30 Sep Baby Puree Recipes
Starting solids is exciting but it can be daunting. Simplify the weaning process by using these simple recipes from Food Babies Love.
Sweet Potato
Age: First month of eating
Suitable for freezing
Makes: About 1 cup
Ingredients
250g sweet potato (about ½ a sweet potato), peeled and diced into rough 1 cm pieces
Method
Place the sweet potato in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and barely cover with water. Cover and cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until soft. Strain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid.
Alternatively, place the sweet potato in the top of a double steamer and steam for 15–20 minutes or until tender. If you have a microwave-safe cooking dish with a lid, place the sweet potato and 50 ml of water in the dish, cover and microwave on high for 5 minutes or until soft. Strain as necessary, reserving the cooking liquid.
Use a stick blender to puree the sweet potato, adding a little of the cooking water to help thin it down and make it smooth. Set aside 2 teaspoons of pureed sweet potato for your baby’s meal and freeze the remaining puree in an ice cube tray.
Broccoli
Age: First month of eating
Suitable for freezing
Makes: About 1 cup
Ingredients
250g head of broccoli, trimmed and cut into florets
Method
Place the broccoli pieces in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and barely cover the base with water. Cover and cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender and still bright green.
Strain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid. Alternatively, the place broccoli in the top of a double steamer and steam for 10 minutes or until tender. If you have a microwave-safe cooking dish with a lid, place the broccoli and 20ml of water in the dish, cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until soft. Strain as necessary, reserving the cooking liquid.
Use a stick blender to puree the broccoli, adding a little of the cooking water to help thin it down and make it smooth.
Set aside 2 teaspoons of pureed broccoli for your baby’s meal and freeze the remaining puree in an ice cube tray.
Cauliflower
Age: First month of eating
Suitable for freezing
Makes: About 1 cup
Ingredients
250g head of cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
Method
Place the cauliflower pieces in a small saucepan with a tight-fitting lid and barely cover the base with water. Cover and cook over low heat for 8–10 minutes or until tender. Strain, reserving a little of the cooking liquid.
Alternatively, place the cauliflower in the top of a double steamer and steam for 10 minutes or until tender. If you have a microwave-safe cooking dish with a lid, place the cauliflower and 20ml of water in the dish, cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes or until soft. Strain as necessary, reserving the cooking liquid.
Use a stick blender to puree the cauliflower, adding a little of the cooking water to help thin it down and make it smooth.
Set aside 2 teaspoons of pureed cauliflower for your baby’s meal and freeze the remaining puree in an ice cube tray.
Tip: Broccoli and cauliflower are terrific on their own but perhaps even better when mixed together, as cauliflower can soften the strong flavour of broccoli. To prepare a blend, use half the quantity of each in the cooking process. Cheesy sauce could also be added to this blend.
This is an edited extract from Food Babies Love by Emily Dupuche published by Pan Macmillan, RRP $29.99.
