Wholesome Baby Food

September 01, 2017

Food is the best!

Ady is such a good little eater and has enjoyed all the fruits and veges she's tried already. Her favorites seem to be bananas, mango, and sweet potatoes! Milk is still her primary nutrition during the first year of life, but we're familiarizing her with solid foods, different flavors and textures, brightly colored fruits and veges, and the social aspect of dinnertime. I have been experimenting with some nutritious pureed recipes to add variety to her diet, including some of the suggestions from The Wholesome Baby Food Book by Maggie Meade.

As parenting in general creates opportunity for self-reflection and contemplation, preparing meals for my baby has also led me to reexamine my own food choices. I have always been a fairly healthy eater. I eat breakfast every day, I like fresh ingredients, I frequent the Farmer's Market, I bring healthy snacks to work, I have never had a weight problem, and fast food is a rarity in our house. We cook fresh food for dinner most nights and I have really limited the amount of processed food I consume in the past few years. However, I admit to eating plenty of things that I would never let my baby eat, especially desserts and sugary drinks. Being a mom makes me think twice about what I am putting into my body and consider the nutritional value of everything. I want to raise a child who is open to a variety of foods, who enjoys fruits and vegetables, who appreciates food from various cultures, and who doesn't get in the habit of Happy Meals, soda, and cupcakes on a regular basis. (Everything in moderation.) This will be an ongoing journey for our whole family.

Here are a few of the recipes I tried (modified from The Wholesome Baby Food Book).

Baked Peach Crumble
We found fresh peaches at the Farmer's Market, and I even enjoyed it with my own breakfast! I also tried this recipe with apples.

Ingredients:
4 to 6 fresh peaches
1 cup water
1 cup oats
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup flax meal

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Slice peaches in half and remove the pits. Place the water in a baking dish, then add the peaches, flesh side down. Bake the peaches for 20 minutes or until soft. Remove the peaches from the oven and mash in the baking dish.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, and vanilla, then set aside.

3. Add the yogurt and flax meal to the peaches in the baking dish and mix well. Top the peaches with the oats and return to the oven. Bake until the oats are brown and toasty, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then mash or puree before serving.

Fresh ingredients

Flaxseed is a powerhouse!

Baked goodness

Pureed for baby

Someone is excited for Mom's cooking

Green & Orange Fritters

Ingredients:
1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
1 medium zucchini, grated
1/3 cup ricotta cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
Sprinkle with garlic, chili powder, or other seasoning
Olive oil for frying

Directions:
1. Mix the vegetables, ricotta cheese, egg, flour, and seasoning in a food processor and blend well.

2. Warm a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Place spoonfuls of the batter in the pan, flatten, and cook for 10-15 minutes or until golden on both sides. Let cool slightly before serving.