Good Food Baby Blog

There has been a lot of buzz around homemade baby formula. Health Canada and the Dietitians of Canada have issued a public warning not to make your own baby formulas.

Benefits of store bought baby formula:

Breast milk is always best to provide the nutritional needs for your baby, however, some mothers are unable to breastfeed for various reasons and store bought formula is given in order to meet your baby’s needs. All formulas are regulated in Canada.

If you make your own formula your baby’s growth rate, spurts and weight will be compromised. There is also a major risk of poor brain development which is irreversible. Also, there are higher risks for your baby to develop allergies. This is why homemade formula is not advised it is just not realistic to produce a nutritional sound one for your baby. It would be like making your own breast milk and not from breast milk.

Baby formula is not the same as baby food! Stay tune for homemade baby food recipes to come! Please discuss your baby’s needs with your healthcare professional team; Family Doctor, Pediatrician, Registered Dietitian and/ or Nurse Practitioner.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups dried fruit of your choice (such as apples, apricots, cranberries)
1 cup Brown Rice Krispies cereal
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup rolled oats
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup peanut butter, warmed slightly

Method:
1. Mix the dried fruit and cereal in a food processor until they are finely ground, then transfer to a bowl.
2. Next, add seeds, coconut, and oats to the food processor and pulse until they become smaller pieces and well mixed. Add to the fruit mixture, followed by peanut butter and applesauce. Mix well and let sit in the fridge for about an hour. Be sure to cover the bowl with a lid or saran wrap.
3. Split the dough into balls and roll each ball in sesame seeds. You should be able to make around 15 balls.
4. Serve immediately, or you can wrap the balls individually in saran wrap for later.

These snacks will store for several days in the fridge. Great for on the run snack. This is a great interactive recipe that is fun for the whole family to get involved.

Easter egg hunts can be lots of fun for the little ones, however, this often mean lots of chocolate for them too! Try giving some healthier alternatives for the kids to hunt for and hide treat bags of:
• Fresh cut carrots as ‘Easter Bunny snacks’
• Easter-themed pieces of Essential low fat cheese or apple slices—use a cookie cutter shaped like an egg or bunnies to cut
• Trail mix of mixed nuts & a few chocolate chips
• Stickers

• ½ cup raw almonds
• ½ cup raw pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup raw walnuts
• ¾ cup pitted dates
• 1 cup dried unsweetened shredded fruit (apples or coconut works well!)
• ¼ cup raisin
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Put the almonds, pumpkin seeds and walnuts into a food processor and blend until finely chopped. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until the mixture is uniform and sticky. Line a baking pan with wax paper and transfer the mixture into it. Place a layer of wax paper on top of the mixture and press it into the shape of the pan. Cut the bars into the desired sizes and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Ingredients:
4 to 6 very large leaves of kale, washed and dry
1 garlic clove, peeled and pressed through a garlic press
1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
¼ cup of Organic Essential Cheese (optional: www.energyessentials24-7.com)
⅓ cup walnuts, chopped (toasted for five minutes at 350F) (optional)

Instructions:
1) Separate the leaves off the kale’s stems. Discard stems
2) Stack the leaves and with a sharp knife, sliver them thinly
3) Combine garlic, lemon, in a large bowl. Add kale and toss.
4) Add lemon juice as needed for taste
5) Toss in cheese and walnuts

These brownie balls are a delicious healthy alternative to your typical holiday treats! They are a simple, no-bake, fudgy snack that will be a hit for chocolate lovers of all ages!

Ingredients:
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup almonds
¾ cup cocoa powder
2 tablespoons of Alligga Flax Seed Oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup pitted dates

Directions:
1. Blend pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and almonds in a food processor until it resembles course meal.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and blend until you get a thick, moist dough.
3. Grab a tablespoon worth of the mixture and mold it in your hands to create a round brownie balls
4. Refrigerate for at least a half hour to allow them to harden.

A mandarin orange presented in a fun pumpkin way! Oranges are a great source of vitamin C.

1) Peel the mandarin oranges
2) Cut up celery or cucumbers or even parsley into ½-1 inch stalks.
3) Then simply stick into top of mandarin orange and magic “pumpkins” appears

Hummus is packed with nutrients and is considered a meat and alternative 1/2 cup is a full serving. 1/4 cup with cut up carrots and red peppers makes an excellent snack.

Have a choice of:

Base: different flavors of yogurt (make sure they are either skim milk or no higher than one percent milk fat), vanilla is my favorite!

Liquid: skim milk, one percent milk, unsweetened chocolate or vanilla almond milk, soy milk

Body: fruit, nuts, seeds, or vegetables

Your toddler can have some fun choosing their own combinations. A good way to consume a milk and alternative, and a whole lot of fruit and vegetables into snack time.

Just remember to have your kids eat a proper balanced meal before having a treat. This way they will not fill up on too many sweets. Check out great recipes www.energyessentials24-7.com blog site.