Baby Food Recipe: Chicken Mushroom with Sweet Potatoes and Carrot Purée Porridge (8 months ++)

Aedan is 9 months old and he is really picky when it comes to food. I realized that he will eat ALOT more when his food contains more ingredients and has a richer taste. 

When I gave him just plain fruits or boiled vegetables purée, he will only take a few bites but when I made him more tasty food, he will gobble up a whole bowl! 

So recently I have been researching on Aedan's baby food and tried a few recipes I found online. Those recipes I found online don't really suit Aedan's liking. I realized that Aedan shows lots of interest in the "adult-food" as he will always try to reach out for our food or he will look at our food and shout when we were eating. However we couldn't gave him our food as it's usually cooked with seasoning like salt and pepper which are not good for baby. 

To allow Aedan to have a taste of the "adult-food", I tried to cook his food using the same ingredients that I used to cook for my own food without adding seasoning. Also, I'll cook it with porridge to make it softer and more digestible for baby. 

Aedan can eat a whole bowl of Mommy's homemade porridge for lunch! He really loves it a lot. I have tasted it myself and it's really flavorful. Daddy said even he could eat this for lunch. 

So to benefit those who face the same problem as me, I am going to share my recipe: Chicken Mushroom with Sweet Potatoes and Carrot Puree Porridge. 
This recipe is suitable for babies aged 8 months and above. 

Ingredients:

• One table spoon of white rice 
• One table spoon of brown rice 
• One mushroom
• A small piece of chicken meat 
• Two table spoon of pre made sweet potatoes + carrot purée 
• A few leafy greens (spinach or whatever vegetables available. This is optional)

Directions: 

1. Wash the white rice and brown rice in a small cooking pot to remove the dirt. You can stop when the water turns clear. You can use all white rice if you do not have brown rice. Brown rice is healthier than white with additional nutrients and it also aids digestion. White rice is softer when cooked in porridge so I prefer to mix both. 

2. Add water into the pot to cover the rice. You can add more water as it will slowly be evaporated.

3. Cook the rice and water at medium high temperature and wait for it to boil.

4. Meanwhile, chop the mushroom into fine pieces. As fine as possible so that it's easier for baby to eat. I have done some research on whether baby can eat mushroom and it's mentioned that it's nutritious for both baby and adult. There's no known case of baby being allergic to mushroom. However, we have to make sure that the mushroom is fully cooked before served. Mushroom will make the porridge have a savory taste. 

5. Cut the chicken meat into small pieces. You can cut it very small if you like but normally I will leave it at this size (as shown in the picture below). After it's cooked with the porridge, I will use fork and spoon to shred it into smaller pieces. It's easier to shred after the meat is fully cooked.

6. When the water starts to boil, pour the mushroom and chicken into the pot. Turn the heat to medium low and let it continues to cook. 

7. Monitor the porridge. Stir and add water if you see that the water is level is too low. 

8. When the porridge is cooked to the level of softness you deemed suitable for your baby, add the purée and finely chopped fresh vegetables into it. I will add vegetables at the last stage of cooking to avoid overcooking the green leafy. You will know that you have overcooked it when it turned dirty green in colour. 

9. Stir continuously for another about 3-5 mins. 

I like to use sweet potatoes and carrot purée as it will give the porridge additional sweet flavor. 

Moreover, I prefer to add spinach to provide iron into the meal. It's important for baby to have iron in their solid food. Do note that I will use fork and spoon to cut the vegetables leaves into very small pieces before feeding so that it will be easier for baby to swallow. I will leave out the stems part and eat it myself. :) 

Normally I will cook Daddy and Mommy's meal in tandem while waiting for the porridge to cook. 

Daddy and Mommy had Korean Spicy Chicken made from my homemade Kimchi that day! 

& this is Aedan's meal. This bowl of porridge is packed with lots of nutrients that is essential for baby's growth. 

Total cooking time: about 30 - 40 mins 

You can try it if your baby is a picky food eater like mine! Hope it will work for you too! 

With love,

Mommy eve

#Mommy Diary

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