Best Cream of Broccoli Soup

SMALL FAN used to like this broccoli soup as he could eat it with the toasted bread himself. Got this recipe from www.allrecipes.com and surprisingly it tasted really good.

Best Cream of Broccoli Soup

• 2 teaspoons margarine (I use butter instead)
  
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, chopped (I don't have celery so I replace with half a carrot instead)
  
• 1 cup chicken broth (Don't have chicken broth on hand, so used 1/4 cube of the maggi chicken stock with 1 cup of water)
  
• 2-2/3 cups broccoli florets
• 1 tablespoon margarine (I use butter instead)
  
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (I use unbleach white flour instead)
  
• 2/3 cup milk (can use formula milk for younger babies)
  
• ground black pepper to taste

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in medium sized stock pot, and saute onion and celery/carrot until tender.
2. Add broccoli and broth, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree soup and return to heat. (I took some time to puree it till really smooth as SMALL FAN likes his soup smooth and liquidy)
3. In small saucepan, over medium-heat melt 3 tablespoons butter, stir in flour and add milk. Stir until thick and bubbly, and add to soup. Season with pepper and serve.

I diluted the soup a little for SMALL FAN as he is used to the chinese type of soup which is normally clear and liquidy. By the way, this recipe can served 3 rice bowl about 3 adults. But for myself and BIG FAN, the creamy texture of the soup tasted really shiok. I serve this with whole wheat bread which I cut into small pieces and toasted it, so it tasted like croutons.

I have used this recipe to make pumpkin soup, spinach soup, corn soup, mushroom soup before, just change the "broccoli" to the relevant vegetables you want.

Home-made Baby Puree

Was on a look out for recipes suitable for Baby FAN that includes formula milk and found these from one of my many cookbook "Healthy Home-made Food for Babies & Toddlers" by Sara Lewis.

Cock-a-Leekie Casserole

• 50g leek (about 1 middle size leek)
• 275g potatoes (about 2 medium size potatoes)
• 115g chicken breast, skinned and boned (about 1 chicken breast)
• 210ml formula milk

1. Halve the leek lengthways and rinse under running water to remove any dirt or grit
2. Peel potatoes and cut into small dice. Rinse the chicken and cut into pieces and thinly slice the leek.
3. Place the vegetables and chicken in a pan with the milk.
4. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover with a lid and simmer gently for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Puree the mixture until it is completely smooth.
5. Spoon a little into a bowl, Test the temperature and cool if necessary before giving to the baby. Keep the rest in a container and freeze.

Verdict: Yummy, Baby FAN loves this.

Trout and Courgette Savoury

• 275g potatoes
• 175g courgettes (zucchini)
• 115g trout fillet
• 210ml formula milk

1. Peel the potatoes, trim the courgettes and rinse under cold water. Dice the potatoes and cut the courgettes into slices.
2. Place the vegetables in a pan. Rinse the trout and arrange on top, then pour over the milk. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until the potatoes and fish are cooked.
3. Life the trout out of the pan and peel off the skin. Break it into pieces with a knife and fork, checking carefully for any bones.
4. Puree the fish the vegetables and the liquid until smooth.
5. Spoon a little into a bowl, Test the temperature and cool if necessary before giving to the baby. Keep the rest in a container and freeze.

Verdict: Thought it tasted ok, Baby FAN doesn't love or hate it.

The above 2 recipes, according to the book, is suitable for baby from 6 to 6.5 months. This recipe below is suitable for babies from 7 to 9 months.

Nursery Kedgeree

• 50g or 1/4 cup long grain rice (I just use normal rice)
• 25g or 2 tbsp frozen peas
• 210ml formula milk
• 90g frozen skinless cod
• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks

1. Place the rice, peas, milk and fish in a pan, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the fish is cooked and the rice is soft.
2. Lift the fish out of the pan and break into pieces with a knife and fork, checking for bones.
3. Sitr the fish into the rice mixture and add the egg yolks.
4. Puree the food until the desired consistency.
5. Spoon a little into a bowl, Test the temperature and cool if necessary before giving to the baby. Keep the rest in a container and freeze.

I have tried out these 3 recipes for Baby FAN and so far, she seems quite ok with it although I think she still prefer my usual porridge.

Weaning Baby FAN - Part IV

Baby FAN is now 7 months old but she only weighs between 6.1 kg to 6.5kg (it fluctuates up and down). I'm getting worried if she is having enough. However, she seems to be developing fine and reaching her milestones way ahead of her brother. Here's her feeding schedule:

• 0800: 1 oz of formula milk from a sippy cup(that's all she takes, she refuse to drink anymore), sometimes I gave her some bread soak in the milk and she will take more.
• 1000: Breastfeed for about 15 minutes on one breast, refuse to take the other breast or falls asleep after one breast.
• 1130: Half an adult bowl of porridge
• 1330: Breastfeed for 15 minutes
• 1530: Breastfeed or Biscuits with 1 oz of formula milk
• 1730: Half an adult bowl of porridge
• 1930: Breastfeed for 15 minutes
• 2030 to next morning: about 2 night feed of 10 minutes

I wanted to stop breast feeding after 6 months, but somehow with such slow weight again, I'm getting worried if I stop entirely, she won't get enough milk since she refuse to drink from a bottle and is only about to take about 1 to 2 oz from a cup.

Now, I'm trying to put formula milk into the porridge she eats, hopefully it will increase her wait. But read from a chinese book that putting milk into porridge or soup will affect the absorption of vitamin A. So, I only put the milk into one of her porridge feed or alternate days rather then all her feed.

Found out this weight gain tips for children from Hospitals and Clinics of Minnesota: