They are sweet & beautifully purple, hooray the plums are here!

Jun 30, 2010 Baby Food Recipes Updated, Fruits and Veggies, New Baby Food Recipes

I was so excited to see the lovely color of purple on this plum that I had to grab a shot and post a post.  Now THIS is how a fresh plum should look.  And the sweet smell, oh my goodness my twins were even oooh-ing and ahhh-ing over the plums.

As you may know, plums are a great first food for baby, maybe not for THE first food but they are one of the fruits that you can introduce very early on.    Plums are high in fiber, low in cholesterol, sodium free and rich in Vitamin A & Vitamin C.  As Plums are high in fiber and natural sugars, they help maintain bowel regularity. Plums and Prunes are great to help with constipation.  These little fruits truly are a wonderful choice for baby food!  So what are you waiting for?  GO check your local grocer’s and see if juicy plums have hit your market.  Your baby will thank you and so will the rest of the family!  Here’s a yummy sauce recipe using plums, apples and blueberries to get you started.

Ingredients: 
2 peeled, cored, diced apple
2 handfuls of fresh or frozen blueberries
2 peeled, pitted and diced plums (leave the peel on if your little one does not have any texture issues)
1 cup water
1 tsp or a small dash of vanilla

Add all fruits and water to a medium saucepan
Bring mixture to a boil over medium high heat
Turn to simmer and check frequently so as not to run out of water.
Add more water if needed and simmer for approx. 20 minutes or until all fruit is soft and tender and cranberries have popped

Allow to cool and then blend or puree as needed for your baby’s preferences – Add to cereals, yogurt or even drizzle sauce over meat puree or meat dices.

Learn all about plums and prunes – selecting, storing and more recipes here http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/plums-prunesbabyfoodrecipes.htm

Tags: apples, blueberries, fruits, Fruits and Veggies, plums, sauce

Quick & Easy Cheesy Veggie or Apple Quesadillas

Apr 28, 2010 Baby Food Recipes Updated, Dairy, Finger Foods, New Baby Food Recipes

When my kiddos were able to handle lots of texture (about 9 months), I began making them quick & easy cheesy quesadillas.  These quesadillas were great for them to gnaw and suck on.  It was rare that they “bit off more than they could chew” due to the overall size and texture of the quesadilla.  Please be sure to keep an eye on your baby whenever feeding her large sized foods!  This is a great way to use up any extra food cubes that may be hanging back in your freezer!  This is also a healthy snack food.

Ingredients
1 large whole wheat or plain flour tortilla
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 or 2 thawed cubes of pureed veggies or mashed veggies

Directions:
Spread the veggies over the tortilla and then toss on the cheddar
Bake or broil until cheese has melted [If broiling, watch carefully as cheese may burn quickly!]
You may also warm in the microwave, on a glass plate, until the cheese is melted at 25 second intervals

Once the cheese is melted, fold the tortilla in half and then press the contents throughout so that they fill the tortilla.  Allow to cool a bit and then serve straight up!

Variations – use applesauce instead of veggies, keep the cheese.  You could also add some shredded chicken.

Allergy Alert:  dairy, wheat

The beets at the grocery store were lovely – Roasted beet shapes up next

Apr 25, 2010 Baby Food Recipes Updated, Fruits and Veggies, New Baby Food Recipes, vegetables

Beets, you either love ‘em or hate ‘em.  We have a love/hate relationship with them and poor beets, we really are fair weathered friends!  Today the grocer had beautifully large and sooo purple beats with gorgeous stems and leaves.  Yes, I was totally infatuated.  Roasted Beet Shapes have been on the Beets for Baby page for a few years now and this is the perfect time to drag the recipe to the fore.  I hope you all enjoy!

Roasted Beet Shapes

5 medium sized beets
cookie cutters
olive oil

Thoroughly cleanse and then peel the beets. Cut the beets into thin slices.
Using small cookie cutters, cut out shapes from the beet slices. You may have to press really hard to do this.
Transfer shapes onto a oiled baking sheet and brush the beets lightly with olive oil.

Bake at 350 for approx. 10-20 minutes or until the beets are soft and tender. You may wish to cover the baking sheet with a strip of tinfoil.

You may also try to steam the beet shapes. I have never had luck with steaming beet shapes though I do believe that a thicker beet shape might steam well.

Serve as fun finger foods warm or cool.  You may also just steam, mash and serve.

Good for babies 8months+, does not freeze very well!