I just finished the most wonderful 6-week babyfood cooking class!
These recipes are supposed to be appropriate for 9-12 months, but I started DS on them between 8-9 months and everything was fine (keeping in mind to introduce individual ingredients first if you haven't already).
Be careful! They're all so yummy you might eat them all yourself! Enjoy!
Introduction to lentils1 small onion (finely chopped), 3 medium carrots, 2 stalks chopped celery, dash of olive oil, 1/2 cup red lentils (rinsed), 1 medium sweet potato or 10-14oz butternut squash, 2 cups vegetable stock or broth or water
Put all ingredients into your pot. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat. Simmer covered for 20 mins. Mash or puree.
Chickpeas with carrots, celery and a dash of lemon1 can chickpeas, dash of olive oil, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 2 stalks celery chopped, 1 carrot (peeled & chopped), 2 medium sweet potatos, 1 1/2 cups water or vegetable stock, 1tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1tsp dried or 2tbsp fresh coriander/cilantro or parsley (chopped)
Slowly and gently cook onion, carrot and celery for about 7 minutes. Add water or stock, and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer until chickpeas are very tender, about 45 mins. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and parsley. Mash or puree to desired consistency. Add water if necessary.
Sweet amaranth1 cup amaranth (rinsed and soaked if you have time), 2 cups water, 2 pears (cored and chopped), 2 apples (cored and chopped), 1/4 cup frozed blueberries, 1tsp cinnamon, 1cm ginger root (peeled and chopped)
Put all ingredients into a pot, cover, bring to a boil then reduce heat to simmer, stirring often until amaranth is tender. Puree to desired consistency. (when defrosting/reheating, you may need to add more water)
Sweet potato with corn and sweet peppers2 medium size sweet potato (diced), 1 cup fresh or frozed corn kernels, 1/2 red pepper (chopped), 1tbsp black strap molasses
Steam sweet potato until tender, about 20 minutes. Add red pepper after 15 mins and corn for the last 3-5 mins. Let cool and add blackstrap molasses. Puree or mash to desired consistency.
Turnip or rutabaga, parsnip and apple immune boosting puree1 medium turnip or rutabaga (peeled and chopped), 1 parsnip (scrubbed, peeled, ended and chopped), 1 carrot (peeled and chopped), 2 apples (peeled, cored and chopped), 1 clove garlic (chopped), 2tbsp raisins, 1 cup water
Place all ingredients in saucepan, cover and simmer for 30-40 mins or until soft. Puree to desired consistency.
Quinoa1 cup quinoa (rinsed well), 2 cups water, 1 medium butternut squash or 2 sweet potatos (peeled and chopped), 2 zucchini, 2-4 asparagus spears or green beans (ends broken off, and chopped), 4-5 pitten prunes (chopped), 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley or 1tsp dried parsley, 1 garlic clove (chopped)
Place all ingredients in saucepan, cover and simmer for 30-40 mins or until soft. Add a bit of extra water at the end if you want it to be mushier, and let it be absorbed. Mash or puree to desired consistency.
I learned lots of nutritional info to go with all these also, so feel free to ask if you're confused about anything. Also, I think many of the recipes don't even have to be pureed for older babies, once they are cooked the ingredients are so soft that older babies could handle it easily. I think next time I make them I'm going to try not pureeing them too much (maybe just a bit).
Enjoy!
