Jul 15, 2009

Barley Cereal Revisited and Cauliflower

Yesterday was trial day #1 for the "semi-chunky" barley cereal with Logan, he gave me some weird looks at first but is doing fine with it now. He has caught onto the chewing action quite quickly as well. I have been mixing it with some of the acorn squash or pumpkin, warming it slightly and thinning with a little breast milk.

I attempted another preparation method for the barley that failed miserably. I thought I could pulverize the dry barley in the food processor then I could just cook what I need for the day and be done - wrong! The barley was barely changed after several aggressive attempts, a mortar and pestle might work but I don't have one in my kitchen and frankly that's too complicated for me. If you are looking to make a smooth cereal from pearled barley I would suggest my original method then push it through a medium sieve to get the big chunks out.

Pureed Cauliflower
I prefer cauliflower to broccoli as a first food as its taste is milder. Logan has turned his nose up at carrots due to their strong flavor so I've been going with the milder vegetables.

Preparation:
Cut one head of cauliflower into medium sized florets and wash thoroughly. Place the washed florets into a microwave safe bowl, add water to coat the bottom of the dish and cover. Microwave on high for 10 min or until a fork inserted into the stem meets no resistance. Scoop the florets into the bowl of a food processor, add water until it reaches 1/4 to 1/3 of the side and puree (depending on the texture you desire). Portion into an ice cube tray and freeze then move to a storage container (I use freezer bags) until use.

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