Baby Formula
So my friend Carey called me the other day and said “Hey, your cook alongs have been pretty lame lately. I mean really, chocolate milk?” then she invited me over to watch and document her making of the Nourishing Traditions cow milk based formula.
It was a totally new experience being able to photograph and not cook at the same time. It opened up all kinds of possibilities for visiting and chatting further communication between Carey and myself. As a result the details of what exactly Carey did may be fuzzy. I did ask Carey to write out her instructions (because she is a rebel and doesn’t follow the directions exactly) but she is a busy mom of 5 and hasn’t gotten around to it. In fact, Carey is without a dishwasher right now. The machine died a slow and painful death and when Carey isn’t busy lying to herself about the fate of her dishwasher (and filling it with dirty dishes she will have to wash again) she is busy making nutritious and delicious food for her family. Let’s take a moment of silence for Carey and her dishwasher.
Ingredients:
2 cups raw milk
1/4 cup whey
4 T lactose
1/4 t bifodobacterium
2 T cream
1/2 t cod liver oil
1 t sunflower oil
1 t olive oil
2 t coconut oil
2 t nutritional yeast
2 t gelatin (Carey skips this. If you know of a source for organic gelatin let me know.)
1 7/8 filtered water
1/4 acerola powder
Let’s begin.
This is Carey. She is such a good mom. She is making raw milk formula for her baby. It will be her headless body that you will see through out the entirety of this post. Take a good look now because this is the last time you will see her face.
As I mentioned before, Carey is a rebel that doesn’t follow directions well. This is how she makes her formula. She also mentioned something about it working better this way but I think I was busy spouting off something about the economic crisis in Zimbabwe while she was trying to explain. I always have something really important to say on the tip of my tongue and lucky is the person who can get a word in edgewise.
She puts her oils in first. This is coconut oil.
In the pan.
Sunflower oil. This jar has lasted Carey forever.
Carey feeds her kids Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil. Apparently it is not only good for you but tastes good as well. I buy something cheaper and I am wondering if it really is as good for us. Carey’s children burp strawberry after taking this. I wanna burp strawberry.
Olive oil. Carey buys this at Sam’s Club because she is glamorous that way.
This is a white substance that looks sticky. And goodness she is putting alot of it in. I may not have been paying attention very well at this point. I think I was talking to Carey about the economic crisis in Argentina.
I’m kidding. This is lactose, you silly. And there are 4 T of it in the formula.
And of course, nutritional yeast. Nutritional yeast is yummy. It tastes like parmesan cheese when you sprinkle it on popcorn. I imagine it tastes the same in the formula.
This is where Carey stirs as the oils are melting and mixing.
See? With a measuring spoon no less.
Then she adds 2 cups of whole raw milk.
Into the pot.
In goes the water. Carey says that now she makes the formula in full strength and then adds hot water later when it is time for her very cute baby to drink it. That way little Cara won’t have to drink cold milk and get brain freeze. So smart!!
And cream.
And acerola powder. Hey, it’s late and I’m running out of creative things to say about powdered substances. Plus it’s been ice storming here and the kids have been stuck inside for the last 5 days. Coherent thought eludes me ok?
And bifodobacterium. It comes with it’s own little scoop. Thankfully Carey was the one responsible for adding the ingredients to the pot as I was barely capable of holding the camera to my face and pushing the little button repeatedly. Plus I was busy talking – about the financial crisis in the U.S. Carey is such a great listener. I didn’t hear her snore once, which is more than I can usually say for Jeff. Hmph.
Whey. You can harvest whey by letting whole raw milk clabber or separate. You can also spoon it off of your yogurt or kefir. Or you can borrow some from a friend like I do.
Now it is looking half way edible. You can’t see it in the picture but there are little fat and oil globules floating in the pot. This is normal I have been told.
And in it goes. Straight into the jar. Can anyone explain why Sally Fallon feels this mixture needs to go through a blender?
This makes exactly a quart which is really handy for storage purposes.
Voila, it’s done. I certainly do love that Sally Fallon and all her groovy recipes.
Thanks Carey for inviting me over, entertaining me and allowing me to take pictures. Btw, I’ve already done a salsa cook along. I just lost my mind temporarily and couldn’t remember I already have pictures of salsa. Hey, if you find my mind let me know. Check the couch cushions.
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This was very timely for me, Katie! I have a friend who can’t nurse and her babe is on a soy formula. Thanks so much for this one! It seems much simpler than when I read it on the WAPF site.
We have been using this for a few months for our baby and have had great results. I think the recipe calls for putting it through the blender because of the solid coconut oil and the gelatin. I always add the coconut oil to the warm water/gelatin mixture, along with the lactose and acerola powder so that it will dissolve. Because you are adding cold milk to a dissolved gelatin it will start to jell up like that nasty boxed jello stuff. Then it will be a funky texture and difficult to pour or go through a bottle nipple.
Thanks for posting!
I sure hope I never have to do this! But it is good info. A suggestion on the olive oil: most is not really extra virgin olive oil. Here’s a link to the story:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2007/08/13/070813fa_fact_mueller
O.k., shocking, I know. But still, you may actually be using soy bean oil, corn oil, or some other cheap substitute! Mark Twain talks about this in one of his books (o.k., I didn’t read it, hubby did.) So counterfeiting olive oil has been going on a loooong time.
I guess it is buyer beware.
Oh, I’ve been using Bariani Olive Oil….produced in the U.S. I believe it is the real thing. You can buy directly from them. Google. There are also some producers in in Texas.
GROOVY….I don’t know if I will ever be blessed with a little one again, but if I do! :)
Thanks,
Love,
Chas
Since Carey is making this full strength, how much hot water does she add when she makes up a bottle? How much drinkable formula does 1 quart of full strength formula make?
I make 8oz bottles (Cara is 11mo old) So, I add 4oz of the full strength formula to the bottle and then add 4oz (or a hair under) hot water. So, 1 qt of the “full strength” (or concentrated) formula will make 2 qts of the regular strength formula.
Thank you Katie for blogging Carey’s knowledge since you have been unsuccessful in your attempts to get her to do her own blogging. Not like I can talk. I only blog once every other month. ;) Nice to put a face with the name. Even if the face is only in one photograph. ;)
Okay – I’m totally for avoiding commerically processed formula. I get that. That’s why all of mine have been exclusively breastfed well past age 1. But, breastmilk has inherant properties that make it better than commercial formula, so much so that formula makers are touting their brand is better than the others and trying to add those ingredients (DHA, etc). Plus, doesn’t commerical formula have vitamins and minerals added to it? Aren’t babies NOT supposed to drink cow’s milk until they are 1? Enlighten me, please?
Hi, Katie! I haven’t been over to the conservative life in FOR. EV. ER! It has been busy here. But I loved the forumula cook along. Thanks for sharing it. Maybe I will bop on over to the board and see what is happening.
ok, i’m a bit confused? are you supposed to add extra water to the bottles? i make this formula and i make it just about the same as the instructions provided here. but i don’t add extra water. are you supposed to???
Wow, that brings back memories… My son was thriving on this formula. If you need enlighten as to why this formula is a million times better than commercial formula… here is the reason:
NATURE MADE VS. MAN MADE.
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/formula-faqs.html – for more of your questions.
BTW. My son was thriving on this homemade formula… after breastfeeding him until 10 months he started Nestle good start with probiotics. He lost 3 lbs from just being on it for 3 weeks. It was awful. The iron smell would turn anybody off! Yuck. Then we started him on this formula with raw milk and OMG… what a difference!!! Highly recommend it. This is formulated so that it resembles breast milk (even though not close, but closer than commercial formula by far). Therefore it’s ok to give it to infants before 1 yr. Also, government recommendations are just that… mostly in place to cover their own butts!
Wow, that brings back memories… My son was thriving on this formula. If you need to be enlightened as to why this formula is a million times better than commercial formula… here is the reason:
NATURE MADE VS. MAN MADE.
http://www.westonaprice.org/children/formula-faqs.html – for more of your questions.
BTW. After breastfeeding him until 10 months he started Nestle good start with probiotics. He lost 3 lbs from just being on it for 3 weeks. It was awful. The iron smell would turn anybody off! Yuck. Then we started him on this formula with raw milk and OMG… what a difference!!! Highly recommend it. This is formulated so that it resembles breast milk (see chart in above link). Therefore it’s ok to give it to infants before 1 yr. Also, government recommendations are just that… mostly in place to cover their own butts!