Incorporating 'Blackstrap Molasses' into the diet?!

[jasperc163]

Sorry yet another one from me re calcium and iron sources! I keep reading about blackstrap molasses as a very concentrated form of calcium and iron....to quote....

"A tablespoon of blackstrap molasses contains as much calcium as a glass of milk, as much iron as ten small eggs, more potassium than virtually any other food, and a whole host of B vitamins and vitamin E. It's also rich in magnesium and copper".

However i am stumped as to how i could introduce it into LOs diet given that she doesnt eat any sweet foods! I see mentions of using it in savory sauces etc but no recipes.

Does anyone use it?!

thanks again
alice

DP adds a teaspoon to his porridge & we add a little to flapjacks, (although I see you don't want sweet ideas). Wouldn't mind some more ideas myself so will follow this thread!

I toyed with doing this a while back because ds1 eats very little that is iron rich - the only recipes I found were for cakes, etc.

What I have done instead is make milkshakes or hot drinks with Ovaltine (which has a lot of iron) mixed in with the chocolate powder.

Do you make things with a tomato-based sauce for her? It's not as sweet as golden syrup or treacle and I think you could add a small amount to things like bolognaise without it affecting the taste at all. If she eats tomato ketchup you could probably stir a little into that too.

Home made baked beans (search on my name to find recipe)

I have a cereal recipe as well, will see if I can find it

I used to give it to ds on a spoon - he loved it!

it is very strong tasting and I think you would struggle to get a tbsp into a child, but a bit stirred into cereal milk perhaps? Blend it up in a smoothie with something sweet like banana?

thanks everyone. She won't eat anything sweet at all and not at drinks stage (13mnths)

bran- yes she eats lentil/tomato/bean sauces so i could add it to that. Also baked beans (the organic ones sweetened with apple juice- so maybe i could do home made baked beans with it??)

Her diet is pretty limited hence the problems so i need to hide things in the stuff she will eat (namely pasta sauces!)

thanks
alice

Here you go for the cereal recipe if that might be a goer. It makes a crunchy granola style muesli:

3 cups oats
1 cup wheatgerm
1/4 cup linseed
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
4 tbsp ground almonds
1 tbsp barley malt
1 tbsp molasses (dissolve this and the barley malt in a little hot water otherwise it is too sticky)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 cups raisins
Half cup dessicated coconut

Combine barley malt, molasses, oil, vanilla and cinnamon in a bowl. Mix all else except raisins and coconut in another bowl. Mix wet with dry. Stir well until all coated. Spread onto 2 baking trays and bake at 180 / gm 4 for 20 mins, stirring after 10 mins.
Add raisins and coconut and allow to cool. Place in airtight tin or jar in the fridge. Serve with milk as usual.

Oh sorry jasper had not seen her age

what milk does she have? What are her allergies? sorry if this is asking you to repeat a lot of stuff, I haven't seen your threads before I don't think

Frannyandzooey - i think we just cross posted!! I will look for your recipe thanks :-)

Unfort she doesnt't do cereal or bananas either :-(

alice

You can use it to make bread in place of sugar. You usually need a little bit less though. I use it instead of golden syrup in flapjacks as well.

Recipe for Boston Baked beans here and a more tomatoey one here .

Sorry - haven't read whole thread, but if it's a good source of calcium you're after the sesame seeds have something like 11 times the calcium of milk.

Never tried blackstrap molasses but it does sound pretty versatile.

at "not read whole thread" - must've been in a time warp when scrolled down - all of 13 posts...