Baby Takes All
Spud Larkin
baby was now 6 months old, as I get around a bit I don’t get to see my
friends on a regular basis, but to get back to the story, she had been
feeding him out of jars, and had forgot to put one in the bag, so I
told her the best thing is a smoothie, so I done a few carrot through
my juicer, and added some yoghurt and hey presto an easy baby meal.
So I was discussing the benefits of having a juicer and was surprised
by her lack of diet for the baby, just about everything came out of a
jar or packet. So here are a few really simple baby recipes to help
any newish mothers.
To make 4 portions of Haddock and Courgette you will need:
175g Haddock (or other white fish)
100g Potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 courgette, chopped
half a small onion, chopped
Instructions
Boil the potatoes with the courgette and onion until soft (approx 20
mins).
Poach, bake or steam the haddock for around 15 minutes, untill cooked
through.
When cooked, flake the fish, taking care to remove all bones and
skin.
Mash or puree everything together using a little of the vegetable
cooking stock to bind.
The Haddock and courgette puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays
or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow
approximately 8 hours).
Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty haddock and
courgette dish.
To make 6 portions of Lentil and Vegetable Puree you will need:
30g (1oz) butter
125g (4oz) leeks, finely sliced
30g (1oz) celery, chopped
30g (1oz) red pepper, cored, de-seeded and chopped
60g (2oz) red lentils
100g (4oz) 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
250g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
15 fl oz vegetable stock or water
Instructions
1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the leeks for 2 to 3
minutes.
2. Add the celery, red pepper and carrot and saute for 5 minutes.
3. Add the lentils, saute for one minute, then add the sweet potato
and bay leaf and pour over the stock.
4. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about
30 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
5. Remove the bay leaf and blend to a puree.
The Lentil and Vegetable Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or
small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow
approximately 8 hours).
Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty lentil and
vegetable puree.
To make 5 portions of Chicken and Vegetable Puree you will need:
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small onion, peeled and chopped
350g/12oz carrots, peeled and sliced
250ml/8 fl oz unsalted chicken stock or use water with a bay leaf
1 chicken breast (approx. 125g/4oz)
100g sweet potato, peeled and chopped
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion until softened.
Add the sliced carrots and sweet potato, pour over the chicken stock
or water and bay leaf and bring to the boil.
Reduce the heat, then cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the carrots and continue to
cook for 10 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf and puree in a blender.
The Chicken and Vegetable Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays
or small freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow
approximately 8 hours).
Suitable from 6 months, your baby will love this tasty Chicken and
vegetable puree
To make 3 portions of Cheesy Salmon Puree you will need:
200g carrots, topped and tailed and sliced
125g salmon fillet, skinned
60ml orange juice
40g grated Cheddar cheese
a knob of butter
2 tbsp milk
Instructions
Put the carrots into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil
and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until tender.
Alternatively, place the vegetables in a steamer and cook for 20
minutes.
Meanwhile, place the salmon in a suitable dish, pour over the orange
juice and scatter over the cheese.
Cover with microwaveable film and pierce a few holes in it, microwave
on high for about 2 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a
fork .
Alternatively, cover with foil and cook in a pre-heated oven for about
20 minutes.
Flake the fish with a fork, carefully removing any bones.
Drain the carrots, mix with the butter and milk and puree in a blender
together with the flaked fish and its sauce.
For older babies, mash the carrots together with the butter and the
milk and then mix the flaked fish with the mashed carrots.
The Cheesy Salmon Puree can then be frozen in ice cube trays or small
freezer/sandwich bags and defrosted when required (allow approximately
8 hours).
Suitable from 7 months, Salmon is a great source of Omega 3.
Cooked Leafy Greens
(Makes 10 food cubes)
Many of the most nutritious veggies, especially the green leafy ones,
are not available in commercial baby foods. It's easy to make your
own.
• 1 pound fresh greens (kale, collards, etc.)
• 1 Tablespoon water
• 3 Tablespoons fruit juice
Wash leaves thoroughly. Steam most greens 5-15 minutes, leaving the
lid off for the first few minutes. Puree in blender with the water and
juice.
Basic Vegetable Recipe
(Makes 8 food cubes)
Do not add salt, sugar, or fat.
• 1 cup cooked fresh or frozen vegetables without salt (use potatoes,
green beans, peas, carrots, yellow squash)
• 4-8 Tablespoons cooking liquid, formula, or water
Press vegetable chunks through a sieve or baby food mill, thinning
with cooking liquid or formula to eating consistency. Or, puree
vegetables and liquid in blender until smooth. Serve or freeze.
Note: After trying single foods, good combinations are potatoes and
carrots or carrots and peas.
Fresh Fruit
(Makes 4 food cubes)
Try different varieties of fruit in this recipe.
• 3/4 cup ripe fruit (uncooked peaches, nectarines, bananas, pears,
apricots, apples)
• 1 teaspoon unsweetened fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon-flavored water (1 teaspoon lemon juice to 1 cup
water to prevent darkening)
Remove skin and seeds from fruit. Puree ingredients in baby food mill
or blender until smooth. Serve or freeze.
Soybean Puree
(Makes 2-1/2 cups or 12 food cubes)
Serve this nutritious dish to your baby.
• 1 cup dry soybeans
• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup unsalted tomato juice for thinning
Rinse and soak the soybeans overnight in the refrigerator. Simmer
beans in 3 cups water for about 2 hours. Puree with any equipment,
adding tomato juice to thin.
Fresh Orange Sherbert
(Makes 1-2 cups)
Babies will love this dish.
• 1 sweet orange, peeled, sectioned, and seeds removed
• 1 cup fruit juice
In a blender, liquefy the fruit. Add the juice and blend. Pour into
loaf pan, cover, and freeze until fairly firm, about 1 hour.
Pour back into blender, and blend at low speed until smooth. Return to
pan and freeze until firm.
Homemade Fruity Gel
(Serves 4)
This recipe uses fruit juice instead of sugar to add sweetness. Agar,
the thickener, is derived from seaweed. It is available in natural
food stores and food co-ops.
• 1/2 cup cool water
• 1 Tablespoon agar flakes
• 1-1/2 cups fruit juice
• 1 cup pureed fruit
Place water in small saucepan. Sprinkle in agar and stir to dissolve.
Add juice and heat for 1 minute, stirring well. Pour into 4 small
cups.
Place in refrigerator. After 1/2 hour, stir in pureed fruit.
Swedish Hard Bread
(Makes 20)
Unlike store-bought varieties, this homemade version of "hard tack"
crumbles and melts in baby's mouth and is great for teething.
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup rye graham flour
• 2 Tablespoons sugar or other sweetener
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 8 ounces commercial corn muffin mix
• 3 Tablespoons margarine
• 3/4 cup soy milk
Mix dry ingredients. Cut in margarine. Add soy milk. Mix well. Roll
thin, cut into shapes and bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until
brown.
Carrot/Apple Mix
(Serves 2)
This is a delicious dish.
• 1/2 medium apple, cored and peeled 1/2 carrot, washed and peeled
• 2 Tablespoons fruit juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Puree all ingredients in blender. Or, grate apples and carrot and mix
with juice before serving.