WEEK 06: Healthy Grains

Well, this is one of those weeks that I wish I had a few months ago. But, oh well, I'm at least glad I've made it there today. This week I started trying to serve healthy grains at meals. I feel like I've made one tiny step in the right direction. I posted previously this week about the Super Porridge from Yaron's book Super Baby Food. It is the foundation of her baby and toddler meals and it grows into a complete protein meal in a bowl. Reading about it is very inspirational, but as I previously wrote, I did not succeed at the 6 month mark with my boys. I made lumpy, sticky, yucky porridge and gave up, resorting to the easier cereal in a box. I did use the organic kind and I don't regret what I've been feeding them, but I'm eager to see if we can make the porridge a staple in the boys' diet.

FOOD DESCRIPTION
Super Porridge was the only real addition this week.

I continued with pastina and the boys have grown to like it more with each feeding. My babysitter pointed out that it seems just like couscous and I think I must agree and I bet it is cheaper just to buy that in the store (or even better, make it if your the adventurous pasta-making kind).

PROCESS

• Super Porridge I highly recommend that you reference chapter 24 on Super Porridge in Ruth Yaron's book Super Baby Food. Then, you might also want to reference the High Protein Plant Combinations on page 514. I must say after my previous encounter with making the oatmeal porridge with ground black beans earlier this week, I decided to reference the book again. What I found was always there and I had obviously read it many times before, but it didn't click until today. Turn your burner on the lowest heat BEFORE you sprinkle in your grains. Well, I had just been whisking away and eventually turning the heat down. Evidently this heat adjustment made a huge difference for me. It made my porridge nice and smooth today instead of too runny like earlier this week or too sticky and lumpy like a few months ago. I used 4 oz. of ground brown rice powder and 2 cups of water. Then, I added some tahini, which I have been adding to yogurt and commercial cereal for a while now.
• Here's my oatmeal and black bean porridge from earlier in the week. Notice how it was still boiling while I was whisking. Don't make this mistake. Turn down the heat BEFORE you stir in your powdered grains.

• Here's my brown rice porridge from today.

WHAT I LEARNED
Turn the burner down BEFORE you add the powdered grains to your porridge.

REACTION
The boys haven't been huge fans of the oatmeal and black bean porridge so far, but I must say that after refrigeration, it has turned a little gooey (kind of like glue). Also, I think it is an odd combination and that these beans and legumes would be better with rice or millet or other whole grain and leave the oatmeal for fruit and cinnamon.

SUMMARY
I'm eager to continue on my road with porridge and hope to make as many healthy combinations as Yaron suggests in her book. I'm still trying to figure out the best time and amount to make. The consistency is the best when it's made fresh, but it is super hot and must cool. So, since my boys eat right after napping or waking in the morning, I'm trying to time it just right. I've also stored some of today's brown rice variety in the refrigerator so I'll let you know how that goes.

Please share your thoughts or ideas.
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