hooked on the (milky) white stuff
Misty has a bit of a problem. A milk problem. It’s been going on since day one… he literally sucked me dry of breast milk and wanted MORE. I was left shrivelled, weak, exhausted and pale while he hunted out alternative sources of the creamy stuff. He’s still nuts for it now, at the ripe old age of a year and a half.
He’s a funny kid, he won’t drink milk from anything but a baby bottle. I’ve tried with all the fancy whizz-bang drink bottles that are around for kiddos these days, but he won’t have a bar of them – it’s a baby bottle or nothing.
Anyway, he tends to go through stages of wanting nothing but liquid (teething, tiredness etc etc – TODDLERS). I’ve posted about “Misty Milk” before, but I think it’s an excellent way to sneak in a bit of nutrition – it also saves me from investing in a Jersey Cow or to commit my entire life to being chained to the food processor making home made nut milks. Seriously, this dude is loco for milk.
Over ripe bananas are gold. Baking, smoothies, banana soft serve – you name it, these ugly-yet-oh-so-sweetie-num-num bad boys are a Mama’s best friend for enticing fussy babes. Best yet, they are usually super cheap – 49c/kg this morning at the grocer thank you very much.
Below is the basic recipe I use for a Misty milk… there are so many variations possible though – I have been known to sneak in cooked beans, quinoa, oats, pureed pumpkin/spinach – you name it and Misty will drink it (as long as it’s in a baby bottle). Yes, it looks disgusting, and YES I get weird looks from other Mothers. Oh well.
Misty Milk:
- 1 very ripe banana
- 2T sunflower butter (or tahini/almond butter/smooth peanut butter)
- 1/8t-1/4t spirilina powder… start with a tiny amount if you are not used to it – Misty really loves it!
- 2-3C water, depending on how thick you want it.
- Sweetener (honey/agave/date paste) OPTIONAL… I don’t usually sweeten it for Misty.
- Blend all ingredients until there are no chunks… start off with 2C water and see how you like the thickness.
#2
- 1 very ripe banana
- 1T smooth peanut butter
- 1/2 an avocado
- 1T cacao powder (or cocoa)
- 2t honey
- 2-3C water
#3
- 1 very ripe banana
- 2T smooth almond butter (or any nut/seed butter)
- 1/4C frozen berries
- 2t raw maca powder (or lucuma)
- 1T date paste
- 2-3C water
You may be wondering why I don’t use actual milk in these recipes. Blending up nut/seed butter with water is the cheater’s version of a super quick “nut milk” – it does add the richness and creamy factor that using milk would contribute. Plus, Misty will drink plain almond/rice milk on top of these “milks” daily… which would equal far too much milk for the little man. By all means use milk (cow, almond, rice, coconut) if you want a more filling smoothie.
Anyway, we lead by example when it comes to feeding our kids – my theory is if you only give them wholesome, unprocessed food then you’re giving them the best start possible. When Misty is a gangly, awkward teenager, I’m sure he is going to eat his fair share of Mcdonalds and processed crap (as did I) but while I have him under my wing I’m going to try and educate him the best way I know how. The boy wants milk – I will give him “milk” but MY kind of milk… superfoods included.
23 Responses to “hooked on the (milky) white stuff”
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- - October 13, 2012
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Vegan. Stay at home Mum of Misty. Yoga teacher in training. Passionate about REAL food - creating it, eating it, sharing it. I can never stick to a recipe.
Reuben is the same. Will drink endless amounts of milk but only from a baby bottle – not a straw, cup, drink bottle or carton. Has to be a bottle.
I haven’t tried giving him any non-dairy milk yet. Maybe I should give it a go. He is in desperate need of some addition fibre in his diet as he seems to constantly be constipated. Any ideas of fibre rich “milks”?
Ha, that’s so funny Reuben is a milky-bottle boy too! Classic
Totally try out some different milks on him… variety is always good with diet – just be sure to read ingredient labels as a lot of soy + almond milks have a heap of added sugar. Oat or rice milks are yummy too, just a bit more on the watery side.
If you are after fibre then pureed dates or prunes whizzed into smoothies are a tasty addition that should get those bowels moving too… same with oats/bananas. Basically get him into lots of fruit/vegetables/whole grains… also dried fruit/nut snack bars usually work a treat in that department PLUS toddlers seem to love them
LOTS of fluid – aim for smoothies that contain the WHOLE fruit over fruit juice.
Want to come stay at our place for a week and put him through baby-eating bootcamp??
I used to give him prune juice in a bottle when he was younger. He won’t drink it now though. I used to sneak it into a spirulina smoothie he loved but he’s off anything fruit-related now.
Oddly, he just marched up to a fruit bowl in our hotel room, pointed and said “nanana….. appoo….”. I just about fell off my chair as he really only reads about fruit in books and never cares to eat it!
Ha, boot camp – love it
At least he knows the names of the fruit! I reckon pieces of dried fruit are great – does he like sultanas/raisins/cranberries? Just try to get the ones without added sulphates/sugar – must be really hard when travelling to eat well?
This is great- what a creative way to sneak in nutrition in a way that Misty thinks is just another milk! It sounds delicious too. You are one creative mom! I’m going to remember this for when I have kids.
I especially like the sound of that spirulina one. I was so afraid of spirulina before I tried it, but now I’m obsessed. I actually love the bitterness!
Yeah, I’m a big spirilina fan too – you seem to just get used to the flavour, and THEN you start to crave it, no?
I think the trick with kids is to introduce them to as many foods/tastes as possible – Misty has totally picked up the ‘strange food combinations’ thing quick smart! The dude LOVES raw broccoli stalks and brussel sprouts (!)
Baby green smoothies!
Also, I’m (now) 25 and will only drink my work coffee out of one mug. Mostly because it’s the biggest one that will fit under the coffee machine spout, but it’s more than that now. It’s obsessive. So I understand Misty.
I have my favourite (huge) green mug that no one else is allowed… drinks do not taste right out of a different mug. I get his bottle obsession
these are like smoothies in juice form – so good!!!
misty (and viper) are lucky to have you!
Baby green monsters! For little monsters
sounds delicious! you’re so right…leading by example is the best way:) thanks for sharing!
I think the key is getting kids used to REAL food from the word go – then it’s easy!
I will be sure to steal this idea when I have my own kids:)
Also, is your birthday the 31st or 1st? We share a birthday week
31st!! Gemini ladies! Hope you had a lovely birthday
We’re birthday twins! Mine is the 31st too. I’m always a little glum on my birthday, but it was still fun.
Happy, happy belated!
Oh my goodness I ALWAYS get bummed out on my birthday, seriously every year without fail (sometimes for no apparent reason!) At least we can be sad birthday twins together
great milk recipes!! It’s crazy how many extra little things Holden will let me sneak into smoothies/milk!! He also has gotten particularly fond of green juice now that we have our juicer (he usually steals my whole glass)! I swear as long as I liquify something he will try it… so strange.
These little people are strange to say the least! Misty quite likes a green juice too – I really need an upgrade of my juicer though, it’s not the best
OMG!! Misty sounds like a carbon cpy of my older one, hahahaha!! You remind me so much of what I did on a regular basis with my boys. Both my boys were milk vampires.If it looked white, they would drink it. The younger one still is, and he is 9.
These tricks worked like charm with my easy going older one, but with my younger one, anything but milk was a temper tantrum time. He was a tough one to crack.
Cracking post!! Made me smile all the way through
)
Oh these little ones are sent to challenge us in so many ways, no? Viper is a milk monster too – but only the cow stuff – he seriously goes through over a litre a day. Maybe I should invest in that cow?! Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Minnie
These recipes looks wonderful, if I’m ever blessed to have a toddler of my own, these will be very useful!! Thank you.
No worries, Katy – thanks for reading