Apple Squash Tofu Puree

Simple ingredients: Soft Tofu and a pre-prepared puree

Tofu is a great source of not only protein, but also iron and calcium. My daughter is being raised vegetarian (like her daddy) so it is important for us to find alternative iron and protein sources for her. American guidelines recommend waiting until 8 months or older to introduce tofu or meats, whereas Canadian guidelines say you can start tofu and meats at 6 months. If you are unsure, check with your doctor. My daughter is 6 months old, and our doctor recommended starting tofu.

Dried Prune / Dried Plum Puree Recipe

Prunes are often cited as the go to food when little ones are experiencing constipation. In addition to being high in fibre (which helps keep bowel movements regular), prunes/plums are also high in Vitamins A & C.

It is a little late in the season for fresh plums here, so I made this recipe using organic dried plums.

Also, it should be mentioned that there has been a push lately to rebrand prunes as "dried plums". So, if you are looking for prunes, but can only find dried plums, don't worry, they are one in the same.

Meal of the Day

Bottom: Apple Squash Top: Yam Puree

Two of my homemade purees, Apple Squash Puree and Yam Puree.

Green Bean Puree Baby Food Recipe

Organic Frozen Green Beans

Green beans are often recommended as one of baby's firsts foods. Green beans are high in Vitamins A, C & K, as well as Calcium, making them a good choice for your baby's diet.

Apple, Squash & Yam Medley Baby Food Recipe

Diced organic Gala Apples, Yams & Acorn Squash

After making some other baby foods I had 3 things left over: gala apples, acorn squash & yams, so I decided to put them all together! You can use acorn or butternut squash for this recipe and yam or sweet potato. If you are buying a squash for this recipe, keep in mind that acorn squash is (in my opinion) very difficult to peel! If you do use acorn squash I recommend cutting it into strips along the furrows then cut off the peel.

This recipe can be pureed for a smoother consistency, mashed for a thicker/lumpier consistency, or served as is as a finger food.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 Squash (approx 1 lb)
• 2-3 Apples 
• 1 medium Yam (approx 1 lb)
• Water as needed to achieve desired consistency

Recommended for:

• 4-6+ months

Yeild: 

• Approximately 24 oz 

Cost Comparison:

• $0.12 per oz (I used all organic) vs. $0.27 per oz for the commercially prepared organic baby food (based on $1.20 per 4.5 oz glass jar).

Directions:

• Peel apples, yams and squash and chop into cubes.
• Put diced apples, yams and squash into a baking dish. You may want to add a splash of water in with it. I also lined my dish with foil, because I didn't use any oil or anything the veggies have a tendency of sticking to the pan.
• Cover and bake at 400° for 45 min, or until the yams are tender. You should be able to easily mash them with a fork.
• Allow the mixture to cool a bit before transferring into the blender/food processor/baby bullet.
• Add water as desired and blend. I added about 8 oz of water to reach a consistency suitable for my not-quite-6-month-old. Because yams are more starchy than most veggies it may be a bit harder to blend than other veggies. You can stop and kind of shake the blender a bit to help it along.

Before roasting

After roasting

In the Baby Bullet and ready to blend!

 Storage:

You can use whatever type of containers to have on hand to refrigerate or freeze your baby food, but there are a couple things that you should keep in mind:

• Any baby food you put in the fridge should be consumed within 3 days.
• Frozen baby food is optimal if consumed within 30 days, but can be used for up to 60 days.
• Keep baby food in small portions, as you will have to discard any left over from each feeding. This is because babies (and adults!) mouths are full of bacteria, once this bacteria touches the spoon and gets into the food it starts to grow. If you put this food back in the fridge the bacteria will continue to grow, and feeding this to your baby later may make them ill. 
• Do not freeze puree that has been made with previously frozen breastmilk. If you want to use breastmilk in your puree, it is best to use fresh breastmilk.

Apple Squash Puree Baby Food Recipe

Organic Gala Apples & Organic Acorn Squash

I found this recipe on Wholesome Baby Food and decided to try it out. The recipe called for an entire squash, but I halved the recipe as an entire squash would produce more than I could fit into my Baby Bullet at once and I doubt that I could use that much up over the next month or so. So keep in mind you can double this recipe.

This recipe can be used for grown ups as well, just sprinkle with some pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon and a little brown sugar and skip the pureeing!

Meal of the Day

Left: Banana Avocado Puree  Right: Avocado Puree

Both purees were made in the Baby Bullet using the recipes I previously posted:
Avocado Puree
Banana Avocado Puree

Banana Puree Baby Food Recipe

bananas & formula in Baby Bullet

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas
• 2 - 6 oz (60 - 180 ml) liquid (water, formula or breastmilk) if desired

Recommended for:

• 6+ months

Yeild: 

• Approximately 12 oz (12 x 1 oz servings)

 

Avocado & Banana Puree Baby Food Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of an avocado
• 1 banana
• Approximately 2 oz (60 ml) liquid (water, formula or breastmilk) 
• 2 drops lemon juice, optional (this is to prevent browning of the puree)

Recommended for:

• 6+ months

Yeild: 

• Approximately 10 oz (10 x 1oz servings)

Avocado Baby Food Recipe

Avocado is often recommended as one of baby's first foods because of it's high nutrient content and good fats, which are crucial for healthy brain development. Avocado can simply be mashed and served, but some prefer a thinner consistency, especially when just starting on solids. This recipe will create a thin, creamy puree for your baby.

Starting Solids!

Please excuse my poor photography skills!

My daughter is nearly 5.5 months, and once she started grabbing food off our plates we figured it was time for solids! I received a Baby Bullet as a gift and have been experimenting with making homemade baby food. I will be posting some of our concoctions as we go along.