10

organic baby food recip

advent
Super Starter
Purees for Baby
Sweet Potato + Thyme
Apple + Clove
Broccoli + Chives
Peach + Vanilla Bean
Carrot + Ginger
Pear + Nutmeg
Butternut Squash + Cilantro
Green Bean + Basil
Banana + Cinnamon
Mango + Mint

Michele Olivier
Introducing Purees to Baby
Making and feeding your baby is a right of passage, a developmental step that she
must pass through in order to become the young energetic toddler that she will
surely become. While all stages of baby’s growth are magical, feeding baby was the
highlight for me. The reason is that you are such a big part of this stage. You get to
decide what delicious first puree you are going to serve baby. You get to sit at the
same level as your little one and watch all of the priceless faces as you spoon feed
her food you made with love. You get to be part of her first adventure in food tasting.
No pressure or anything.
For some, starting baby on their first puree can be daunting and stressful. It can
all be confusing — what, when and how to feed your baby. While the stress is
completely normal, let me take it away from you. See, it’s off your plate. Don’t you
feel better already? You can now let go of all that worry and just have fun during this
monumental stage in baby’s life.
These 10 purees are the place to start - my tried and true recipes that will surely be
a hit with your little one, while providing baby with the fundamental nutrients she
needs to grow and develop. But the best thing, these recipes deliver big in the taste
department, giving your baby a culinary experience from the first swallow.

When Is Baby Ready for Purees

There isn’t an exact age to start baby on their journey into purees, this decision is
left completely up to them.
You make the food, they decide when to eat that food.
For some babies this might be at 4 months, while others might not be ready until 7 or
8 months. Your job is to watch your baby’s signs and silent clues they are giving you.
When you get the thumbs up on the following questions, you are good-to-go!
• Can your baby sit on her own?
• Is your baby able to hold her head and neck in an upright position?
• Does your baby reach for, or eye, your food while you are eating?
• Is she hungry more often and not satisfied after finishing her usual amount
of breast milk or formula?
• Has her weight doubled since birth?
How Much Should Baby Eat
While some babies open their mouths and instantly become an eating machine,
other babies might take awhile to discover their foodie personality. For the first
couple of feedings, let your baby decide when and how much they want to eat. This
might mean 1 teaspoon or 6 ounces. Babies are born with a natural ‘stop’ button in
their tummies, so when they are hungry, they will eat and when they are full, they
will stop. As baby becomes accustomed to the feeding process, you can gradually
increase their meal size.
To begin a feeding, start baby with 1 tablespoon of warm-to-touch puree. You can
spoon feed her, dollop a couple spoonfuls on her tray and let her have at it or put
some puree on your finger and let her lick it off. Or a combination of all three.
This feeding routine can take awhile for both of you to get comfortable with, the key
is not to give up. Stay focused. Stay relaxed. Stay happy.
As hard as it is to not feel rejected when baby doesn’t like one of your purees, don’t
get overly concerned. If at any point baby is turning her head, fussy or just not in the
zone, put the unused portion of the puree back into the fridge and try again later.
Just like walking, eating may take awhile for baby to master.

Spices for Baby

This is the question I get asked most — can baby actually eat spices from the get-go?
The simple answer is YES! From the very first puree, baby loves to taste different
spices and herbs. It is natural for baby to crave and eat foods that are not only
colorful and healthy but that also taste good and stimulate baby’s palette, just
like yours and mine. While not a guarantee, my experience is that babies that are
introduced to foods with spices and herbs from an early age, grow up to be more
open to foods with different tastes and textures.
I would also like to mention that all spices and herbs have medicinal purposes. Ginger
is great for when baby’s tummy is upset, basil helps aid sleep(!!!) and cinnamon is
proven to stimulate the brain.
All the recipes below are completely safe for baby at any age. If you are unsure
of adding spices, I would recommend starting with just a pinch of the spice in the
recipe for the first batch, adding more spice as baby becomes more accustomed to it.
Sweet Potato + Thyme
3 medium sweet potatoes 1. Preheat over to 375°F.
½ teaspoon thyme, finely chopped 2. Wash and prick potatoes with a fork several times and place on baking sheet.
1 cup of water, broth, breast milk or
formula 3. Place the sweet potatoes in oven and bake for 45 minutes or until you can
prick easily with a fork.
4. Let cool slightly.
Yield: 22 ounces
STORAGE: 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer 5. Peel sweet potatoes and add to blender or food processor. Add the thyme
and puree until smooth, adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach
your desired consistency.

Super Tip
If baby rejects the bitter
taste of green or dense vegetable purees,
try adding a spoonful or two of sweet
potato puree into it. Babies tend to love
sweet potatoes naturally sweet and
creamy texture which can help them get
accustomed to other foods they initially
don’t respond to.
Apple + Clove
5 apples (Fuji, Macintosh, Pink Lady) 1. Peel, core and chop the apples.
¼ teaspoon ground cloves 2. In a medium saucepan, add the apples, cloves and water.
½ cup water
3. Cover and heat over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally or until apples are tender.
Yield: 20 ounces 4. Let cool slightly.
STORAGE: 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer
5. Transfer all ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until
smooth.

Super Tip
Apple puree is very versatile,
so feel free to replace the
cloves with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger,
mint, thyme or even sage. With so many
options, baby will never get bored with
this basic apple puree recipe.
Broccoli + Chives
4 cups broccoli florets 1. Fill a medium saucepan with 2” of water and bring to boil over medium heat.
1 tablespoon chives, finely chopped 2. Place the broccoli into a steamer basket over boiling water, cover, and
1 cup reserved steamer water, cook for 15 minutes or until tender.
breast milk or formula
3. Let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.
4. Transfer broccoli and chives to a blender or food processor and puree until
Yield: 15 ounces
smooth, adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach your desired
STORAGE: 3 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer
consistency.

Super Tip
For some babies, broccoli puree can be
a bit intense for their tastebuds. I find
adding a spoonful of apple or sweet
potato puree helps add flavor and a touch
of sweetness baby can’t resist.
Peach + Vanilla Bean
3 fresh peaches or 1-12 ounce bag 1. Peel and pit the peaches.
frozen peaches
2. Cut the vanilla bean pod in half and then slice open lengthwise. Take the
½ vanilla bean pod or ½ teaspoon back of your knife or spoon and scrape out all of the vanilla bean, reserve.
vanilla bean extract
¼ cup of water 3. In a medium saucepan, add the peaches and heat over medium-low heat
for 5 minutes (10 minutes if frozen).
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to a blender or food
Yield: 12 ounces
STORAGE: 3 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer processor, leaving excess water in the saucepan. Add the vanilla bean and
puree until smooth.

Super Tip
Be a foodie role model for baby —
this puree is great to eat alongside
baby right from the start. This
peach puree is wonderful served
over Greek yogurt for a yummy
breakfast or snack for both you (I
like to add some chopped nuts and
granola to mine) and baby.
Carrot + Ginger
1 pound carrots 1. Peel and chop the carrots into small coins.
1 teaspoon ginger, freshly minced 2. Fill a medium saucepan with 2” of water and bring to boil over medium heat.
1 cup water reserved from steaming,
breast milk or formula 3. Place the carrots into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover, and
cook for 15 minutes or until tender when pricked with a fork.
4. Let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.
Yield: 16 ounces
STORAGE: 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer 5. Transfer carrots and ginger to a blender or food processor and puree until
smooth, adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach your desired
consistency.

Super Tip
Steamed carrots are a great first finger
food for baby, simple follow directions
until cooked, then chop into small pea
size pieces and toss with 1 tsp of olive
oil, ½ tsp of cumin and ½ tsp of freshly
minced ginger and serve.
Pear + Nutmeg
5 pears 1. Peel, core and chop the pears.
¼ teaspoon nutmeg 2. In a medium saucepan, add the pears, nutmeg and water.
⅓ cup water
3. Cover and heat over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, stirring
occasionally or until pears are tender.
Yield: 20 ounces 4. Let cool slightly.
STORAGE: 4 days in fridge or 3 months in freezer
5. Transfer all ingredients into a blender or food processor and puree until
smooth.

Super Tip
Both pears and nutmeg are great for
baby’s digestive system. Pears are high
in fiber and are a great remedy to help
alleviate baby’s constipation while nutmeg
helps eliminate toxins and eases digestion.
Butternut Squash + Cilantro
1 medium butternut squash
½ tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
½ cup water, broth, breast milk or
formula
Yield: 25 ounces
STORAGE: 3 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half, deseed and place on baking sheet, skin
side down.
3. Roast in oven for 35–45 minutes or until tender and can be pricked with a fork.
4. Let cool slightly.
5. Scoop the flesh away from the skin and discard the skin. Transfer the flesh
into a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro and puree until smooth,
adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach your desired consistency.
Super Tip
If you are looking to add some
extra healthy fat to baby’s
diet, drizzle the butternut squash with
extra virgin olive oil before roasting. Olive
oil is a healthy fat that is full of omega 3
and omega 6 that helps baby absorb
vitamin D which is important for bone
growth and strengthening.
Green Bean + Basil
1 pound green beans, fresh or frozen
1 tablespoon basil, finely chopped
½ cup reserved steamer water,
breast milk or formula
Yield: 16 ounces
STORAGE: 3 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer
1. Trim the green beans.
2. Fill a medium saucepan with 2” of water and bring to boil over medium heat.
3. Place the green beans (fresh or frozen) into a steamer basket over the
boiling water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender.
4. Let cool slightly. Reserve steamer water.
5. Transfer green beans and basil to a blender or food processor and puree
until smooth, adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach your
desired consistency.
Super Tip
This green bean puree is a perfect one
to add a teaspoon of butter, coconut oil
or olive oil. Not only will it bring out the
natural nutty-ness of green beans, it adds
another source of healthy fats to baby’s
diet.
Banana + Cinnamon
5 bananas 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or
1 teaspoon cinnamon silicon mat.
½ cup water, broth, breast milk or 2. Peel and cut the bananas in half.
formula
3. Place the bananas on baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes or until they
just start to turn brown.
Yield: 25 ounces
4. Let cool slightly.
STORAGE: 2 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer
5. Transfer the bananas and cinnamon to a blender or food processor and
puree until smooth, adding liquid in ¼ cup increments until you reach
your desired consistency.

Super Tip
This roasted banana puree is great mixed
with plain yogurt, ricotta cheese or
canned coconut milk for baby and over
vanilla bean ice cream for you! To help
avoid the banana puree becoming brown,
make sure you freeze immediately after
pureeing.
Mango + Mint
4 fresh mangos or 1-12 ounce bag 1. Peel and pit the mangos.
frozen mangos
2. In a medium saucepan, add the mangos and water and heat over medium-
3 mint leaves, finely chopped low heat for 5 minutes (10 minutes if frozen).
⅓ cup water
3. Transfer all ingredients to a blender or food processor and puree until
smooth.
Yield: 12 ounces
STORAGE: 3 days in fridge or 4 months in freezer

Super Tip
This mango recipe is also a great first
finger food for baby. Simply heat a mango
for 5 minutes as directed above, add mint
and chop into small pea size chunks.
This will store for 5 days in the fridge or
2 months in the freezer. I store my small
finger foods in ice cube trays just like
purees, popping out 1 cube and defrosting
when I need some fast finger foods.
organic b a b y fo od r ec ip es to in sp ir e
adventurous eating

babyfoode.com