Spaghetti Bolognese blw style

Toastie

Sunday Jenson had his first try of wheat and *fingers crossed, touch wood* no reaction so far. Which will make things much easier when we fancy eating out somewhere.
I'll give it a week or 2 and see how he goes with dairy. Then he can join in hopefully when we go out for pizza!
Look at his little knee!

Birthday boy!

Jenson is 1 tomorrow! I can't believe it, why is it the more children you have the faster they grow up?
Today he was tucking into a jacket potato and beans (the low salt kind). He was really having a good try with his spoon.
Whether this is a BLW thing or not I've noticed he's pretty good at working out what he can eat. Having older, messy brothers he often finds himself a small toy, pebble or raisin somehow. He knows the raisin is food and will eat it but not the inedible stuff.

Burger time

Baby Led Cleaning!

Jenson decorated a bit with his lunch today, I started clearing up, got distracted and then found Jenson had decided to get involved!

Today we all tucked into lamb chops, veg and mash. Jenson cleared his plate!

Tomatoes

Jenson's flicking through the Good Food magazine with one of his brother's Dillon (also a BLW baby). I found a tasty recipe in this months issue perfect for introducing him to tomatoes for the first time.
It went down very well, although it did take more like 90 minutes to roast rather than the 40 minutes they say but that could be my rubbish oven!
Jenson is keen on strong flavours (loves garlic and a hint of chilli already)anyway, and thankfully didn't react to the tomato either.

Tucking in

to a bowl of quinoa and veg.
Jenson cut his first tooth last week too. 3 others look like they will soon follow.

February

Just a quick update. Eating out can be a challenge when avoiding wheat and dairy, must be a complete nightmare for those who have to avoid it always. I take some fruit like blueberries or melon in case there's nothing available that Jenson can have.
Yesterday after an afternoon at Rollerworld (I still ache) when had dinner at Pizza Express, noted for their breastfeeding friendliness. I actually spotted a fellow nurser, sad I know but I don't see such a sight very often.
They kindly prepared Jenson a plate of chicken and cucumber. It tucked in but actually had his eye on the doughballs!

This evening Jenson enjoyed a homemade turkey burger, carrots and butternut squash wedges. I ust sort of squish together onion, garlic, olive oil, tarragon and turkey mince and stick it in the oven for a bit (very technical me). Lamb works just as well too but I tend to stick rosemary in that one.

Mango Biscuits!

For a while I've been wanting to make somekind of minimal mess (well compared to fruit), dairy/wheat free, snack food for when we go out and have a coffee and cake. Just so Jenson doesn't feel left out. He does this lip smacking thing when he sees you eat and he wants some too.
Thanks to Helen's suggestions I made something today. Based on the recipe in her blog I kinda of mushed up mango and oats, chucked in some chopped dried apricots, spread it out on a tray and baked it for about 10 minutes.
They went down a treat and reminded me of this!

Typical day

Jenson is 8 months now and really enjoying his grub!
On a typical day he will have some porridge for breakfast. I'll stick whatever I have to hand in. Some cinnamon or vanilla or perhaps bananas, pears, blueberries and if I've made it a bit thick I give it a quick squirt!

Lunch is very like dinner really. Today he had some mince in one of those spinach purees plum baby do with rice spaghetti then I offer him some fruit, mango day today.

Dinner was some made up chicken thing. Onions, leeks, carrots, butternut squash, bit of tarrgon and teeny bit of chilli powder. He scoffed that and had some pear to nibble after. We offer a bit of water now and then. Just for a taste really and he breastfeeds as and when. I don't keep count or take any notice of how often!

Quinoa and bananitos

Wow does this boy love quinoa or what! He scoffs this stuff up. It's a great early food, no gluten and full of protein. It's also great if you don't have much time. Takes about 15 minutes to cook and I stick a sauce or veg with it.
I'm not one for bought baby food. There are just a few things I will buy though. Rice cakes, peter rabbit rice fusilli (as we are avoiding wheat/gluten) and plum baby purees. I tend to use the purees with something else when I'm being a bit lazy. The blueberry goes great with porridge and I use the spinach one on the rice pasta (as we are waiting before introducing tomatoes).
We had a little treat today and ventured out to Waitrose, a dangerous place a for a food lover like me. I was pleasantly surprised to find rice spaghetti and bought a few packs to keep us going. We also found bananitos. Tiny sweet bananas, perfect size for little hands to hold!

Ikea

BLW in the media

Just came across this article in the Independent about BLW.

While I'm here I'll mention one of Jenson's favourite meals. After all doing baby led weaning makes meals a non event really. There's not much I can write about to be honest. I cook food, I offer it, he squishes, eats some, decorates his ears and feeds the cat hovering under the chair with the rest!
Anyway he is rather partial to lamb stew thing I make up as I go along. I'm not one for measuring.
I just get lamb I cut into holdable strips, brown it in olive oil with onions a bit of garlic. Then I grate whatever I have, swede, sweet potato, carrots or leeks. Anything really. Chuck it all in with some water and rosemary and simmer for ages.
It's perfect for when you have a little one with a fall asleep 5 minutes before dinner habit, you just cook it a bit longer!

Yum

One of Jenson's current favourites! He gets really stuck in, I think it feels nice on those teething gums.

Saturday lunchtime

Jenson munched a rice cake while waiting for his veg to cool. The roast parsnips and butternut squash went down rather well.

First week of baby led weaning

Jenson is 6 months now, sitting unaided, teeth are cutting and he grabbed some banana off me the other day so we have started offering him some food to see what he does with it. We also weaned Dillon (now 4) the baby led way but he showed no interest until 8 months. As with all stages different children reach them at different times!
So far his favourite seems to be roast parsnips, the only one Jenson has cried for when he's dropped it.
I had totally forgotton the mess involved but memories of porridge encrusted wooden highchairs are coming back to me!

I thought I'd start a blog about it as to not clutter my normal nonsense blog with stories of steamed veg and squishing antics. Although to be honest there's not much too it really. Just a case of offering food (in suitably holdable sized chunks) when they seem ready (but not before 6 months) if they eat it, then let them get on with it. If they leave it, try again another day. Probably let you know they are ready by nicking something of your plate anyway!
I've known about this approach for about 4/5 years now so when I see young babies spoon fed puree it really does look so strange to me and gadgets like this seem just totally absurd!