Kale, Sweet Potato, and Apple Puree

As a society, we are obsessed with making our children eat kale.

I overheard some mommies discussing desperate attempts to get their children to eat kale. Kale chips, covering it with cheese and calling it dinosaur food, blending it into smoothies.

All of these sound terrible to me.

I love healthy food and even I struggle with kale. I don't think it was even on my mom's radar when I was little. We saw it at the grocery as a garnish for all fresh produce and I don't even think it occurred to us to put it in our mouths.

So, why bother? Why not just leave it as salad bar garnish and move on our with lives?

According to webmd, it is one of the most healthiest vegetables on the planet.

1 cup of kale = 9% daily value of calcium, and over 100% of Vitamin A, C, and K.


Probably not the worst thing to feed our kids, right? And even better if we can find ways to actually make it taste good.

And let's be honest, I bought a huge bag for another recipe and didn't know what to do with it.

I took a tip from from Rachel Ray and included some fresh ground nutmeg as it is supposed to pair well with hearty greens like kale. My next tip was from Baby G who will eat anything with sweet potatoes and ditto for apples. So, essentially I was trying everything I could to make kale palpable. And I think it worked....


Kale, Sweet Potato and Apple Puree

[1/2] large sweet potato or 1 small sweet potato, sliced

1 apple, sliced

2 generous handfuls of kale, stems removed

[1/4] teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg or ground nutmeg

1-2 tablespoons water (from steaming)


1. Steam sweet potato and apple for 2-3 minutes. Add kale and steam for additional 2 minutes.

2. Combine, sweet potato, apple, kale, ground nutmeg, and a splash of water from steaming in a blender. Puree until you reach desired consistency.


3. Store in fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.


Beyond the Puree

This is a very sweet puree. It would be good paired with a strong cheese- goat or blue cheese and some steamed kale in a quesadilla or mixed in with some steel cut oats for a sweet twist on breakfast.

Recipe Review
 
Even I was surprised how much Baby G liked it. I became one of those annoying moms smirking over her precious daughter eating kale. Then I had to remind myself how sweet it was with the sweet potato, apple, and warm nutmeg. This puree tastes so good that it's really not an accomplishment that your little one is gobbling kale....or is it?

The ground nutmeg really does complement the kale nicely. So much that I don't think I will be able to think of kale without it ever again. 

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What do you think about kale? Yay or nay? How does your little one like kale?

Report Back on Traveling

I really wish I could open this post with how easy it was to prepare clean foods (unprocessed, homemade) foods for Baby G while we were traveling. I was excited to share all my tips and tricks with you and hopefully inspire you to try eating clean on the road, and maybe I still will, let's hope!

I will say it wasn't difficult, but it also wasn't easy, or more accurately, it wasn't as easy as I thought.

It started out well: I put two frozen purees in some tupperware containers and threw in a bag of banana bread sticks in my carry on. When we got to Dallas and our 3 hour layover, we set up shop at a TGI Fridays (it's amazing what GREAT salads they have there!), ordered some steamed broccoli with no oil or salt for Baby G. She was a very happy traveler and this red solo cup and her banana bread sticks kept her occupied until the broccoli came out. PS-I will now always try to remember to bring a red solo cup to restaurants- great toy!

Broccoli was truly steamed with nothing else. She gummed the broccoli, threw it on the floor, and devoured her pureed carrots.

I realized that the second puree wasn't going to make it with us to Donna, TX (our final destination) so I got rid of it, but luckily had packed an avocado that she could have dinner.

Dinner that night was hectic as we got in past her bedtime. She gummed some banana bread sticks, had a little avocado and then went to bed.

At breakfast, I realized I really had nothing for her. I grabbed some instant oatmeal and some blueberry yogurt from the continental breakfast and she was fine. I then managed to lose the rest of the banana bread sticks in my parents' pantry. Doh! I just hope they don't try to bite into one when they find them. I will not be held responsible for chipped teeth.

I went to the store with JP and my dad. It's there I realized how much I depend on my freezer full of purees at home. Three and a half days and I was starting from scratch. Here is what I bought:

-Sweet potatoes

-Pears

-Plums

-Canned tomatoes

-Can of black beans

-Cumin

-Greek yogurt

-Broccoli

-Mild Cheddar Cheese

-Mango

I decided to make two purees and then give her broccoli, sweet potato strips, mango, and cheese as finger foods. I don't have any pictures of the purees, but here is what they were (roughly):

Pear/Plum Puree: 1 pear sliced, 1 plum sliced, handful of craisins (in my mom's pantry): all steamed together. Pureed with steaming water and cinnamon. Baby G LOVED this puree. 

Black Bean/Sweet Potato/Tomato: Steamed sweet potato slices pureed with [1/2] can black beans, [1/2] can tomatoes, sprinkle of cumin. Baby G wouldn't touch this puree with a 10-foot pole. Though it did make a pretty good bean dip for us.

I ended up mixing the pear/plum puree with instant oatmeal in the morning (from our continental breakfast) and with yogurt at lunch. At dinner, I gave her steamed broccoli, cheese, and mashed sweet potato.

It was a lot of repetition and I tried to use the finger foods to change things up. I discovered she likes cheese a lot, and I think for us, cheese will be our puffs. It disintegrates in her mouth and she really likes to gum it. I started breaking it into small pieces and she liked grabbing it.

On the way back, I froze the remainder of the pear/plum puree. We ordered steamed broccoli again, but it was definitely salted. Good thing JP and I love broccoli!

So, what did I learn?

1. Bring an insulated lunch box. If I would have had one, I could have brought more with me from home and for on our flight back, as well as her beloved cheese. 

2. Have a better plan for what you are going to make. The bean puree was supposed to be like this one that she devoured. I shouldn't have tried something new (the tomatoes) while on the road. It was really disheartening that she wouldn't eat it.

I will also say that it made me re-examine why I was doing this. At the store, I couldn't find much organic stuff and I felt bad that I wasn't giving her organic. I almost bought some pre-made stuff. So what held me back? I want her to taste what real food tastes like and I don't believe the pre-made, processed stuff is real food. My husband and I don't eat packaged foods and we don't want to raise our family on packaged food. It's something very deep-seated in us. I can't even always explain it. It's just how we live. And we don't always eat organic, though we do try to when possible, so it's realistic that she will not eat 100% organic.

So, the trip wasn't easy and I was down about it, but my husband reminded me how hard it was for us to travel at first. Don't get me wrong: we are not rude people. We eat what is served and we don't question it or even address it. But when we travel, we always buy our own snack food and treat our hosts well because they are putting up with us, we take them out, we try to prepare food for them, etc. We also work out every day, even on the road, and try to maintain our lifestyle as much as we can. It's what we do. It's become so much of what we do that we don't think about it anymore, but it was hard at first.

I am hoping it will be the same way with preparing food for our kids. It will get easier. We will keep learning what works and what doesn't work. And we will keep not freaking out if everything is not perfect.

Now, because I droned on and on, I will share with you one of my fave pics and another reason I am not too upset that Baby G's food didn't work out as planned. Clearly, she doesn't have very discriminating taste because here is what her favorite thing to eat on vacation was:

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Have you traveled with your baby yet? Any good tips?

Cranberry Pear Applesauce (and Traveling with Baby)

We are getting ready to leave for our first trip with Baby G. We will be flying for the first time so there are piles throughout the house. I can't believe how much stuff a little person needs! Before I leave, I wanted to share with you our current favorite recipe, but first a few notes on traveling clean....

Eating Clean While Traveling

This is our first real eating challenge as we are still determined to keep her off processed foods while we travel. Believe me, I've been tempted in the last few days. We are lucky in that we are visiting my parents so we will have our own kitchen in our hotel suite as well as all of their gadgets at their place, namely a really nice blender so we can make our own purees. It also helps that we are going to Southern Texas where the produce is cheap and plentiful. I am packing my Pampered Chef microwave steamer and I made some banana bread sticks that are great teethers and snacks for her (recipe will be posted when I get back). I have frozen purees that I am going to pack in my OXO containers for the airport. Other than that, we will rely on produce we can find at the airport and when we get there, we will make a trip to the grocery store for some puree and finger food ingredients.

To cut down on packing, I ordered feeding bibs, spoons, bottles, and some other baby supplies (diapers, sunblock, swim stuff) on Amazon and because of our Prime account, it's free shipping. We will have that stuff waiting for us when we get there. Anything to make it easier!

I will be tweeting about our adventures in feeding, so follow me to get our updates.

Cranberry Pear Applesauce

I read about using cranberries in purees in Anni Daulter's book Bountiful Baby Purees. She talks about not being afraid of giving baby's sour food and despite her kind warnings, I was still nervous. Would she really like cranberries? Would she purse her mouth and turn away?

Not. At. All.

Baby G LOVES this puree. The pears and raisins give it some added sweetness, but don't get me wrong, this is tart. She has been gobbling it up since I made it up. Cranberries are a great source of Vitamin C. With its refreshing taste, it's a particularly great puree during cold and flu season.

I made it in the slow cooker, but feel free to make this in a regular steamer. I just wanted a hands off method as Baby G is now mobile and I have less time to monitor anything besides her.

Ingredients:

1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen

3 small apples, sliced

2 small pears, sliced

[1/2] cup raisins

[1/2] cup water

3 cinnamon sticks
 
1. Combine all ingredients** in a medium slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours, or until pears and apples are tender.

2. Remove cinnamon sitcks and transfer to a blender. Puree until you reach your desired consistency. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

**The cranberries made a bit of a mess in the slow cooker. To avoid the mess, you could add them for the last 1-2 hours. Or, if you are like me, just soak the slow cooker over night before washing it. If I did it again, I'd live with the mess because it requires less thought.

Recipe Review:

We will definitely be incorporating cranberries into more recipes. I love the idea that Baby G is being exposed to a wider variety of flavors and cranberries are so good for you!

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Have you made any sour purees yet?

Any tips for traveling with a baby?

Pear, Raisin, and Ginger Puree

Many know how much my husband loves spinach, but few people know he loves pears just as much, if not more.

Baby G is just like her daddy.

This is the one puree she will always eat, and I don't blame her, it is tasty!

Steaming Via Slow Cooker

I love my slow cooker, and I love it more when it does all the work for me. You could steam the pears and sweet potatoes on the stove or in the microwave. If you're home and you have a slow cooker, just throw them in there and go do something more important.
 

Pear, Raisin, and Ginger Puree

Did you know that the skins of pears contain at least 4 times the amount of phytonutrients (aka really healthy things like antioxidants and anticancer nutrients) than the flesh?  Keep the skin on if you can.

 4 small pears, cut up

[1/3] cup raisins

[1/4] teaspoon ground ginger

[1/4] - [1/2] cup water

1. Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours or until pears are tender.

2. Transfer all ingredients to a blender. Puree until you reach the desired consistency.

3. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Recipe Review

As I said, this is a clear favorite of Baby G. It is a little runnier than the other purees I made, so it's good to combine with yogurt or you may want to use just a [1/4] cup of water (I used a [1/2] cup). The raisins add a nice sweetness to the mix.

The ginger was a perfect match, spice-wise. It's a classic combination, so why not start baby off right in her foodie palate? 

Beyond the Puree

Let's say your baby moved beyond purees, and you still have some in the freezer or fridge, or maybe your baby didn't like it and you don't want to toss it. Here are some other ideas for using this puree:

This would be amazing if you heated up and poured it over ice cream. So amazing that I might make another batch just to do that.

You could also serve it with pork, similar to how you may serve applesauce with pork.

Swirl it into your morning yogurt.

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Have a wonderful weekend! I would love to hear from you. If you haven't already, introduce yourself and your baby. :)

 

Black Beans, Spinach, Sweet Potato, and Garam Masala Puree

You can't judge a puree by its looks.

Let's just put it out there now: this is not an attractive looking puree.

I did my best to make it look appetizing, but even I have to try and look past it.

What makes this puree so unique is the Garam Masala seasoning. Garam Masala is an Indian spice. It translates (loosely) to warm mixture of spices. It's not "warm" in that it's hot and spicy, but just warming flavors: cinnamon, cardamon, cumin, cloves, and pepper. It's a great sweet and savory spice and with its cinnamon undertones, I thought it would be great in a puree.

Black Beans, Spinach, Sweet Potato, and Garam Masala Puree

 

1 cup frozen organic spinach,

1 medium sweet potato, sliced and ends removed

1 cup black beans, cooked

[1/4] teaspoon Garam Masala seasoning*

[1/4] - [1/2] cup water

1. Steam spinach and sweet potato in the microwave: place them in a glass bowl with a few tablespoons of water and cover. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, until sweet potatoes are tender.

2. Combine all ingredients (starting with [1/4] cup water) in a blender. Puree until you reach the desired consistency, adding more water if need.

3. Store in fridge for up to 5 days and in freezer for up to 3 months.

*Don't have Garam Masala? Try cumin or coriander.

Recipe Review:

I wasn't sure what Baby G would think of this. I knew I liked it, but was it too much? She loves it. I don't know if it's the cinnamon quality of the Garam Masala or the sweet potatoes, but she gobbles it up. Not only does it expose her to new flavors, but it's packed with protein from the beans and iron from the spinach. Even I snack on it when I am hungry and feeding her.

Beyond the Puree:

Let's say your baby moved beyond purees, and you still have some in the freezer or fridge, or maybe your baby didn't like it and you don't want to toss it. Here are some other ideas for using this puree:

This would be great in a quesadilla with a mild, white cheese and maybe some mango chutney as a dipping sauce.

Would also be good tossed with rice or scooped up with Naan bread with some Greek yogurt and diced cucumbers.

Could make a Naan flatbread: spread this on the Naan, sprinkle with feta cheese, bake at 400 for 8-12 minutes until heated through and crust is crispy, top with diced cucumbers and fresh tomatoes.

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Have you tried beans yet with your baby? What kind?

Cherry-Apps and Cloves Puree

We eat a lot of spices in our house. Spices as in, mouth-watering-forehead-sweating-get-me-water-now spice and spices as in I have two cupboards full of sweet and savory goodness.

When we first started purees, Baby G was more interested in her socks than in eating.

Oh, let's be honest, she was more interested in ANYTHING than eating. It was almost insulting. Then I started reading a book by Anni Daulter, Orgnanically Raised, and I realized that maybe my purees were just too boring. Daulter talks about how it's important to keep flavor in mind when we are feeding our babies.

We never eat plain food so why should I expect Baby G to like it? When I was pregnant, I craved spicy food and when I was breastfeeding I ate everything you weren't supposed- curries, garlic, broccoli, jalapeno peppers, she never minded.

When I started spices to my purees,  suddenly Baby G was more interested in eating than her socks. That's not saying much, but it is saying something.

A Note About Equipment

There are a lot of ways to make purees.  In this recipe, I steamed the fruit in the microwave for this recipe. Is that the best, healthiest way to do it? Nope. For me, it's easy, and steaming my fruit in the microwave is better than buying store-bought. Feel free to steam on the stove if that's your wish.

My husband likes to say that we bought a Vitamix so I could make baby food. That is a blatant lie. We bought a Vitamix because he always wanted one, we both make smoothies every day, and we have a blender graveyard downstairs. However, I do use it occasionally for baby food. Because we have a high powered blender, I don't peel anything. I make sure it's super clean and I buy organic, but Baby G gets rustic purees. Depending on what you are using, you may want to peel the apple.

If you haven't noticed, I use as many shortcuts as I can. For me, this whole making my own baby food is about setting myself up for success. Just because you spend a lot of time, effort, and energy on food does not necessarily make it taste better. Especially when we are dealing with purees.

Cherry-Apps and Clove Puree

Age: 7-8 months

Ingredients:

[1/2] cup organic frozen cherries, thawed

[1/4] cup dried apricots

[1/2] cup hot water

1 organic apple, sliced

pinch of ground cloves*

[1/4] teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Place apricots in hot water. Let seep for 10-20 minutes until tender.

2. Place apple slices in a glass bowl with 2 tablespoons of water (or a good healthy splash). Cover with a plate and microwave for 1-2 minutes until apple slices are tender.

3. Combine cherries, apricots, apple slices, ground cloves, and cinnamon in blender or food processor. Add 2 tablespoons to [1/4] cup apricot water. Puree until you reach your desired consistency. You may need to add more water depending on where your baby is at in terms of feeding.

*Don't have ground cloves? Try ground nutmeg. Or omit altogether and just use ground cinnamon.

Baby G's Review

The flavors are a little strong in this puree, but mama blends it with yogurt or another boring one ingredient puree and usually, I gobble it up. That is, unless I am wearing particularly cool socks. I really like socks. 

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Have you tried any spices in your purees?