Fussy Fruit Eater Recipes - Oats - Apple - Almond Kheer

My daughter has become an incredibly fussy fruit eater since we have landed in Germany. Partly, I don't blame her. She loved fruits like fresh figs, chickoos, small velchi bananas in India that are not so widely available here. Besides, she hates the whole citrus group, which leaves her with very little choice - bananas, apples, occasionally melons. She won't touch pears or strawberries or grapes :((

Consequently, I'm constantly on the look out for recipes to which I can add fruits. And like a whole host of mothers out there, I have to cheat to up the nutritional quotient of food. It makes me very proud when I succeed :)

Here's a recipe that she digs. The fibre from the oats, fruity sweetness of apples and the goodness of almonds makes it a winner for her and for me!

Oats - Apple - Almond Kheer 

Ingredients:
3 tsp oats
1/4 apple
3 tsp sugar
2 tsp almond powder
1/2 cup water
1 cup milk
a small pinch of cardamom powder

Method:
Heat a vessel and add the oats. Dry roast them for a minute or so until they release a roasty aroma and then add water. Stir frequently. Add sugar. Adjust the taste of sugar according to how sweet the apple is, or how much sweet your little one likes. When the oats start to cook, add the milk. I find adding water and letting it boil before adding the milk makes the oats cook faster. Add the cardamom powder and almond powder and cook for about 3-4 minutes, stirring well. Add the apple - grated or cut into small pieces depending on your choice. Don't cook the kheer too much after adding the apple. Done. Serve it to your little one and see it go down quickly! :)

Variation
You could add bananas, strawberries, pears, chopped dates, walnut powder or even serve it up without fruits!

Latest developments!

I haven't blogged since my last post on Bobo's newly acquired walking skills. The reason is simple, the baby is walking and I'm running after her, literally. Suddenly there is an increase in the motherly workload like never before. Anyone who has been there, done that, will identify with me immediately! That's not all. There has been a spate of illnesses in the house. First, P got a cold, then Bobo had it. Even as it was going away, P caught a viral cough and Bobo got that too. As a result, the last week has been spent in endless pacifying, night waking and constant feeding. And just when I thought I was lucky enough to escape both the round of infections, I have come down with the cough :(. Thankfully, I'm at Mom's since P is travelling, which makes things SOO much easier.

An unfortunate side-effect of the illness bout is that Bobo has become extremely clingy. She wants to be carried all the time and making her sleep has become (even more!!) difficult. I'm really worried that this might become a habit which she will carry well after she has recovered. I so hope not!

It's not all bad though. Since I last blogged, we have mastered walking and are starting to use it skillfully. The terrace, artificial grass covered children's play area in the society, lobby outside Mom's house, are all favorite places. We still don't like our (not so) new shoes, but booties are great. Several words are being attempted - Aai (about 100 times a day), Ajji, Mummm, Tdou tdou (some mix of kau-kau and chiv-chiv), Baba (on rare occasions). Waving, clapping, pointing, wrist movements are becoming second nature. There is a lot of new association-building and concepts such as open-able lids, different textures, colors, animals, birds are being understood nicely. It's a great phase, and there is an imminent transition from 'baby' to 'toddler' on the way!