This is a perfect meal for babies 6 months and up! Created by Tyler Florence, this recipe is naturally sweetened by roasting the bananas. A technique I would have never thought of until I stumbled upon this. The original recipe is below and on his blog , TylerFlorence.com – Banana Brown Rice. I didn’t want to make a full batch because I wasn’t sure if Mia would like it but, of course, I was wrong and she loved it! Here is Florence’s recipe and my reduced portion version with photos for baby and a toddler version for our older kiddos. Make this naturally sweet treat for your little loved one today!

Banana Brown Rice makes three cups by Tyler Florence

Time: 40 minutes

2 cups cooked brown rice

3 bananas

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*

filtered water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake bananas on a roasting pan in their skins for 30 minutes.  Use a large scoop to remove flesh then puree with brown rice, cinnamon and filtered water until you have a smooth, creamy consistency.

Banana Brown Rice for baby, stage 1 or 2 makes 1 to 1 1/2 cups

• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 2 bananas
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon*
• filtered water (or breast milk if preferred)

* Cinnamon is suggested to be given to baby after 8 months old. Some children have a cinnamon sensitivity like Mia. At two years old she still breaks out in a horrible diaper rash. Omit if baby is under 8 months old or has a known sensitivity. Please check with your doctor before introducing new foods.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place bananas on a baking sheet (I cover mine with parchment). Place in oven and roast for 30 minutes until they look like this….

Use a large scoop to remove the banana from the peel. Yes, that kind of looks like a big grub worm but I assure you it taste like honey and bananas.

Place the bananas, rice, and cinnamon* in a food processor or blender for 1 to 2 minutes. Puree until smooth adding water a little at a time until you reach the right consistency for your baby. Use more water and puree for longer for the younger babies as they are still trying to get used to texture. Serve. This will keep in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Banana Brown Rice For toddler

Like I said, Mia devoured this and I wish I would have made this for her when she was a baby. Doesn’t mean we can’t  adjust it for her now!

• Follow the original recipe but add milk instead of water, cinnamon,* 1 tsp of honey optional (if over 1 year old), and a 1/2 Tablespoon of organic raisins. YUM!

Oh, the days of ocean puddles of drool, a case of the grumpies and chewing on anything that doesn’t move. Yes, we have reached the nasty days of teething. Mia has two molars coming in at once and I am desperate for a big towel to soak up all of this drool and anything that will help her get through this (ahh, so that’s what the ShamWow is for).

Since I can’t rally give her an ice-cube to chew on I made granita for the little bear and it was a success! It’s an easy recipe that can be made with any fruit or vegetable puree, fruit juice, or yogurt! I’m using cantaloupe and mint for this recipe. Just make sure that with whatever fruit, juice or yogurt you use that your baby has had it before and has had no adverse reactions.

Cantaloupe And Mint Granita For A Teething Baby

• 1 ripe cantaloupe (if it smells like a cantaloupe and isn’t rock hard than it’s ready)
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

Slice cantaloupe in half. With a spoon, scoop out seeds and discard.

Scoop out the meat with a spoon from both halves and place the “meat” in a food processor or blender. Squeeze any juice remaining in the shell into the food processor.

Coarsely chop mint and place in the food processor with the cantaloupe.

Puree until very smooth.

Pour into an 8″x8″ dish and place flat in the freezer.

Every 30 minutes take the puree out of the freezer and scrape with a fork. Drag the fork in rows in one direction of the entire dish. Return to the freezer. Repeat process until the puree has reached a icy flakey consistency (about 3 or so hours depending on your freezer).

Makes about 3 cups depending on the size of the cantaloupe. Store remaining granita in the freezer in a freezer safe container. The texture will remain but might have to be grated with a fork to break up any clumps that might have formed while in storage.

It seriously works! Any puree that freezes well is perfect. Try honeydew and applesauce, pea puree and mint, blueberry puree and mint, blueberry puree and applesauce, carrot puree and applesauce and any of your child’s favorite juices or yogurt. Just follow the freezing and grating instructions. Hope this works for you as well as it has for us. Enjoy and good luck!

… pour a little white rum and a bit of honey over a bowl of cantaloupe and mint granita and you’ve got a little treat for mom. I’m just saying.

Tofu? For babies? That’s right. It’s a perfect way to introduce protein in your baby’s diet. When Mia started to turn her nose up at meat recently, and I was tired of feeding her copious amounts of yogurt I came across an article on tofu. I am not a tofu lover. Sorry, but it’s gooey texture is not much to be desired in my opinion. On the other hand my husband and now my baby love it!!! I was a little worried when I first offered a bowl of tofu to Mia. I was for certain that she would turn her nose up at it and through it in my face. In preparation I adorned an apron to protect me just in case I got a fist full of tofu thrown at me. In my total shock she smiled and inhaled every bite and wanted more! Why did I not try this earlier. I am now a transformed tofu lover (not for me, I’m still a little shy of the stuff).

Here are some quick facts about the odd jello-like substance:

• Tofu is a soybean curd.
• An excellent source of protein, iron, and calcium.
• Can be given to baby starting at 8 months (stage 2) but should not be given to any baby with a soy allergy
• Varieties: There are three types of tofu, Firm, Soft, and Silken. Like it sounds, it’s according to texture but the nutrition is differs.
  • Firm: Most nutritious with the highest amounts of protein, iron, and calcium. (4oz. = 120 cal., 6g fat, 13g protein, 120 mg calcium) I prefer Firm because Mia is a little older and doesn’t mind the texture. Although labeled “Firm” it is really soft and easily mailable.
  • Soft: Best used for younger babies (8 months) because of its soft texture. (4oz. = 86 cal., 9 g protein, 5g fat, 120mg calcium)
  • Silken: Again best for babies not used to texture. Silken is the softest and most creamy. (4oz.= 72 cal., 9.6g protien, 2.4g fat, 40mg calcium)
• Buying and Storage: Tofu comes in a solid block and in a carton of water. At home cut the block into 1″x1″ cubes (or smaller) and store in an air tight container filled with water. Change out the water every two days. Will last for 7 days.

Since tofu doesn’t have much flavor it can be mixed with a variety of fruits and vegetables. We have tried bananas, avocado, applesauce, butternut squash, sweet potato, and peas. We are just starting to experiment with this lovely curd so be on the look out for more experimental mixes and toddler bites!

Tofu and Banana Mash

• 4 cubes (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup) of  Tofu, I prefer Firm
• 1/4 of a large banana

If you haven’t already, cube the tofu. Store the remainder in an air-tight container with water.

Mash tofu with fork.

Next, mash the banana.

Combine and serve. Not too pretty is it? Oh well. According to Mia it’s pretty darn good.

Variations:

• Tofu, Avocado, And Banana Mash: Follow directions above and add 1/4 to 1/2 of a ripe avocado – Mia’s favorite
• Tofu and Sweet Potato Mash: Wash potato and poke several wholes in it with a fork. Wrap with damp paper towel and then plastic wrap. Place Sweet potato in microwave for 6 minutes or until soft. Scoop out flesh and discard skin. Mash potato and add 1/4 or 1/2 cup, depending on baby’s appetite, to an equal amount of mashed tofu. Stir and serve
• Tofu and Butternut Squash Mash: Defrost 3 cubes of butternut squash purée (see simple purees for baby) or use 1/4 cup cooked and mashed butternut squash. Combine with equal amount of tofu, 1/4 to 1/2 cup depending on baby’s appetite. Stir and serve.
• An idea from WholesomeBabyFood.com : Cut soft or firm tofu into small bite-sized cubes and dust it with crushed Cheerios, wheat germ or crushed graham crackers.  (cubes work best with Firm tofu but Soft works as well) I haven’t tried this yet but will be soon.

For those of you following this blog you know I like to freeze baby / toddler meals in portions for quick serving ability. This does not freeze well. Trust me! It’s better fresh anyway and is simple and fast. Enjoy the wiggly, white wonder that is tofu!