Munchkin Meals: Saag Paneer

Since Phoenix has been eating solids for a few weeks now, he has become more curious with what we are eating as well. Often, if I am feeding him while S and I are eating, he is not happy staring at our "regular" meals as he is eating his baby food. Now, I've been making all of his food from day one and intend to continue but I realized in the past few days that if I don't kick it up a notch I would have a jealous/cranky/protesting bebe. I have been incorporating a bit of the baby led weaning approach but definitely wanted to start him off with somewhat pureed meals. Well, he's pretty much ready to move on.
So when I was making one of my favorite Indian inspired meals last night for Scott and I, I made a baby version for little P.

I use Heidi's flawless recipe (really, aren't they all?) with the curry blend and all. The only adjustment I made was use very minimal salt during cooking (since I knew it would be for babe) and then I added more to taste for myself after. I didn't have any paneer but since it is a curd cheese (with the water pressed out), I used cottage cheese. Also, we had some kale that needed to be used up so I mixed that in with the spinach. I blended mine as well to make it more "saucy." Yum.

Now let me tell you what's great about this meal:

• It's green! That's right, bebe is eating spinach AND kale. Awesome.
• Buttermilk: It's got tons of beneficial bacteria (just like yogurt). Good for the belly.
• Cottage cheese: Protein! Plus, a new texture.
• Garlic and onions: Alliums (as they are called) have antibiotic properties. Good for babies sticking everything in their mouths. Ugh....
• Ginger: Helps with baby's digestion and um..trouble digesting also.
• Butter: Fatten that baby up! Whole, natural fats are important for not only brain development, but also to aid in absorption of important vitamins and minerals. 
• Curry/Spices: It's important to help your baby develop a taste for different flavors. Exposure to many different herbs and spices will shape their palette and (hopefully) lead to a more adventurous eater. 

So there you have it, baby's first Indian. No surprise, he LOVED IT. I say no surprise because this kid eats everything. So far, there is nothing he dislikes. Hopefully this trend continues. 

Try making this meal for yourself and baby! I ate mine over rice but you can also feed it to your baby with rice, if they are eating it. 

If you haven't yet, enter the Teething giveaway. I will announce two winners tomorrow!