• Visit our new Baby of the Month
• All about taro
• New and updated pages
• Readers' recipes - see this month's winning entry
• Ideas with sweet potato
• Baby care "tip of the month" - How to puree meat for your baby
• Safety recalls
• Our featured product review - Food labeling system
• Visit our "website of the month"
• This month's subscribers-only recipe - Turkey and veggie crumble

Visit our baby of the month

All About Taro

What is taro?

You may not be familiar with taro, which is hugely popular in some parts of the world and virtually unknown in others!

Taro is a root vegetable. It originated in southeast Asia but is now widely available. It is rather strange in appearance - the larger roots can be very fat and either egg-shaped or round. Sometimes, the roots are more oblong in shape. The skin is thick, very rough - and often hairy!

Taro flesh can be white, or slightly grey/purple in colour, with little purple or brown flecks.

Smaller tubers, which come from further along the root, are sometimes known as eddoes.

The benefits

Taro is similar to the potato, but much more nutritious and an excellent source of energy! Taro contains

• potassium
• carbohydrates
• vitamins C and E
• magnesium
• folate
• B vitamins
• protein

Taro is a very gentle food - it is EXTREMELY digestible and hypoallergenic.

Isn't taro poisonous?

You may have heard that you need to be careful when cooking taro... but may not be sure why.

Taro roots and leaves contain an irritant called calcium oxalate, which can cause an uncomfortable itching in the throat. But thorough cooking breaks down the calcium oxalate, making the taro safe to eat.

You should always wash your hands after preparing raw taro, though - otherwise you risk irritation to your skin or eyes.

Fermented taro

Fermented taro is known as "poi". It is particularly important in Hawaii, where it has huge cultural significance. Poi is made by mashing cooked taro with a little water, then setting it aside to ferment, sometimes for several days.

Freshly prepared poi is sweet, but after a few days of fermentation it takes on a "tangy", sour taste - like yogurt.

During the fermentation process, lactic acid is produced, which digests the starch in the taro. The resulting poi is rich in digestive enzymes and is believed to be an extremely healthy food.

In some parts of the world, babies with an allergy to dairy are given poi as a milk substitute because it is so nutritious - and there are claims that the lives of babies with severe allergies have been saved thanks to poi (see the links at the end of this article for more information).

Cooking taro

Because taro is high in starch, it is better cooked using moist heat (i.e. boiling or steaming) than by baking, which can leave it a little dry.

Smaller roots can be scrubbed, then boiled whole in water and peeled afterwards. You should peel larger roots and cut them into chunks, as you would with potatoes.

And you boil or steam taro chunks as you would potatoes, too, until the chunks are "fork tender". You can then puree the chunks in a food processor with a little water if you desire.

Although some people make their own poi by allowing the resulting mixture to "sit" in a cool place to ferment, some experts say that it's safer to ferment taro in a home incubator. For this reason, you may prefer to obtain commercially prepared poi, which - if not available locally - is available online in various forms.

Taro itself takes on the flavour of sauces it is cooked in or added to. This makes it a great thickener for soups or stews for your baby - you can either dice it and cook it along with the other ingredients, or cook it separately, mash it and stir it in afterwards.

Taro is very versatile - so try substituting it in dishes where you would otherwise use white potato.

PLEASE REMEMBER - YOU SHOULD ALWAYS SPEAK TO A PEDIATRICIAN BEFORE INTRODUCING ANY NEW FOODS TO YOUR BABY

External links for more information about poi

Healing Food for Today - How poi was used to help a baby with severe digestive problems

The New York Times - In Hawaii Poi Is The Staff Of Life

The Joy of Poi

Where Can I Buy Poi?

Do you have any experience of cooking either taro or poi? Are you a believer in the health giving properties of poi? Then we'd love to hear from you!

Please contact us and share your experiences, ideas and recipes.

New and updated pages

We have added a brand new survey to our site this month, to find out more about when you introduced (or plan to introduce) solid foods to your baby. Once you have submitted your answers, you can see how everybody else answered - which gives you an interesting look at how other parents are doing things!

The survey is completely anonymous - you don't even need to give your e mail address and all questions are optional - so why not come and tell us about your baby?

With the weather warming up for many of us, it's time to think about how we can protect our babies' delicate skin from damage by the sun. With that in mind, we've put together a list of our favourite sun protection products available in the US (alternatively, please visit this page for products available in the UK).

When your baby suffers a bout of diarrhea, it can be difficult to work out just what foods he should and shouldn't have. So we've put together a list of list of foods that may help - plus foods to avoid, which we hope you'll find useful!

Readers' recipes - see the winning entry

You can see our top three entries on our new Readers' Recipes page and find out who was this month's winner of the $20 Amazon voucher.

Another voucher is up for grabs this month - so please send in your recipes for a chance of winning - and to share your ideas with other Mums!

Ideas with sweet potato

To learn more about this healthy vegetable, including information about buying, storing and preparing it (along with a few delicious recipes, of course) then visit our new sweet potato page.

Baby care tip of the month - how to puree meat for your baby

• Pour a little homemade chicken stock/broth, beef stock or vegetable stock (part of our vegetarian recipe feature) into an oven-proof dish then add the piece of raw meat. Cover, then bake at around 375 deg F, 190 deg C, until cooked through and tender. Cooking meat in this way keeps it nice and juicy. You can then place it in a food processor with some of the stock and it should puree very nicely.

• Always cut meat into pieces before you puree it.

• It's also a good idea to puree meat for your baby while it's still warm. You will achieve better results than if it has been allowed to cool.

• Another option is to scrape a piece of raw meat with a fork or knife, then cook the little "scraps" of meat very gently in a little stock/broth. These tiny shreds of meat should not require further pureeing.

• If your meat puree seems a little "stringy" or "grainy" in texture, try throwing in a chunk of cooked sweet potato and pureeing it along with the meat. This helps produce a smoother result.

• If you are frying meat for your baby, try starting with a cold pan and then frying the meat slowly over a low heat. This helps hold in the juices and prevents the meat from drying out - making it easier to puree.

• Cooking meat as part of a casserole or stew makes it very tender and should give it a "melt-in-the-mouth" texture. Meat cooked in this way only rarely needs further pureeing - mashing with a fork or chopping finely is often sufficient!

This month's safety recalls

Children's clog shoes are recalled in the US because they pose a choking hazard.

Religious fish necklaces, Target's Bamboo Collection Games and Children's Rings are all recalled in the US because they contain dangerous amounts of lead.

Graco Soft Blocks Tower Toys are recalled in the US due to a potential choking hazard.

Parents Magazine Toy Cell Phones are recalled because they present a choking and laceration hazard.

Small World Toys Take-Apart Townhouses are recalled because they contain loose magnets, presenting a serious risk to young children.

Wal-Mart bibs are recalled following warnings from the CPSC about lead levels in worn baby bibs.

Ugandan baby food sold in the UK is recalled because samples tested were found to contain bacteria.

A warning is issued about Similac Advance formula in Montreal, Canada because certain containers may not display the correct dates.

Evenflo car seats/carriers are recalled in the US as they pose a serious fall hazard to babies.

Squidgy Cats are recalled in the UK because they may pose a choking hazard to babies.

Billy Bob Pacifiers are recalled in Australia because they do not meet safety standards.

Children's Jewelry is recalled in the US because it contains toxic levels of lead.

Children's Rings are recalled in the US because they contain too much lead.

Baby Books by Bookspan in the US are recalled because they present a choking hazard.

Tri-Star International Baby Toys are recalled in the US because they present a choking hazard.

Soldier Bear Toy Sets, which were sold worldwide, are recalled because they contain toxic lead levels.

Take Apart Town Houses are recalled in Australia because they contain loose magnets.

Love N Care Baby Walkers are recalled in Australia because they can present a choking hazard.

Similac Special Care Formula for Premature Babies is recalled in the US because it contains insufficient iron.

Fisher Price Rainforest Swings, which were sold wordwide, are recalled because they pose an entrapment hazard.

Toy Drums are recalled in the US because they contain toxic levels of lead.

Sleigh Round Cribs are recalled in the US because they pose a fall hazard.

Various Children's Jewelry is recalled in the US because it contains too much lead

Our featured product review - Food labeling system

One important aspect aspect of food safety when it comes to making your baby's meals at home is accurately labeling the foods for storage.

You need to make a note of two important pieces of information - the preparation date of the food and the contents of the container.

By dating the containers, you can be sure that the food you are giving to your baby is safe for him to eat - it also helps you rotate the food if you prefer to cook in large batches and then freeze individual meals.

Making a note of the contents is important, too - it's hard to tell many foods apart once you've pureed them, yet you may need to identify a particular food later on. If your baby experiences an allergic reaction to a type of food, or if he simply has difficulty in digesting it, then you will want to remove ALL meals containing this ingredient from your supply. As long as you've used food labels, then this is easy to achieve.

So this month our featured product is a great little labeling system from www.freshnesscounts.com.

The system consists of simple labels allowing you to note date and contents, a handy label dispenser (which has a magnetic base and attaches easily on to your fridge) and a built-in pen - everything you need to efficiently label not only your baby's food, but leftover from family meals, too. The labels adhere to containers in both the refrigerator AND the freezer - and all items are 100% guaranteed.

The dispenser, along with the built in pen and supply of 50 labels costs $10.95 (plus S&H) - with refill packs available. www.freshnesscounts.com ships to addresses in the US and Canada, with international shipping also available subject to certain conditions.

Visit our Website of the Month

If so, you'll love www.make-stuff.com - a great site for all those who enjoy creating things at home!

There's an excellent page on canning fruits and vegetables, which is very useful if you grow your own produce and would like to store it for later use.

We love the homemade soap recipes too - although you may not have a lot of time on your hands for making soap right now!

There are also plenty of fun kids' projects, tons of recycling ideas, gardening tips and suggestions for using things you've grown.

But we've merely touched on all this great site has to offer - why not see for yourself here.

This month's subscribers-only recipe - Turkey and veggie crumble

This recipe would also make a good meal for the rest of the family - adults can add extra seasoning if they choose! Just remember to increase the quantities accordingly.

You will need

2oz butter
8oz skinless, boneless turkey, cut into cubes
3oz wholemeal flour
4 fl oz milk (use breast milk or formula if you prefer)
pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1tsp chopped sage
8oz leeks, sliced
2oz button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp paprika
1oz Cheddar cheese, shredded/grated

Melt 1/2oz butter in a large saucepan and add the turkey.
Saute for several minutes until the turkey has lightly browned all over.
Sprinkle 1/2oz flour over the turkey and cook for a few more minutes, then slowly stir in the milk.
Bring to the boil, stirring continuously, until the sauce has thickened, then reduce the heat.
Simmer gently for 20 mins.
Add the black pepper, sage, leeks and mushrooms and continue to simmer for another 10 mins.
Rub the rest of the butter into the remaining flour and the paprika, using your fingertips.
Stir in the cheese.
Put the turkey mixture into a small, oven-proof dish and sprinkle with the crumble mixture.
Bake at 400 deg F, 200 deg C, for 30 mins.