Recipe: Chicken and Veggie Medley

Chicken and Veggie Medley

This is another one of my crock pot favorites because well, it's super easy to make and it's delicious. Once you are thinking about introducing meats, this is a great starter. I know of many people who will boil chicken for babies, but to me, this is even better because you don't lose as many nutrients in the process.

Ingredients:
6 chicken breasts
4 potatoes
6 carrots
3 head of broccoli
1 zucchini

Wash and peel all of your vegetables and cut them up. I kept the skin on the zucchini but washed it really well.
 

Here I used a crock pot liner, it's just nice to not have juices all over and the clean up is a piece of cake!


I scattered some potatoes on the bottom of the crock pot and placed the chicken on top of that. Lastly, I added the rest of the veggies. I didn't use any spices for the first few times I've made this, but now I will occasionally add a dash of the spices that we use.

I cook it on high for 4 or 6 hours, depending on how much time I have. I always check the temp on the inside of the chicken because chicken kind of grosses me out. Anyway, then you can blend as needed. I always use bottled water to dilute a bit, but that's because our tap water here is so hard. This will yield a lot, so make sure to have lots of containers handy. Also, since there's broccoli, it may get a bit stinky when re-heating.

Recipe: Baby Beef Stew

 Baby Beef Stew

Our little man is a true lover of meat and potatoes, just like his mommy. Since I've been working, I've been all about trying to save time and found that the crock pot is the answer. It's been a lifesaver! Here's our super delicious and protein-filled recipe for super easy beef stew.

Ingredients:
4 large russet potatoes
6 carrots
1 onion
1 chuck roast or sirloin (2-3lbs)
1/4 cup of water 
(2-3 zucchini's if you wanted to make it more colorful)

Add all ingredients to crock pot and cook on high for 6 hours. I may not be a great cook because I love cooking everything on high, but it really makes a difference in the tenderness of the meat in this case.


I've noticed that usually babies try turkey, then chicken, then beef. We started with chicken and veal and then did beef. We began offering meats after veggies and fruits at about 7 months.
The first few times I made it, I didn't use any spices. Now that Max is 13 months, I add a half a package of the Lipton Onion Soup to the Mix and sometimes a couple cloves of garlic.

Then comes the more time consuming part - blending. One roast usually yields a lot - roughly 70 oz of beef. I usually transfer to a large glass bowl and make the first portion fresh. Then, after he goes to bed, I blend the rest using some water to make it less thick. I then freeze the rest and reheat either in hot water (I've almost abandoned that entirely) or in a glass bowl in the microwave. We love this recipe because it's delicious, easy to make, and yields a ton! Max will usually eat 4-6 oz for dinner and loves it!

Also, if you have cleaning out the crock pot afterwards, I'd recommend using the Slow Cooker Liners. They're great and unfortunately, I run out all the time. There's less mess to clean up and you can just transfer the bag into a large glass bowl until the stew cools.

Recipe: Kiwi, Banana, Avocado Blend - Stage II

Recipe: Kiwi, Banana, Avocado Blend

I haven't posted in forever because well, work happened. Lots of work and stuff. However, now that I have some free time, I figured I'd share some of the recipes we've come up with over the last few months. This one became one of our favorites!

Ingredients:
1 banana
1 kiwi (we buy the Mighties)
1 avocado (or half)



This is super simple. Just chop up a banana, scoop out (or peel) the kiwi, and add in an avocado half (or whole)! Voila! Max will usually eat the whole portion, but you can also add some oatmeal cereal and substitute for an avocado half or a half of a banana. Note: since there's a banana and avocado, this does not keep well, if not used right away.