I thought I was finished making baby food a while ago when I posted my last baby food recipe at the end of November. It turns out I was wrong! My son, who is now 16 months old, refused to let me feed him at 10 months. Since then, he’s been feeding himself a very picky diet of organic cheese, cereal, dried fruit, bread, crackers and the occasional strawberry. Anything else lands directly on the floor. Did you see a vegetable in that list? Nope. He will stick a handful of sand into his mouth no problem. A perfectly roasted and maple glazed carrot? No way! Since he started self-feeding, he gets his vegetables from those expensive organic baby food pouches or when I add spinach or zucchini to his daily fruit smoothies.
Those store-bought organic baby food pouches can get expensive; costing almost $2 each for just 4 ounces. He eats up to three of them a day. This is why I purchased refillable snack pouches and started making my own homemade baby food recipes again, like this apple, blueberry spinach and banana puree. I’ll be posting more “sneaky veggie” baby food recipes as I go along. They all focus on adding vegetables and protein to tasty fruit purees and are so yummy, little ones don’t mind a bit.
Apple, Blueberry & Spinach Puree
This recipe for apple, blueberry, banana & spinach puree is one of our favorites. It has a beautiful blue color (which hides the spinach well). It’s so tasty; I sometimes squirt some into his milk and give it a shake to make blueberry milk!
I have to mention the reusable pouches I bought. I’m trying two different brands right now to see which ones I (we) like better, the Squoochi or the Little Green Pouch. Have you tried them? So far, I love that they both are dishwasher safe and freeze well. Also, the tops are all interchangeable with the store-bought pouches—a handy thing in case you lose one. I use my handy Cuisinart Mini Prep to get a smooth puree. It’s easy to clean and the perfect size for small batches of baby food.
I hope your little ones enjoy this recipe. Stay tuned for the next hidden veggie recipe! Until then, check out 10 delicious homemade baby food recipes.
Ingredients
Method
In a small saucepan, heat apple and blueberries over medium heat. Add water or juice and reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook until the apples are soft and the blueberries break down. Add the spinach and stir until wilted. Allow to cool.
Using a food processor, puree the apple mixture with the banana. Add water, milk or formula if you want a thinner consistency.
https://loveandduckfat.com/apple-blueberry-spinach-puree-homemade-baby-food-recipe/
Disclosure: this post contains an affiliate link to a product I use and purchased myself.
Give your baby their very own turkey dinner any time of year with this delicious homemade baby food recipe. Your baby will love the rich, comfort-food flavors (mine does!) of creamy mashed potatoes, green beans and roasted turkey. Even though it tastes yummy, you won’t find anything but healthy ingredients in this turkey dinner. Full of fresh green beans, potatoes, lean turkey and creamy yogurt, it tastes just as good as an adult version without the added salt and fats. It freezes well too, so you can make a big batch to freeze for later.
This recipe is appropriate for babies 7 months old and up, who are eating yogurt. Make it a smooth puree for youngsters and chunkier for bigger babies. Either way, this is sure to be a big hit!
Baby food recipe |Turkey Dinner
Ingredients
Method
In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the green beans, potato, turkey, broth and herbs. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Allow to cool.
To puree, add the cooled mixture and yogurt to a food processor and blend until smooth, adding more broth if necessary. Puree until you reach the desired consistency.
With all of the pumpkin recipes floating around this time of year, I needed to make a sweet pumpkin treat for baby! This baby food pumpkin pie is full of healthy ingredients and low in sugar. It tastes yummy and can be served two ways as a meal for baby. Instead of sugary condensed milk, this delicious recipe has Greek yogurt and just a touch of maple syrup (maple syrup is low glycemic), along with fresh roasted pumpkin and warming spices.
You can puree this and serve it as-is or pile it in baby-sized baking dishes. If your baby is younger, between 6-9 months, the simple puree is better because it has a smooth texture. If your baby or toddler is eating a little texture in her food, bake up a mini crust-less pie. Baking this recipe concentrates the flavor so it tastes even yummier.
This may be one of my last pureed baby food recipes. My son, Grayson is almost a year old and he rarely eats baby food (even homemade!). He wants to feed himself, so we are moving on to finger foods.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 350° F/180°. Cut the pumpkin in half crosswise. Using a spoon, scrape out the seeds.Oil the bottom of the pan with a little bit of olive oil. Place the pumpkin halves cut-side down on the pan and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the pumpkin is soft and a knife goes in easily.
Allow to cool, then scoop the cooked pumpkin away from the outer skin with a spoon. You should get 1 1/2 - 2 cups of puree.
Using a food processor, puree the pumpkin (1 1/2 cups), yogurt, oatmeal, maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice. Taste for seasoning and add more maple syrup and pumpkin pie spice to taste.
Fill 2-3 small baking pans with puree about 1 inch thick and place into a 350° F/180° oven for 20-30 minutes, until the top is slightly browned on the edges. Remove and sprinkle with cinnamon.
My baby loves this recipe for baby food chicken stew, and I’m sure yours will too. It’s packed with healthy veggies and tender chicken stewed together to make the perfect comfort food. This recipe is appropriate for babies 6 months and older, depending on the preparation. You can puree it very fine, or leave it in finger food-sized chunks. Mine son, Grayson, is almost eleven months and eats his stew both ways. He loves to feed himself, but he ends up making a big mess and doesn’t get enough in his mouth. He likes the carrots best, so tend to pick those out first, and then smear the rest on his tray and onto the floor. For this reason, I feed him the puree too, just to make sure he eats a good meal.
This is an easy one-pot meal that can be made on the stove or in your slow cooker. When it’s done, freeze it into ice cube trays or larger individual servings so you have healthy homemade baby food whenever you need it.
If you like this recipe, try some of my other homemade baby food recipes:
Chicken, carrot, green bean and potato puree
Sweet potato, quinoa, apple and carrot puree
Baby food recipe | Chicken stew
Baby food recipe | Chicken stew
Ingredients
Method
Roast chicken thighs skin-on for about 30 minutes, until done. Allow to cool. Remove the skin and discard. Remove the meat from the bone and chop into small pieces.
In a small pan, cook onion in olive oil until soft. Add the chicken, carrot, celery, potato, garlic powder, thyme, bay leaf, tomato paste and stock to the pan. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook on low heat until the carrot is very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
Puree this mixture until very smooth, or feed to your baby as-is, if they are able to chew.
As my little guy is getting older (10 months now), he’s making it very clear what he likes and doesn’t like. His opinion can change in a few hours or a few weeks, so I’ve learned to be flexible. Lately, he’s grown very suspicious of anything I put in his mouth with a spoon. He developed this distrust from the premade organic baby meals I give him when we are traveling. They are often very sweet, and he seems to prefer savory (and may be more accustomed to homemade foods). When I offer him a spoonful of baby food, he sticks out his tongue for one tiny taste. If he doesn’t approve, my chances of getting him to eat whatever I’m trying to get him to eat are shot.
I’m happy to say this homemade baby food recipe for chicken and peas passes his little taste test every time. Flavorful roasted chicken thighs, paired with creamy yellow potatoes, carrots and lots of fresh green peas make for a yummy and healthy meal.
I use chicken thighs (skin removed) instead of chicken breasts in my baby food for a few good reasons; more flavor, more tenderness and a lower price tag. If that’s not enough, according to a recent study by researchers at the New York University School of Medicine, dark meat in poultry “contains many more nutrients. In addition to taurine, dark meat is far richer in minerals such as iron, zinc and selenium, as well as vitamins A, K and the B complex — B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin) B6, B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin).”
You can make this baby food recipe as smooth or chunky as your little one likes. If you are looking for a very fine puree, cook the peas and veggies a little longer. Then, using a blender or food processor, run the machine on high for 2 minutes, adding liquid as necessary to really get those blades moving. For a super-fine texture, pass the puree through a fine mesh strainer afterward. For older babies who are eating textured foods, you can leave the frozen peas uncooked. Just thaw them and add them to the food processor. Your baby or toddler will appreciate the sweet freshness.
Homemade baby food recipe | Chicken and peas
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 375°F/190°C
Roast the chicken thighs, skin on, for 30-40 minutes, until brown and cooked through. Allow to cool.
While the chicken is roasting, add olive oil to a saucepan. Sauté onion in the olive oil for 5 minutes, then add the carrot, potato, garlic powder and optional vegetables and/or herbs. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes, until very tender. Add the peas to the pot during the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Remove the skin from the chicken and separate the meat from the bone. Add the chicken and cooked vegetables to a blender or food processor and pulse until smooth, adding the cooking liquid from the vegetables until you reach the desired consistency.
https://loveandduckfat.com/homemade-baby-food-recipe-chicken-and-peas/
When I think of cauliflower dishes, I think of curries. Spicy curried cauliflower with tomatoes and coriander is one of my favorites. I actually prefer cauliflower to its more cabbage-y cousin, broccoli. It’s delicious and nutty when roasted, and I often use it in soups. I’m eager to try it in shaved in a salad (any recipes out there?). Cauliflower has a presence lacking in many veggies. There’s just something about it that makes me pause and consider before diving in.
This roasted cauliflower and almond soup is creamy and comforting, punctuated by the warm, earthy taste of cumin and floral coriander. The roasted cauliflower pairs beautifully with almonds, and the soup has a velvety, rich texture. You can easily make it vegan by substituting almond milk for the cream.
Epicurious magazine rated cauliflower the front runner vegetable for 2013. Yep. The lowly cauliflower is trendy, and you better start eating it before it becomes passe’. Its’ boring white façade can now be found at your local farmers market in bright purple and orange. No longer smothered in orange cheese, this nubby vegetable is making its way onto some sophisticated plates. Browsing the blogger sphere, I see it fried, pickled, frittered and jerked. It’s a popular substitute for cream, rice, eggs and even mashed potatoes. Endlessly versatile and delicious, cauliflower deserves its place in the spotlight. Now does anyone know where I go to nominate okra for 2014’s vegetable of the year?
If you don’t have heavy cream, a good substitute is sour cream or plain yogurt. Just thin the sour cream or yogurt out with milk and mix into the soup after you have removed the pan from the heat.
To make this recipe vegan, skip the heavy cream altogether and thin the soup with a little bit of unsweetened almond milk at the end.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit
Drizzle sliced cauliflower with 1 tablespoon of oil and arrange on a large cookie sheet. Roast in the oven for 10-20 minutes, until the cauliflower is nicely browned.
Blanch the almonds in boiling water for a few minutes and drain. Rinse under cold water and pop off the skins,
Using a food processor, grind the almonds until they reach the texture of sand.
Saute onion, cumin and coriander in the remaining oil in a large stockpot. When the onion is soft, add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Add the roasted cauliflower, almonds and stock to the pot and simmer over medium-low heat for 20 minutes, uncovered.
Turn off the heat and use an immersion blender to puree the cauliflower mixture. Add heavy cream and stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with slivered almonds.
https://loveandduckfat.com/roasted-cauliflower-and-almond-soup/
