Learn how to make a creamy toasted cinnamon quinoa porridge that’s layered with coconut yogurt and a blueberry compote!

OT FEEDING TIP:

6-12 months: When serving the porridge, you can spoon-feed the baby or give them a pre-loaded so they can bring the spoon to mouth. If the baby is not opening their mouth or taking the puree at first, you can place a small amount on the tray so they can explore the texture through touch and smell.

12 months and older: For yourself or an odler kiddo you could add a little sweetener (uch as honey) and toppings (such as coconut chips or crushed nuts) to give the puree a nice texture. 

Quinoa Porridge

Serving Size:

4

Time:

35 min.

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 1/2 cup of almond milk 
• ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon.
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

Directions

1. Add oil to a cold saucepan until it starts to shimmer. Add the cinnamon and quinoa to the oil and stir them together until the spiced oil mixture coats the quinoa and you can smell the cinnamon becoming more fragrant (about 1-2minutes). 
2. Add the almond milk to the saucepan and stir the quinoa and milk together. Raise the heat until the mixture comes to a light simmer and let it cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently. 
3. Spoon the quinoa into a bowl and set aside. 
   

Blueberry Compote

Serving Size:

4

Time:

8 min.

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 2 cups wild blueberries 
• Zest from 1 lemon
• Juice from ½ lemon

Directions

1. Add 2 cups of wild organic frozen blueberries to a saucepan. Break up any large clumps with a wooden spoon. 
2. Stir in the lemon zest and lemon juice. Sprinkle in 1/8 teaspoon of ground cardamom. Stir until combined.
3. Once the mixture comes to a gentle simmer and the juices start to release (about 5 min.) turn off the heat. 
4. Using a hand blender, blend the blueberries until they start to break apart and make a textured puree. 
5. Scoop the berries into a bowl and set aside. 
   

To assemble the porridge mixture into a 2 ounce container, first add a large scoop of quinoa porridge, then a large scoop of unsweetened coconut yogurt and then one spoonful of blueberry compote. Stir together to combine before serving. Enjoy! 

Grain variations: you could also follow the same porridge cooking steps using different grains such as rolled oats or millet. You may need to adjust the amount of milk you use due to the varying way the grains absorb the milk

Yogurt variations: you could also use unsweetened full fat Greek yogurt, sheep’s milk yogurt, goat’s milk yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond yogurt. 

Milk variations: you could use peanut cow’s milk, pea protein milk, oat milk, coconut milk or any kind of nut milk

Fruit variations: you could follow the same directions for the compote but use different berries such as strawberries, raspberries, or blackberries. 

The post Make A Delicious Dish for your Baby-Quinoa Porridge with Blueberry Compote appeared first on Feeling Yum.

We noticed a lip-tie on my daughter, Alana, a few days after she was born. What is a lip-tie? It’s when the frenulum (the string of tissue connecting the lip to the gum) is low and keeps the lip held very tight against the gum. You can see it when you flip the lip up or when you sweep you finger under the lip and run it along the gum until it feels like your finger hits a wall. You can also have nuchal (cheek)-ties or tongue-ties. 

Signs that a lip-tie might need intervention is when it impacts the function of feeding. With Alana, she fed well the first couple weeks but then I started getting some nipple blisters and callouses, indicating Alana had a tight latch. This showed that her lip-tie was most likely starting to impact function.

My husband and I decided to visit an airway centric dentist who releases ties with a laser procedure, which would provide Alana with increased lip mobility. This would help her flare the upper lip on the breast to create a tighter seal and deeper latch. During the dental consult, I was hesitant about following through with the procedure because the dentist was saying the procedure was not absolutely necessary. However, I was very happy my husband was there to push for the procedure being done. During the week following the procedure, breastfeeding created no more blisters or pain!

However, Alana’s latch started to return to her shallow habits about a week after the procedure. Fortunately, I had followed the dentist’s recommendation to follow up with a lactation consultant to help with the latch, positioning, and stretches post-procedure. I’m sharing with you six oral motor exercises and two holding positions I learned during these visits that have been very helpful with maintaining an effective latch during Alana’s feedings.

I also want to note that these exercises can be done prior to a lip-tie release to help prep the baby with stretches or in prevention of getting a release. However, it’s always critical to find a practitioner, such as a lactation consultant, you can work with you to address your unique circumstance. 

Oral Motor Exercises: 

1. Fishy face: Using your thumb and forefinger, place one on either side of your baby’s face. Gently squeeze the cheeks while pulling the cheeks forward to make a “fishy face.” This helps to gently stretch the cheeks and lips. Repeat 3 times.
2. TMJ massage: starting at the temporomandibilar joint (where the jaw meets the ear), make circular massage motions and continue down the jawline until you reach the chin. This helps release tension in the jaw and encourages the jaw to drop open. 
3. Upper and bottom lip massage: place your forefinger on the upper lip where a mustache would go and make a back and forth motion to a count to three. Repeat on the lower lip.  This brings stimulation and awareness to the muscles that will make a seal on the nipple of the breast or bottle. Using two thumbs, make strokes downward under nostrils and from crease of the nose to stretch the muscles.
4. Hip hop gapes: using your fingertip, slide your finger down from the tip of the nose, to the top lip and then to the chin to encourage your baby to use their gape reflex to open their mouth wide. Repeat 5 times.
5. Cheek sweeps: using your forefinger and thumb, make circular motions to stretch and massage the cheek from the inside. Finish by gently pinching and sweep the fingers forward and out of the mouth.
6. Pterygoid stretch: place your finger in the mouth along the gum line and allow your baby to chew 12-15 times each side. This helps stretch the pterygoid area (jaw muscle used for chewing). It also helps guide the tongue to follow the finger for it to practice lateralizing to the sides of the mouth. In addition, this exercise helps desensitize the gag reflex. 

Positions: 

1. Head hangs: lay your baby across your lap with the head extending over your thigh. Allow your baby to arch backwards and look left to right. The oral motor exercises can be done in this position. You can gently rest your palm on the baby’s chest, or support their head if needed, during this exercise.
2. Koala hold: seat the baby upright on your lap straddling your thigh. Use a hand to support the baby’s neck and between the shoulders. You can then lean back to open your chest towards the baby. 

The post 6 Oral Motor Exercises for Baby for Shallow Latch appeared first on Feeling Yum.

The galllina vieja (which translates to old hen) that is used in this soup contains egg yolks and the meat is a bit tougher than a traditional chicken, however; chicken can be used for this recipe in place of the gallina if you cannot find one locally. The star of this dish is the unique and favorable broth the gallina creates, which is also rich in collagen. We show how to serve this soup with pico de gallo and turmeric rice. This recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.

OT Feeding Tips: 

8 months+ : The softened vegetables could be served to a baby in a bowl, which they could grasp, bring to mouth, and practice chewing. At 8 months +, the baby could also chew a thin slice of chicken (about the size of your pinkie finger), but be diligent with thoroughly pulling out all the bones! By 12 months, bite-sized pieces of hen could be served.

2 years + : Soup is an excellent way to introduce a variety of vegetables to your toddlers, since the vegetables are all cooked down and have a mild flavor.

Stores Visited:

LA Fresh Poultry

Caldo de Gallina

Serving Size:

8

Time:

3.5 hours (45 min. active)

Difficulty:

Medium

Ingredients

• 1 gallina vieja
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 leek
• 1 zucchini
• 1 bunch celery
• 4 rainbow carrots (peeled)
• 1 chayote (peeled)
• 2 red potatoes
• 3 sprigs of mint
• 2 dashes of kosher salt (or to taste)

Directions

1. In a large pot, combine the gallina vieja, 2 Liters of water, half a yellow onion, 2 garlic cloves, 2 dashes of salt and bring to a boil. Once everything has come to a boil, skim the foam off on top and discard. Bring the pot to a simmer and cover with a lid. Let it boil for about 3 hours until meat is tender. The cooking time can vary, depending on the type of gallina, which could range from 2-4.5 hours. Check if the meat is done by pulling a piece apart with two forks to see if it tears easily off the bone and is soft and tender to touch.
2. While the gallina is cooking, prepare the washed vegetables. Slice the white and light green parts of the leek in ⅛” slices. Roughly chop the celery, peeled carrots, peeled chayote and 2 red potatoes into about 2” chunks, so the vegetables are all about evenly the same size.
3. Once the gaillina is cooked, add the chopped vegetables to the soup until they are softened, for about 15-20 min.
4. Ladle the soup over the turmeric rice and top with pico de gallo.
   

Pico De Gallo

Serving Size:

4

Time:

10 min.

Difficulty:

Simple

Ingredients

• 1 roma tomatoes
• ½ white onion
• 1 Serrano pepper
• 1 jalapeño pepper
• ½ bunch of cilantro
• 2 limes
• 2 pinches sea salt

Directions

1. De-seed the Serrano and jalapeño peppers if you prefer less spice and slice them thinly. Chop the tomatoes, white onion, and cilantro and add to a bowl. Next, squeeze 2 limes and add 2 pinches of salt to the bowl. Mix all the ingredients with a spoon and enjoy! 
   

Turmeric Rice

Serving Size:

4-6

Time:

20 min.

Difficulty:

Simple

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice
• ¼ chopped white onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 peeled carrot

Directions

1. Rinse the basmati rice 2-3 times. 
2. To a sauté pan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, ¼ white onion and 2 cloves of smashed garlic until brought to a simmer. Add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and ½ teaspoon of salt. Add the drained rice and stir until coated in spices and oil.  
3. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Grate 1 carrot into the rice and stir to combine. Reduce the flame to low and cover with a lid. Let it simmer until the water is absorbed, for about 10-12 minutes.
   

The post Nourishing Postpartum Soup – Caldo de Gallina Vieja appeared first on Feeling Yum.

OT Feeding Therapy Tips

*Ages 9 months- 2 years: If you’d like to share the crêpes with your baby, you can blend the ingredients without the added sugar and reserve some to the side for your baby, before adding sugar to the rest of the batter. If your baby is 9 months+, you could serve them strips or bite-sized pieces of the crêpes. To introduce hazelnuts to your baby, you could reserve the blended hazelnut butter for your baby before adding the chocolate mixture. When serving the nut butter, stir this into a puree, such as oatmeal.

**Ages 2 years +: If your child is a toddler or older, you could get them involved in the cooking process by helping add ingredients to the blender and/or food processor for both recipes. Emphasize how crêpes are like another food they might love, such as pancakes. To help encourage them to try some new foods, serve different fresh fruits or dried fruits with the chocolate hazelnut butter or chocolate dipping sauce, so they can practice touching the fruits and dipping them.

Cookbook Used in This Video

Cannelle et Vanille: Nourishing, Gluten-Free Recipes for Every Meal and Mood https://www.arangoyoaga.com/cookbooks

Products Mentioned in This Video

Chocolate chips: Guitarrd semi-sweet chocolate chips https://www.guittard.com/our-chocolat…

Fleur de Sel: Esprit Du Sel, 5.64 Ounce https://www.amazon.com/Esprit-Sel-Sal…

Maple Syrup: Tree Juice Pure Maple Syrup https://www.treejuicemaplesyrup.com/c…

Recipe Ingredients

Buckwheat Crepes

Serving Size:

15 10″ crêpes

Time:

30 min.

Difficulty:

Medium

Ingredients

• 2 cups filtered water
• 4 eggs
• 1 ¼ cup of buckwheat flour
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon of sugar
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter

Directions

1. Combine the water, flour, eggs. olive oil, sugar and salt in a blender, and puree on high speed until well mixed, about 30 seconds. *If serving some crêpes to your baby, reserve a portion of blended flour, eggs and olive oil batter to avoid the added sugar and salt. You can use the batter right away or chill it in the refrigerator overnight (which allows the flour to hydrate fully and results in more flavor, elasticity and crispiness).
2. When you are ready to cook the crêpes, give the batter one good stir, especially if it has been resting in the refrigerator. Heath a nonstick crêpe pan over medium- high heat. Brush the pan with a little bit of melted vegan butter, then pour in about ½ cup of the batter while swirling the pan to ensure it goes in as a thin layer. Small bubbles will appear around the batter as it cooks. Tuck in the edges with a rubber spatula and cook for 30 seconds, or until golden. Grab an edge with your fingers and gently grip the crêpe over, or use a spatula if the pan is too hot. Finish cooking for another 30 seconds, then slide onto a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.
3. The crêpes can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
4. When ready to eat the crêpes, heat them on the stove until warm on both sides. Spread about a teaspoon of Chocolate-Hazelnut Butter over half of each crêpe, fold, and serve.

Chocolate Hazelnut Butter

Serving Size:

1 ¼ cup

Time:

45 min.

Difficulty:

Medium

Ingredients

• 2 cups roasted hazelnuts (optional: sprouted roasted hazelnuts)
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste ( or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
• 1/2 teaspoon of flakey sea salt (optional: fleur de sel)
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 2 tbs. coconut oil or olive oil (add more if needed)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300° F. Spread the hazelnuts on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer the hazelnuts to a clean kitchen towel and rub them together to peel off the skins. It;s OK if you cannot remove them completely, but try to get as much as you can, as the skin is bitter. As an alternative, you can also use pre-roasted skinned hazelnuts.
2. Transfer the hazelnuts to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until creamy, stopping to scrape the bowl a few times. It will take a few minutes to pulverize the hazelnuts; exactly how long depends on your machine. If the motor gets hot, stop and restart a few minutes later. *If sharing the nut butter with your baby, reserve a small portion of this nut butter before adding the chocolate ingredients (which contains caffeine, sugar and salt).
3. Meanwhile, bring a small pot with 2 inches of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl (we used a glass bowl) and position over the pot. This is called the double broiler method. Reduce the heat to low and melt the chocolate, making sure no water gets into the bowl and no flames reach the sides. Add the melted chocolate to the blender and process until smooth and incorporated. Add the olive oil (or coconut oil), maple syrup, vanilla and salt and blend until combined.
4. Transfer the butter to a glass jar with an airtight lid, seal and store at room temperature for 2 weeks or in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. it will harden solid when refrigerated, so bring the butter to room temperature a couple of hours before using.

Chocolate-Covered Berries:

Serving Size:

4-6

Time:

30 min.

Difficulty:

Simple

Ingredients

• 3 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 container of strawberries
• 1 container of blackberries

Directions

1. Wash your berries and dry them very well so the chocolate will stick.
2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
3. Bring a small pot with 2 inches of water to a simmer. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and position it over the pot. Reduce the heat to low and melt the chocolate, stirring frequently to avoid burning the chocolate. Once melted, remove the bowl from over the pot and place a handful of chocolate chips to melt in the bowl to temper the chocolate.
4. Holding a berry from the step or top, dip into the melted chocolate and then lift and twist slightly before lying it on the tray. Make sure to work quickly before the chocolate melts and hardens. **Kids may like to eat the dipped berries with melted chocolate before chilling the remainder of the berries. You could have your child help add toppings, such as shaved coconut or crushed nuts, to encourage additional food exploration.
5. Chill the tray of chocolate berries in the refrigerator until the chocolate sets, about 15 min.

The post Get Your Child to Try Different Foods with Fun Chocolate Recipes appeared first on Feeling Yum.

OT Feeding Therapy Tips:

Ages 8 months- 1.5 years: If you are serving the spaghetti squash to a child under the age of 18 months, you can cook a portion of the squash 5-10 min. longer, so it is softer for them. You could then serve the squash mashed or serve the squash in a bowl, so the child can practice grasping the strands. The vegan Parmesan is a great way to introduce your child to Brazil nuts, since they are ground up. When you’re blending up the ingredients, just save a portion for your little one, before adding salt to the remainder of the mix. You can then mix the nut mixture into a puree.

Ages 2 years+: You can share with your kids how a big yellow squash can turn into long spaghetti strands! We teach you how to cook spaghetti squash so your child can help you with the food prep by scooping out the squash flesh. They then could help mix it into their favorite pasta sauce.

Products Used in This Video

Brightland Olive Oil: Lucid, Lemon Infused Olive Oil

Nuvo Olive Oil: The Early Harvest-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Himalayan Sea Salt: Himalania Himalayan Fine Pink Salt Shaker

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash

Serving Size:

6

Time:

1 hour

Difficulty:

Medium

Ingredients

• 1 spaghetti squash
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
2. Slice the squash in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds from each half. Drizzle the squash with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the squash cut side down and make holes using a fork.
3. Place each half cut side down on a baking sheet and roast for 35-40 min. depending on the size of the squash. Once slightly browned on the outside and tender to the fork, remove from oven.
4. Flip the squash so it’s cut side up and let it cool to touch. Using a fork, scrape strands from the side until it is fluffed and has mostly only the skin remaining.
5. Scoop the flesh from the squash into a bowl and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and a generous amount of fresh pepper. Stir in vegan parmesan (recipe below) and sprinkle with your favorite herb, such as parsley.

Recipe Ingredients

Vegan Parmesan

Serving Size:

12

Time:

10 min.

Difficulty:

Simple

Ingredients

• ¾ cup Brazil nuts
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ¼ teaspoon garlic flakes or powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic flakes or powder
• ¾ sea salt

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients to a food processor and blend until a fine crumb is achieved. Transfer to a jar and store in the fridge. Sprinkle on your favorite Italian dishes, grain bowls, and baked dishes!

The post Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash with Vegan Parmesan appeared first on Feeling Yum.

OT Feeding Therapy Tips:

Ages 9 months-1.5 years: Both dips are purees that you could share with your little ones. When mixing the ingredients for the guacamole dip, reserve a portion to the side for your baby that does not include added salt or Serrano peppers. When blending the salsa, reserve a portion without the added salt, Anaheim and Serrano pepper. Serve a very small portion (i.e. ⅛ teaspoon) if introducing peppers for the first time. If you are serving the jicama to a child under the age of two, you could steam them until the strips are soft and serve them mashed or in wedge pieces.

Ages 2 years+: If you have any picky eaters at home, get them involved in the cooking process, such as having your child help mash and mix the avocado. When preparing the salsa, your child could use a and add chopped ingredients to the blender. When the child is old enough, they could help prepare the ingredients by helping chop them with a child-safe knife.

Products Used in This Video

Nuvo Olive Oil: The Early Harvest-Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Jacobsen Sea Salt: Pure Kosher Sea Salt

Tortilla Chips: Siete Maiz Sea Salt Totopos Corn Tortilla Chips

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Stores Visited

Antojitos Latinos Market:

25381 Alicia Parkway Laguna Hills, CA 92653

Whole Foods Market:

23932 Aliso Creek Road Laguna Niguel, CA 92677

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Recipes

Yummy Guacamole

Serving Size:

4-6

Time:

10 min.

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 3 ripe avocados
• ¼ red onion (depending on size)
• 1 serrano pepper (optional)
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
• A drizzle of olive oil

Directions

1. Slice the avocados in half, slice the avocado in chunks, and then scoop the flesh into a bowl. Mash the avocado with a large fork until you reach a desired consistency (we showed a chunky consistency in the video).
2. Dice the red onion, thinly slice the Serrano pepper (deseeded optional), and roughly chop a handful of cilantro. Mix these ingredients into the bowl with the avocado.
3. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil to taste.

The Best Green Salsa

Serving Size:

10-12

Time:

30 min.

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 pasilla pepper
• 1 Anaheim pepper
• 1 Serrano pepper (optional)
• 2 large tomatoes
• 4 tomatillos
• ½ white onion
• 1 zucchini
• 1 handful of cilantro
• 1 lime
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• A drizzle of olive oil

Directions

1. Bring water in a sauté or sauce pan to a boil. Roughly chop tomatoes, tomatillos, white onion, and zucchini. Add them to the lightly salted boiled water and cook until softened (about 8 minutes).
2. Heat an oven to 400 degrees. Deseed and slice the pasilla, Anaheim and Serrano peppers and drizzle them with olive oil and salt. Roast them for 12 min. or until lightly blistered.
3. Blend the boiled and roasted ingredients until pureed. Add 1 handful of cilantro, a drizzle or and sea salt to taste.

Jicama Strips

Serving Size:

4-6

Time:

5 min.

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

• 1 medium jicama

Directions

1. Slice off the top and bottom end of the jicama root.
2. Remove the outer skin using a knife.
3. Slice the peeled jicama in half lengthwise. Cut each half in ¼ inch sticks.

The post Delicious Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free Dips for Gatherings appeared first on Feeling Yum.