How to introduce protein?

[lulupop]

DD is 7 months now and on 3 meals a day plus daily 20oz milk.

She will not eat anything other than fruit purees. The only vegetable I can get her to eat is butternut squash, and even that's not exactly a favourite!

I'm not worried about her weight or anything, but I know she should be having protein and I've tried a few recipes where fish or chicken is cooked with fruit (had high hopes forannabel karmel's white fish with grapes, but it was roundly rejected), but no matter how hungry she is (and I have tried starving her for 4 hours or so with no milk before hand), she just won't eat it.

I've also tried just mixing a tiny amount of fish with the usual fruit puree, but she can always spot it and cries.

So, what can I try now? Do you have any recipes for a fish/chicken thing so delicious no baby will dislike it?

Don't know if this is helpful but by co-incidence I am in the middle of cooking lentil bolognese for my 7mo.

(makes enough for tea for me and dp and lots of frozen portions for dd)

Fry 2 sliced leeks, one sliced carrot and 2 cloves of garlic in olive oil til leeks are soft. Add 2 tins of tomatoes, a couple of hand fuls of red lentils and some dried marjoram. Cook til lentils are soft, add more water if needed.

I used to puree this sauce by itself, the lentils have a lovely soft texture which dd likes. I now leave it a little lumpy and add chopped pasta.

Also, another idea off the top of my head, have you tried pureeing tofu into fruit? It tastes of nothing but is full of protein. I think tofu is OK for babies of this age, I haven't given it to dd, maybe someone else could confirm??

it took my ds a few weeks to accept chicken. i used a basic chicken casserole recipe from gina ford weaning book, there is probably a similar one in ak book. just chicken breast casseroled with potato, carrot, swede, parsnip and veg stock. i had to just add one cube of that at first to whatever cubes of veg he was having, and he gradually got used to it. make sure the casserole is fairly mushy and is pureed very finely. i haven't give ds fish yet due to fh of allergies; i think a lot of babies don't like fish, so maybe concentrate on chicken. after chicken i did lamb, lentils and beef which he now prefers to chicken. sorry can't be much more help!!

sorry bout the hijack - but willowmum, what exactly do you do with the lentils before cooking them - the book i've got said you "pick them over???" before cooking and couldn't figure out what that meant

btw, you've still got time to get her used to it yet; ds was nearer 8 mths before he was eating a few cubes of chicken casserole. as long as she's having plenty of formula she will get enough protein, iron etc from that.

IME chicken breast is always rejected

I just use to do a basic chicken casserole for us with thighs and drumsticj ( jucier tenderer meat) and carrots etc and whuiz it up

I use red lentils and just cook them. The DTs love them. They also feed my lovely DD1 who is a veggie. I just cook them with root veg (parsnips, carrots etc) which keeps them sweet.

Agree with codswallop about not using chicken breast - too dry. Perhaps you could try cooking the butternut squash in a home-made chicken stock to get her used to the idea. Then add actual pureed meat in later. A bit of a faff I know.

feastofstevenmum - it just means check that there are no stones or other unsavoury items in there. I usually give them a quick wash as well.

thanks for the suggestions - willowmums lentil thing sounds quite nice, so I think I;ll try it and even if dd hates it. I can scoff it!

I was hoping she'd like fish as ds always loved it, but only started eating meat of any kind once he was 2. I might try some chicken thighs though - as coddy said, they are a bit softer and maybe if I puree them with some apple or something, DD might at least try a bit.

Chicken and apricot.

Lovely.