It’s hard to believe that this photo was from a whole year ago, last night:
Our Gabe is truly overflowing with joy, with more smiles that you can imagine every single day.
Just yesterday he climbed right into the lap of a stranger at Bible study and snuggled into her shoulder for 5 minutes, ready to fall asleep, then when we took a break and he was roused from his cuddle, he didn’t complain but smiled at everyone passing by on their way to the biscotti.
Happy birthday, little guy.
The year has truly flown, and I have to admit that for a foodie who likes to cook, this recipe today is the first recipe that I’ve made especially for my baby eater (other than baking a sweet potato).
Perhaps it’s because I recoil at the idea of being a short order cook. Or just that with four kids, ain’t nobody got time to make special homemade baby food purees anymore like I did with number one.
It turns out Gabe is a huge fan of the reusable food pouches we have from Squooshi, so I’m glad they sponsored this post and gave me an excuse to do something special for him!
NATURAL BABY CARE COURSE
I’m so happy to introduce you to Genevieve from Mama Natural. I loved her video series for years before I met her and I’m proud now that our families have become dear friends. She’s such a sweet, genuine woman!
Not only do I love her weekly pregnancy updates, but she is now offering a Natural Baby Care Course. I wish I had this with mine!
Imagine having access to a team of expert health professionals in your home, whenever you need them, as you raise your newborn.
- A holistic pediatrician to give you tips on what to feed your baby.
- A board certified lactation consultant to help you master breastfeeding.
- And a firefighter / CPR instructor to make you aware and prepared.
This is a masterclass in everyday baby care. You’ll be supported for ALL the challenges that come up with baby in this program.
- It’s easy to access. Watch the classes on your own schedule. No traveling across town after a long day at work.
- It’s comfortable. Learn in the privacy of your own home—no sterile classrooms filled with rows of uncomfortable chairs. Simply curl up in your favorite spot and soak it all in.
- It’s fast, but comprehensive. Other baby care courses speed through the most important topics to cover it all. We don’t do that. Instead, we unpack all of the issues that come up postpartum, but we do so in small chunks so you can squeeze the education into your busy life.
- It’s affordable. Our course is priced lower than in-person classes and less than most online alternatives as well.
More of a book person? You must check out Genevieve’s week-by-week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth. It’s the natural answer to “What to Expect” and soooo comprehensive and beautiful!!
“Food in a Pouch” Recipe
It turns out that making recipes for food pouches isn’t really all that hard, and it didn’t take much time at all (especially if you don’t have to take photos of every step for your blog readers!).
Debra of Worth Cooking shared the idea with me to blend steamed carrots with yogurt, ginger, and a little salt. Here’s how it turned out:
And here’s why it’s better to put it in a Squooshi, even though bowls are easier to wash:
So proud of himself for getting his fingers into the bowl, the little photo shoot bomber…
Creamy Carrot Ginger Puree
Creamy Carrot Ginger Puree {Homemade Baby Food in a Pouch}
- Category: side dish
Description
Easy homemade baby food packed with nutrition. Little ones will love it!
Ingredients
- 5 carrots, sliced (about 2 c., measured after slicing)
- 1 c. plain whole milk yogurt (I make homemade)
- 2 Tbs. soft butter(optional, sort of)
- 1/8–1/4 tsp. dried ginger
- 1/8–1/4 tsp. Real Salt
Instructions
- Steam carrots 5-10 minutes until soft. (Timing will vary based on how thick you slice them; try to keep even sizing.)
- Cool 5 minutes or so.
- Start with the low end of the ginger and salt (Use the code kitchenstewardship for 15% off of your first purchase). Blend all ingredients together. Use a blender to be very creamy and smooth or an immersion blender for quick and easy (but not as smooth).
- Taste and adjust ginger and salt if necessary.
- Why butter? The saturated fat is not only sooooo good for baby’s developing brain but also allows our bodies to assimilate the vitamins in the carrots. Without fat, the carrots aren’t nearly as helpful! I add butter as often as I can to baby food. 🙂
Notes
Dairy-free? Use coconut milk and coconut oil. Feel free to use breastmilk instead of yogurt either way.
I choose organic ingredients for my babies, because I feel like every chemical has a greater effect on their tiny bodies.
Freezes fine.
- Need a little help getting healthy food on the table every day? Real Plans takes the stress out of meal planning and puts the nourishing food BACK on your table. There’s a plan for every diet type, including GAPS, Paleo, AIP, Whole30, vegetarian and more! You remain totally in control: use your own recipes, accept theirs, and teach the system what your family likes…Check out how powerful it is here!
Now I have all sorts of ideas for other food pouch baby food recipes that I could make following similar proportions:
- Sweet potato/coconut milk/nutmeg
- Cauliflower/yogurt/Herbs de Provence
- Spinach/sour cream/garlic
- Beet/coconut milk/dill
- Turnip/yogurt/smoked paprika
Of course, add plenty of butter (or coconut oil) to each of them! The process is simple:
1. Steam Vegetable
2. Puree with Something Creamy + a Flavor
3. Fill Pouch
Easy Filling Station
Squooshi recently came out with a new product to make it easier to fill pouches and sent me one to review.
It’s pretty cool and can fill 6 of the large 4.5-ounce Squooshis at a time:
I made my puree in the blender, but you could use an immersion blender and whiz it up right in the filling station container (bonus! Fewer dishes!!). It’s quite easy to fill, but it does take some time because physics only allows so much puree to move through a hole 1/2 centimeter in diameter.
I can see assigning this job to a child, as long as they hold the pouch spout. The only messy risk is that the pouch could pop off and you lose a little puree onto the counter. With this very thick puree, not much came out when that happened to me, but I can see it being a problem if you’re working with a thin smoothie or something. I really like how you can see the puree coming through the spout so you know it’s working.
I generally resist having an entire item for a single use, but I will start storing my Squooshi pouches inside the fill station now, since my current basket in the drawer wasn’t the best system anyway.
Did you know Squooshis come with a full year replacement guarantee if they aren’t durable enough for your household use? We’ve had a set for at least 3 years now, and we have yet to have a single problem of any kind. We generally freeze smoothie in them for backups in a school lunch when we’re out of homemade yogurt.
If you are in the market to grab some, be sure to use the code KS10%OFF for 10% off HERE – and I see the filling station itself is $10 off already at the time of this post!
I’d love to hear how you’d fill your Squooshi reusable food pouches —
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I love that you are adding flavor to your baby food instead of teaching your baby to eat only bland foods and/or teaching him that vegetables taste boring!
You might consider adding cooked lentils or beans to your baby food for more protein and iron. Lentils with a yellow vegetable (and plenty of fat!) is a combination that really makes me feel great. My current toddler has not been a fan of purees, but when her big brother was little, one of his favorite foods was black beans mashed with marinara sauce.
Becca,
He’s gotta eat what we eat! 😉 Although I admit he gets quite a few plain sweet potatoes #notime
We haven’t intro’d any grains or nuts or legumes, but we will get into lentils soon- great idea to add them to purees! 🙂 Katie