Made-with-love homemade pureés are sure to make your baby's first experience with solid food enjoyable and easy. Start with these simple veggie pureés, making sure to wait at least four days before introducing each new food.
1 large sweet potato (for Sweet-Potato Pureé)
1 butternut squash (for Butternut Squah Pureé)
1 lb. bag carrots (for Carrot Pureé)
1/2 lb. string beans (for String Bean Pureé)
1 package frozen peas (for Pea Pureé)
Steamer basket
Food processor
Sweet-Potato Pureé
Sweet potatoes are a great vegetable to start with; they're rich in nutrients such as vitamin A and sweet to a baby's taste.
1. Scrub one large sweet potato, then bake at 350°F for about 45 minutes. The potato is done when it pierces easily with a fork.
2. Let the potato cool, then peel and pureé in a food processor fitted with a metal blade until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of water for the right consistency.
Butternut Squash Pureé
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice one large butternut squash in half and remove the pulp.
2. Bake the squash in a foil-lined pan for about one hour or until squash can be scooped out easily with a spoon. Pureé in a food processor.
Carrot Pureé
1. Wash and peel a 1-pound bag of carrots. Cut off the tops.
2. Place the carrots in steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until tender for approximately 15 minutes.
3. Transfer the carrots to food processor fitted with steel blade and pureé. Adjust consistency by adding the leftover steamer water one tablespoon at a time until smooth.
Green Bean Pureé
1. Wash a half pound of string beans, and cut off tails and tops. Place in a steamer basket over boiling water and cover tightly. Steam for about 15 minutes, then cool.
2. Pureé in a food processor fitted with a metal blade or in a blender for an even finer pureé, until smooth. (Green beans need to be steamed and pureéd thoroughly because they are very fibrous.) Use a few tablespoons of the leftover steamer water for your desired consistency.
Pea Pureé
Frozen peas taste almost as good as fresh, and even take less time to prepare.
1. Place the contents of one package of frozen peas in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and cook for about ten minutes. The peas are done when they mash easily with a fork.
2. Pureé in food processor fitted with a metal blade and add the leftover steamer water for desired consistency.
Tips for Recipe Variations
If your baby is already eating sweet-potato pureé, you can blend the potato and squash pureés together.
If your baby is already eating and enjoying fruit pureés, you can combine the sweet potato with either applesauce or apricot pureé. Carrots blend well with applesauce or pureéd raspberries.
For babies more than a year old, you can blend the sweet potato with a little brown sugar and cinnamon.
Veggie Recipe Ideas for Preschoolers
Chop cooked squash into chunks, mix with corn or raisins, and sprinkle with a little powdered ginger.
Or steam some carrots and toss with butter and a pinch of salt.
Add more taste to your steamed green beans by serving them with a bit of dipping sauce, like Ranch dressing.
