Breastmilk is best for babies but since I had insufficient supply and am not inclined towards donor milk, I did the next best thing and topped up with formula. And to me, that’s perfectly fine!

Now that Cdd is 15 months and Cbb almost 5 years old, I have switched them completely to formula milk. Both of them have tried a few brands of formula milk and now Nature One Dairy is our staple. To be honest, when Nature One Dairy approached me for this review, I was concerned that being VERY PICKY, Cdd would reject this. Cbb don’t say la, she drinks everything but even so, her FIRST reaction to trying out the Premium Junior Step 4 milk was, ‘MmmMMM! This milk tastes really good. Is it new, mama?”

Cdd has been taking the Organic Toddler Step 3 formula for more than two months and I’m only sharing this article now because I wanted to make sure this is a fair review. And I’m happy to report that he’s taking well to it! As his mummy, I like Nature One Dairy too and here are the main reasons:

• My kids love the taste

I mean, this is a real consideration! I can buy the most expensive and supposedly best formula (not really though, as the nutritional values of milk formulas are actually similar!) but it doesn’t matter if my kids won’t drink it.  Cbb took to the Premium Junior Step 4 immediately and even said her pancakes taste better (yes I make pancakes and snacks with it!). Cdd guzzles his Organic Toddler Step 3 without complaints and welcomes his bottle every time.

• Does not contain sucrose, maltodextrin and sweeteners

If you read the ingredient labels of formula milk, you may notice some ingredients that surprise you, like sucrose. Although sucrose in this case isn’t quite the same as the added sugar you find in cakes (it serves more like a source of carbohydrates), it’s the sweetest simple carb and I avoid it when choosing formula milk for my babies. Lactose is the only source of carbs in Nature One Dairy’s milk products.

• Australian made

All Nature One Dairy formula milk are held to strict quality and safety standards, and are manufactured in their wholly owned pharmaceutical grade facility in Australia. Australia is always known for its clean and green environment, and being a facility specialising in manufacturing infant products, Nature One Dairy is bound by frequent strict inspection and testing which put my mind at ease for the products they produce. The Organic Toddler Nutritious Milk Drink Step 3 is certified by ACO (Australian Certified Organic), one of the most respected and rigorous standards in the world for organic production. Certified Organic products are grown and processed without the use of synthetic chemicals, fertilisers or GMOs. You can read more about the criteria here.

• It’s friendly on my pocket

With Cdd going through one tin of formula milk per week, cost is a concern for me! The Step 3 milk drinks start from $25.50 to $37.50 (the organic version) for a 900g tin, and the price is more than reasonable compared to some brands that cost double. Contrary to popular belief, the nutritional levels of the expensive milk are similar to the cheaper brands – just compare the info across various brands at supermarkets! Plus, if an organic formula costs about the same or even lower than a non-organic formula, then I will choose organic for sure.

And now for the recipes!

Since both my kids like the taste of the milk powder so much, I was motivated to come up with some kids recipes using Nature One Dairy milk! I made some Little Milk Bites, One-Bowl Brazilian Cheese Puffs and a Creamy Salmon, Corn and Spinach Rice in the rice cooker. The milk bites and cheese puffs can both be prepared manually in a large mixing bowl – no cake mixer needed. Cbb had a fun time helping me in the kitchen. I hope you try them!

.

One-Bowl Brazilian Cheese Puffs (budgetpantry.com)
Makes 36-48 puffs
What you need:
250g tapioca starch
25g milk powder (I used 3 scoops of Nature One Dairy Organic Toddler milk powder)
60g shredded cheddar cheese
60g shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large egg
180ml water
25ml olive oil
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:
Preheat oven to 200C and oil your mini muffin tray.

Whisk the egg and milk powder together till bubbly. Add the water and whisk to mix well.

Add tapioca starch and cheese. Whisk everything together until well incorporated Add the oil and salt. Stir to combine. Rest this mixture for 10 minutes.

Scoop batter to muffin tray and fill till about ¾ full.

Bake for 20 minutes until golden.

.

Creamy Salmon, Corn and Spinach Rice (budgetpantry.com)
Serves three kidsWhat you need:
1 cup uncooked rice (use the rice cooker measuring cup)
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (use the same measuring cup)
100g salmon, sliced
Handful of corn
Handful of chopped spinach
1 teaspoon minced garlic
8.5g milk powder (I used 1 scoop of Nature One Dairy Organic Toddler milk powder)
30g shredded cheddar cheese (you can use parmesan but we’re not fans!)

Steps:

Rinse the rice and add the chicken stock. Stir in the garlic.

Arrange salmon, corn and spinach on top. Cover and cook for 20 minutes.

When time is up, stir in the milk powder and shredded cheese and it’s done. If you prefer a smoother consistency, you can add some more stock or hot water.

Where to find?
Nature One Dairy® products are available in all major supermarket chains and e-commerce platforms.
Click to redeem samples for trial.

This is a collaboration post with Nature One Dairy, but my kids are REALLY taking and enjoying the milk!

The post [Review] Nature One Dairy milk formula + three no-mixer-needed kids recipes appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Thank you for telling me this was what you really needed to read. If you’ve missed it, here’s the original post.

And now I have included a quick summary of the post, and added a few more tips on how to keep sane while making sure my baby still gets all the good stuff in him as much as possible. As a second-time mom, I have learnt a lot from my past experiences. I now find it possible – and more time-efficient – to do away with many things I used to do before, like steaming and blending baby food in a blender and freezing them in ice cube trays in advance. I don’t do these now, but if it works for you, why not?

I no longer use an electric blender, but I do find a manual baby food masher handy.

Top tips for feeding your baby:

• I don’t bother with stock. To cook porridge, simply scoop rice in a pot, add water and veg & meat and simmer till soft. Mash with a the back of a spoon (or use a manual baby food masher) to the consistency suitable for your baby. Of course, if you have some home made stock on hand, use it in place of water.
• Don’t make feeding your baby a chore for you. It shouldn’t be so hard! I just ensure there’s a carb, a protein, a fibre in each meal. Ok, sometimes, in at least one meal.
• Vegetables: fresh or frozen – doesn’t matter. I stock up on frozen carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, squash and corn often. Sometimes they’re even better than the ‘fresh’ versions as they’re quick frozen (and nutrients preserved!) from source.
• Play around with different textures. If your baby rejects the peas today, it doesn’t mean he doesn’t like it. Try adding more liquid, or some breast milk or formula milk to alter the consistency. Sometimes, a familiar taste in the form of milk may make him more ready to accept new foods.
• Don’t fret if your baby hates that expensive fish that is supposed to be super good for him. Give an alternative protein – some other types of meat, a milder fish, eggs, or even beans?
• Stop trying to be ‘perfect’. Everyone has crazy days. Your baby will survive for one meal without having all the nutrients from the 3 food groups. On busy days where I just make it in time to cook dinner, I open a yummy baby food pouch and that’s it! Lots of goodies in those, too! There’s no need to feel any guilt over this.
• Try and reduce the number of appliances involved in making meals for your baby. I feel this is really important. Instead of setting up multiple contraptions and washing up the blender blades, jar, cover, etc and putting away the base, wires and more things, now I just use a pot and stove. Or airfry that fish in the nifty baking pan of my Philips Airfryer for easy clean up.
• Which brings me to my next point. You don’t need to make SPECIAL FOOD for your baby. The style or texture can be different, but the core ingredient should be the same as what the rest of your family eats. If we’re eating salmon today, my baby’s eating salmon today. If we’re having peppers and roasted potatoes with that salmon, my baby’s having the same – just in a softer texture suitable for him. Then what happens if I want to eat mala hot pot? It’s obvious my baby can’t eat it right? Yes, but what you can do is fry all the vegetables first, scoop up a portion for your baby, THEN add the mala spices. Problem solved.

So that’s it for now, I think!

I will update again if I think of something else that will make ALL our lives easier. Have fun exploring the many ways you can make eating fun for your little one!

The post Staying sane when introducing solids to your baby appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

When it comes to preparing meals for cbb, there’s one method I especially like: Throw everything into the rice cooker, press ‘Cook’, and walk away!

This is another of those one-pot rice cooker recipes that satisfies all nutritional needs in a meal: meat, vegetables, rice. To ramp up the flavour, I like to use chopped up leeks (the white part) and a bit of ginger-garlic paste. I often cook this for dinner for the entire family… I don’t add salt to our portions also, but you could if you wish.

I’ve got many pms asking me which rice cooker I am using. I can’t live without our Tefal Spherical Pot Rice Cooker. It’s super easy to use and practically fool proof. I can cook one-pot meals like this, or make a comforting porridge or congee. The included steamer rack also means that I can steam fish/meat/eggs while cooking rice. Saves me so much time! I reviewed this product last year, along with a recipe of multi-grain rice. Click on this link to read more.

It’s not a super-must to add leek, but I had some in the fridge that day and used them. I must say it really enhances the flavour a lot. This recipe also calls for ginger-garlic paste. You can make your own by blending 2 cloves of garlic with 3 slices of ginger in the food processor, or simply smash the garlic and grate the ginger. It’s more work but it means less things to wash. Or you could use store-bought paste, preferably with no salt added.

Tip: Click here to see my other baby food recipes. Will be adding more soon :) Like my Facebook page or follow @budgetpantry or @chuabeebee on Instagram to be updated on new recipes!

The post Toddler-friendly rice cooker mushroom chicken rice appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

Before we know it, we’re in the final month of the year! It’s crazy how fast the year has gone by. This year, I’m thankful for the chance to explore different recipes for cbb, and I feel really lucky that she welcomes my creations with her open arms mouth!

I’ve always believed that coming up with new recipes for kids aren’t really difficult – I mean, what can they eat right? Lai lai qu qu also those few things. The core ingredients are the same fish, meat, veg, rice.. it’s just the presentation and textures that are different.

I could easily use these ingredients to cook a chicken, broccoli and potato soup and serve them with rice… cbb loves her soups but it’s also nice to create something different for her. So instead of chunky potatoes I decided to blend them into a creamy mash, then add some quinoa cos she loves to chew, and of course we can’t leave out the protein (chicken) and vegetables (broccoli and cherry tomatoes).

I love cooking this dish in my CorningWare® casserole. Did you know that CorningWare® can go straight from the freezer to stovetop or oven? Yes, you don’t need to worry of the glass shattering due to a sudden change in temperature. Made of a revolutionary glass ceramic material called Pyroceram®, CorningWare® was developed by scientists to protect the nose cone of the space shuttle from incredible and extreme temperature changes. It comes with a 10-year warranty for the base vessel and 2-year for the lids against thermal breakage too.

CorningWare® has always been a large part of my childhood memory; my 82-year-old aunt is an ardent fan – her CorningWare® still cooks well for the past 50 years. CorningWare® proudly celebrates her 60th anniversary in 2018.

I served this dish in our Corelle® dinnerware, which is made through a unique patented hub lamination process that thermally bonds three layers of glass; core glass in the middle with top and bottom layers of very clear ‘skin’ glass. The lamination results in glass dinnerware that far exceeds the normal strength possible for any single glass composition. I love it that it’s super durable and non-porous, resistant to permanent staining, breaking and chipping – Corelle® is backed by a one-year warranty against chipping, crazing, and cracking.

The design featured here is called ‘Moonlight’. Take advantage of the year-end promotions now to fill up your kitchen!

Tip: Click here to see my other baby food recipes. Will be adding more soon :)

The post Kid-friendly chicken quinoa casserole with mashed potatoes appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.

When it comes to cooking for my baby, I always go by this motto: the lesser effort the better!

That’s why I’ve been exploring my rice cooker, to see if I can come up with easy one-pot, nutritious recipes that don’t even need the stove.

And I think this is a keeper: rice cooker mac and cheese!

It helps too, that the husband is a huge fan of mac and cheese. With this recipe, I can settle dinner for the family all at once. This means more time to shower (I hope) and blog too?

This dish takes all of 25 minutes to cook. Prep time is about 10 minutes with a nifty kitchen tool. If you’ve liked my Facebook page, you’ll know that I swear by this hand-held chopper:

If you hate to chop ingredients by hand and find the food processor too troublesome to use with too many parts to wash, get this. It is saving me so much time in the kitchen, and it’s great when I want to make pasta sauce, or chop vegetables quickly for cbb’s meals. The best thing is: it’s not flimsy! I even use it to mince chicken fillet. I got mine from ezbuy prime (search for the Chinese words). I’ve seen it in Isetan too.

In a nutshell, the recipe goes like this: place macaroni and water in rice cooker, top with chopped broccoli, pumpkin and minced meat, then cover and cook for 20 minutes. Open the rice cooker, and stir in the milk + cooking cream, a smidgen of honey mustard and shredded cheese. Cover for another 5 minutes and serve. That’s it. Crazy right?

I wanted the recipe to be a bit healthier, so I used half-and-half, i.e., 30ml fresh milk and 30ml cooking cream. If you want an even lower fat content, go ahead and use 60ml fresh milk. But it won’t be as creamy or decadent.

TIP: For a creamier and more delicious dish, use 60ml cooking cream. I mean, what difference can 30ml make, right?

Ready for the recipe that will change your life? Let’s go! I’m giving food ingredient measurements in tablespoons, because that’s the easiest to gauge. Leftovers can be mixed with crushed cream crackers and made into meat patties!

If you’re interested to know, I’m using the Tefal spherical rice cooker. Click on the link to see my recipe for mushroom and chicken multi-grain one-pot rice.

I get all my vegetables from OPENTASTE.SG. Get $15 off your first order by entering code ‘240D2E’ at checkout.

If you like my posts and updates, or would like to be informed of baby/cooking-related giveaways and promos from time to time…..
Like my Facebook page or follow @budgetpantry or @chuabeebee on Instagram! Yes, I just started an Insta account for CBB too!

The post Toddler-worthy rice cooker mac and cheese appeared first on Budgetpantry | Singapore Mummy Blog on Food, Recipe & Baby.