Simply Pure Baby's 1st Muffins

   

Happy Valentines Day!!

As your baby grow's so does his or her's desire for food, tastes and textures.  Julia will be 13 months tomorrow and she is going through this "I want to feed myself stage" not with a spoon but her fingers sooo I decided it was time to make that baby oatmeal in a muffin so she can eat the chucks with her fingers and it was a success she was in love with her 1st muffins.  

It also seems that at this stage she is wanting more "flavours" she is in love with baby's 1st Red Sauce and Tornato Tomato Barely Risotto (coming soon) and last night for dinner she had curried green lentils with peas and carrots she couldn't eat it fast enough.  So if it has lots of flavour or she can eat it with her fingers she is all over it.  Which brings me to "finger foods" there are many things that are perfectly suitable for finger foods top two in our household right now, lightly steamed carrot sticks and peas (which are a close tie with rasions) tomorrow we are going to try edamame... and later this week we will post a list of baby's favorite finger foods and when is it appropriate to introduce finger foods and the age baby's develop that pincer grip to feed themselves.

This is what I sent to daycare with Julia to share with the other babies...

Alright enough chit chat.  Here we have Baby's 1st Vegan Muffins note these are wheat free, dairy free and egg free which are all important for many different children due to sensitivities and allergies, as well whole eggs are not recommended until after 12 months of age due to the high risk of allergy.  These muffins are also free of any 'bad' fats keeping them simple pure and wonderful for baby's 1st muffin.

Simply Pure Baby's 1st Mini Muffins

1/2c large flake oatmeal
2/3 cup oatmeal flour (or flour of choice) - may be able to use 1/3c infant cereal I have not tried that yet ;)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
1 egg replacer (1T ground flax + 3T water) or you may use an egg
2T olive oil
1/4 c maple syrup (may substitute 1/4c unsweetened apple sauce) 
3T brown sugar
1/2 cup blueberries
1 ripe banana

Preheat oven 350F

1) Mix oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl, in a separate bowl mix oil, egg replacer (1st mix flax and water in a bowl and allow it to 'gel' up), vanilla, syrup and banana.
2) Fold wet into dry stir until combined (don't over stir batter will become sticky) fold in blueberries and put into muffin papers
3) Fill mini muffin papers 3/4 full bake 10-12 min (until toothpick comes out clean), cool on a wire rack store in a sealed container or may freeze. 

Variations: Substitute raspberries for blueberries, substituting spelt or whole wheat flour for oatmeal flour.  If texture is an issue put batter into food processor and puree to desired texture.  I am going to continue to experiment with this recipe I would like to add bran and wheat germ (to increase fibre) everyone could use a little extra fibre in there diet.

So why eat blueberries? Not only are they yummy they make a perfect finger food and 1 serving of blueberries has as many disease fighting antioxidants as 5 servings of broccoli, apples, carrots and squash - so the question becomes why wouldn't you eat blueberries?

Have you made muffins for your baby?  Have you cooked with oat or spelt flour before?  What is your flour of choice for baking? What are your favorite muffins? Do you have any recipes that you can "babyize"?

Finger foods and Baby's 1st pancakes to come later this week (along with a schedule of baby's first foods month by month and easy to follow :)... and we are still in the midst of "pesto" experimentation full post to come on that later this month after we "babyize" the recipe this week... this is a preview of the Roasted Garlic + Kale Pesto w White Beans.

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 Enjoy your Monday and Happy Valentines Day!!

Momma J