I’ll never forget being a little girl, probably 4 or 5 years old, and
riding around in the grocery cart at Winn Dixie, the market near our
house. My Mother pushed the cart along and picked up this brown fuzzy
thing in the produce aisle. She held it like a jewel and said “it’s a
kiwi, they’re hard to get and it’s very exotic”. I didn’t even know what
that meant at the time, but it sounded mysterious and special. Now
remember, this was in Kentucky in the 70’s, so we didn’t have the kind
of accessibility to produce that we do now. So, from that point on I’ve
always regarded kiwis with great esteem.
Kiwis have more vitamin C then any other fruit. It actually has almost
twice the amount as an orange. To help increase the absorption of iron,
which is important for brain development, feed your baby a vitamin C
food, such as kiwi’s, at the same time you feed them egg yolks or
cereals, which are high in iron.
No only are kiwis delicious, they’re beautiful to look at. This puree
has a gorgeous color and thick body from the addition of the peaches.

Kiwi & Peach Puree (10 Baby Servings)

2 Kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 Fresh Peach, chopped or 1 Cup Frozen, defrosted or cooked for 4
minutes in a steamer pot over boiling water

1. Place both ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Serve.

Fish is such a wonderful protein for babies, but most parents are intimidated to cook it for their little ones. Even as a child, the only time we had fish, it was cooked under the broiler and stunk up the whole house (sorry Mom)! Most white fish have a mellow flavor and can be easily paired with other flavors.
While shopping at the Farmers Market I asked our local “fish ladies” (as I call them) if they had anything mild for Kenya. One of the fish ladies, with her big hair, gigantic smile and pearly whites, said how about the Hawaiian Silver Snapper?! The name sounded so luxurious and exotic. I looked over at my 13 month old and thought, nothing’s to good for my little guy.
Going with the Hawaiian theme, I came up with flavors I enjoyed from past trips to the tropical paradise. Pineapple, rich in vitamin C, ginger, brown rice and just a hint of sesame oil.
We took Kenya to Hawaii last year when he was 4 months and he could only eye the fresh fruits and fish on Mommy’s plate. Finally, I can bring the idea of being in the Islands to his tummy.

*I usually make a smaller amount of this dish since it will only stay fresh in the refrigerator for a few days. Freeze whatever is left over. For more tips, checking the “freezing“.

Hawaiian Silver Snapper (8 Baby Servings)

1/2 lb. Snapper (any mild white fish will work)
1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced into 2 thin coins
1/2 Cup Brown Rice, cooked
1/2 Tsp Sesame Oil

1. Place ginger in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the fish to the pot and cook 4 more minutes or until cooked through.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor (make sure there are no bones in the fish) and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

Every other morning Kenya and I go through the same routine.
I sit him in his “Lazy-Boy” highchair, strap him in, place his bib around his neck, put his spoon and bowl on his tray and I prepare his breakfast. I show him item number one, usually yogurt with a scoop of fruit puree. He looks at me and presses his lips shut. Basically his way of saying “no way, try again”. Next I show him oaty-protein mash or some other new creation. Again, same reaction.
He looks at me like I’m totally crazy for suggesting that he try one of these dishes before giving him his beloved. I tilt my favorite tiny bowl (I got it on my honeymoon in Italy) which he automatically recognizes towards him and he squeals with such delight you would have thought it was a 10 scoop sundae. No, it’s just his little favorite gem, an egg yolk.
Egg yolks are a fantastic source of vitamin A and iron for babies. I boil a half dozen once a week and keep them in the fridge. This way all I have to do is crack, peel, mash and serve. Who knew this little golden ball could cause such a big smile on a babies face.

*Babies under the age of one should not try egg whites because of
possible allergies. But don’t throw the whites away! I usually pop them in my mouth right then and there or give them to my husband as a healthy morning protein boost.
*You can start giving this recipe to baby around 9 months of age.Egg Yolk (1 Baby Serving)

1 Egg, fully cooked
1 Tsp Water

1. Crack and peel egg.
2. Separate the cooked egg white from the yolk (parents can eat the egg white for a protein boost which you’ll probably need at this early hour).
3. Place the egg yolk in a bowl.
4. Mash with a fork and add water until it makes a thick paste.
5. Serve.

Hard cooked eggs

*This method creates an egg that is fully cooked but still silky, not dry, overcooked and easy to mash

4-6 eggs, any size, white or brown will do

1. Place eggs in a saucepan and cover with water.
2. Bring water to a boil.
3. Turn off stove and let rest for 10 minutes.
4. Remove hot water from eggs and cover with cool water until eggs are room temperature.

Since weelicious launched, the funniest comment I’ve heard was “I love the recipes, but some of them look regurgitated”. Come on now, they’re purees, what do you expect? We were all babies once and we all ate soft and silky purees.
I can only imagine the comments I’ll hear after posting this recipe, but trust me, it’s delicious and nutritious. Kenya didn’t miss a beat when I fed it to him for the first time.
Greens are essential for babies and toddlers, especially broccoli and spinach which are high in beta-carotene, folic acid, iron and vitamin C. By steaming instead of boiling the vegetables, you save over 1/2 the water soluble vitamins that you would lose by submerging them in hot water.

Broccoli & Spinach Puree (10 Baby Servings)

1 Cup Broccoli, florets and stems peeled
2 Cups Spinach, packed or 16 ounce bag frozen

1. Put broccoli in a steamer pot over boiling water for 2 minutes.
2. Add spinach and cook another 2-3 minutes or until broccoli is fork tender.
3. Put ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

This weekend Kenya and I went to the farmers market alone. It was easy when he was a baby because I could just throw him in the sling and off I went. It’s not exactly the same story now that he’s 26 pounds and interested in everything. Luckily my friend who makes the bubsnug slings, showed me how to put him on my hip while wearing the sling. Kenya acted like the king of the market while I pushed our cart and gathered our provisions for the week. The farmers gave him raw mushrooms, sugar snap peas and kumquats which he chowed on (then drooled all over my shoulder) while we shopped.
While there, we bought beautiful white rose potatoes. They’re long and slender with a creamy texture when pureed. You can even leave the thin skin on for extra fiber.
Kale is a powerhouse of nutrition. It’s packed full of vitamin C and beta-carotene which are important anti-oxidants for a healthy immune system. The calcium in kale also makes it an important source for children who are vegan or vegetarian. Since kale can have a strong taste on its own, I added it to this silky potato puree. While I was making it I realized it needed an added oomph…so I shredded in some low sodium cheddar cheese (you could also try soy cheese) which gives it a little tang and adds extra calcium and protein.

Potato, Kale & Cheese Puree (10-12 Baby Servings)

2 Large White Rose Potatoes, chopped (you could also use russet or Yukon gold)
1 Cup Kale, chopped
2 Tbsp Whole Milk, you could also substitute the water remaining in the steamer pot
2 Tbsp Mild Cheddar Cheese, shredded

1. Put potatoes in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 6 minutes.
2. Add the kale and continue cooking 4 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
3. In a food processor puree all the ingredients until smooth. You can add more water from the bottom of the steamer pot if necessary.
* I like to make this puree thinner then you might expect. After it cools and is refrigerated, it tend to firm up a bit. This way it won’t be too thick and difficult for baby to eat.
4. Cool and serve.

So here’s one of those posts I feel a bit guilty about writing since I’m all about the farmers market and eating what’s fresh and in season. I started preparing this recipe and had bought the most gorgeous, already pre-shelled peas at the market. I was so excited to steam them and pop them in my mouth like candy. I bit into one waiting for a sweet explosion and instead got a bland mealy taste. Luckily I had a bag of frozen sweet peas in the freezer that were the perfect substitute.
I like fresh vegetables as much as anyone, but when you need something easy and full of flavor, frozen peas are a godsend.
This puree is a vegetarians dream. Packed with protein from the garbanzo beans and tahini, there are so many flavors for baby to explore. This is the first time I’ve given Kenya parsley which also seemed to be a hit.
The best part was watching Kenya trying to grab at the spoon as I fed him. I always give him his own wooden spoon to hold while he eats (so that he’s part of the process) and this time I put some of the hummus on his. Since it’s a little sticky, it held on to his spoon as we waved it around and he was able to get several bites in his mouth.
This was a big step for the little guy.

Fresh Pea Hummus (15 Baby Food Servings)

1 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen
1 Cup Garbanzo Beans
1 Tbsp Parsley, chopped
1/4 Cup Whole Milk Yogurt
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Tahini

1. Put peas in a steamer over boiling water for 2 minutes if frozen,
4-5 if fresh.
2. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
3. Serve.

I actually got the idea for this puree from a friend. She was giving her
grand-daughter this puree out of a jar and I asked her how much it cost.
$1.49 for a tiny jar of food! I was kind of blown away at how the costs
could rack up knowing how much food Kenya eats and how much he loves
variety.
If you are busy and working full time, I get it. Your baby is lucky to
be eating healthy, organic food. If you could make it fresh (the benefit
being it would retain more vitamins since it’s not living in a jar for
weeks — maybe even months) and it would cost a fraction of the price,
wouldn’t it be better to make your own?!
I bought three organic items for this recipes. The mango was $1.69, the
bag of carrots was $1.39 and the apple was 69 cents. That’s a total of
$3.77 and I had 3/4 of the bag of carrots and some mango leftover. There
are 10 servings in this recipe which means it would cost give or take
$14.90 (that’s a savings of $11.13).
This puree has a heavenly flavor. The mango and carrots are packed with
Vitamin C and Beta-Carotene which your baby’s body converts to Vitamin A
which is needed for healthy skin and vision. Trust me, this won’t be a
hard puree to sell to your little one.

*A NOTE ON MANGOES- There are tons of contraptions and different ways to
cut mangoes. I peel the mango with a carrot scraper and the cut around
the pit. Figure out approximately where the pit is placed and cut a big oval off
one side and then the other. Turn it and cut the remaining strips off
the long side. This way it comes right off the pit and you won’t waste
any of the delicious mango.

Mango, Apple and Carrot Puree (10 Baby Servings)

1/2 Cup Baby Carrots, chopped
1 Cup Mango, chopped
1 Cup Apple, peeled and chopped

1. Put carrots in a steamer pot over boiling water for 3 minutes.
2. Add mango and apple for 2 minutes or until everything is fork tender.
3. Put in a food processor until smooth.
4. Cool and serve.

This past weekend I went to the farmers market and gorgeous pencil asparagus were everywhere. Asparagus aren’t one of those vegetables that you naturally think of giving to a baby. I was struggling to think of a recipe, then last night my husband said, “Let’s have stir fry for dinner”.
The ingredients in a stir fry lend themselves to the flavors that marry beautifully in baby food. I will say that it was tough leaving out the soy sauce, but young babies still don’t need the extra sodium in their diet.
When I pulled the lid off the food processor the sesame aroma leapt out at me and I guess Kenya too, since he was screaming, and I mean SCREAMING for a bite. He only mumbles a few words, but “mmmm..,” kept coming out as he ate bite after bite. I’ll take that as a compliment.

Chicken “Stir fry” Puree (makes 12 baby servings, freeze 1/2)

1 Chicken Breast
1 Tsp Fresh Ginger, peeled, chopped or sliced into 2 coins)
1 Garlic Clove
2 Tbsp Onion, chopped
3/4 Cup Broccoli, peeled, stem and florets (or frozen)
1/2 Asparagus, bottoms trimmed and chopped
1 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Sesame Seeds

1. Put chicken in a steamer pot over boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.
2. Add ginger, garlic, onion, broccoli and asparagus and continue steaming another 4 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are fork tender.
3. Place all the ingredients in a food processor and puree. Add some of the water from the steamer pot to make smooth.
4. Cool and Serve.

I feel like “eat your greens” rings through my ears when I’m cooking. Didn’t everyone have a parent who said that to you as a child at the dinner table?! Well, here I am now, the parent, trying to get my son to eat his greens. He’s actually amazing about it. I don’t think he knows yet that it’s a right of passage as a kid to deny them whenever possible.
The mix of vegetables in this puree is colorful and bursting with vitamins and minerals. I added the carrots and sweet potatoes to give it a little more body and sweetness. Even a baby who turns his or her nose up at greens will love this mix.

“Eat Your Greens” Puree

1/2 Cup Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 Cup Baby Carrots, chopped
1/2 Cup Green Beans, ends removed
1/2 Cup Broccoli Florets
1/2 Cup Peas, fresh or frozen

1. Put sweet potatoes and carrots in a steamer over boiling water, cover and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add remaining ingredients and steam for another 3 minutes or until fork tender.
3. Put in a food processor and puree.
4. Cool and Serve.

I was at my best friend Jillian’s store, Maxwell Dog, when I came up with this idea. Instead of giving out dog biscuits to visiting “customers,” they give them dehydrated sweet potatoes to gnaw on. She gave one to Kenya and he spent a good hour teething on it. He loved it and I knew somehow it comforted him.
I do realize that most people don’t have dehydrators, so if you don’t you can try this on the lowest setting of your oven, but it won’t be exactly the same.
I put every fruit and vegetable I could find in it over night. It was like a science project. Let me tell you, though, avocados are down right nasty dehydrated. On the other hand kiwis and cucumbers were delicious. Below is a list of my favorite, but feel free to try different produce to see what your little angel will love.
I cut everything lengthwise so baby had a big piece to gnaw on for a long time.

Fruit Teether

Bananas
Kiwis
Strawberries
Watermelon
Sweet Potatoes
Cucumbers

1. Set dehydrator to 135 degrees.
2. Slice fruit and vegetables into slices about 1/8 inch thick or smaller, lengthwise.
3. Place on trays and put into dehydrator (cooking time will vary, so check the dehydrator every few hours).
4. Serve.