Pea CousCous

image courtesy myrecipes.com

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 cup organic low-sodium chicken stock
2 tsp. olive oil
¾ cup dry couscous
¼ cup peas

In small pot, add chicken stock, olive oil, peas and bring to boil. Turn off heat, add couscous. Let sit for 6 minutes. Fluff couscous mixture and puree to desired texture. *leave whole for older, more mature, babies.*

Creamed Peas

image courtesy thedailygreen

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

4 cups peas, fresh or frozen
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large sauce pan. Whisk in flour and allow to cook for 1 minute. Slowly add milk, whisking the whole time to prevent lumps. Add salt and pepper and other spices as you find appropriate. Cook until sauce begins to thicken. Add peas, stir and cook until peas are heated through (about 5-7 minutes). Serve warm alone or with rice.

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

photo courtesy readersdigest

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
8 medium sized sweet potatoes
5 tablespoons - use butter
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons mayonaise
2 cups water & 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
quick shake of salt
cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger to your taste

In a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish, layer the potatoes.

In a saucepan, melt the butter; stir in flour until smooth.
Gradually add broth/water, mayonnaise, and spices. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Pour mixture over potatoes. Sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon. Cover and bake at 325 degrees F for 2 hours or until tender.

Sweet Potato Soup

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photo courtesy myrecipes

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable broth)
1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup milk (use whole milk or use 8oz whole milk yogurt)

Mix the flour and butter to make a roux in a large saucepan. Heat the roux until you achieve a nicecarmel color.

Add the broth and brown sugar, bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. Stir in the sweet potatoes and spices, bring to a simmer again, and cook for 5 minutes more. 

Next, puree the soup in batches and return to the saucepan. Add the milk, and reheat soup. Season with salt and pepper (optional), ladle into warm soup bowls and serve.

Note: You can substitute sweet potato puree for the whole sweet potatoes and skip the pureeing as shown above.

Sweet Potatocakes

photo courtesy nurturebaby

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup cooked sweet potatoes, mashed
1 egg (or 2 egg yolks)
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (use graham flour for a nice taste.)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup milk (or more)

Mix sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl with the egg. In a separate bowl, sift the flour and add the baking powder, then add to sweet potato mix. Add up to 1/3 cup of milk while stirring then stir in 1 tbsp butter.

The mixture should have the consistency of thick, lumpy sauce like an "instant" pancake mix.

Place a non-stick or heavy iron skillet over medium heat on top of the stove and add 1/2 tsp butter.

Spoon batter into the skillet and cook until bubbles rise to the surface of the pancakes and break. Approx. 1 to 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the pancakes and cook another 2 minutes. Remove pancakes from the skillet and keep warm on a covered plate in the oven.

Note: These potato cakes freeze very well! Reheat in a toaster or microwave until warm.

Sweet Potato Risotto

photo courtesy aliveandcooking

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 md sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil, divided
4 cups hot vegetable stock
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 tbsp. minced garlic

1½ cups arborio rice (12-ounce package)
¾ cup white grape juice
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1½ teaspoons thyme leaves
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoons black pepper

Preheat oven to 350*F. Peel sweet potatoes and cut in half. Cut half the sweet potatoes into ¼-inch diced and set aside. Cut the remaining sweet potatoes into 1-inch chunks. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and roast until soft about 30 minutes. Puree with ¼ cup chicken stock. Reserve.

In a large saucepan heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil, and sauté onion and small diced sweet potatoes over medium high heat. Cook about 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and arborio rice and cook 2-3 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in white grape juice. Cook, stirring until completely absorbed.

In the same manner add hot stock, ½ cup at a time, stirring until each addition is completely absorbed and stock is used up. Add sweet potato puree, rosemary, thyme, butter and Parmesan. Simmer on low for 10 minutes or until your risotto is soft and all liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste with pepper if desired.

Peach Yam Bake

Age: 8m+ (6m+ if made without the flour/wheat germ/spices)

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup packed brown sugar (optional)
3 tbs. flour
2 Tsp Wheat Germ
1/2 tsp nutmeg and 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbs butter
4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
2 cups of fresh mashed peaches

Combine sugar, flour, wheat germ and spices. Cut in butter until you achieve a texture like bread crumbs. Arrange yams and peaches in 1-1/2 quart casserole; sprinkle with butter mixture. Bake at 350*F for 35 minutes. Puree (or mash) until you reach a desired consistency.

Sweet Potatoes & Squash

photo courtesy janespice

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
Squash (butternut)
Sweet Potato
Olive Oil

Pre-heat oven to 400*F. Cut sweet potatoes and squash into 1 inch cubes and toss with oil until very lightly coated. Roast until fork tender. Puree, adding water, until you reach desired consistency. You can also chop or dice vegetables into tiny bite sized portions for a great finger-food alternative for your growing toddler.

Sweet Potato Apple Mash

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes
Apples (sweet, please!)

Pre-heat oven to 400*F. Bake sweet potatoes and apples, together, until tender. Remove peel and puree with a little water until desired consistency.

Menu Ideas Part 3

Suppertime Specials:

Soft cook (roasted, broiled or stewed) meats (beef, chicken, turkey or fish) are ideal for healthy dinners. Avoid trying to grind tough or hard cooked meats.

Age: 10m+

Meat & Potatoes

Potatoes, cooked and mashed
Meat, cooked and diced

Puree all ingredients. Mix milk (age appropriate) into ground food for desired consistency.

Combination Dinner

Meat, cooked and diced
Vegetables, cooked and diced
Rice, cooked

Puree all ingredients. Mix stock or water into ground food for desired consistency.

Spaghetti Dinner

Lean Ground Beef, cooked and drained
Thin Spaghetti, cooked and drained
Tomato, peeled and diced

Puree all ingredients.

Menu Ideas Part 2

Lunch Ideas:

Age: 6m+

Soft, cooked vegetables, pastas and rice can be ground in any combination for a healthy, tasty lunch.

Carrots and Rice:
Brown Rice, cooked.
Carrots, peeled and cooked.
Butter, tiny bit, if desired. 

Puree all ingredients.

Pasta with Cheese:
Pasta, cooked and drained.
Mild Cheddar Cheese

Puree all ingredients, mixing breast milk or other milk into the ground food to achieve desired consistency.

Baby's First Chicken Pot Pie

photo courtesy west side dinner swap

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

1/2 cup chicken, cooked and diced

1/2 cup green beans, cooked to tender

1/4 cup carrots, cooked to tender and diced

1/4 cup potatoes, cooked to tender and diced

TINY pinch of each: salt, pepper, oregano

Water to suit

Combine all ingredients and puree. Add water to achieve desired consistency.

Lentil Soup

photo courtesy saidaonline

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:
2 cups water
3/4 cup red lentils (these will break down best for baby)
1/4 cup carrots, diced
1/4 cup peas

Stir together water, lentils, carrots and peas in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until all of the vegetables and lentils are fully cooked and tender. Puree until desired tenderness.

Mixing It Up - Apples, Sweet Potato & Squash

So you've gotten your baby to eat a variety of single flavor foods and you're wondering what's next? It's time to mix it up, of course! Now that your baby has been introduced to a nice little selection of flavors, it's time to make baby's food a little more interesting! Don't worry, it will be easier then you think it will, I promise!

I'm sure you have a few dozen baggies in your freezer of frozen cubes of single flavor purees, waiting to be devoured. Just take 2 or 3 (or more depending on your babies appetite) and allow then to thaw together.

Here are some flavors that work well, although, the options are endless!

Apple & Squash
Apple & Sweet Potato
Banana & Pear
Banana & Apple
Carrot & Peas
Peach & Apple
Pear & Apple
Sweet Potato & Squash

Once you've dabbled in the protein category and accomplished the task of getting baby used to some single flavor proteins, you can start mixing that up a bit, too. Here are some more flavor combination:

Beef & Carrots
Beef, Potatoes & Peas
Chicken, Apples & Squash
Chicken, Brown Rice, Peas & Carrots
Chicken, Green Beans & Potatoes
Chicken & Sweet Potatoes
Lentils, Carrots, Squash & Rice
Lentils & Beef
Turkey & Squash
Turkey, Potatoes & Peas

Please don't hesitate to email some recipes or ideas of food combinations, to us, so we can add them to the list!

And with that.. I give you today's recipe:

Apples, Sweet Potato & Squash

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
3/4 cup apples, diced and cooked until tender
1/2 cup sweet potatoes, diced and cooked until tender
1/2 cup squash, diced and cooked until tender
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
TINY pinch of salt

Combine ingredients and puree until desired consistency.

Sweet Chicken & Potato Puree

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 (6oz) boneless, skinless chicken breast half

1 large (12oz) sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

In a small saucepan, poach chicken breast in enough water to cover. Cook for 15 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and internal temperature reaches 170*F. Remove from saucepan and cool. Reserve the poaching liquid.

In a medium bowl, add sweet potato, olive oil, cinnamon and nutmeg. Toss until potatoes are coated. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 350*F until potatoes are tender. Cool and puree.

Grind chicken in a food mill and mix into pureed potatoes. Add enough poaching liquid to reach desired consistency.

Spicy Sweet Potato

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon butter

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/8 teaspoon cumin

Cook sweet potato in boiling water until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Microwave butter and spices together for 45 seconds. Add to sweet potatoes and puree until smooth.

Beef & Carrots

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 8m+

Ingredients:

1/2 pound boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1/2 inch chunks

1 large (4oz) carrot, cut into 1 inch chunks

Place beef into a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 2 hours or until meat is fork tender; adding carrot during the last 15-20 minutes of cooking. Remove meat and carrot and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.

Puree half the beef with 2 tablespoons reserved broth. Repeat with remaining beef and more broth. Next, puree the carrot. Stir beef and carrots together. Add more broth if desired to reach the consistency your baby desires.

Sweet Potato Puree

photo courtesy Food Network

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup water

Combine sweet potato with water in a saucepan, then bring to a boil over high heat; cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Let cool for 10 minutes, then puree until smooth.

Green Pea Delight

photo courtesy She Knows Pregnancy & Baby

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
3/4 cup water

Combine peas with water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 6 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then puree until smooth.

Purple Apple Puree

photo courtesy parents magazine

Age: 6m+

Ingredients:

1 sweet apple, peeled and grated

1 cup finely shredded red cabbage

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons golden raisins

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Puree in a food processor or food mill until smooth.