Baby Food
Baby's First Foods ~ Purees
Making baby food is simple - usually there are one or two ingredients, and little seasoning. A steamer basket and blender or food processor are really all you need.
Introduce a variety of foods, and each one several times. As babies grow and tend to become pickier, offer the same food prepared in different ways. It can take 10 or more tries to get a child to become accustomed to new tastes and textures. Don't give up!
Toddlers and young children who were introduced to real food as infants are often more apt to try new things and to enjoy the real food that the adults around them are enjoying. It is never too late, however, to add in real food and to start to acclimate the taste buds to Mother Nature's scrumptious buffet.
All of the recipes on this website are suitable for humans over 1 year of age - feel free to explore dishes from any of the recipe categories on your little ones - they just might surprise you!
Starting at around 6 months, introduce one new food at a time, with 5 days in between new foods, so as to be able to identify any food sensitivities. Once each food has been introduced, feel free to mix and match the produce in these purees.
You will notice that the sweet purees are divided here between fruits and vegetables. In general, fruit is meant to be a "quick exit" food, meaning that it is easily and quickly digested. When mixed with other foods, fruit tends to remain in the gut longer than intended, and can begin to ferment, causing gas, bloating and other digestive discomfort. For that reason, fruit purees are recommended to be eaten alone, and 2 hours outside of other foods.
Choose organic as often as possible, as chemicals used on conventional crops can irritate young digestive systems. Serve all infant food at room temperature, and freeze extra servings in ice cube trays, which can be easily reheated in a saucepot on the stove.
SWEET PUREES (vegetable)
Butternut squash
1 butternut squash, peeled, cut in half and seeds removed
Bring a saucepot of water to a boil. Cut squash into chunks and add to boiling water. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
Sweet potato
1 sweet potato, peeled, cut into chunks
dash cinnamon (optional)
Bring a saucepot of water to a boil and add potatoes. Allow to cook for 20 minutes, or until soft. Add to blender or food processor with cinnamon, if using, and mix until smooth.
Carrot
6 carrots, washed and sliced into discs
Bring a saucepot of water to a boil and add carrots. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, or until carrots are soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
Root veggie trio
1 parsnip, washed
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 carrot, washed
Cut all three vegetables into equal-sized chunks. Bring a saucepot of water to a boil and add vegetables. Allow to cook for 5 minutes, or until soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth. *Be sure to introduce each vegetable separately before serving trio.
Pea
1 cup frozen peas
Bring a saucepot of water to a boil and add peas. Allow to cook for 1 minute, or until peas are bright green. Add to blender or food processsor and mix until smooth.
Zucchini and/or yellow squash
1 green zucchini, peeled and sliced
1 yellow squash, peeled and sliced
Place squash in a steamer basket in a saucepot with 2 inches of water. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until squash is soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
SWEET PUREES (fruit)
Banana
1 banana
Add to blender or food processor with splash of spring or filtered water and mix until smooth.
(Add additional water to make "banana milk" as a nondairy beverage alternative).
Pear
1 pear, peeled and cored
dash cinnamon (optional)
Place pear in a steamer basket in a saucepot with 2 inches of water. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until pear is soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Mix in dash of cinnamon, if using. Combine with apple puree if desired.
Apple
1 apple*, peeled and cored
dash cinnamon (optional)
Place apple in a steamer basket in a saucepot with 2 inches of water. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until apple is soft. Add to blender or food processor and mix until smooth. Stir in dash cinnamon, if using. Combine with pear puree if desired.
*Apples are among the top three of the most highly-pesticided produce in the U.S., so choose organic when possible.
Avocado & banana
1 ripe avocado*
1 banana
Slice avocado in half and remove pit. Scoop out flesh into blender or food processor. Peel banana and add. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of spring or filtered water if necessary to reach smooth consistency.
*Avocado is a superfood for babies especially, whose forming brains require the healthy fats and sugars found here.
Papaya
1 papaya*, halved and peeled, pit removed
Place papaya into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of spring or filtered water if necessary to reach smooth consistency.
*The majority of papayas in the U.S. are genetically modified, so choose organic if possible.
Berries
1 cup fresh berries (or frozen, thawed)
Place berries into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of spring or filtered water if necessary to reach smooth consistency.
Mango
1 mango, halved and peeled, pit removed (or frozen mango, thawed)
Place mango into blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, adding a splash of spring or filtered water if necessary to reach smooth consistency.
SAVORY PUREES
Lentil
1 1/2 cups of water
1 cup of lentils
pinch Celtic sea salt (optional)
Add water or broth to a saucepan. Do not add salt until the lentils are cooked because the salt will toughen them if added at the beginning of the cooking time.
Bring water or broth to a boil and add the lentils. Boil for 2 or 3 minutes and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook green and brown lentils for approximately 45 minutes and red lentils for 25 minutes, or until soft. Cooking times will also vary depending on the age of the lentils, which affects their moisture content.
Add cooked lentils to blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
*Options: Add steamed or boiled carrots to mixer after child has tried each food separately.
Roasted sweet potato
After child has tried boiled sweet potato puree (above), you may try roasted sweet potato, which includes organic coconut oil.
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp organic coconut (warmed) or avocado oil
Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large bowl, toss potatoes and oil and lay out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft. Puree in a blender or food processor. As child becomes accustomed to this dish, feel free to add Celtic sea salt to season.
*Options: Add cooked lentils, rice, quinoa or blanched peas or green beans to this puree once baby has tried all foods separately.
Quinoa
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
2 cups filtered water
Bring quinoa and water to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer on low for 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Place in blender or food processor and mix until smooth.
*Options: Add cooked lentils, beans, carrots, sweet potato or blanched peas or green beans to this puree once baby has tried all foods separately.
Cannellini
2 cups cooked cannellini beans (if using canned beans, choose Eden brand)
If you use a can of chickpeas, rinse them well and bring them to a boil for a minute to help get rid of any preservatives. If you use dry chickpeas, soak them in water overnight and cook them over medium heat with a piece of seaweed for about an hour or until tender.
Place chickpeas in blender or food processor with 2 tablepoons of filtered water and blend until smooth.
*Option: Add steamed spinach to this puree once baby has tried all foods separately
Roasted squash
After child has tried boiled squash, you may try roasted version, which includes organic coconut or avocado oil.
1 butternut, acorn, delicata or other winter squash, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp organic coconut (warmed) or avocado oil
Preheat oven to 400º F. In a large bowl, toss squash and oil and lay out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until soft. Puree in a blender or food processor. As child becomes accustomed to this dish, feel free to add Celtic sea salt to season.
*Options: Add cooked lentils, beans or blanched peas or green beans to this puree once baby has tried all foods separately.
Cauliflower and/or broccoli
1 head cauliflower and/or broccoli, cut into florets*
Place florets in a steamer basket in a saucepot with 2 inches of water. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes, or until soft. Add to blender or food processor, adding water if necessary, and mix until smooth.
*Feel free to mix after child has tried each food separately