Active Time

　　Prep: 1 minute

　　Total Time

　　Cooking: 3 minutes

　　Here is a good basic cereal. As baby gets a little older, you can add a few things to the cereal such as a tablespoon of banana puree. You can make this ahead and refrigerate it for a day or two—at most—or simply have the rice, barley, or oatmeal ground and ready to go.

Ingredients

　　1/4 cup brown or long-grain white rice or oatmeal (not instant or quick-cook variety)

　　1/3 cup filtered water

　　Breast milk or formula

　　In a food processor, grind the brown rice or oatmeal until it is a fine powdery substance (babies over 7 months can have unground). Transfer to a medium saucepan, add the water, and cook on medium heat, until thick and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Let cool and add a tablespoon or two of breast milk or formula until desired consistency is reached. Serve lukewarm or at room temperature.

　　Real Food For Healthy Kids reprinted with permission of William Morrow/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.