Grow Healthy Whole Grains and Beans +6M

Disclosure: I have been compensated for my time spent on this post from Grow Healthy, but as always my thoughts and opinions are honest and are my own. 

Grow Healthy is an innovative new line of whole grains and beans designed for nursing mamas and growing babies. I’ve been testing the different products for few months now, in many recipes, baby recipes for my blog and family recipes for my kids and I’m very happy about the quality and the flavor of the products. Also, I find the whole grains/beans easier to digest being sprouted.

Today I’m happy to collaborate with Grow Healthy and present you their new line of products:

• Nurse & Nourish: sweet brown rice & brown rice blend for nursing mamas
• Radiant Baby: brown rice & sweet brown rice blend for babies
• Blissful Belly: sweet brown rice & millet for babies
• Mighty Muscles: adzuki beans for babies

Everything is organic, sprouted, vegan, GF, without artificial enrichment nor preservatives, Non GMO.

The whole line has been developed considering the importance of a balanced and comprehensive Food Program, following the pyramid of your baby’s nutritional needs.

For the first six months of age breastmilk (or baby formula) is all that your baby needs to grow healthy, nothing else, not even water (it’s contained in the breastmilk). 

At around six months you will see that your baby will be ready to start exploring and enjoying a new world: solid foods. Whole Grains and Vegetables should be the main part of your baby’s diet, followed by Protein rich foods: plant based first like legumes, seeds, nuts and than animal based like poultry, meat, fish, dairy. In similar dose comes fruit. Fermented foods, seasonings and beverages come later on in smaller quantities.

As mentioned, for the first six months of your baby’s life, breastmilk is the only nutrient that your baby needs. Nurse and Nourish sprouted sweet and brown rice is dedicated to nursing mamas to prepare healthy and tasty meals for themselves that will support breastmilk production. Interesting fact: Japanese Mochi (brown rice pounded into a thick sweet paste) is offered to nursing moms to encourage the flow of breast milk + to restore strength and stamina after giving birth.

At around 6 months of age, your baby will reach a huge milestone: trying solid foods. 

Whole grains purees are a very popular first food choice. Radiant Baby is a blend of sprouted brown rice and sprouted sweet rice, whereas Blissful Belly mixes sprouted sweet brown rice with sprouted millet.

Their consistency and naturally sweet taste is very similar to milk and that makes the transition easier for your baby. Also, both rice and millet are very easy to digest and rarely related to food allergies.

For the very first meals you can easily start simply adding breastmilk or baby formula to cooked Radiant Baby or Blissful Belly grains up until obtaining the desired consistency. For the first spoon I would suggest a super running one, almost liquid. 

Slowly, following your baby pace, you can use those grains all together with fresh organic local seasonal produce and create yummy first meals.

As your baby’s digestive system becomes more developed, proteins are able to be introduced into your baby’s diet, and they are essential for your baby’s body growth. I would suggest to start with plant based proteins and slowly add animal ones. The Mighty Muscles beans are a lovely idea: small adzuki beans are naturally sweet, a great source of plant based protein all together with fiber, iron and magnesium. 

So many options and so many possible recipe combinations!! Here you are some recipe ideas using Radiant Baby (brown rice + sweet brown rice).

You can adapt the same recipe following your baby’s growth, simply adding ingredients.

For the very first feedings, between 4 and 6 months of age, the consistency is very soupy.

In a tall container add 2 Tbsp cooked Radiant Baby and 1/4 cup breastmilk or baby formula. Blend up until very smooth. You can add more thinning liquid to reach your desired consistency. 

This is very similar in taste and consistency to breastmilk, and will be an easy transition for your baby.

When your baby will be ready to enjoy a chunkier food with more texture you can start adding more ingredients like in this Zucchini and Carrot Brown Rice. 

I simply mixed together 3/4 cup cooked Radiant Baby brown rice + 1/2 cup steamed zucchini + 1/2 cup steamed carrot + 1/2 cup breastmilk or baby formula. 

In a food processor or blender, combine the ingredients and puree until smooth or until you will reach the desired consistency.

When your baby will be able to enjoy even more texture and flavors, at around 12 months, OR if you have any Radiant Baby Brown Rice leftovers from the previous recipes, your whole family might enjoy this lovely rice salad! 

I simply kept adding ingredients: 2 cups rice + 1 cup steamed zucchini + 1 cup steamed carrots + 1/2 cup sweet peas + 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles + 3 Tbsp black olives + 2 fresh tomatoes in cubes + few basil leaves. Dressing: extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt.

I really like the concept of

One family = one meal.

Using the same ingredients you can prepare a yummy and nutritious meal for your baby AND the rest of the family. Ciao, ciao!