Phase 2 - Fruits, Veggies + Protein

PHASE 2 COULD NOT COME SOON ENOUGH!

I was so excited to start combining flavors for Ardea and to introduce proteins to her diet. You can start introducing some spices (spices, not spiciness) to the purees, herbs like basil and mint -- so much closer to grown up food! And a little easier to prepare with the dinner you make for yourself.

Some things to keep in mind:

- Babies at this phase don't need a lot of meat or fish -- 2-3 tspns. is sufficient
- If you are going to introduce egg yolk at 7 months, offer half of it at first. I mashed it with a little bit of formula so it wouldn't be so thick (egg whites aren't safe yet because they can be allergenic)
- You can introduce very small amounts of oil and dairy if you choose -- I started using Laughing Cow cheese and occasionally adding olive oil to Ardea's purees
- No bumpy fruits yet unless they're cooked

At this point, I use a bunch of small tupperware with individual vegetables or fruits, then I mix and match them with proteins. Sometimes, if Ardea really likes a combination, I'll combine them in advance and freeze the combination.

For breakfast, I usually give Ardea a fruit puree with oatmeal and half an egg yolk if she seems really hungry. For lunch, I try to give her some combination of veggies and grains with yogurt. Dinnertime is when I feed her animal proteins or tofu.

I will keep adding to these lists as I discover more combinations! I welcome suggestions!

Fruits

I loved introducing Ardea to these phase 2 fruit combinations -- mostly because I loved the way they tasted (I snuck more than my share of bites while I fed them to her). For breakfast, I mix some baby oatmeal with the puree. For lunch and dinner, I mix them with yogurt or I let her eat them on their own. These purees are also tasty for older kids and adults when mixed into yogurt or ice cream!'

Under my supervision, I also let Ardea gnaw on a chunk of banana (that I hold) or such on an orange slice.

- 1 mango + 2 peeled peaches
- Blueberries + peaches (I boiled the blueberries and peaches in water that just barely covered them before pureeing the mixture, due to the tough skins)
- Avocado + banana (Ardea's favorite)
- Blueberries + Asian pear + apple (I peeled and chopped the pear and apple, then I boiled the mixture before pureeing it)
- Pineapples + lychees (fresh lychees, not canned)


Veggies + Grains
I thin out these purees with veggie or chicken stock.

- Green beans + veggie stock + potatoes + spinach + 1 piece of thinly sliced basil + 1/2 tspn. olive oil
- Cooked carrots + fresh orange juice + cumin + quinoa (I cook the quinoa in broth)
- Roasted broccoli + Laughing Cow cheese (I toss the broccoli in a little bit of olive oil and roast it in a 400 degree oven)













Proteins

- Soba noodles + salmon + green beans + veggie stock (this would also be good with avocado)
- Ground beef + potato + cauliflower (I cook the ingredients in a pot with just enough water to cover the ingredients)

Phase 2 - Chicken porridge

Ardea had her first cold recently -- it was really one of the more emotional experiences I've had since she's been born, second only to her being in the hospital for two weeks when she was born. That sad little cough! Her little piglet snorts!  I was so glad I had some of this porridge to give her as a kind of chicken soup for babies. In Vietnam, porridge is also one of a baby's first foods so I was also excited to start introducing Ardea to part of my heritage.

Chicken Porridge
1 4lb chicken (you can go smaller too)
1/2 small cabbage, quartered
1 small onion, halved
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
8 oz mushrooms
Water
1/3 cup uncooked rice

Place the chicken and vegetables in a pot and fill with water about 2 inches above the vegetables. Cook for about 1 hour. Pierce the chicken to make sure it is done and no red liquid comes out.

Take the chicken out of the pot. Shred one of the chicken breasts into very very small pieces and set aside. (If you want ideas for what to do with the rest of the chicken, check out my previous post here).

Keep about half of the cabbage and carrots, and a quarter of the mushrooms and onion. Add the uncooked rice. Bring this mix to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes -- check the rice grains to make sure they're soft. Remove the vegetables and rice and put them into a food processor. Add the chicken and about 1/2 cup of the stock. Start the food processor -- keep an eye out on the consistency and chunkiness of the puree. If it is too thick, add more stock.

You can freeze leftover stock in an ice cube tray and use it to thin out other baby purees.