201 Organic Baby Purees (6 page)

 
One-Carrot Gold Purée

BASIC/FREEZER

Some vegetables, including carrots, may leak nitrates into the cooking water as they're boiled.
For this reason, only make this purée for your baby if she is at least seven months old.
As an extra precaution, do not use the cooking water when thinning out this purée; use cooled boiled water instead.

3 SERVINGS

1 cup fresh carrots (2 medium-sized carrots)

¼ cup water

1.   Wash and peel the carrots. Cut into small pieces.

2.   Place into a saucepan with enough water to cover the carrots. Bring the water to a boil; then simmer until the carrots are very tender, 15–20 minutes.

3.   Drain the carrots and place into a blender or food proc­essor. Purée for about 30 seconds.

4.   Gradually add in freshly cooled, boiled water. Continue puréeing until smooth.

 
Simply Cauliflower

BASIC/FREEZER/PARENTS

Cauliflower resembles mashed potatoes when puréed in both looks and taste. However, it doesn't have all the starch. You can cook cauliflower for the family and just scoop out an unseasoned portion for baby.

3 SERVINGS

1 cup cauliflower

2 cups water

1.   Wash the cauliflower thoroughly. Discard the stem and leaves and chop the florets into small pieces.

2.   Put into a steamer basket. Bring to a boil and steam until tender, about 20 minutes.

3.   Place into a food processor or blender, and purée for 30 seconds. Add liquid as necessary to achieve desired consistency.

 
Sparkling Pear Purée

BASIC/FREEZER

Pears are very sweet and make a runny consistency when puréed. Pears contain soluble fiber, which aids in digestion and can help relieve constipation. Boost the nutrition on this recipe by thickening with rice cereal.

6–8 SERVINGS

4 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored, and chopped

1.   Add chopped pears to a medium-sized saucepan.

2.   Cover and cook on medium-low heat for about 7 minutes, until tender. Stir frequently.

3.   Transfer the cooked pears to a blender.

4.   Purée to a smooth consistency. Freeze extra portions for up to eight weeks.

 
Green Bean Bliss

BASIC/FREEZER

Unless you are building an emergency stash, stay away from canned beans, because they lose nutritional value in the canning process. Stick to fresh or frozen green beans for the best nutrition.

4 SERVINGS

1 cup fresh or frozen green beans, trimmed and cut

1 cup water

1.   Put beans into a steamer basket, or place in a saucepan covered by an inch of water. Cover.

2.   Heat to a boil; then turn down heat slightly. Steam until tender, about 5–7 minutes.

3.   Place the beans into a blender. Purée to a smooth consistency by gradually adding the leftover water from steaming.

 
Baked Winter Squash

BASIC/FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

Butternut and acorn squash can be purchased year round, but the best prices on these are in the fall. Use them to decorate your kitchen or dining table before you are ready to cook them.

8 SERVINGS

1 butternut or acorn squash

1 cup cooled, boiled water

1.   Cut squash in half and scoop out seeds.

2.   Bake skin side down on a baking sheet at 350ºF for 30 minutes or until flesh is tender.

3.   Scoop out soft, cooked flesh and transfer to blender.

4.   Purée while gradually adding just enough water to reach a smooth consistency.

 
Plumtastic Purée

SUPERFOOD/PARENTS

When you have more purées in your freezer than you know what to do with, combine them with yogurt! Yogurt adds a boost of super nutrition with its probiotic qualities. Use a low-fat yogurt and have a plumtastic snack for yourself!

8 SERVINGS

3 large plums

1 cup organic whole-fat vanilla yogurt

1.   Peel plums by scoring a cross on the bottom of each fruit.

2.   Submerge them into boiling water for about 1 minute.

3.   Peel, cut, and discard the pit. Chop plum into small pieces.

4.   Steam the plum pieces for a few minutes until soft. If the plums are very ripe and soft, you will not need to steam. Purée in a blender.

5.   Combine the plum purée with the vanilla yogurt and serve.

6.   Store the remaining portions in the refrigerator for up to four days.

 
Cucumber-Melon Mashup

FREEZER/SUPERFOOD/INSTANT

Cucumber and melon not only smell great together, but they taste great together. This is an instant purée because you do not need to cook the melon or cucumber. There is a little preparation, but once the seeds and skins are removed, it's smooth sailing afterwards. You may also combine this with vanilla yogurt or rice cereal to thicken.

8 SERVINGS

½ melon, peeled, seeded, and chopped

½ cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

4 tablespoons full-fat vanilla yogurt or baby rice cereal

1.   Purée the melon and cucumber together.

2.   Stir in rice cereal or yogurt to thicken.

3.   Serve immediately or freeze for up to eight weeks (do not freeze with yogurt or cereal).

 
Nectarine King

BASIC/FREEZER

Check out your local farmers' market in the summer and stock up on nectarines for this sweet purée. Nectarines are rich in beta-carotene, potassium, and niacin.

10 SERVINGS

5 medium nectarines (washed, peeled, pitted, and halved)

Baby rice cereal

1.   Steam nectarines over boiling water in a steamer basket for 2–3 minutes. Drain.

2.   Purée to a smooth consistency. To thicken, add rice cereal. Freeze remaining portions for up to 8 weeks.

 
Fall Pumpkin Yogurt

SUPERFOOD/INSTANT/PARENTS

When the trees are starting to change colors and fall is settling in, make this delicious recipe to celebrate the new season.

8 SERVINGS

½ cup canned organic pumpkin or fresh pumpkin purée

½ cup full-fat organic vanilla yogurt

Combine all ingredients and serve.

 
Cucumber Cooler

BASIC/FREEZER/INSTANT

Cucumber has a mild yet interesting taste that babies enjoy. Make big batches of this purée to freeze because it can be mixed later on with yogurt, fruit, and other vegetable purées.

4 SERVINGS

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped

Baby rice cereal

1.   Purée the cucumber to a smooth consistency.

2.   Serve immediately or freeze for up to eight weeks (do not freeze with cereal). Stir in rice cereal to thicken.

 
Purple Beauty Eggplant Purée

BASIC/FREEZER/PARENTS

Eggplant is an excellent source of fiber and contains cancer-preventing antioxidants. Eggplant comes in many purple varieties. You can choose any kind for this recipe.

10–12 SERVINGS

1 eggplant, peeled and chopped

1.   Add eggplant to a large pot. Cover with water. Bring to a boil.

2.   Simmer until tender, about 10–12 minutes. Remove from heat.

3.   Add eggplant to blender. Purée while gradually adding just enough water to achieve a smooth consistency.

4.   Freeze remaining portions.

 
Zealous Zucchini

BASIC/FREEZER

Zucchini can easily be grown in your backyard. One plant can provide enough zucchini to feed your baby for many months! It is not necessary to remove the skin of the zucchini; however, you may do so if you choose. Zucchini is great with rice cereal or mashed potatoes.

2 SERVINGS

1 cup zucchini, trimmed and sliced

1.   Steam for 10 minutes or until tender.

2.   Purée until smooth.

 
Simply Broccoli

BASIC/FREEZER/SUPERFOOD

Broccoli is a terrific food for babies because it is packed with vitamin C, potassium, and folate. Try serving broccoli and cauliflower together for an even tastier meal.

3 SERVINGS

1 cup broccoli

2 cups water

1.   Wash the broccoli. Chop off the stems and leaves and cut the florets into small pieces.

2.   Put into a steamer basket. Bring to a boil and steam until tender, about 15 minutes.

3.   Place into blender, and purée for about 30 seconds. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth consistency.

 
Hiya Papaya

BASIC/FREEZER/INSTANT

Although papaya turns out okay frozen in chunks, papaya purée may become watery when frozen. Therefore, make fresh papaya purée and refrigerate for up to three or four days.

3 SERVINGS

½ medium papaya

1–2 tablespoons breast milk or formula

1.   Cut papaya in half lengthwise; scrape out the seeds and discard them.

2.   Scoop out the flesh of ½ the papaya and put in a medium bowl.

3.   Add breast milk or organic formula to papaya and mash with fork until smooth.

 
Dried Prune-a-Plenty

BASIC/INSTANT

Prunes are an amazing source of fiber, providing 2 grams of fiber per ounce. Adding prunes to your baby's diet will help her maintain a healthy gastrointestinal tract and regular bowel movements. Baby constipated? Give him prunes!

3 SERVINGS

²
⁄
₃
cup (4 ounces) pitted dried prunes

3 tablespoons water

1.   Combine prunes and water in a blender.

2.   Purée until smooth. Add more water to thin if necessary.

3.   If the mixture is still too coarse, pass it through a fine strainer.

 
Crazy about Cantaloupe

BASIC/FREEZER/INSTANT/PARENTS

Sweet cantaloupe is extremely tasty and refreshing during the spring and summer months. It does not need to be cooked, making it easy to purée some for baby while you're cutting a wedge of it for yourself. Its runny consistency makes it good as a first food and is great when mixed with rice cereal.

6–8 SERVINGS

2 cups chopped cantaloupe

Purée chopped cantaloupe in a blender until smooth. Serve.

 
Savory Chickpea Smash

BASIC/INSTANT

Canned chickpeas, with no salt added, make this a very quick and easy purée. Keep a few cans on hand for mixing with other purées to make hummus or to keep in your emergency stash.

2 OR 3 SERVINGS

½ cup canned chickpeas

3 tablespoons water or organic chicken stock

1.   Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Remove any stray hulls.

2.   Place into blender, and purée for about 30 seconds.

3.   Add water or stock, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue puréeing until the mixture is smooth.

 
Banana Blueberry Buckle

SUPERFOOD/INSTANT/PARENTS

Experts say to eat a handful of blueberries a day for good health. While you're making this for baby, make a banana blueberry buckle smoothie with 100 percent grape juice for a powerful antioxidant boost for yourself!

2 SERVINGS

2 tablespoons fresh blueberries

½ large ripe banana

Purée blueberries and banana in a blender. Serve immediately.

 
Pumpkin-Parsnip Purée

Parsnips may be hard to find in some local grocery stores. Try looking for parsnips at the farmers' market or other markets that specialize in fresh produce.

2 SERVINGS

1 small parsnip

4 tablespoons pure canned pumpkin

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

2.   Steam parsnip using either a steamer basket or microwave.

3.   Purée parsnip using reserved steaming water to achieve age-appropriate consistency.

4.   Combine parsnip purée and pumpkin purée.

 
Pumpkin-Pear-Rice Medley

SUPERFOOD

Whether you choose Bartlett, D'Anjou, or Bosc pears for this recipe, your baby will go gaga for the goodness of this recipe.

2 SERVINGS

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

2 tablespoons Pumpkin Patch Purée (
Chapter 4
) or pure canned pumpkin