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Adding Herbs and Spices to Baby Foods

Herbs and spices provide our foods with a multitude of flavours, fragrances, and colours. However, many parents worry about adding flavour this way to their babies’ food, believing that spices are hot and not suitable for little ones’ taste buds.

Baby food doesn’t have to be bland!

There is a big difference between hot spices and aromatic ones. Aromatic spices, such as turmeric, garlic, ginger, dill, cumin, nutmeg, garlic, dill, and cinnamon, are perfectly fine to introduce to baby after 6 months.

This guide explains why I recommend parents adding herbs and spices to baby’s food, the benefits of adding them and gives some ideas on how to start introducing them to your baby.

WHY YOU SHOULD INTRODUCE HERBS AND SPICES TO BABIES

If your baby doesn’t have any digestive problems, I always encourage parents who are just starting weaning their babies, either by purees or baby led weaning (around 6 months of age), to experiment with herbs and spices from the beginning. The more you expose your baby to a variety of tastes and flavours, between 6-12 months, the more likely it is that they’ll accept a variety of food later on in life! This means adding herbs and spices right from the beginning helps reduce the chances of pickiness.

In fact, breastfed babies are often introduced to a variety of spices even before starting solids. Breast milk can change its flavour, depending on a mum’s diet. If mum enjoys spicy and flavoursome food, then her baby will be exposed to this through her milk, helping create and develop a taste for flavoured foods. Therefore, by flavouring food with a variety of herbs and spices, you’ll continue the benefits of flavour exposure found in breastmilk.

What about exclusively formula fed babies? We know that babies are made to handle various flavours from the first day of their life, they were capable of experiencing various spices without any issues. So bland food is actually not a requirement for them and it’s natural for them to experience different flavours. If your baby is exclusively formula fed, then they wouldn’t have that exposure, and so beginning with some herbs and spices when they start solids is a great way to get those taste buds primed for new flavours.

As salt and sugar should be limited in baby food, spices and herbs are a great way to flavour food.

BENEFITS OF INTRODUCING HERBS AND SPICES AT AN EARLY AGE 

  • Trains the baby’s taste buds to enjoy variety flavors and will set the foundation for healthy eating habits.
  • Teaches the baby to expect change with food. Offering a plain mashed banana one day and a mashed banana with a dash of cinnamon the next can have a valuable influence on the child’s evolving palate.
  • Fresh herbs are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
  • Herbs and spices are great flavour enhancers without adding unnecessary sugar and salt.
  • Helps babies transition to family food, as your baby will be familiar with those tastes and more likely to accept them.

WHAT ABOUT HOT SPICY FOODS?

Hot spicy foods (cayenne pepper or jalapeño) can hold off for a while. But, it is recommended to use aromatic spice first, such as curry, cumin, oregano, turmeric, cinnamon, mint, basil, allow them to experience those flavours first, before adding small amounts of hot spices. We live in Malaysia, the 3 major cultures that have influenced Malaysian food are Malay, Chinese and Indian. A lot of Malaysian dishes can be classified under the hot and spicy category. So, once you start, use mild spices in small dosages, therefore, you can cook a dish that the whole family can enjoy.

POPULAR FLAVOUR COMBINATIONS 

Here is a list of baby friendly herbs, spices and natural flavor enhancers and the foods that pair well with them:

Vegetables 

  • Asparagus: Parmesan cheese
  • Banana: rolled in unsweetened coconut
  • Broccoli: nutritional yeast
  • Butternut squash: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice or ginger
  • Carrots: basil and garlic; or cinnamon
  • Cauliflower: curry powder
  • Green beans: garlic powder
  • Mashed potatoes: dill or garlic
  • Pumpkin: cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger
  • Sweet potato: cardamom, cinnamon, cajun spice or nutmeg

Fruits 

  • Applesauce: cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, or ginger
  • Avocado: cilantro or parsley
  • Bananas: cinnamon or allspice
  • Pears: ginger or cinnamon

Grains/Cereals

  • Oatmeal: cinnamon and nutmeg
  • Pasta: basil, oregano, or garlic
  • Rice: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, or ginger
  • Quinoa (sweet): cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamon, or ginger
  • Quinoa (savory): garlic powder, pepper, onion powder, basil, or oregano

Dairy

  • Plain yogurt: cinnamon or mint

Meat 

  • Chicken: ginger; rosemary, sage and thyme; lemon zest and pepper; or basil and oregano; paprika
  • Beef: garlic and pepper; or onion powder and pepper
  • Salmon: dill, lime or lemon

TIPS TO ADD SPICES & HERBS TO BABY FOOD

When adding herbs and spices, make sure to start simple and try not to add too much so as to overpower the food. Start out by adding one herb or spice to your baby’s food and then building it up from there by mixing with other flavours.

  • Storage: Store spices in airtight containers away from light and heat. Whole spices will keep for around 1-2 years but after around six months, ground spices will start to lose their aroma and flavour. So buy in small amounts and use often!
  • Pre-mix spice blends: Always read the packaging when using pre-mix spice blends (as they often have added sugar and salt), try making your own blends.
  • Start slowly: Start with plain foods so baby can try the taste of the food on its own.
  • Use small amounts: Once baby has tasted the food plain, you can gradually add spices and herbs you use when cooking for the rest of the family. Use small amounts to start with to allow your baby to get used to different flavours. You don’t want to overpower the food. Start out by adding just a pinch.
  • Prepare fresh leafy herbs properly: Wash fresh herbs and then puree or finely mince before adding to baby food. Large leaves can be a choking hazard
  • Don’t give up: If your baby rejects the flavour of the spices/herbs just remember that it can take up to 10-20 exposures for a new flavour to be accepted.

Let’s give our babies something other than tasteless mush or finger foods to eat!  I’m a firm believer that babies deserve the tasty goodness we feed ourselves. When you implement these tips, you will create a change in taste and expectation for your baby. When babies learn to accept change with food, they become less likely to get stuck in food ruts.

If you’ve added herbs and spices to your baby food, what’s your little one’s favourite combinations?

Yee Sang Salad

Healthy Yee Sang Salad for Chinese New Year

‘Yee Sang or Yu Sheng’ is a salad made with fresh shredded vegetables, fruits, crackers and usually raw fish. Also known as “prosperity toss” salad. Yee Sang is a must have during Chinese New Year in Malaysia and Singapore. It is a fun, colourful and delicious salad.

When Chinese New Year is around the corner, you see restaurants start putting up yee sang set ups . Supermarket or grocers would also sell them in pre-packed boxes for easy take away. I’ve had the restaurant versions and boxed versions but I never had homemade version.

Yee Sang is usually served as the first dish, during the 15 days of Chinese New Year (some even before) as a form of good luck for the new lunar year. Whether its a homemade or restaurant version, the abundance of colours are the other main attractions of the dish. So I kinda made my own version with a few different colours of vegetables this year.

It’s not hard to make it at home, but it’s quite alot of work!

Enjoy! Huat ar!

 

Healthy Yee Sang Salad For Chinese New Year

2 from 1 vote
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Appetizer
Servings 10

Ingredients
  

MAIN INGREDIENTS

  • Carrots, shredded
  • Daikon, shredded
  • Cucumber, shredded
  • Beets, shredded
  • Corn, cooked
  • Red cabbage, shredded
  • Cherry tomatoes, whole
  • Pomegranate seeds
  • Mango, sliced
  • Mandarin orange, segmented

SAUCE

  • 4 tbsp Plum sauce
  • 2 tbsp Honey
  • Juice of 2 limes

OTHER CONDIMENTS

  • Crushed peanuts
  • Roasted sesame seeds
  • Crackers

Instructions
 

  • Arrange all the ingredients on a big plate.
  • Make the sauce by mixing plum sauce, honey and lime juice.
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds and crushed peanuts.
  • Pour sauce over yee sang in a circular motion.
  • Toss the salad as high as you can and say auspicious wishes for the coming year during the “lou hei” tossing ceremony.
  • Eat

Notes

Other Ingredients:-
Seafood: fresh salmon, smoked salmon, jelly fish, abalone
Nuts: sunflower seeds, Pumpkin seeds
Fruits: pomelo, papaya
The idea is to keep the yee sang colourful and to ensure that you’ll be able to hold the ingredients with chopsticks and toss them high up.
 
Golden Cornmeal Bread

Golden Cornmeal Bread

My family has been enjoying this corn bread recipe for a while. One of the reasons I love this corn bread recipe is that you don’t need anything fancy to make it.  This recipe is one you can make any day, any time, with what you have on hand. You can use any kind of pan and don’t need any special ingredients. With just a few things you probably already have on hand you can make the best corn bread ever!

What is Cornmeal?

What is cornmeal? What about polenta? It can be confusing. Cornmeal can be found in the baking aisle of grocery store. Cornmeal is just dried and then ground field corn and you can typically find it in a fine or medium grind. Both will work well for this recipes. Polenta and grits will also work in this recipe. Corn flour is more finely ground and can also be used.

Topping Ideas for Cornmeal Bread

This recipe is great with:

  • A drizzle of honey
  • Butter
  • Jelly or jam
  • Or just as it is

Enjoy!

Golden Cornmeal Bread

This easy homemade corn bread recipe comes out fluffy and perfect every time! It is the absolute best cornbread and a family favorite for years and years.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Course Breakfast, Snack

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cups milk or more as needed
  • 1 tbsp white vinegar
  • 4 tbsp butter melted, plus more for greasing the pan
  • 1 1/2 cups cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 2 eggs

Instructions
 

  • Heat the oven to 375F. Heat the milk in the microwave until it reaches about 100F. It will be a little hotter than lukewarm water. Stir in the vinegar and let rest while you prepare the other ingredients. Grease a square baking pan with some butter.
  • Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs into the soured milk. Stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients just enough to combine everything. If the batter is very dry and doesn’t come together easily, add another 1 or 2 tablespoons milk.
  • Add the 4 tablespoons butter and stir until just incorporated; avoid overmixing. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spread into an even layer, and put in the oven.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is lightly browned, the sides have pulled away from the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cut into squares and serve hot or warm.