Baby Food

Banana, Strawberry, Pineapple blend.

INGREDIENTS
1½ lbs. fresh or frozen strawberries (frozen tastes just as good as the fresh in this particular recipe)
3 bananas
¼ pineapple (if you buy the all natural, unsweetened in a can or jar, it saves you the time of having to cut it all up!)
1 cup water

1. Slice each banana into 4 to 6 pieces. Rinse the berries (if using fresh). Cut the pineapple into berry-size chunks.

2. Put the fruit into a medium sized pot and cook, covered, over medium heat for about 6 minutes. Stir the fruit at least once during cooking. Pour the mixture from the pot into a strainer with a bowl underneath to save the juice.

3. Pour the cooked fruit into a blender, and puree until smooth. Use the remaining juice to adjust to desired consistency.

4. Pour into two ice cube trays, and cool. Wrap, freeze, and defrost cubes as needed.

Mac and Cheese

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp. butter, cut into cubes
¼ cup finely chopped yellow onion
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk, hot
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
8 oz. mild cheddar cheese, grated
1 splash hot sauce (the kids won’t notice!)
6 cups cooked pasta such as mini shells or orzo (I like it with the orzo the best)

1. In a 4-quart pot, cook butter and onions over medium heat until onions become soft and translucent. Add flour and cook, continually stirring, for about 2 minutes. Add hot milk, whisking thoroughly to avoid any clumping.

2. Bring to a boil, whisking often to prevent burning. When milk has thickened, reduce heat, add nutmeg, and simmer about 5 minutes while continuing to whisk periodically.

3. Whisk in cheddar cheese. Simmer an additional 2 minutes and add hot sauce. Combine hot pasta and sauce. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge.

*Don’t be afraid to toss in some veggies like broccoli or peas for some added nutrients and flavor.

http://www.smartmomstyle.com/homemade-baby-food-ideas/

Apples and Blueberries (My kids LOVE this!)

INGREDIENTS
4 apples
1 cup fresh blueberries
8 oz. water or apple juice

1. Wash and peel the apples (peeling is optional, I do take them off)

2. Cut each apple in half

3. Remove the seeds and stem with a melon baller

4. Cut each half into 6 pieces

5. Put the apple pieces, blueberries, and juice into a 4-qt. pot and cover with lid. Cook over high heat for approximately 8 minutes, stirring once

6. Pour everything into the blender; purée until smooth

7. Pour into two ice cube trays and allow to cool. Wrap and freeze.

These recipes came from the Baby Love cookbook. It is definitely worth checking out! The book shares some great techniques that can teach you how to be faster in the kitchen, and how much cheaper it is to make your own food.

http://www.babylovefoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Butternut.pdf

Creamy Butternut with Nutmeg
YIELD: 36 ounces
10 MONTHS PLUS
Ingredients:
4 pounds butternut squash (about 2 medium-sized butternuts or 1 really big one)
16 ounces water
8 ounces whole milk, hot
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Directions:
• Preheat oven to 400oF
• Cut the squash lengthwise. Remove seeds with a spoon.
• Place squash flesh side down on a sheet tray.
• Pour water onto the sheet tray.
• Roast approximately 60 to 75 minutes until tender.
The squash should be bubbling and caramelized.
• Allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes so you can hold it without a problem.
• Spoon out the flesh and pour into the blender with hot milk and nutmeg.
Puree until smooth.
• Pour into two ice cube trays and allow to cool.
• Wrap and freeze.

Baby Guacamole
YIELD: 4 Servings
8 MONTHS PLUS
A 120-SECOND RECIPE
Ingredients:
1 each avocado, nice and ripe but not all brown
1/3 each lime
1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped well
1 tablespoon red or yellow onion, minced
Directions:
• Remove the pit from the avocado and scoop out the flesh from the peel.
• Place on a cutting board and squeeze the juice from the lime onto the avocado.
• Sprinkle avocado with cilantro and onion.
• Mash with the back of a fork until completely smooth and creamy.

Perfectly Basic Pea
YIELD: 32 ounces
6 MONTHS PLUS
Ingredients:
1½ pounds frozen peas (that’s usually 1½ bags)
8 ounces water
Directions:
• Fill a 4-quart pot halfway with water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
• While water is coming to a boil get your “green veggie shocking station” ready. You’ll need . . .
1. Colander
2. Large bowl filled with ice and cold water. You want as much ice as possible.
• Pour the frozen peas into the colander. Run cool water over them to get rid of any ice crystals
(which will allow the boiling water to come back to a boil faster).
• Pour the peas into the boiling water. Cook for three minutes on highest heat.
• Pour peas into colander. Run cold water over them and pour them into the ice bath.
Allow the peas to chill for 3 minutes. Pour the peas back into the colander and pick out any
remaining ice.
• Pour peas in the blender and add 8 ounces of cold water. Puree until smooth.
• Pour into two ice cube trays.
• Wrap and freeze.

Whole Grain Blueberry Pancakes with Flax
YIELD: eight 2-ounce pancakes
10 MONTHS PLUS
Ingredients:
Pancake Mix
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 cups all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Store in a zipper bag or in a plastic
container with a tight fitting lid.
Directions:
• Preheat griddle to 350oF (You can also use a large cast-iron pan or a nonstick pan. Just let it preheat
for a while on medium heat – you’ll have to practice a bit to achieve the correct and consistent heat.)
• Pour the pancake mix and the flax seed in a large bowl.
• In a smaller bowl, add eggs and whisk.
• Add buttermilk and then melted butter. Whisk again.
• Add the egg, buttermilk, butter mixture to the pancake mix and the flax seed.
• Add blueberries.
• Slowly whisk together and barely combine wet and dry ingredients. You do not want it to be smooth!
• Ladle mixture (about 2 ounces each) onto the griddle and cook until golden brown.
Flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Approximate 5-6 minutes total.