I was so freaked out to feed Hue real food. It was puréed food but still handing him a bottle was so EASY. Now I had to worry about meal times and so many questions came with this. How much do I feed my baby? When do I start feeding him? What kind of foods are best for him? Organic? How do I incorporate feeding him and field trips? How many times do I have to feed him food in a day? Can’t I just give him a bottle forever???
Hue’s pediatrician answered all of my questions very patiently as did my friend who is also a nanny and has three children of her own. Luckily I got this book that my mom gave me when Hue was still being just bottle fed. I just posted this recipe from it. It helped guide me and show me the best way to prepare some of Hue’s very first bites of food.
I prepared all of his first foods in just two Sunday afternoon’s. I would do a couple batches of different fruits and vegetables, let them cool and then freeze. Babies don’t go through the purée food world for too long. Maybe just a couple of months. They are really just learning how to eat at this point. Freezing is great because I would microwave a frozen cube while I was prepping my food and it would be cooled down enough by the time we all were ready to eat.
When reheating, I microwaved in 3o second intervals until warmed through. Then I let it cool for a bit until I fed it to Hue.
Most of these recipes are steamed and use a steamer basket. I got mine from Target.
I try to use organic fruits and vegetables when possible.
I found the blender to make a smoother consistency then a food processor.
Puréed Peas Recipe:
1½ pounds of frozen peas
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with peas, cover and cook until tender about 6-8 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed peas in the blender and 1 cup of cooking liquid to peas and blend.
The recipe in the book asked for you to strain the puréed peas through a fine mesh. I don’t think this step is necessary but you can take a little bit and test it through a fine mesh and see if you like the consistency.
Then I let the pea purée completely cool and I put it into these baby food freeze trays. We got a couple of different kinds and now we can use them for other cooking purposes like freezing broth or ice cubes.
Puréed Green Bean Recipe:
1 pound of green bean, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with green beans, cover and cook until tender about 15 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed green beans in the blender and 1 cup of cooking liquid to green beans and blend.
Then I let the green beans purée completely cool.
Freeze or refrigerate according to your needs.
*Full disclosure this was my least favorite recipe. This turned out super watery almost more like a juice than a thick purée.
Puréed Brown Rice Recipe:
(recipe adapted from Little Miss Momma. I liked this recipe because you could do a big batch at a time. My go-to book only had recipes for single portions.)
1/2 cup of brown rice (I put the rice in a blender and blended until a fine powder.)
4 cups of water
Bring water and ground brown rice to a bowl then turn heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes covered.
My porridge was a little thick and I added a little water to loosen it a bit. Then I let cool and froze using these containers.
Puréed Cauliflower Recipe:
4 1/2 cups of cauliflower florets cut into 1-inch pieces
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with the cauliflower pieces, cover and cook until tender about 10 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed cauliflower in the blender and 1 cup of cooking liquid to cauliflower and blend until smooth.
Add more of the cooking liquid if needed. I didn’t need anymore extra cooking liquid.
Then I let the cauliflower purée completely cool and I put it into a baby freezer tray.
Puréed Pear Recipe:
2 pounds of ripe Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, halved, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with the pear pieces, cover and cook until tender about 10 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed pear in the blender and 1/3 cup of cooking liquid to pears and blend until smooth.
Add more of the cooking liquid if needed. I didn’t need anymore extra cooking liquid.
Then I let the pear purée completely cool and I put it into a baby freezer tray.
Puréed Apple Recipe:
(I make this regularly for Hue now, especially if he is constipated. It’s homemade applesauce!)
2 pounds of Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with the apple pieces, cover and cook until tender about 8-10 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed apples in the blender and 1 cup of cooking liquid to apples and blend until smooth.
Add more of the cooking liquid if needed.
Then I let the apple purée completely cool and I use this often enough that I keep the applesauce in a sealed jar in my refrigerator.
If you are feeling adventurous you can add a little cinnamon but I find it perfect just the way it is.
Puréed Sweet Potato Recipe:
vegetable oil spray
3 small sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cups water
Heat oven to 425°
The recipe calls for aluminum foil lined baking sheet sprayed with vegetable oil spray. I always use parchment paper.
Prick the sweet potatoes in 3 places. Cook for 1 hour.
Cut each potato length wise with a knife and scoop out the flesh. Transfer to a blender and add the water.
Blend until smooth. Add additional water if necessary.
Let cool completely before storing.
Puréed Peach Recipe:
2 pounds of peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces.
Put steamer basket in saucepan and fill just to the bottom of the steamer basket. You shouldn’t see any water it should be just below the basket. Fill the steamer basket with the peach pieces, cover and cook until tender about 5 minutes.
Carefully remove steamer basket from saucepan, reserve the cooking liquid for later. Put the steamed peach in the blender and 1/3 cup of cooking liquid to peaches and blend until smooth.
Add more of the cooking liquid if needed.
Then I let the peach purée completely cool. Freeze or refrigerate according to your needs.
Puréed Mango Recipe:
2 pounds of mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/3 cup of water
Combine mangoes and water in blender. Process until smooth.
Add additional water if needed.
Freeze or refrigerate according to your needs.
For the easiest recipes ever…
I also mashed up bananas or avocado for Hue. He loved the bananas which I added a little formula for familiarity. He wasn’t a fan of mashed avocado. I wasn’t adding any seasoning. I would add a little salt to the avocado mash for taste if I was making it for him now. He has graduated to homemade guacamole and he LOVES it!
