Shhh...Going Wordless with
Sakura Haruka
Mama to 4 Blessings
Review: Philips Avent Steamer Blender and Travel Feeding Set
There are also a handful of items that I wish we got when I had Bubbles, and then wonder if we should buy them now, knowing that we are on to our second, and last baby.
One product that falls into this final category of items is the Philips AVENT Combined Steamer and Blender. Philips AVENT is a sponsor of Rise & Shine, and I was thrilled to be able to finally try out some of their products as a Rise & Shine partner.
Here is the steamer blender, next to some carrots and leeks about to be cooked:
Bun didn't start off caring much for solids, although her interest has been piqued a little since then. We give her a combination of soft, mushy food fed with a spoon, and larger pieces for her to hold and self-feed. The former is to actually get stuff into her system, and she now loves trying to feed herself this way too. We do lots of steaming and blending before mixing her food in a variety of stock.
Here's how a bowl of steamed and blended carrots look. It took only 2-3 short whizzes on the blender setting to get the carrots this smooth! You can create different textures and consistencies by adjusting steam and blend times.
After using this Philips Combined Steamer and Blender for a few weeks, I do wish we bought this earlier, especially since Bubbles had a big appetite as a baby! It is just a really nifty product to have and use. It works literally like the product information says: Steam, Flip, Blend and Serve.
Previously, we used to steam food in a pot before transferring the cooked food into a blender. This Steamer-Blender combination saves us washing time, and takes away all the fiddly transferring of hot food.
Besides the usual vegetables, we have also been using it to cook meat, to great results. Here is an example with some pieces of chicken:
A smooth puree of chicken:
The product comes with two useful recipe booklets (especially for first-time mothers), and a guide that lists the steaming time required for different type of foods. I really appreciated how this guide allowed me to do away with guesswork:
I would definitely recommend this product, especially if you are having your first child. It does reduce quite a bit of the hassle that comes with cooking nutritious meals for babies. I can see ourselves using this beyond weaning too, to make items for adult meals like soups, sauces and dressings.
The only drawback of this product was how every part was fitted so tightly together at the start. I took quite a while (and quite some physical strength) to figure out how to take the machine apart for use when I first received it. But that said, once we got that initial part out of the way, this product has been a dream to use! Love!
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Philips AVENT and Rise & Shine also sent over this lovely BPA-free Travel Feeding Set. Bubbles has adopted it as her own now, since she is the one who regularly needs to have food on the go. The product specification states that this is for 6m+, so I believe it was made for mothers to feed their babies with, although I do feel it makes a great gift for a toddler/preschooler.
The set comes with leak-proof lids and a spoon that has its own compartment. There are two removable dishes with lids for smaller feeding portions or snacks.
My favourite part is the optional anti-slip suction mat that you can stick onto the bottom of the box to prevent slippage. This is great for new self-feeders or if your child has to eat in a moving vehicle. We have to try this on our next drive up to KL!
One of Bubbles' favourite (and simple) meals. Check out the large garlic pieces - she loves them this way!
We have also been sent a Toddler Mealtime Set - the bowl of which you see in the photos of the purees. They are BPA-free too, and have anti-slip bottoms. A safe and practical starter feeding set.
Bun has recently bitten a huge hole in the teat of her sippy cup, so we are going to let her try this Toddler Cup soon! She is already able to drink from a standard cup, so this is a great transition cup for her to self-feed as it has a spill-proof valve. I never knew of such cups when Bubbles was younger, and am glad to be introduced to them now!
(products c/o Philips AVENT and post sponsored by Rise & Shine)
Scratching an itch
I stayed up on Saturday night to scratch an itch - a redecorating itch.
Do you love our new paper lanterns like I do? They lend a whimsical feel to our home and make me happy to see them.
Put up this pretty Home Sweet Home printable in a matching colour and rearranged stuff on our floating shelves.
(and yes, places to rest my eyes on are now mostly found in higher up places, away from the riot of kids' stuff)
Soul Food
Deliberately, choices made have been made. People over things. Face-to-face interaction over virtual ones. One-on-one conversations over group hangouts.
Alone time with
me.
the husband.
each child.
Time carved out with intention. To slow things down. To focus. To be centred. To make space to listen, to converse.
Time too, for important individuals in my life. Not all photographed. Still more, I have yet to meet. Slow it will be, a lesson I am learning, too used to multi-tasking and wanting things done fast.
Food, it seems, has been poured as an additional blessing through almost all these interactions. Nourishment for bellies and souls. Lovingly homemade, wisely money-made, and always shared.
And so, I have lived the last 2 weeks.
Choosing the slow over fast. Putting the brakes on where they matter.
What else do you do, to slow things down in a sometimes spinning world?
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