6
RECONSIDER BABY FOOD JARS AND NOODLE STARS
Bolstering Immunity with Nutrients and Foods
(10 TO 12 MONTHS)
When your baby is 10 to 12 months old, you can work through new flavors faster and relax a bit in terms of foods’ consistency. Along with new foods, your baby will be putting everything else he can get his little hands on into his mouth. While that’s fine most of the time, you will need to consider raising his defenses against potential illnesses.
Your baby’s expanded social schedule also comes with increased exposure to bacteria and viruses. While such exposure is important for your baby’s developing immune system, it is important to fortify your baby with powerful immune-boosting foods to ensure that he has everything he needs to win the battles against those infectious agents. This is the hallmark of the third pillar (immune boosting) of Super Nutrition.
True Culprits of Illness
Your baby is constantly exposed to germs. But whether he gets sick is based on the strength of his immune system, not germ exposure alone. In fact, most bacteria are helpful. Ultimately, microbial exposure serves to strengthen immunity by helping your baby’s gut develop a strong barrier against agents that could make him sick.
A weak immune system is the true culprit behind illness. Struggling immunity comes from poor diet, sugar, toxins, antibiotic overuse, nutrient deficiencies, low omega-3 and high omega-6 fatty acids, protein deficiency, and lack of good bacteria.
THE OUTSOURCING OF OUR IMMUNE SYSTEM. With antibiotics being such a quick fix, we’ve forgotten the importance of strengthening and fortifying our natural immune system. But with new antibiotic-resistant bugs that these drugs can no longer fight for us, we need to take our immunity back into our own hands. Protection from infection should only be “outsourced” (to medicines) rarely and in times of extreme illness.
What to Feed Your Baby for Optimizing Immune Strength
Eighty percent of our immune system is actually found in the gut. So the best way to keep your baby healthy is by focusing on his gut. Healthy intestines discourage infection. Feed him foods that nourish intestinal tissue, support the mucosal lining (which coats the gut), and provide him plenty of good bacteria in his diet and environment. By building these layers (intestinal tissue, mucosa, good bacteria), you’ll be ensuring that he’s got a thick and strong barrier against infecting agents and toxins.
The immune system uses nutrients to fight off invaders and infection. It relies on protein; several specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants; as well as probiotics, the right ratio of good omega fatty acids, and help from antimicrobial fats (for example, those in grass-fed butter, meats, and coconut oil). Even a single nutrient deficiency will suppress the immune system, disarming it, and will allow infection to embed more easily.
THE SUNSHINE VITAMIN HELPS IMMUNE PERFORMANCE
Vitamin D is intimately involved with the immune system. According to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, a single dose of vitamin D can stop pathogenic bacteria. Vitamin D insufficiency is related to higher rates of common colds, influenza, and the respiratory infection RSV. It likely contributes to the increased rate of illness during darker winter months.
Although sunshine exposure is the best way to acquire sufficient vitamin D, it is also important to get some vitamin D from foods or supplements, especially during the winter months in northern climates. Vitamin D–containing foods include fish roe, fish liver oils, wild-caught fish and shellfish (after your baby reaches 18 months), sun-exposed pastured animal fats (particularly from chickens and pigs), as well as liver and egg yolks.
POWER UP IMMUNITY WITH PLENTIFUL PROBIOTICS
According to Pediatric Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, “The primary cause of infection is not due to the presence of unfriendly bacteria, but is actually due to insufficient friendly bacteria.” Bad bugs don’t so much cause illness as a lack of good bugs!
Good bacteria are bad microbes’ natural enemy. They fight illness-causing strains of bacteria, yeast, parasites, and even viruses (like cold and flu). According to a study in the journal Pediatrics, beneficial bacteria are effective in preventing childhood colds and flus. Giving probiotics twice a day to 3- to 5-year-olds during 6 months reduced fever incidence by 72%, coughing by 62%, and runny noses by 58%! The groups getting probiotics also used fewer antibiotics and missed fewer days of school. Such significant findings imply that chronic runny noses, coughs, and viral illness in children could actually be caused by a probiotic deficiency.
Supplemental probiotics are very helpful for the immune system and overall health. In Digestive Wellness: How to Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease through Healthy Digestion, Elizabeth Lipski, Ph.D., reports on studies that show “supplemental Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. casei decreased the severity and incidence of bronchitis and pneumonia in babies aged 6 months to 2 years.”
The kind of bacteria your baby is exposed to early on can influence whether he will later develop 3Cs. In a 2011 study, reported in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, led by John Penders of Maastricht University, 2,700 babies were followed through age 7. Researchers found that a baby’s early exposure to bad bacteria resulted in a higher likelihood that he would have immune-mediated health problems, such as food sensitivities, eczema, and/or wheezing in childhood. Exposure in the absence of sufficient good bacteria will help lead to these health issues.
Your baby’s intestinal tract is essentially sterile at birth. You want good bugs to take their rightful place as rulers of his gut ecosystem, establishing a hierarchy that keeps bad bugs at bay. Nature designed the first exposure to be through the vaginal canal, during birth. Next, your baby is dosed with even more beneficial bacteria when you nurse because your colostrum and milk are packed with healthy probiotics.
Early exposure to such healthy bacteria serves him well by protecting against infection (as well as facilitating digestion, getting rid of toxins, making vitamins, and more!). Also, as Penders’s study showed, babies with healthy bacteria (known to actively crowd out bad bacteria) are not as likely to have allergies and asthma in childhood, as are those babies born via C-section who have pathogenic bacteria taking up residence in their intestinal tract. If your baby had a C-section delivery or is not being nursed, it is critical to supplement directly with probiotics and to include lacto-fermented foods and raw and cultured dairy early on in his diet to ensure adequate exposure and colonization of beneficial bacteria. (Note: Also take extra care to avoid using antibacterial agents.)
Babies born via C-section can benefit from vaginal seeding, in which swabs from the birth canal allow some of the benefits of a natural birth to be conferred to your baby. For more information, ask your doctor about this process.
Lacto-fermented foods (for example, unpasteurized pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi) and beverages (kombucha), fresh (raw) dairy, and cultured dairy (e.g., yogurt and kefir) are sources of probiotics as well as lactic acid, which is very helpful for intestinal (and therefore immune) health.
In the Journal of Medicinal Food in 2014, it was reported that kimchi, a Korean dish made by adding lactic acid bacteria (such as lactobacillus) to vegetables, has numerous health benefits. They state, “Health functionality of kimchi, based upon our research and that of others, includes anticancer, antiobesity, anticonstipation, colorectal health promotion, probiotic properties, cholesterol reduction, fibrolytic effect, antioxidative and antiaging properties, brain health promotion, immune promotion, and skin health promotion.”
ENABLE ENZYMES TO ENGAGE THE ENEMY
Strive to supply your baby with enzyme-rich foods as a great way to fortify his immunity. Enzymes support white blood cells and other infection-fighting agents, while directly fighting pathogens, too. Fortunately, many of the probiotic-rich foods are also enzyme-rich foods. Fresh, raw milk is an excellent source of enzyme-based pathogen killers. Tropical fruits, like pineapple, kiwi, and papaya, and lacto-fermented foods and beverages, like sauerkraut and cultured dairy (yogurt), provide enzymes as well.
A WELL-ROUNDED TRADITIONAL-FOODS DIET STRENGTHENS IMMUNE FUNCTION
By feeding your baby plenty of good fats—particularly saturated fats—you’ll provide him with antiviral, antibacterial, and antimicrobial fatty acids that will help him stay healthy. The Weston A. Price Foundation reports that butter contains glycosphingolipids, which specifically protect against intestinal infection, especially in the very young. Butter fats, as well as the fats in coconut oil, have antimicrobial constituents that are active against pathogens and yeast, while feeding good bacteria. An adequate supply of dietary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is critical for human nutrition, but is particularly critical during infancy, during which time low DHA intake has been associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases, including asthma and allergies.
Protein- and nutrient-rich foods are broken down into amino acids and contain an array of vitamins and minerals that your baby’s body will use to build his immune army (antibodies). There is a reason chicken soup is a panacea of healing—the protein, fats, highly absorbable minerals, and gelatin in soup (made from bones) are restorative and supportive to the digestive system and thus critical to immunity. Protein deficiency stunts the body’s ability to build enzymes and antibodies, both of which are necessary for immune function and fighting off illness.
The process of slow cooking meat, as is done for meats in soups, provides nutrients that we do not get in our convenience, fast-food-based diets. We exist on foods from quick preparation methods, such as grilling, broiling, and frying, so we reach for predominantly muscle-based cuts of meat that align to such cooking techniques, such as steaks, chicken breasts, and lean ground beef. Consistently sticking to such cuts and cooking styles results in the absence of collagen and gelatin that are inherent in dishes such as pot roasts, boiled dinners, soups, and stews. For more information on the nutrients found in collagen and gelatin, Deep Nutrition by Catharine Shanahan, M.D., is an excellent resource.
What Not to Feed Your Baby for Optimizing Immune Strength
Avoiding flour- and sugar-based foods and other inflammation-causing foods will increase the chances that your baby’s immune potential will be reached.
SUGAR: NOT SO SWEET FOR PROTECTION FROM INFECTION
Sugar, particularly, increases the body’s susceptibility to infection. Jerry Kartzinel, M.D., pediatrician and coauthor of Healing and Preventing Autism, states, “The best way to get … [the] immune system to improve is to DECREASE … SUGAR INTAKE!” [emphasis not added]. As published in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition, sugar of all kinds (honey, juice, table sugar, etc.) significantly reduces your baby’s immune system’s ability to destroy pathogenic bacteria.
Sugar and white flour are the favorite sustenance of many bad bugs and harmful yeasts. These pathogenic flora feed on such simple carbs and ferment them in the gut, causing gas, diarrhea, toxic by-products, and intestinal illness. Bad yeast, in particular, can cause sugar cravings, leaky gut, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. By eliminating refined carbohydrates in your baby’s diet, you reduce these sickness-causing flora by starving them.
FOODS THAT FEED THE FIRES OF INFLAMMATION
Foods that cause inflammation weaken your baby’s immune system, making it hard for good flora to make a home in his gut. Inflammation is by and large affected by the ratio of essential fatty acids you get in your diet. Omega-3 fatty acids directly reduce inflammation and thin the blood in the body, whereas most omega-6 fatty acids cause inflammation and platelet stickiness. While both are integral to health, it is the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids, as well as the “nutritiousness” of the fat they come in, that is most important.
Russel L. Blaylock, M.D., reports on studies showing that inflammatory-inducing omega-6 fats reduce immune capabilities. He notes, “We now know that omega-6 oils profoundly suppress immunity … as a result they also promote infections.”
In our modern diet, there are far too many unhealthy omega-6s (found in vegetable oils and from grain- and soy-fed animal foods) and far too few omega-3s (fish oils, flaxseed oil, grass-fed/pastured animal foods), resulting in an inflammatory imbalance. (Most Americans get 20 to 50 omega-6s for every one omega-3.) A traditional-foods diet, however, will naturally provide the correct omega-fatty-acid ratio that is closer to 3:1.
If Your Baby Does Get Sick
It is inevitable that sometimes your baby will get sick—and should, on occasion. Today’s typically fed babies are reported to catch 7 to 10 colds per year, which is more frequent than one would expect in a traditionally nourished baby. Providing Super Nutrition should improve your baby’s immune capability and minimize infection frequency, as well as severity. When your baby does get sick, honor his instincts to eat (or not), but ensure that he drinks and stays hydrated.
CHOOSE BEVERAGES WISELY
Coconut water is a natural source of nutrient-rich hydration and is an excellent way to replace lost electrolytes during illness. Another premier electrolyte solution is Souper Stock. We recommend alternating coconut water (see here) with Souper Stock during illness. (For nursing babies and young children, mom’s milk is the very best fluid during illness, with homemade formula being second best. See here.) Coconut water or mom’s milk can also be frozen into ice pops to soothe sore throats and provide hydration.
FATS FOR FEVER
The old adage “starve a fever, feed a cold” has some scientific credence. Studies suggest that children often instinctually choose not to eat during illness; and 36- to 48-hour fasts actually result in significant improvement in immune strength and infection-fighting capabilities. Temporarily not feeling hungry and therefore not eating much while sick might allow our immune system to function better. Don’t make your baby fast, but if he’s not eating for a day or two, as long as he is drinking, you need not be worried.
During such time, offer him fats, such as marrow, ghee, butter, or tiny spoonfuls of coconut oil, but don’t worry if he’s not interested. Fats such as these are rich in natural antimicrobial, antiviral, and antibacterial agents, and just small amounts can be satiating. Also, a fat-rich diet lessens dehydration risk.
Fever is the body’s natural response to infection. Raising the body temperature means the heart beats faster, pushing nutrient-carrying blood to the scene and enhancing enzyme function, which helps destroy microbes. Further, with increased temperatures, microbes are less able to multiply, keeping infections in check. While it may seem frightening, the fever is your child’s best way to fight infection.
Further, use of common fever-fighters comes with risk. Acetaminophen (brand name: Tylenol) is used far too frequently. Very real risks are involved with the use of Tylenol, including liver toxicity (making detoxification harder among other serious health risks) and reduced antioxidant capabilities (through lowering glutathione levels throughout the body), which results in increased risk for asthma, ADHD, and autism. Several studies show that the risk of asthma is dose-dependant on the use of Tylenol. Even pregnant mothers should consider Tylenol risk, as some research shows an increased risk for autism and attention issues in children. Of concern is the common practice of medical practitioners to recommend use of Tylenol when vaccines are administered, as the reduced ability to detoxify means that your baby will be less able to clear vaccine toxins (immune-irritating adjuvants and chemicals) and is therefore at higher risk of harm from them if Tylenol is used. This is supported by at least one study that demonstrated an increase in autism occurrence related to the acetaminophen given after MMR vaccines.
Alternative options include homeopathics and holding your baby (to elicit endorphin pain relief) to provide relief. If medication is used, ibuprofen may be the lesser of two evils, compared to Tylenol/acetaminophen. Ibuprofen carries some risk to the kidneys during severe dehydration or where preexisting kidney problems exist. Medications may be warranted if your child is unable to sleep, is too uncomfortable to take in liquids, or fever exceeds 105°F (40.5°C). For fever greater than 100.4°F (38°C) in babies under 3 months, we recommend that you notify your doctor.
REBALANCE GUT ECOSYSTEM AFTER ANTIBIOTICS TO AVOID REPEAT INFECTIONS
Antibiotics damage the immune system by killing good bacteria and creating the right environment for bad microbes to thrive. This leaves your baby’s immune system in a weakened state, more susceptible to repeat infections, and allows for overgrowth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and other microbes, like damaging yeast. After antibiotics, it is very important to rebuild healthy flora and regain a favorable balance in the intestinal ecosystem by providing your baby’s body with probiotic-rich foods and supplements (see here). When antibiotics are necessary, be sure to supplement with probiotics, according to package directions, and incorporate lacto-fermented foods and beverages (see chapter 2) daily, for at least 2 months after antibiotic treatment.
Stave Off Infection by Steering Clear of Baby Food Jars and Pasta Pitfalls
If you only provide your baby with meals of nutrient-rich, real, whole foods, you need not stress about quantity and variety; your baby will eat when hungry and in need of nutrients. If, however, his diet includes sugar, white flour, or juice, you cannot rely on his hunger cues and preferences, since these foods can be addictive and make him feel full without providing enough nutrition.
We, along with the AAP, recommend introducing many different foods by the end of the first year, as there is nutritional value in variety. Additionally, variety in the diet helps broaden children’s palates and helps instill positive eating habits early. Offer a new food 8 to 30 times before giving up, as it takes time for babies to become familiar with new tastes and textures.
REFINED VS. REAL: We recommend avoiding refined salt and sugar for babies this age. Refined salt, like table salt and the kind you find in packaged foods, is simply sodium chloride. This kind of salt is disturbing to the body because most of the naturally occurring minerals found in whole salt are stripped away during refining and processing.
Unrefined, whole salt, however, is good for your baby (and for you!). Adding a pinch of high-quality sea salt to water makes it an electrolyte solution, and adding sea salt to Souper Stock means it is rich in both macro minerals from bones and micro minerals from the salt. Whole, unrefined salt is essential for life and good for health, which is likely why it is so pleasing to the palate. This kind of salt is made of 80 highly absorbable trace minerals that occur naturally in proportions that make them work best together and in the body (so the health problems often seen with refined salt are not seen with sea salt). Particularly, unrefined salt is important for proper digestion and nutrient assimilation and thus serves to bolster the immune system. Celtic sea salt and Himalayan salt are our preferred types, being richest in mineral content. Redmond Real Salt is also mineral rich. Whole, unrefined salt should have color—usually beige, gray, or pink.
PATTERN |
10 MONTHS |
Early AM |
Mom’s milk/homemade formula, then meal (shortly after waking) |
Midmorning |
Milk/homemade formula |
Midday |
Meal |
Afternoon |
Milk/homemade formula (before nap) |
Evening |
Meal |
Nighttime |
Milk/homemade formula (before bed) |
PRACTICAL FEEDING TIPS AT THIS AGE
FASTER INTRODUCTION, THICKER CONSISTENCY. New foods can now be given every 1 or 2 days, rather than every 3 or 4. Also, foods can now be of a much chunkier consistency and need not be thinned down. Though many commercial baby foods are “microwavable,” we absolutely do not recommend heating your baby’s food in the microwave.
Your baby still isn’t ready to handle chewing and swallowing like a grown-up. Choking is a risk, so never leave your child unattended while eating.
FAMILY MEALS. Around this age, your baby’s meals will align with family mealtimes. We advise you to eat with your baby starting from an early age. A bite for baby, then a bite for you—if possible. Despite the mess, keep offering your baby a spoon. The added weight and thicker texture of these new foods may make it easier for your baby to use it!
WATER. Hydration is tantamount to proper bodily function and detoxification. Offer water (preferably filtered, remineralized) in between meals. However, refrain from offering too much at meals, as it can reduce stomach acid, which is necessary for proper protein digestion. Souper Stock, mom’s milk, cultured mommy milk, or formula can be offered in a cup throughout the day or with meals.
FOODS AND FLUIDS. Babies normally take between 18 and 24 ounces (520 to 710 ml) of mom’s milk or formula at this age, meeting approximately one-third to one-half of their caloric needs.
PATTERN |
11 MONTHS |
Early AM |
Mom’s milk/homemade formula, then meal (shortly after waking) |
Midmorning |
Snack |
Midday |
Meal |
Afternoon |
Milk/homemade formula (before nap) |
Evening |
Meal |
Nighttime |
Milk/homemade formula (before bed) |
Super Nutrition Food Categorizations for 10 to 12 Months |
|
SUPER POWER |
PURE |
• Lacto-fermented fruits and veggies • Coconut kefir • Grass-fed, raw cheese • Kidneys and other organ meats • Cod liver oil • Animal fats from grass-fed animals • Mom’s milk |
• Organic tropical fruits • Coconut water, unsweetened • Onion, garlic, beets, and other organic fruits and vegetables • Organic meats, eggs, and other animal foods |
OKAY |
CRAP |
• Organic baby food (stage 3) • Nonorganic, non–Dirty Dozen fruits and vegetables, washed • All-natural meats, eggs, and other animal foods • Nonpastured, nonorganic animal fats and butter |
• Pretzels, crackers, cookies, bars • Prepared baby “meals” • Noodles and pasta dishes • Sweetened baby foods • Juice • Pasteurized dairy • Canola oil, soy oil, corn oil |
Experts advise that babies should not drink pasteurized cow’s milk at this age, and we agree due to its increased risk of anemia, iron deficiency, gastrointestinal bleeding, and allergies and intolerance. Fresh, raw, unpasteurized milk, from a trusted grass-fed source, however, does not carry such risks. Even with this high-caliber dairy, one year is the appropriate age to offer cow’s milk to drink, unless it is part of a recipe for homemade formula (see chapter 3).
FLUCTUATING APPETITE. Be aware that your baby’s appetite can fluctuate, and his likes and dislikes can change. If he’s not eating much, choose foods that pack the most nutrient-dense punch in the smallest quantity, namely Super POWER foods like organ meats, fish eggs, grass-fed raw butter, and raw yogurt.
Recipes to Optimize Immunity
Popular snack foods like cereal and crackers are typically introduced at this age. They often become instant favorites, with babies preferring them over more nutritious options. These products usually don’t offer many nutrients and aren’t worth eating; you’d be better off allowing your child to become hungry enough (within reason) to accept more nutritious offerings.
Between 10 and 12 months, you can introduce beets, cooked berries, fish, coconut water, and raw cheese. For a more complete list of acceptable foods at this age, see the Food Introduction Timeline.
Stewed whole chicken, bone-in pork, or beef roasts are choices that include bones, connective tissue, fat, skin, necks, and feet. Eating meat on the bone, down to the bone, helps guarantee you get critical nutrients that support intestinal and nutritional health, and therefore immune strength. You can also use Vital Amines or unbleached, unrefined gelatin (including Great Lakes Gelatin) in soups, stews, sauces, and baked goods as an additional source of gelatin.
MASHED NOT-POTATOES
Since white potatoes are part of the nightshade family—which can cause inflammation—we don’t recommend them yet. Either taro (a tuber) or cauliflower (in the cruciferous family of vegetables) can be used to make a mashed potato–style side dish. Part of Polynesian cuisine, taro must be well cooked prior to consumption in order to reduce the calcium oxalate content. Taro has small amounts of vitamins and minerals as well as some antioxidant value.
MASHED CAULIFLOWER
1 crown cauliflower
Ghee or other Fabulous Fat to taste
Celtic sea salt to taste
Steam the cauliflower until mushy. Drain the water well. Purée with the butter or ghee and sea salt until desired consistency.
YIELD: About 1 cup (225 g)
MASHED TARO
2 to 4 taro roots
Ghee or other Fabulous Fat to taste
Celtic sea salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C, gas mark 2).
Bake the taro for 1 hour. When cool enough to handle, peel. Mash with fat of choice and sea salt.
Optional: Add coconut cream for varied texture, richness, and flavor.
YIELD: About 1 cup (225 g)
MASHED POI (FERMENTED TARO ROOT)
2 teaspoons mom’s milk or raw whey,
or
1/4 cup (60 ml) water + 1/4 tablespoon culture starter + 1/2 teaspoon non-centrifugal sugar (such as Rapunzel brand rapadura), allowing this mixture to rest for 20 minutes
1 cup (225 g) baked, peeled, mashed taro
Mix ingredients in a glass bowl and place in a Mason jar on a counter, sealed, for 24 hours. Serve as a side dish to meat.
YIELD: About 1 cup (225 g)
NOTES
Taro can replace potato in many recipes.
Rapadura is a mineral-containing sugar, found at health food stores or online.
◁ PLAYFUL PANCAKES
Coconut flour is coconut flesh that has been dried and ground into a powder. It’s actually a by-product of the creation of coconut milk. Higher in fiber (about 5 grams of fiber per tablespoon [7 g] of coconut flour) and with a lower glycemic index than grain-based flours, it doesn’t spike your blood sugar as quickly. Baked goods are not necessarily healthy simply because they are made with coconut flour. Baked goods should always be an occasional treat, not an everyday staple. Coconut flour does not require presoaking or preparation to neutralize antinutrients.
COCONUT FLOUR PANCAKES
1/2 cup (56 g) coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
4 large, or 5 to 6 small, farm-fresh organic, pastured eggs
1 mashed, ripe banana
1/4 cup (55 g) coconut manna/butter (2 tablespoons [28 g] coconut oil can be substituted), melted
1/4 cup (55 g) homemade stewed apples, optional (See recipe for apples and pears in chapter 5.)
1/4 cup (60 ml) coconut milk, mom’s milk, homemade formula, or some combination
4 to 6 tablespoons (55 to 85 g) grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut oil for cooking
Grass-fed butter, ghee, or coconut butter for spreading on warm pancakes
In a medium bowl, combine the coconut flour and sea salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, mashed banana, melted coconut butter or coconut oil, and stewed apples, if using, together. (Melt the coconut butter or coconut oil in a small saucepan over low heat or place the jar of coconut butter or coconut oil in warm water.)
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients; stir with a fork until well combined. Add the milk slowly until the desired consistency is reached. The coconut flour will thicken the batter as it mixes with the wet ingredients.
Heat a griddle or frying pan with the butter, coconut oil, or ghee until it sizzles.
Using a large spoon or small scoop, add a little batter to the pan. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes. You may not see many bubbles forming on the top, so carefully check the underside of your pancake before flipping and then flip. Cook on the other side for 1 to 2 minutes until cooked through.
Serve warm. Spread with butter, ghee, or coconut butter if desired.
YIELD: About 12 small pancakes
NOTE
Try substituting homemade raw curd (see Curds and Whey recipe) for the banana for a different base flavor.
SIMPLE BANANA PANCAKES
3 large ripe bananas
1 large farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg
2 large farm-fresh, organic, pastured egg yolks
Pinch of Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 to 4 tablespoons (42 to 56 g) ghee or coconut oil for cooking
Mash the bananas in a small bowl. Add the egg and egg yolks, and mix together. Add the sea salt and cinnamon and stir.
Heat a griddle or frying pan over medium heat with the ghee or coconut oil until it sizzles. Spoon the batter onto the hot, greased griddle (be liberal with the fat) and spread. It should spread easily.
Cook a couple of minutes, checking under the edges for doneness. Once it starts to brown, flip and cook on the other side until cooked through.
YIELD: About 12 silver dollar–size pancakes
NOTES
When your baby is over a year, if desired, you can add some non-grain-based flour like a mixture of tigernut flour or arrowroot starch. Following grain preparation protocols to reduce phytic acid and antinutrients is recommended. At that point, you can also use whole eggs. Both these additions will give your pancakes a more classic pancake look and texture.
Coconut flour is very dense, so recipes with coconut flour typically need more wet ingredients, particularly eggs, to prevent them from getting crumbly and dry.
SCHMALTZ AND GRIBENES
Rendered chicken fat is called “schmaltz” in traditional Jewish cooking. Gribenes are a bonus “by-product” of making schmaltz (as are “crispins” in lard rendering). You can sauté chicken liver with schmaltz and gribenes to round out the nutritional value of the dish. Animal fats, such as schmaltz, offer a buffet of important fatty acids that are good for supporting the immune system.
SCHMALTZ
1 pound (455 g) chicken skin and fat
Rinse the chicken skin and fat. Chop into 1/2-inch (1 cm) pieces. Using kitchen scissors makes this easier. Fry the pieces in a skillet over low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and drain the liquid fat through a mesh strainer, reserving the strainer contents. The golden oil is the schmaltz; put in a clean jar and save for liver or vegetables.
YIELD: 1 cup (235 ml)
GRIBENES
1 large onion, chopped
Celtic sea salt and pepper to taste
Put the contents of the strainer (the chicken skin and fat remnants) back into the frying pan. Add the onion and sauté for about 20 minutes (pieces will darken, but should not blacken). Season with sea salt and pepper. You can eat the gribenes as a salty snack.
YIELD: 1/2 cups (280 g)
NOTES
Schmaltz is liquid at room temperature and solid when cold. Use it to sauté foods like liver, add it to liver to make chopped liver, or just eat with gribenes.
Use gribenes as a topping for salads or other dishes (for you), or serve as a great snack for your baby.
◁ BERRIES GALORE
In a few months, you can introduce raw berries, but until then, they must still be cooked because this makes them easier for babies to digest them. Start with strawberries and blueberries at this age. Add blackberries, raspberries, marionberries, juneberries, and fresh mulberries around 15 months of age. Dark purple berries are rich in resveratrol, a powerful antioxidant, anticarcinogenic, and anti-inflammatory compound, which supports the immune system.
1 cup (145 g) diced ripe strawberries
1 cup blueberries, (145 g) fresh or (155 g) frozen
1/3 cup (75 g) coconut oil or grass-fed organic ghee
Cook the berries and coconut oil or ghee in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until the berries are soft. Stir occasionally and mash the fruit or purée it off the heat.
Once the berries are cooled, either on the counter or in the refrigerator, they can be served with a spoon.
YIELD: 2 cups (475 ml)
NOTES
You may notice some seeds (from raspberries and strawberries) or the skins of blueberries in your baby’s diaper afterward. These can be hard for a baby to digest and often just pass right through their systems.
The remaining berry compote will make great Gelatin, Jam, Jigglers, and Custard.
BRIGHT RED BLAST GUMMIES
Gelatin contains trace minerals and coveted amino acids that are used to build your baby’s growing body with connective tissue, muscle, and sinew, which help keep our cartilage, skin, and bones healthy. Amino acids are also used to build antibodies, hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes. One of the amino acids in gelatin, glycine, has been shown in human trials to improve sleep quality. Glycine has also been associated with decreases in anxiety and calming the mind. For excellent information on gelatin recipes and health benefits, we recommend referencing The Gelatin Secret: The Surprising Superfood That Transforms Your Health and Beauty by Sylvia McCracken.
7 tablespoons (16 g) grass-fed gelatin (such as Great Lakes gelatin)
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice or freshly squeezed orange juice or blend
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
1/2 cup (75 g) organic strawberries and/or raspberries
1/2 cup (75 g) organic blueberries
1/4 cup (56 g) peeled, boiled, drained, and mashed beets
In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over the lemon juice and a pinch of sea salt and stir. Allow to sit while the gelatin absorbs the liquid, at least 5 minutes.
In a saucepan over low to medium heat, cook the berries until mushy, about 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce the heat.
Use a food processor or an immersion blender to mash the beets. Mix the beets and berries together; purée additionally if not smooth.
Stir in the lemon juice and gelatin mixture and continue stirring over low heat (without reaching a boil) until the gelatin is completely dissolved—it will be thick and of a syrup-like consistency.
Once dissolved, remove from the heat and quickly pour into molds or a large glass baking pan (greased with coconut oil).
Put in the freezer for 10 minutes to harden. Remove and pop out of the molds or cut into squares if needed.
YIELD: 4 to 10 gummies, depending on the molds
NOTE
This recipe is adapted from Sylvie McCracken’s The Gelatin Secret: The Surprising Superfood That Transforms Your Health and Beauty.
COLOSSAL KIDNEY DISH
Kidneys, like liver, are a rare staple for most families, but that isn’t ideal. Offal (organ meats) are more nutrient dense than any other foods, including muscle meat and plant foods. Weekly, or even monthly, including organ meats into your family’s cuisine is a wonderful gift. Kidneys contain important retinol (the usable and beneficial form of vitamin A), heme iron, and B vitamins, just to name a few.
4 lamb kidneys or 2 calf kidneys
1 cup (235 ml) lemon juice (fresh squeezed/puréed preferred) or apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1 tablespoon (14 g) lard or other fat
1/2 to 1 cup (120 to 235 ml) homemade beef stock
1 teaspoon gelatin dissolved in 1/4 cup (60 ml) mom’s milk, formula, or Souper Stock, optional, plus more liquid as needed
Cut the calf kidneys in half and carefully remove any tubes and their lighter color centers. If using lamb’s kidneys, quarter them. Soak them for 2 to 3 hours in a bowl with 1 cup (235 ml) of lemon juice or vinegar and sea salt, placed in the refrigerator.
Heat the fat in a skillet, drain the kidneys, and sauté until just brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the broth and sea salt and then raise the heat to a simmer, but do not boil. Add the gelatin and milk, if using; simmer for 10 to 20 seconds. Overcooking will result in tough meat.
Cool slightly. Purée, adding mom’s milk, formula, or Souper Stock if necessary to get to the right consistency for your baby.
Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for 7 days or freeze for up to 4 to 6 weeks.
YIELD: 8 to 12 baby servings
◁ COCONUT BANANA MARROW LOAF
This no-rise bread recipe contains spices you are able to give to your baby at this time: cinnamon and cloves. However, you might want to introduce these spices with just mashed banana, one at a time, to make sure your baby does not have a negative reaction to either. The treasure in this recipe is the marrow. Bone marrow was consumed by early man, evidenced by anthropological findings of broken animal skulls and larger bones. This recipe is inspired by the Coconut Flour Banana Bread by The Coconut Mama.
Coconut oil for greasing loaf pan
3/4 cup (84 g) coconut flour
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
1/3 cup (29 g) shredded organic, unsulfured, unsweetened coconut
4 medium bananas (ripe)
3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 55 g) bone marrow, additional 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 55 g), optional
1/3 cup (75 g) coconut butter, warmed
4 farm-fresh, organic, pastured eggs
Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3). Grease a glass or ceramic loaf pan with coconut oil.
In a bowl, mix the coconut flour, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves, sea salt, and shredded coconut. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas, bone marrow, and coconut butter.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy. Add the mashed banana mixture and combine. Add the dry mixture and mix well.
Pour into the greased bread pan. Sprinkle extra shredded coconut and cinnamon over the top of the loaf if you desire.
Bake for 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert a knife or a toothpick into the loaf. If it does not come out cleanly, return the bread to the oven for another 10 minutes. Repeat until done.
Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or the freezer for up to 2 months.
Use the additional marrow, warmed, as a spread, sprinkling with sea salt and/or cinnamon.
YIELD: 1 loaf
NOTE
Marrow or foods containing marrow should be consumed soon after cooking or be refrigerated.
FERMENTED DILLS
This recipe makes fermented/brine pickles and relies on both salt and beneficial bacteria during the fermentation process. These pickles taste great, are easy to make, and are full of probiotics. Probiotics support chelation of heavy metals (detoxification), nutrient absorption, digestion, and immunity.
5 pickling cucumbers, 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long (or 1 to 2 dozen gherkins), whole or sliced
2 tablespoons (30 g) Celtic sea salt (the finer the grain, the easier to dissolve)
3 cups (700 ml) filtered water
1/3 cup (80 ml) raw whey (if unavailable, use 1 tablespoon [15 g] extra sea salt)
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dill seed
1 bunch of fresh dill
1 tablespoon (5 g) peppercorns, optional and not to be consumed
1 bay leaf, optional and not to be consumed
Wash the cucumbers and then soak in cold, iced water for 20 minutes.
Stir and completely dissolve the sea salt in the water, add the whey, and set this brine aside.
Place the garlic, dill seed, fresh dill, and any of the optional ingredients into the bottom of a quart (950 ml) Mason jar. Place the cucumbers into the jar, engineering them in to fit as many as possible. Pour the brine mixture over the cucumbers to completely cover them. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) below the top of the jar.
Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 5 to 7 days (or fewer if sliced). Taste at this point and transfer to the refrigerator for cold storage or allow to continue fermenting to reach the desired taste, up to 14 additional days. Once moved to the refrigerator, they can be stored for up to 6 months.
YIELD: 1 quart (950 ml) jar of pickles
NOTE
Oak leaves, grape leaves, or horseradish leaves all contain tannins and adding a few leaves prior to fermentation will make a crunchier pickle.
◁ SWEET POTATO CHIPS AND PLANTAIN CRISPS
Sweet potatoes are root vegetables that are rich in color, flavor, and nutrient value. They are filled with retinol-precursor beta-carotene, as well as vitamin C, manganese, copper, vitamins B5 and B6, and biotin. Plantains are not root vegetables, but are tropical starches that are good sources of carotenoids, vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and copper. Very starchy, plantains should not be eaten raw, particularly green plantains.
SWEET POTATO CHIPS
2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) melted coconut oil, bacon grease, lard, or duck fat, plus more to grease baking sheet
1 large or 2 small organic sweet potatoes
Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C, or gas mark 2). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes. Slice as thin as possible, using a mandoline, vegetable peeler, or knife and aim for consistent thickness. In a large bowl, drizzle the fat and sea salt over the slices and toss lightly to distribute the fat evenly. Place the chips on the prepared baking sheet, without overlapping. Salt lightly. (More salt can be added right after they come out of the oven if desired.)
Bake for 1 hour or until crisp. Use tongs to flip the chips once or twice during baking time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator or pantry for up to 1 week.
YIELD: 2 to 3 cups (68 to 102 g)
PLANTAIN CRISPS
2 to 3 tablespoons (28 to 45 ml) melted coconut oil, bacon grease, lard, or duck fat, plus more to grease baking sheets
3 medium plantains, green or yellow
Celtic sea salt or Himalayan salt to taste
Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C, or gas mark 3). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Peel the plantains and slice very thin. Toss the plantain slices with the fat, and lay out on the prepared baking sheets. Sprinkle with the sea salt.
Bake for 20 minutes, and then flip each chip with tongs. Bake for another 10 minutes.
Remove the more well-done chips as they start to brown, especially if some are thinner than others.
Store at room temperature for up to 1 week.
YIELD: 2 to 3 cups (75 to 112 g)
NOTES
Try these cooking methods with other root vegetables, particularly yucca, but taro root, carrots, and beets can also make tasty chips if they are sliced very thin prior to cooking.
These do not have to get overly crispy for baby; they can remain soft, although thorough cooking is advised. Thicker slices will stay softer and not get as crispy. The fat and heat will make a delicious treat that won’t scratch the palate.
Younger babies will do better with thicker, less crispy chips.
Alternatively, the plantain chips can be fried in a skillet in the hot oil, grease, or lard.
◁ ACORN SQUASH AND SAUSAGE
Acorn squash, along with pumpkin, spaghetti squash, and butternut, are all part of a group of “winter squash,” which have thicker, tougher rinds to protect them longer. Squash is a good source of vitamin C, fiber, and carotenes (which are fat-soluble antioxidants and precursors to retinol, true vitamin A) and may reduce the risk of heart and respiratory diseases, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
1 acorn squash
1 tablespoon (14 g) coconut oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 pound (455 g) grass-fed sausage or ground pork (ground beef can be substituted)
Pinch of Celtic sea salt
4 ounces (120 ml) Souper Stock
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).
Slice the acorn squash in half and remove the seeds. Place open-face down in a 9 × 13-inch (23 × 33 cm) baking dish with a small amount of water and bake for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the coconut oil in a skillet. Add the garlic and sauté for 5 minutes.
In a separate skillet, sauté the sausage with a pinch of sea salt. Add the sautéed garlic. Cook until no pink remains in the meat and ensure that the meat remains minced throughout the cooking process. Use a spatula to break up the meat if needed.
Allow the squash to cool slightly. Scrape out the cooked squash and discard the outer shell.
Purée the squash, cooked sausage mixture, and broth.
Alternatively, based on your baby’s readiness, simply combine the cooked squash and sausage mixture as is.
Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week or in the freezer up to 3 months.
YIELD: 8 to 10 baby servings
NOTES
Adult adaptations: Add 1/4 cup (40 g) chopped onion to cook with the garlic and sausage. Mix 1 cup (225 g) homemade curds or yogurt cheese into the hot sausage mixture until it melts and is completely combined. Spoon the sausage mixture into the baked acorn squash halves. Return to the oven for 5 to 10 minutes to heat through. Or, scoop out the cooked squash and spread it on the bottom of a casserole baking dish. Top with the sausage mixture and return it to the oven to heat through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
The sausage curd mixture can also be used to stuff mushrooms. Remove the stems, chop them, and add to the sausage during the sauté step. Spoon the stuffing mixture into the mushroom caps, brush with melted butter, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4).