Infant/Baby food recipes!

It is so easy and rewarding to make your baby fresh homemade food! 

Stage 1: 6-8 Months - Baby Let's Begin to Eat

"Baby" cereal and soft cooked thinly pureed fruits and veggies should be baby's first solid food experiences.  Single ingredients only and at a space of 4 days apart with introducing each new food.  You may skip the cereal and begin with a fruit like pear/apple or begin with a veggie like squash or sweet potato.

Stage 1 Baby Food is a term that applies to baby foods that are highly pureed and strained. These foods are appropriate for babies who are just being introduced to solid foods. The foods in this range are targeted to babies who are between the ages of (4) 6 to 8 months old.

Stage 1 baby foods are thin and runny and are foods that are the lowest on the allergy scale. Stage 1 baby foods are typically those foods that are also more easily digested by a tiny tummy. 

Stage 1 Homemade Baby Food Recipes - Cereal, Fruits & Veggies

Rice Cereal

1/4 c. rice powder (brown rice ground in blender or food processor) - first wash rice and dry them on kitchen towel then grind

1 cup water
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly, mix in formula or breast milk and fruits if desired
3. Serve warm.

1. Bring liquid to boil in saucepan. Add the rice powder while stirring constantly. 

Oatmeal Cereal

1/4 c. of ground oats (do NOT use instant or Quick Cook), ground in blender or food processor
3/4 c. water
2. Simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly, mix in formula or breast milk and fruits if desired
3. Serve warm.

Barley Cereal

1/4 c. ground barley (barley ground in blender or food processor)

1. Bring liquid to a boil. Add the barley and simmer for 10 minutes, whisking constantly

You will probably only manage to have baby eat 1/2 of the tablespoon sized portion the very first times you begin solids.  Don't fret if your baby does not "finish" a meal. 

FRUITS:

Apricot Puree 

6-8months+ (using dried un-sulphured apricots)

1 pound dried apricots
2 cups of white grape juice, pear or apple juice. Plain water is ok but the puree may be a bit bitter.

1. Bring liquid and fruit to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
2. Reserve any left over liquid to use for the puree
3. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
4. Add the reserved liquid as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree or
5. Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up

Apples/Applesauce

 (4)6 months+ )

1. Peel, core and cut apple into slices/chunks
2. Place slices or chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples
3. Boil/steam until tender; be sure to check on the water level and stir, That's It. Easy Peasy.

Apples may be mashed with a potato masher to achieve a smooth applesauce consistency. If your masher will not achieve a puree type of consistency...

Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the apples
Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree
Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up the
Ask your pediatrician about adding some cinnamon for new tastes.

Baked Apples 6-8months+


1. Core apple and leave peel on
2. Place a wee bit of butter (if baby is ready for or has had dairy) on the inside of the cored apple (sprinkle a bit of cinnamon in the apple if your desire and if baby is ready for or has had cinnamon)
3. Place in a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples – about an inch of water
4. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until tender; be sure to check on the water level.
5. Once baked, either cut apple into little bits and serve as a finger food or mash as directed above in the Apples/Applesauce recipe.

Banana Applesauce Mush (4)6 months+

1 apple
1 ripe banana

1. Peel, core and cut apple into slices/chunks
2. Place slices or chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples
3. Boil until tender; be sure to check on the water level.
4. Apples may be mashed with a potato masher to achieve a smooth applesauce consistency or you can puree in an appliance
5. Peel a ripe banana and mash in a bowl with a fork (heating in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds will soften the banana up if needed)
6. Add applesauce to the banana and sprinkle with wheat germ* or crushed cheerios or any of you babies favorite cereal
7. Puree if necessary but mashing with a potato masher will typically get this mix smooth

Bananas (4)6 months+

1 Banana or however many you wish

1. Peel ripe banana - do not cook
2. Place banana in a food processor/food mill or blender and puree
3. You can also mash the banana in a bowl using a regular fork – heat in microwave for 25 seconds prior to mashing for extra softness
4. Add formula/breast milk or water to thin or add cereal (if desired) to thicken up.

Mango Madness 6-8months+


1 Ripe Mango

Peel, de- seed and chunk the mango
Place mango chunks in a blender or food processor
Add Formula, Breast Milk, or Water and blend or mash until the proper consistency for your Infant is achieved.

Papaya 6-8months+

1 ripe papaya

Peel, de-seed and chunk the papaya
Place papaya chunks in a blender or food processor
Add formula, breast milk, or water and blend or mash until the proper consistency for your Infant is achieved.

Some parents who have infants with sensitive tummies will give fruits a gentle steaming to help break down the sugars and fibers for easier digestion. If you feel this is the case for your infant, chunk the papaya and then steam for 5-10 minutes until very soft.

Pear (Great for Constipation.) (4)6 months+

Peel and cut into chunks so as to avoid the little seed portion.
Steam gently until tender if baby is under 6 months.
Place in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth; You may be able to just use a fork!
Use the leftover cooking water if needed but Pears tend to be very runny and watery without adding liquid.
Add some baby cereal to thicken if needed.

Plums (4)6-8months+

2-3 ripe plums
Peel and pit the plums
Cut into chunks
Steam until tender in a scant amount of water if baby is under 6 months.
Puree using the leftover cooking liquid.
You may need to mix in another fruit as plum purée has a tendency to be rather tart and/or bitter

Peaches (4)6-8months+

You may steam or bake peaches; these methods work for plums and pears as well. I HIGHLY recommend giving baked peaches a try at least once. You will find they are more tasty when baked.

Steam Peaches - Method 1 
1. Scrub fruit clean and carve an X into 1 side of the fruit
2. Place X side down in a pan with an inch of water
3. Bring water to a boil and steam until soft and tender
4. Peel skin from fruit and remove pits and/or seeds

Steam Peaches - Method 2
1. Peel fruit
2. Pit the peach
3. Cut the peach into dices
4. Steam until soft and tender then
5. move to step #6

Bake

1. Halve the fruit and place "open" side down in a pan filled with 1 inch of water
2. Bake at 400F until soft and tender and/or puckering of the skin appears.
3. Peel skin from fruit and remove pits and/or seeds then
4. move to step #6Moving to Step 6 6. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the fruits
7. Peel off skin then place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
8. Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree
9. Add cereal (if desired) to thicken up.

Prunes 6-8months+

1 small bag of dried prunes (try to use unsulphured dried fruits whenever possible!)
1. Soak dried prunes in warm water until they plump up or steam gently.
2. Once plump and tender, toss into food processor or blender and begin to puree.
3. Add liquid without sparing any. Prunes tend to become a pasty gluey consistency when pureed and the more water you add, the easier it is to puree to a texture your baby will tolerate.

VEGGIES:

Green Beans (4) 6 months+

1. If using Fresh Beans, snap the ends off the beans and wash the beans. If using Fresh Peas, open the pods and scrape out the peas from the pod. If using frozen of either Peas or Green Beans, cook according to package directions.

2. Place fresh beans into a steamer basket in a pan with a just enough water to slightly show through in the basket.
3. Steam until very tender; be sure to check on the water level.
4. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the beans.
5. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing. It is best to use the setting that makes the finest liquid purees - green bean and pea skins are rather difficult to completely puree.
6. Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency
7. You may wish to push the green beans (or peas) through a sieve or mesh strainer to get rid of any remaining skins. 


Carrots 6-8months+

1. Peel carrots and cut into small chunks
2. Place chunks into a steamer pan with just enough water visible through the steamer basket
3. Steam until tender
4. Do not reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the carrots if baby is under 8 months old as Nitrates may seep into the cooking water
5. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing. 
6. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency 

Sweet Potato/Shakar Qandi (4)6 months+

1. Wash and poke holes in sweet potato with fork then wrap sweet potatoes in tin foil - do not peel for baking/microwaving. (you can also do this in the microwave - only use plastic wrap and cook for 8 minutes on high or until tender)
2. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until soft

3. OR

4. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into small chunks
5. Place chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover potato
6. "Steam" boil until tender, be sure to check on the water level.
7. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the sweet potatoes
8. If you have baked your sweet potato, remove skins and use liquid from your preferred source
9. Place sweet potato into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
10. Add the reserved water or other liquid as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency

Remember, always consult with your pediatrician regarding introducing solid foods to your baby and specifically discuss any foods that may pose allergy risks for your baby.