201 Organic Baby Purees (8 page)

2 tablespoons mashed avocado

Combine all ingredients.

 
Sweet Pea Tango

FREEZER

Mangoes and sweet peas tango in perfect harmony in this purée. When you find mangoes on sale, buy a bunch and make batches to freeze!

1 SERVING

2 tablespoons Pretty Peas (
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons Mango Tango (
Chapter 4
)

Combine all ingredients.

 
Bright Zucchini and Rice

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

Zucchini squash comes in vibrant hues of green and yellow. Experiment with different colors for a colorful meal your baby will enjoy.

1 SERVING

1 medium zucchini

2 tablespoons prepared iron-fortified rice cereal (with either breast milk or formula)

1.   Cut off ends of zucchini; do not peel.

2.   Cut into slices and steam zucchini squash pieces for 4–6 minutes to soften. Reserve water.

3.   Purée the zucchini while adding enough water to reach a smooth consistency.

4.   Combine 2 tablespoons zucchini purée with 2 tablespoons prepared iron-fortified cereal and serve. Freeze remaining zucchini purée for up to eight weeks.

 
Carrot-Apple Gold Purée

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

Both carrots and apples stem from the earth's richness. This purée is as good as gold.

2 SERVINGS

1 carrot, peeled and cut into chunks

½ cup Homemade Applesauce

1.   Steam carrot using either a steamer basket or microwave until soft and tender.

2.   Purée carrot using reserved steaming water to achieve age-appropriate consistency.

3.   Combine carrot and applesauce.

 
Homemade Applesauce

FREEZER/PARENTS

No need to buy store-bought applesauce when you can make your own, with apples fresh from the farm! Apples provide a wealth of vitamin C for immunity.

12–14 SERVINGS

12 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cubed

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of pure vanilla extract

Enough water to cover apples

1.   Combine apple chunks, cinnamon, and vanilla in a large pot.

2.   Cover apples with water.

3.   Cook until apples are very tender and start to break apart.

4.   Transfer apples to blender and purée for a smooth consistency or pulse on and off for a chunkier texture. Serve warm or cold.

5.   Freeze remaining portions.

 
Apple-Pear-Barley Cereal

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

A good source of vitamin A, folate, and even protein, barley packs a nutritional punch! Pair with the sweet goodness of apples and pears and you've got a well-rounded meal for your little one.

1 SERVING

2 tablespoons iron-fortified barley cereal (prepared with breast milk or formula)

2 tablespoons Enchanting Apple
(
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons Sparkling Pear Purée
(
Chapter 4
)

Combine all ingredients.

 
Carrot–Sweet Potato Purée

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

This flavorful—and vibrant!—dish is nutritiously rich with antioxidants.

2 SERVINGS

1 carrot

4 tablespoons Simply Sweet Potato (
Chapter 4
)

1.   Peel carrot and cut into small slices or chunks.

2.   Steam carrot using a steamer basket.

3.   Transfer carrot to a blender or food processor and purée using reserved steaming water to achieve a smooth consistency.

4.   Combine carrot purée with Simply Sweet Potato purée.

 
Island Breakfast Cereal

SUPERFOOD/INSTANT

Bring the islands to your kitchen by using frozen fruit in winter when local options are scarce.

4 SERVINGS

4 tablespoons prepared iron-fortified barley cereal (with either breast milk or formula)

2 tablespoons Hiya Papaya (
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons Mango Tango (
Chapter 4
)

Combine all ingredients.

 
Blushing Banana and Apricot

SUPERFOOD/INSTANT

Make sure the apricots are sweet when you're ready to make this recipe. If apricots aren't in season or aren't quite ripe yet, you can substitute dried apricots.

1 SERVING

2 tablespoons Amazing Apricot Purée (
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons mashed banana

Combine all ingredients.

 
Prune, Apricot, and Yogurt Blend

SUPERFOOD/INSTANT

This is the perfect creamy, sweet combo to serve to your constipated little one. Prunes help move baby's bowels, and the yogurt soothes the digestive tract with all sorts of good bacteria.

3 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons full-fat Greek yogurt or plain yogurt

2 tablespoons Amazing Apricot Purée (
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons Dried Prune-a-Plenty (
Chapter 4
)

Combine all ingredients.

 
Plummy Potatoes

FREEZER

The variety of potatoes available at the market can sometimes be mind-boggling. For this recipe, note that white russet or butter gold potatoes work best because they get super smooth when puréed.

2 SERVINGS

1 small potato

¹
⁄
₈
cup water

1 small, ripe plum

1.   Wash and peel potato and cut into small chunks.

2.   Bring potato and water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook until tender.

3.   Wash the plum thoroughly. Peel, remove the pit, and cut into quarters. Steam the plum pieces for a few minutes until soft. If the plums are very ripe and soft, you will not need to steam.

4.   Combine fresh plum and cooked potato in blender. Purée until smooth.

 
Two-Potato Dream

FREEZER/PARENTS

The two flavors of sweet and buttery collide in this wonderful duo. Instead of blending together, blend them separately and then swirl the two purées together with a butter knife for an interesting effect.

6 SERVINGS

1 small Yukon Gold potato

¹
⁄
₈
cup water

½ teaspoon butter (optional)

4 tablespoons Simply Sweet Potato (
Chapter 4
)

1.   Wash and peel potato and cut into small chunks.

2.   Add potatoes and water to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until tender.

3.   Transfer potato to a blender. Purée.

4.   Combine both potato purées. Stir in butter if desired.

 
Squash-Apple-Pear Medley

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

If you aren't able to find butternut squash at your local grocery or farmers' market, feel free to use another variety of winter squash—or even pumpkin!—for this recipe.

6 SERVINGS

½ cup peeled butternut squash chunks

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons Enchanting Apple
(
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons Sparkling Pear Purée
(
Chapter 4
)

1.   Combine squash and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.

2.   Stir while cooking to ensure that squash cooks evenly.

3.   Cook until tender, 8–10 minutes.

4.   Transfer squash to a food processor or blender. Purée, using reserved cooking water as necessary to achieve age-appropriate consistency.

5.   Combine squash with Enchanting Apple purée and Sparkling Pear Purée.

 
Butternut Squash Plus Carrot Purée

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

Take advantage of autumn when both of these vegetables are in season. Don't forget to freeze any leftovers to enjoy in the spring!

1 SERVING

½ cup butternut squash chunks

2 tablespoons One-Carrot Gold Purée
(
Chapter 4
)

1.   Steam large butternut squash pieces for 25 minutes to soften and loosen the skin. When cool enough to handle, remove skin from squash and cut into 2-inch cubes.

2.   Add squash to blender and purée until desired consistency is reached.

3.   Combine 2 tablespoons of resulting butternut squash purée with carrot purée and serve.

4.   Freeze remaining butternut squash for up to eight weeks.

 
Apple-Banana Oatmeal

SUPERFOOD

Most babies prefer the taste of sweet apples over tart apples, so it's best to stay away from Granny Smith apples when making apple purées for the earliest eaters.

3 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons prepared iron-fortified oatmeal cereal (with either breast milk or formula)

2 tablespoons Enchanting Apple
(
Chapter 4
)

2 tablespoons mashed banana

Combine all ingredients.

 

CHAPTER 5

More Flavor to Savor(Eight to Nine Months)

Introducing Semismooth Purées

It's time for your little explorer to become more adventurous in trying new flavors, textures, and even spices! This chapter introduces more food combinations that include spices such as cinnamon, vanilla, and mint as well as meat purées such as chicken and beef. From eight months old, start puréeing your child's meal to a semismooth consistency to allow your baby plenty of chewing practice. You may even notice a tooth or two popping through! Milk is still a very important part of your child's diet, so make sure she is getting 24–32 ounces of breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula per day.

You may continue serving all of the meals in
Chapter 4
, and you will find that you will be able to mix and match those basic purées with the new flavors of spices and meat from this chapter, so keep those frozen purées! Continue serving grain cereals and about ¼–½ cup of fruits and vegetables per day. You may also introduce Biter Biscuits or Baby Biscotti once your child has developed a pincher grasp and can hold objects. Those foods tend to calm teething babies and give a good introduction to self-feeding. Other foods you can use to encourage self-feeding include rice cakes, diced bananas, and cereal Os.

Allow your baby to sit in a highchair for each feeding and at family mealtimes. Remember that many meals can be prepared along with the family's dinner, so make the family meals count and eat along with your baby.

By eight months, you will begin to tell by the looks of your little butterball that your hard work in making healthy organic baby purées is paying off! Your baby has taken another step in the development ladder of feeding—way to go! Your baby can now sit alone without support and is growing rapidly. She can pick up small items with her thumb and finger. She's aced eating the yummy purées in the first stage and can now move on to a semismooth consistency. Breast milk or formula is still very important, and she should drink 24–32 ounces of breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula per day. She can continue with the grain cereals, fruit, and vegetables, and may take about ¼–½ cup of each of these per day. She can now have cheese, pasta, and mild seasonings and finally gets to experience meat purées. If her pincher grasp is ready, offer her finger foods such as soft crackers, toast, cereal Os, or teething biscuits.

The following list includes some new flavors to add to your baby's diet:

•  100 percent fruit juice (no sugar added)

•  Beef

•  Chicken

•  Cheese

•  Fish

•  Finger foods (such as cereal Os and teething biscuits)

•  Lamb

•  Leafy greens

•  Lentils

•  Pasta

•  Pork

•  Scrambled or hard-boiled egg yolks

•  Spices (pure vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.)

•  Whole-grain rice

Although you'll see grocery aisles packed with fruit juice, many of these are loaded down with excess sugars and preservatives. Make sure your baby only has between 2–4 ounces of all-natural, 100 percent fruit juice per day. Too much juice can cause a sweet
tooth and cavities to develop if allowed to drink too much without brushing. Additionally, drinking excessive amounts of juice can lead to obesity problems and overfeeding. Take care to offer juice sparingly at this age. Brush your child's teeth, even if only a few are present, with fluoride-free toothpaste two to three times per day. This will teach your child important brushing habits and promote healthy teeth throughout his life. Offer your child plenty of water once the juice requirement is met.

 
Broccoli and Cauliflower Bathed in Cheddar

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Broccoli and cauliflower go great together in this cheesy dish. Purée baby's portion, but don't purée yours!

4–6 SERVINGS

1½ cups broccoli florets, chopped

¾ cup cauliflower, chopped

CHEESE SAUCE

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup half-and-half (or whole milk)

5 tablespoons grated mild Cheddar cheese

1.   Steam broccoli and cauliflower in steamer basket until fork tender.

2.   Meanwhile, melt the unsalted butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir in flour to form a paste.

3.   Gradually stir in the milk and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until thickened.

4.   Stir in grated cheese until melted. Remove from heat.

5.   Add the cooked broccoli and cauliflower to blender and purée to a semismooth consistency. Remove from blender.

6.   Spoon in cheese sauce as needed. Freeze remaining portions for up to eight weeks.

 
Fruity Chicken Stew

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

This fruitylicious meal combines a serving of protein, fruit, vegetables, and whole grain, all in one meal!

5 SERVINGS

1 small boneless skinless chicken breast (about 4 ounces)

2 cups water

1 medium carrot

½ medium apple

½ very ripe peach

½ cup cooked brown rice

Water or breast milk for thinning as needed

1.   Wash the chicken thoroughly, cut into 1-inch pieces, and place in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes.

2.   Wash, peel, and slice the carrot into ½-inch chunks. Add to the cooking pot.

3.   Wash, peel, and chop the apple into ½-inch cubes. Add to the cooking pot, and continue cooking until everything is completely cooked and tender, about 20–25 minutes longer.

4.   Wash the peach and remove the pit and skin. Dice.

5.   Once cooled, place the stewed ingredients into a food processor, along with the cooked rice and diced peach. Purée until smooth, adding water or breast milk to thin it out.

 
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes

FREEZER/PARENTS

Serve this recipe alone or add it with a meat purée such as lamb, chicken, or beef.

8–12 SERVINGS

2 cups water

4 baking potatoes, peeled and chopped

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Pat of unsalted butter

1.   Add water and potatoes to a medium pot. Bring to a boil.

2.   Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.

3.   Remove potatoes with a slotted spoon and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add more water and mash until the potatoes are a smooth consistency, or purée in a blender.

4.   Remove potatoes and add Parmesan cheese and unsalted butter. Blend well.

5.   Serve warm. Freeze remaining portions.

 
Puréed Collard Greens

FREEZER

Although collards and other leafy greens contain nitrates, by eight months old your baby can safely have these leafy greens. Spinach and kale are great substitutes for the collards in this recipe. Add texture to this purée by adding crumbles of soft cornbread.

4 SERVINGS

4 cups collards, washed and trimmed

2 cups chicken broth or water

2 tablespoons chopped onion

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1.   Add collards, broth, onion, and garlic to a medium pot.

2.   Boil in broth or water for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables turn a bright green color.

3.   Allow greens to cool; then transfer to blender with a slotted spoon. Add olive oil.

4.   Purée while gradually adding water until smooth.

 
Chicken and Barley Stew

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Stews turn out nice and tender when set to cook low and slow. If you want to save energy, throw everything into your slow cooker, set to low, and dinner will be ready 8–10 hours later.

5 SERVINGS

1 small chicken breast (about 4 ounces)

1 medium carrot

1 small white potato

¼ cup cooked barley

1 cup water

Water or breast milk for thinning as needed

1.   Wash the chicken thoroughly and cut into 1-inch pieces. Place in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil, and cook for about 10 minutes.

2.   Wash, peel, and slice the carrot into ½-inch chunks. Add to the cooking pot.

3.   Wash, peel, and chop the potato into ½-inch cubes. Add to the cooking pot, and continue cooking until everything is completely cooked and tender, about 20–25 minutes longer.

4.   Once cooled, place the stewed ingredients into a food processor, along with the cooked barley.

5.   Purée until smooth, adding water or breast milk as needed to thin.

 
Pear Oatmeal

SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

Ever heard of pear oatmeal? That's the beauty of making your own purées. You can make oatmeal and many other dishes in combinations that you won't find at the store.

2 SERVINGS

1 cup water

¼ cup regular oats (not quick-cooking)

½ very ripe pear

1.   Grind the oats into a powder using either a food processor or blender. Alternatively, a mortar and pestle makes a terrific grinder for a small amount.

2.   Pour the water into a small saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil. Add the powdered oats to the boiling water, stirring constantly for about 30 seconds.

3.   Cover the pot, turn down the heat to low, and simmer for 8–10 minutes, or until the oats are smooth and thick. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning.

4.   Remove the core and skin from the pear. Dice into pieces, and then fork-mash on a plate until completely smooth.

5.   Mix the pear with the cooled cereal.

 
Baby-Style Beef Stew

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

This is a meal everyone in the family can enjoy. Just ramp up the recipe accordingly and scoop out enough to purée for baby. Add salt and pepper and any other seasonings you like to the family portion.

4 SERVINGS

¼ cup white flour

6 cups water, divided

2 cups chopped stewed beef or beef roast

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

½ medium-sized russet potato, peeled and diced

¼ cup chopped celery

¼ cup chopped yellow onion

1 garlic clove, pressed

1 bay leaf

1.   Whisk flour and 1 cup warm water together in a separate bowl until dissolved. Set aside.

2.   Combine all ingredients, including flour/water mixture, in a large pot.

3.   Bring to a boil.

4.   Reduce heat to a low setting and simmer for 90 minutes or until all ingredients are falling apart.

5.   Remove from heat and cool slightly.

6.   Transfer ingredients to a blender or food processor and purée until desired consistency is reached. If the consistency is too chunky, gradually add water and purée to thin the mixture.

 
Popeye's Spinach Meal