When my daughter turned five months old, she started showing an interest in food other then breast milk. So we called up the pediatrician to discuss when the right time to introduce food was. Her doctor told us to start out feeding her rice cereal and then slowly start incorporating fruit and veggie purées. Now I don’t know why but the idea of feeding her food made me really excited! Made it’s because I knew that I was going to make her baby food myself. I have always enjoyed cooking, and making homemade baby food meant that I would save money, and I would know EXACTLY was in my daughters food. As soon as I got off the phone with the doctor I did a quick amazon search for baby food containers and came across the ones below. When I went to order, there was a tab that said “others are buying these together” and it was the baby food containers and a baby food cookbook. Which was perfect because I was already looking for an organic baby food cookbook. I am so glad I decided to order this cookbook because it is FULL of information not just recipes. And the recipes take your baby all the way to a year old and beyond. The cookbook is called “The Big Book of a Organic Baby Food” by Stephanie Middleberg MS, RN, CDN. I reached out to the author to ask if I had her permission to share a few of the recipes with you guys and she said YES. Also, I want to note that she was extremely nice to me and helpful! If you like the recipes I share I highly recommend purchasing her cookbook on Amazon and following her on Instagram!

Click image for link to purchase the cookbook

Also be sure to check out her nutrition page, for nutritional information for the whole family! http://middlebergnutrition.com/

The recipes that I am sharing with you are for infants age 6 months. Each recipe is gluten free, dairy free, nut free and vegan. I bought only organic items from my local Whole Foods. Stephanie Middleberg suggests that when you are shopping for fruits and veggies to eat with the seasons. She states that staying with in the seasons, fruits and veggies are at its peak flavor and most nutritious. Middleberg also suggests, and I agree with her, to try and shop from local foods, so that you can support small family farms. This will also mean you will get produce that is raised with minimal pesticides. In her book, there is an awesome graphic, where she lists each season and the produce that is in season at that time!

Grocery List

• Freeze bags (quarter or gallon)
• Sweet Potato, Yams or Potatoes ( about 3)
• Bananas (about 3)
• Summer Squash (about 3 small, or 1 Large)
• 2 cups berries (hulled if necessary)
• Herbs and spices ( optional)
• Blender or Food Processor

Sweet Potato Puree

Makes 15- (1-Ounce) Freezer Tray Cubes

• 1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, yams, or potatoes (about 3), peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• Herbs AND Spices: Sweet potatoes work well with- thyme, ground cumin, ginger and cinnamon.

1. In a medium saucepan with a steamer insert, bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer. Add the potatoes. Cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the potatoes to a blender or food processor, along with a pinch of an herb or spice, if using. Puree until smooth. Adjust the texture by adding a little breast milk or formula, or water to achieve desired consistency.

Storage : Fill a freezer cube tray with 1-ounce portions. Freeze overnight . Store the frozen cubes in a tightly sealed zip-top bag for up to 6 months.

Banana Puree

Makes 15 (1-ounce) freezer tray cubes

• 1 1/2 pounds bananas (about 3 bananas), peeled
• Herbs AND Spices: Bananas are delicious with ground nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, or ginger.

Storage : Fill a freezer cube tray with 1-ounce portions. Freeze overnight . Store the frozen cubes in a tightly sealed zip-top bag for up to 6 months.

In a blender or food processor, combine the bananas and a pinch of spice, if using. Puree until smooth. Adjust the texture by adding a little breast milk, formula, or water to achieve the desired consistency.

Summer Squash Puree

Makes 15 (1-ounce) Freezer Tray Cubes

• 1 1/2 pound summer squash ( about 3 small, 1 1/2 medium, or 1 large summer squash), peeled and cut into 1/4- inch dice
• Herbs AND Spices: Season with garlic, tarragon and rosemary

Storage : Fill a freezer cube tray with 1-ounce portions. Freeze overnight . Store the frozen cubes in a tightly sealed zip-top bag for up to 6 months.

1. In a medium saucepan with steamer insert, bring about 1-inch of water to a simmer. Add the squash. Cover and steam until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the steamed squash to a blender or food processor, along with a pinch of an herb, if using. Puree until smooth. Adjust the texture by adding a little breast milk, formula, or water to achieve the desired consistency.

Berry Puree

Makes 15 (1-ounce) Freezer Tray Cubes

• 1 1/2 pounds berries (about 2 cups), hulled if necessary (strawberries need hulled) and cut into pieces if fruit is larger than 3/4 inch.
• Herbs AND Spices: Try savory herbs like thyme or rosemary, or spices such as cinnamon , ginger or allspice.

Storage : Fill a freezer cube tray with 1-ounce portions. Freeze overnight . Store the frozen cubes in a tightly sealed zip-top bag for up to 6 months.

1. If using blueberries, in a medium saucepan with steamer insert, bring about 1 inch of water to a simmer. (If using any other type of berry move to step 2) Add the blueberries. Cover and steam for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer the berries to a blender or food processor, along with a pinch of an herb or spice, if using. Puree until smooth. Adjust the texture by adding a little breast milk, formula, or water to achieve the desired consistency.

HOW TO HULL A STRAWBERRY- The quickest way to hull a strawberry is to grasp just under the stem and use your ail to scoop out the hull as you remove the stem.

I hope that your little one enjoys these recipes as much as mine! Remember to have fun when creating new food combinations. Keep an eye out for Stage 2 recipes, Smooth Combination Purees.