purée from 2 to 3 for lunch and dinner. 1 meat purée (30 ml), 1 veg purée (30 ml), 1 fruit purée (80 ml)
Day 66 : Lunch – new purée – apricot purée
Day 67 : Lunch – apricot purée day 2
Day 68 : Lunch – apricot purée day 3
Day 69 : Lunch – new purée – broccoli purée
Day 70 : Lunch – broccoli purée day 2
Day 71 : Lunch – broccoli purée day 3
Day 72 : Introduction of Lactogg before breakfast
Day 73 : lactogg day 2
Day 74 : lactogg day 3
Day 75 : Lunch – new purée – white bait purée
Day 76 : Lunch – white bait purée day 2
Day 77 : Lunch – white bait purée day 3
Day 78 : Lunch – new purée – salmon purée
Day 79 : Lunch – salmon purée day 2
Day 80 : Lunch – salmon purée day 3
Day 81 : Lunch – new purée – threadfin purée
Day 82 : Lunch – threadfin purée day 2
Day 83 : Lunch – threadfin purée day 3
Day 84 : no new purée – slack :p
Day 85 : Lunch – new purée – prune purée
Day 86 : Lunch – prune purée day 2
Day 87 : Lunch – prune purée day 3
Day 88 : Lunch – new purée – white cabbage purée
Day 89 : Lunch – white cabbage purée day 2
Day 90 : Lunch – white cabbage purée day 3
Day 91 : No new purée….
Day 92 : No new purée…

New food introduced.
– Strawberries. No allergy. Thank goodness
– Almond Milk. Preparing for BM weaning.
– Asparagus purée

Food Diary Day 88 – white cabbage purée

Food Diary Day 88 – white cabbage purée

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I’ve been slacking in updating my food diary BUT I’m still diligently introducing low allergenic food to 小小宝贝 every 3 days. I’ll try to update it as often as I can.

Today is white cabbage day!

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I love to eat white cabbage! You just need to lightly stir fry it to bring the sweetness out of it. It’s vastly versatile and can be paired off with most food. Best of all, it’s one of the low allergenic foods. Not only that, cabbage is a good source of beta-carotene, vitamin C and fiber.

Wash the leaves thoroughly. Cut them up into strips and steam them for 10 minutes.

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All my cabbages stuffed into the steamer blender up to it’s brim.

Then blend!

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I hope he will love it tomorrow.

Food diary summary…

Food Diary Day 19 – Sweet Pea Purée

Food Diary Day 19 – Sweet Pea Purée

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This is the first store bought purée (well, minus the Heinz apple one which was unintentional) for 小小宝贝.

We had prepared sweet pea purée for 宝贝 a few years back. After our first attempt, we vowed not to do it again. It simply wasn’t worth the hassle.

In case, you are interested in the preparation procedure…
Buy a bag of frozen green peas from any supermarket.
Steam them for 10 mins.
Blend them.
Press the purée against a sieve to get rid of the hard skin.

It was the last step that “killed” us.

After sieving one big serving of green pea (the sieving took at least 15 minutes), we ended up with just 1/3 of it. Pathetic. After all that hard work….

So, while I shun off the shelf purée, the Healthy Times sweet pea purée is good enough for me.

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Food Diary Summary…

Food Diary Day 13 – Sweet Potato Purée

Food Diary Day 13 – Sweet Potato Purée

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小小宝贝’s purée repertoire has expanded. I’ve introduced him his first root – sweet potato.

Sweet potatoes are rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta-carotene (a provitamin A carotenoid), vitamin C, vitamin B6, manganese and potassium.

I’m slowly adding on food from every category and colours. I love colourful food!

Preparation :
Steam the sweet potato for 15-20 mins.
Skin it. After steaming, the flesh detaches easily from the skin. Blend it.

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Food Diary Summary…

Food Diary Day 11 – Home Made Purée Vs Off the Shelf Purée

Food Diary Day 11 – Home Made Purée Vs Off the Shelf Purée

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We left home in a hurry and we forgot to bring along the apple purée that Papa had painstakingly prepared for 小小宝贝. We bought a Heinz apple purée off the shelf of cold storage.

After 2 spoonfuls, 小小宝贝 clamped his little mouth up and refused to eat more.

I’ve sampled the store bought purée before. It tasted sweeter, denser in texture and not as fresh. Maybe it’s all in the mind, but the discerning baby could tell the difference. He’s been spoiled by home cooked food.

宝贝 helped us finish up the entire bottle. “Yummy!” She declared.

小小宝贝 had the home made one for dinner. He finished the entire cube and whined for more….

Food Diary Summary…

Food Diary Day 10 – Steamed Apple Purée

Food Diary Day 10 – Steamed Apple Purée

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Finally the fruit purée ic has time to get to work. It’s steamed apple purée! Think – the yummy steaming apple in apple crumble! Naturally sweet and smooth.

Cut the apples into pieces and steam them for 15 minutes. Blend them. Simple riiiggghhhttt?

And so, 小小宝贝 had a whale of a time eating his apple purée. He downed 6 teaspoons of it. I didn’t get back in time to snap his photo. :( I could only rely on the testimonial given by the proud daddy.

宝贝 got to eat apple yoghurt today. She hadn’t had it for the longest time ever. She even licked her bowl clean. =.=” yup it was THAT yummy.

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*Rows of purée. Apple, spinach then pumpkin.

Soon he will get to eat a wider variety of purée. A great start to an exciting adventure!

Meanwhile I’ve thought of loads of stuff to make with apple purée. :)

Food Diary Summary…

Food Diary Day 7 – Spinach Purée

Food Diary Day 7 – Spinach Purée

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Spinach holds the highest iron content among the low allergenic food. So naturally it was the next food sample for 小小宝贝.

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*A row of yummy spinach purée in baby cubes.

I used the Chinese spinach which tasted less bitter. Blanche it in boiling water for 1 minute then blend it. I fed him 5 teaspoons freshly made and froze the rest for the next few days.

The texture was different from that of the pumpkin purée so he pushed the initial few spoonfuls around his mouth with his little a while before swallowing them.

A baby’s sense of taste is like a piece of blank paper. Every kind of food is a different experience for him. I like to think that 宝贝 eats almost everything (including vegetables) from no seasoning to seasoning was because we started her on the right foot by letting her taste all the different foods in their most natural states. And we are careful to make sure that her every meal consists of meat, vegetables and fruits. We occasionally slip up when we dine out, though….

So 小小宝贝 finished 5 teaspoons of spinach purée. Quite a fair bit for a first timer. Hopefully it’ll bring some pink to his cheeks and I won’t have to administer iron supplement. I prefer natural food than artificial vitamins. I’m old school…

I stopped his pumpkin purée after 3 days. I made the mistake of feeding 宝贝 with the “orange” foods like pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato for consecutive days that she turned orange! No kidding!

Luckily she reverted back to normal after I stopped feeding her with the orange food. Phew!

Food Diary Summary…

Food Diary Day 4 – Pumpkin Purée

Food Diary Day 4 – Pumpkin Purée

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It’s the first day of a new taste. I wanted to serve some spinach to 小小宝贝 to “up” his iron intake, only to find that there’s no spinach in the refrigerator. It must have been cooked, eaten and fermenting somewhere in the sewers.

Since my Dad specially bought organic Japanese pumpkin for his precious, I might as well use that. One small little slice cost more than $2!!

I chopped it up into small chunks and steamed them for 15 minutes. I added some water and blended the chunks into smooth orange purée. I tried some myself – yummy and sweet.

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I started off with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin purée, in case he didn’t take to the taste. He threw a tantrum after he finished it…. He went on to have 6 teaspoons in all…

I froze 3 more portions in baby cubes so that he could have them for the next few days.

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宝贝 insisted that it’s her favourite (which was really strange… I made chicken chop in pumpkin sauce for her, she declared that she hated pumpkin but still finished it to the last bit.) so she ate up the rest….

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A good sleep after his pumpkin lunch.

Breakfast – 3 teaspoons of brown rice cereal
Lunch – 6 teaspoons of pumpkin purée =.=”
Dinner – 3 teaspoons of brown rice cereal

Milk feeds as usual… He sure can eat…

Food Diary Summary…