Asparagus and Pear Puree, Stage 2 Meals

I love this puree, it's fresh and crisp tasting, super easy to prepare and packed with nutrients. Asparagus are in season right now and are particularly yummy. This puree is also a great way to introduce your baby to veggies if he's being picky, because most babies love pears.

Asparagus is a great source of vitamin K, vitamin A, folate, vitamin C and contains a surprising amount of protein for a vegetable. It is also a known diuretic and may give your baby's urine a strong smell. This is normal and due to the amino acid asparagine. Look for firm asparagus stalks that are a deep green color-the deeper the color, the more nutrient dense it will be. Fresh asparagus should be prepared within 2-3 days of purchasing, because it is perishable and loses nutrients relatively quickly. Frozen asparagus can be used when fresh are not available.

This recipe is suitable for babies 7-9 months and up. At this stage, mushy mash consistency is appropriate for most babies. Mushy Mash is thicker and lumpier than a stage 1 puree, but the lumps must be soft so as not to pose a choking hazard. Always make sure the consistency is one your baby can handle. Before combining foods, make sure your baby has tried each one individualy first.

What you'll need:

1 bunch of fresh asparagus - washed with the rough ends trimmed and discarded, chopped

3 barlett, bosc or anjou pears - washed, peeled, cored and chopped 

*Pour purified water into a pot until it is about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil over high heat.

*Put asparagus into a steamer basket and place the basket into the pot. Cover with a tight fitting lid and steam for about 7 minutes, until the asparagus are completely tender and cooked through.

*Place the asparagus and pear into a food processor and pulse until desired consistency is achieved. Alternately, place asparagus and pear into a large mixing bowl and blend with an immersion blender to desired consistency.

*Extra Asparagus Pear Puree can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

*Enjoy!

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A Guide To Texture

One of my favorite things is getting to lead homemade baby food workshops. I love sharing with parents how easy and non time-consuming it is to make your own baby food and how truly beneficial it is for our children. I often get asked about texture and consistency. I have found that many parents do not realize how quickly you can move your baby through textures. Store bought baby food seems to have the same liquidy consistency for all stages which is completely unneccessary. Babies are able to handle texture and do not need liquid food for the first year unless it is medically necessary. Feeding your baby food with varying consistencies and textures not only helps them develop their chewing skills, but helps prevent picky eating and texture aversion down the road.

4-6 Months
Smooth & Creamy
This is the beginning of your baby's culinary journey and he is learning to swallow food from a spoon. The texture should be very smooth and creamy, no lumps or anything that would be difficult for your baby to swallow. While you don't want there to be lumps, you also don't want the consistency to be too liquidy either and running down your baby's chin. If the puree is too much like a liquid, you are teaching her to drink from a spoon rather than take a true bite of solid food. If you do need to thin the puree, add a little cooking water, breast milk or formula. If you need to thicken it, add a little baby cereal.

Smooth and Creamy Butternut Squash Puree

7-9 Months
Mushy Mash

At 4-6 months, the idea was to get your baby used to swallowing solid food.  At this stage, the idea is for your baby to learn how to gum food, which is the step before chewing.  If your baby is ready, you can start to thicken her purees into a mushy mash.  A mushy mash is thicker and lumpier than a smooth and creamy puree.  The lumps must be soft so she can gum them.  As her teeth come in, continue to play with texture and thickness, but be sure to keep the lumps soft.  If they are not soft, your baby could choke.  Follow her cues and only thicken and lump up puree if your baby is ready.

As far as the texture of baby cereals and grains goes, if your baby is ready, you can now feed him millet without pulverizing it first.  Millet is naturally very small in size and cooks up into a perfect mushy mash.  The same goes for quinoa and amaranth, they are small in size and cook up nice and mushy.  However, if your baby isn’t quite ready, please pulverize before cooking or mash before serving.  Rice, oatmeal and barley are larger sized grains and still need to be either pulverized before cooking or mashed into smaller pieces before serving.  

This is also a good time to introduce small shaped pasta like pastina or stellini, if you feel your baby is ready. These pasta shapes are naturally mushy and the perfect size for this stage. 

Mushy Mash Pastina with Homemade Tomato Sauce and Grated Parmesan Cheese

10-12 Months

Chunk-A-Licious

This is the stage where your baby will really learn how to chew. He most likely has a couple of teeth he’s been chomping away with already. If he is ready, you can bump up the texture of his meals to chunk-a-licious. I consider this a thick and lumpy puree or meal. However, be sure to keep the chunks soft so as to avoid a potential choking hazard. 

At this stage, your baby may even be ready to have some of her meals finely chopped with a knife instead of being pureed. Additionally, she may also be able to tackle all grains in their whole form, barley, rice and oatmeal included. However, if you feel your baby is not ready for this yet, please mash or lightly puree her grains before serving. You can also introduce pasta shapes that are slightly larger, like ditallini, if your baby is ready. Again, if she is not quite ready yet, please stay with small shaped pasta, like pastina. 

Chunk-A-Licious Beef with Barley, Carrots, Mushrooms and Parsley



*This is a guideline, please remember that every baby is different, always make sure the consistency of your baby's food is one she can handle.

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Strawberry Applesauce, Stage 3 Meals

Nothing says summer to me like fresh strawberries. All 3 of my kids absolutely love strawberry applesauce. It's an easy-to-prepare healthy snack for everyone. I like to make it in large batches, because we go through about 20 ounces at a time in our house!

Aside from being sweet and delicious, strawberries are rich in cancer-fighting flavonoids, vitamin C, manganese and fiber. However, as they have some of the highest pesticide residues, buy organic whenever possible. Look for firm, plump strawberries that have a deep red color, with the green tops attached. They will not ripen further once picked, so avoid strawberries that are yellow or look underripe. Strawberries will stay fresh, in their container or a plastic bag, in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Strawberries are at their peak in the summer, but you can use frozen when fresh are out of season. If you have a family history of allergies, consult your pediatrician before introducing. Strawberries stain-take care when preparing and serving.

This recipe is suitable for babies 10-12 months, toddlers, big kids and adults. Always make sure the consistency of your baby's food is one he can handle. Before combining food, make sure your baby has tried each one individually first. Although this recipe is a smooth and creamy consistency, it is recommended to wait until your baby is 10-12 months before introducing strawberries. You can substitute blueberries for babies 7-9 months.

What you'll need:

4 large apples - washed, peeled, cored and chopped. Nearly all varieties of apple make delicious applesauce, just avoid tart varieties like Granny Smith and Pippin.

1 large container of strawberries (about 10-12 berries) - washed with the green stem removed

Cinnamon - (optional)

*Pour purified water into a pot until it is about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil over high heat.

*Put the chopped apples into a steamer basket and place the basket into the pot. The water should not touch the bottom of the basket. Cover with a tight fitting lid and steam for about 7 minutes until apples are cooked through. (If you are using frozen strawberries, steam them with the apples before pureeing)

*Place the apples and strawberries into a food processor and pulse until smooth.

*Add a dash of cinnamon if desired.

*Extra can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

*Enjoy!

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"Popcorn" Chickpeas

I went to dinner a few nights ago with my mom, our good friend Claudia and her daughter-in-law Liz. We had such a great time, I hadn't been out to dinner with the girls in a long time. We sat around the table laughing and talking about food and recipes for hours. Liz told me that Claudia makes chickpeas into a popcorn-like snack and everyone in their family is addicted to them. I am a HUGE fan of chickpeas and asked for her recipe. I tried it out today and this is, without a doubt, one of my new favorite snacks.

Chickpeas are extremely nutrient-rich and are a great source of non-meat protein. They have a mild nutty taste and a velvety texture. They can be purchased dry in bulk and will stay fresh for up to one year when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. I like using pre-cooked chickpeas, because it saves a lot of prep time, just be sure to rinse them well before use. If using canned chickpeas, look for brands that use BPA free cans, like Eden Foods.

This recipe is suitable for kids age 3 and up, big kids and adults.  Do not give these "Popcorn" Chickpeas to children under 3 as they can be a choking hazard.

What you'll need:

2 cans of pre-cooked chickpeas - drained in a strainer and rinsed well under cool running water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon coarse grain sea salt 

1 teaspoon garlic powder - whenever possible, use organic dried spices as they are far less likely to have been irradiated

Makes 4 servings

*Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

*After rinsing, pat chickpeas dry with a paper towel and place into a Pyrex glass or porcelain roasting/baking pan.

*Drizzle with the olive oil and season with the salt and garlic powder. Mix well with a spoon and spread the chickpeas out in the pan so they're in 1 layer.

*Roast for 30-40 minutes until chickpeas are nice and crunchy.

*Add more salt and garlic powder to taste if desired.

*Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.



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Go Green Smoothie!

This green smoothie is so delicious it's sure to become one of your family's favorites.  They'll love the sweet, crisp taste and you'll love the fact that they're guzzling down tons of raw spinach.  While this smoothie is green in color, you can't taste the spinach at all making it the perfect go-to treat for a picky eater.



Spinach is one of nature's superfoods.  It is packed with vitamins and nutrients. In fact, it has more iron than most greens and is rich in lutein, which is good for your eyesight. Additionaly, spinach has strong anticancer properties. Conventionally grown spinach is fairly high in nitrates; buy organic whenever possible. Look for spinach with brightly colored green leaves that show no signs of wilting or decay. Spinach will stay fresh in a sealed container in the refrigerator for about 1 week.

Royce was in the kitchen with me as I was making this smoothie. He could not believe that I was going to put spinach in a smoothie. He was skeptical and not even sure he wanted to try it. He took one little sip and was hooked! He kept saying, "Mom this is blowing my mind! This is 1000% delicious!" So cute.



This Go Green Smoothie recipe is suitable for babies 10-12 months, toddlers, big kids and adults.  Before combining foods, make sure your baby has tried each one individually first.

What you'll need:
1/2 cup of orange juice
1 banana - peeled
10 organic strawberries - washed with the green stem removed
3-4 cups of organic baby spinach - washed
2 handfuls of ice cubes

Makes 3-4 servings

*Place ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
*Serve or freeze.
*Extra Go Green Smoothie can be stored in an airtight container for about 2 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

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Cherry Banana Quinoa, Stage 2 Meals

It's summertime and cherries are back in season. I love sweet cherries. Not only are they delicious, but they are loaded with nutrients and disease-fighting antioxidants. Cherries can also boost the immune system and help when your baby is constipated.  Cherries mixed with banana and quinoa is one of my childrens' favorites.  It makes a healthy and yummy breakfast not only for your baby, but for the rest of your family as well!

Look for sweet cherries-Bing, Lambert and Rainier varieties are the most popular. Avoid sour cherry varieties. The darker the cherry, the more flavonoid and antioxidant-rich it is. Cherries are currently in season, but frozen are okay to use as well. Cherries no not continue to ripen once they are picked; look for ones that are firm and plump with shiny skin. They will stay fresh in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for about a week. Cherries stain, take care when preparing and serving!

This recipe is suitable for babies 7-9 months and up, toddlers, big kids and adults. Always make sure the consistency of your baby's food is one she can handle. Before combining foods, make sure your baby has tried each one individually.

What you'll need:

1/2 cup of quinoa - rinsed in a strainer under cool running water

1/2 banana

1 cup of cherries - washed, cut in half with pit removed

*Bring 1 cup of purified water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add the quinoa, let boil for 1 minute then reduce heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

*Place the cherries and banana into a food processor and pulse until smooth. If using frozen cherries, steam for about 5 minutes before blending.

*Mix cherry banana mixture with the quinoa and serve.

*Store the extra in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.  



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When Did My Baby Become A Little Girl?

It happened in a blink. One minute my daughter was a baby and the next she's a little girl with pigtails, climbing the stairs and wanting to wrestle with her brothers.  The change seemed to literally happen overnight. How does this happen? Why is it that the older we get the faster time flies? More importantly, what can we do to slow it down?

                            

I was never someone who got caught up in time, but something about my oldest turning 5 this year changed everything. Now it seems like life has suddenly become a bullet train and the years are whizzing by so fast my head is spinning.



My kids are growing up so fast, I need to find a way to hold onto these moments.



I'm not sure how, but I'm going to find a way to wrestle Father Time to the ground, because this time is all too precious and fleeting.

*A big thank you to Basia Ambroziak for these amazing photos! + Add to my Recipe Box

Beef with Barley, Carrots and Mushrooms, Stage 3 Meals

Beef with Barley, Carrots and Mushrooms is a great Stage 3 meal for babies 10-12 months and up.  It combines many different yummy flavors and textures, plus it has an incredibly delicious aroma.  This meal is also loaded with nutrients.  It is rich in protein, vitamin B12, potassium, zinc, selenium, magnesium, fiber, niacin, vitamin A and riboflavin.

At this stage, your baby most likely has a few teeth he's been chomping away with already and the consistency of this meal will help his growing chewing skills. At this chunky texture, be sure to not give too big of a bite, just a little on every spoonful. If your baby is not ready for the consistency pictured, please place the meal in a food processor or blender and pulse until the proper consistency for your baby is achieved.

Before combining foods, make sure your baby has tried each one individually first.

What you'll need:
1/4 cup of pearl barley - rinsed thoroughly in a strainer under cold running water
1/4 lb of ground beef or beef tenderloin - if using beef tenderloin, chop into small pieces before cooking
1/4 cup of low sodium beef or chicken stock
1 carrot - washed, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup of crimini or portobello mushrooms - washed and chopped
1 tablespoon of fresh flat leaf parsley - washed and finely chopped  

*Bring 1 cup of purified water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add barley and let boil for 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for about 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed and the barley is tender.  If necessary, add more purified water during the cooking process.

*Pour purified water into a pot until it is about 1 inch deep and bring to a boil over high heat. Place chopped carrots and mushrooms into a steamer basket and place the basket into the pot, be sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the basket. Cover with a tight fitting lid and steam for 5-7 minutes.

*While the barley and veggies are cooking, bring 1/4 cup of the stock to a boil over high heat in a small/medium skillet. Add the beef and let cook until no longer pink inside, about 2 minutes.  Move the beef around with the end of a spatula or wooden spoon while cooking.

*To serve, finely chop veggies and beef, mix with barley and top with a touch of the chopped parsley. If necessary, place the meal into a blender or food processor and pulse until the proper consistency for your baby is achieved.

*Store the extra in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer.

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