Apples (recomm. Fuji/Gala) (4~6mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Magnesium, Calcium
**You may use Breast Milk or Formula to thin out any puree instead of water
Directions:
1. Peel, core and cut apple into slices/chunks
2. Place slices or chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples
Boil/steam until tender; be sure to check on the water level and stir, That's It. Easy Peasy.
3. Apples may be mashed with a potato masher to achieve a smooth applesauce consistency. If your masher will not achieve a puree type of consistency, then follow steps below:
4. Reserve any left over water to use for thinning out the apples
5. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
6. Add the reserved water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin puree - add cereal (if desired) to
Avocado (4~6mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Niacin, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium
1 ripe avocado
Directions:
1-Peel and take out the pit of a ripe avocado - do not cook
Cut “meat” out and mash with a fork
2- There should be no need to use a machine as just like bananas, avocados have a very soft consistency and texture. Avocados do not need to be cooked.
Apple ‘Cado' (4~6mos)
Ingredients:
1/2 of a peeled and pitted avocado
1/4 cup applesauce
Directions:
1-Mash the avocado half.
2-Mix mashed avocado with applesauce (homemade or natural) and serve.
Bananas (4~6mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Selenium, Magnesium, Calcium
1 ripe banana
Directions:
1- Peel ripe banana - do not cook
2- Place banana in a food processor/food mill or blender and puree
You can also mash the banana in a bowl using a regular fork – heat in microwave for 25 seconds prior to mashing for extra softness
3-Add formula/breast milk or water to thin or add cereal (if desired) to thicken up.
** Bananas and banana puree may be frozen. Using a bit of lemon juice will help to prevent the browning of a banana (and most other fruits) when freezing it. It is the citric acid or the ascorbic acid that aids in the preservation of fruits. The exposure to oxygen and the enzymes in a banana (and most other fruits) are what cause it to go from green to yellow, and then brown to black, as it ripens. A blackish or brownish banana is not necessarily rotten or bad.
Banana Applesauce Mush (4~6mos)
Ingredients:
2 apples (gala, braeburn or mac)
1 ripe banana
Directions:
1- Peel, core and cut apples into slices/chunks.
2- Place slices or chunks into a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples
3- Boil until tender; be sure to check on the water level.
Apples may be mashed with a potato masher to achieve a smooth applesauce consistency or you can puree in a blender or food processor.
4- Peel a ripe banana and mash in a bowl with a fork (heating in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds will soften the banana up if needed).
5- Add applesauce to the banana and sprinkle with wheat germ* or crushed cheerios*
Puree if necessary but mashing with a potato masher will typically get this mix smooth
Banana ‘Cado (4~6mos)
Ingredients:
1/2 of a peeled and pitted avocado
1 small ripe banana
Directions:
1- Mash the avocado half and mash the banana
2- Mix mashed avocado with banana & serve
Pears (4~6mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium
Ingredients:
2 ripe pears (Bartlett, Red or Comice)
Directions:
1- Steam gently until tender if baby is between 4-6 months old otherwise peel & mash - removing the seed portion
2- Peel and cut into chunks so as to avoid the little seed portion.
Or,
2- Cut the pears in half (no need to peel unless your little one has issues with digestion) and cut out the seed/core portion then dice the pear halves.
3-bBring 1 cup of water to a boil in a shallow pot with a steamer basket insert.
4- Add the pears to the steamer basket in the pot and then steam until soft and tender.
5- You may also add the pear dices to wee bit of boiling water and steam them this way if you do not have a steamer basket. Using a scant amount of water ensures that you are not boiling them.
6- Peel and cut into chunks so as to avoid the little seed portion.
7- Place in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth. You may be able to just use a fork too
8- Use the leftover cooking water if needed but Pears tend to be very runny and watery without adding liquid. Add some baby cereal to thicken if needed.
Apples & Pears (4~6mos)
Ingredients:
1 apple – cored & peeled
1 pear – cored & peeled
Directions:
1- Dice apple & pear and simmer together until tender. Mash or puree as needed.
Baked Apples (6~8mos)
Macintosh Apples - any number you desire
Directions:
1. Core apple and leave peel on
2. Place a wee bit of butter (if baby is ready for or has had dairy) on the inside of the cored apple (sprinkle a bit of cinnamon in the apple if your desire and if baby is ready for or has had cinnamon)
3. Place in a pan with just enough water to slightly cover apples – about an inch of water
4. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes or until tender; be sure to check on the water level.
5. Once baked, either cut apple into little bits and serve as a finger food or mash as directed above in the Apples/Applesauce recipe.
Apple Peach Banana (6~8mos)
Ingredients:
1 peach – pit & peel
1 apple – cored & peeled
½ ripe banana
1/4 cup of water/mik
Directions:
1. Dice apple & peach and simmer together in a small pot with water until tender.
2. Mash the banana into the apple & peach mix and then puree as needed.
Mango* Creamy Puree (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A (1262 IU in one cup.), C, E, K, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium
If your infant is currently not eating yogurt and/or you do not wish to use any juice, simply peel, de-seed and mash the mango with some water until the proper consistency for Your Infant is achieved.
Ingredients:
1 Ripe Mango
Plain or Vanilla Yogurt OR
Water, Apple or Pear Juice
Directions:
1- Peel, seed and mash mango until smooth -
2- Add Yogurt or Water or Juice until the proper consistency for Your Infant is achieved.
*Mango does not need to be cooked as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits. Mango may be steamed to tender and then mashed if you prefer without harming it. HINT. You may use mango as a great Baby Finger Foods. Simply peel, de-seed and then cut into dices or chunks that are manageable for your baby. You may wish to coat the mango pieces with "cheerio dust", wheat germ or another cereal "dust" to help baby easily pick up the bits.
Papaya (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Calcium
Ingredients:
1 ripe papaya
Directions:
>> To prepare a papaya (ensure it is fully ripened.), peel, de-seed and then mash into a consistency your baby will tolerate.
>> Some parents who have infants with sensitive tummies will give fruits a gentle steaming to help break down the sugars and fibers for easier digestion. If you feel this is the case for your infant, chunk the papaya and then steam for 5-10 minutes until very soft.
Ideas for serving Papaya to your Baby:
1- Mash and mix with banana and avocado
2- Make a Papaya, banana, yogurt smoothie
3- Mix papaya into chicken and rice for a tropical chicken dinner
Plums (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium
Ingredients:
5 ripe plums
Directions:
1- Peel, pit and cut into chunks then steam until tender in a scant amount of water.
2- Puree using the leftover cooking liquid. You may need to mix in another fruit as plum purée has a tendency to be rather tart and/or bitter.
Peachy Mangos (6~8mos)
Ingredients:
3 peaches
1 mango
Directions:
1. Peel, pit and cut peaches into chunks
2. Peel, de seed and cut mango into chunks
3. Steam fruits together gently until tender if needed
4. Place in a blender/food processor and puree until smooth or mash with a fork and let baby try to use a spoon or her fingers.
Plums with Applesauce (6~8mos)
Ingredients:
2 plums
1 large apple
Directions:
1. Peel, pit and cut plums into chunks
2. Peel, core & dice apple
3. Simmer plums & apple together in a saucepan until soft & tender
Mash or puree as needed – add a splash of apple juice if too bitter
Prunes (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A, C, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium
Ingredients:
Dried prunes - any amount you desire - try 2 cups full
Directions:
1. Soak dried prunes in warm water until they plump up or steam gently.
2. Once plump and tender, toss into food processor or blender and begin to puree.
3. Add liquid without sparing any. Prunes tend to become a pasty gluey consistency when pureed and the more water you add, the easier it is to puree to a texture your baby will tolerate.
Note: Prune puree, like apricot puree, will not freeze solid, but will freeze into slightly soft/slightly frozen cubes.
Prunes are great to help babies with constipation. Try this remedy for babies from 4 months old +.
Pumpkin (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A (12230 IU in 1 cup.), C, K, Folate, Niacin
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Iron
Ingredients:
1 medium sized sugar/baking pumpkin (about 5-7 pounds)
Directions:
1. Cut sugar pumpkin (the kind meant to be baked and eaten.) in half, scoop out seeds
2. Place an inch of water in a baking pan, then place the halves "face" down in the pan. Check on water level while baking
3. Bake in a 375-425 F degree oven for 40 minutes to 1 hour, or until the “shell/skin” puckers and halves feel soft then scoop squash “meat” out of the shell
4. Place pumpkin "meat" into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
5. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency.
6. You can also peel the pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and then cut into chunks and boil/steam until tender (like when boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes).
Pumpkin Pears (6~8mos)
Ingredients
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored & diced
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
Directions:
1- Mash the pear and then mix in the pumpkin – puree if needed.
Peary Pumpkin Peaches (6~8mos)
Ingredients:
½ cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 pear, peeled, cored, diced
1peach – peeled, pitted ,diced
Directions:
Combine all food (steam pear and peach together if need be) and mash or puree if needed.
Kiwi (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A, C, K, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium
Ingredients:
1 ripe kiwi
Directions:
1. Peel ripe kiwi
2. Puree or mash with a fork - add cereal (if desired) to thicken and achieve a smooth, thin consistency.
**Kiwi does not need to be cooked and it should not need to be de-seeded as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits and a bit of texture.
**Kiwi is high in Vitamin C and is also acidic, you may wish to wait to introduce it when baby is 10 months or older. Visit our Kiwi Page for more recipes and information about Kiwi.
Kiwi Banana Tango (8~10mos)
Ingredients:
1 ripe kiwi – peeled , diced
1/2 ripe banana – peeled
1/2 ripe mango – peeled, diced
Directions:
Mash all fruits together and then blend or puree as needed. Make it Creamy Kiwi Banana Tango by adding yogurt and/or cereal.
Melons (cantaloupe, honeydew, watermelon) (6~8mos)
Vitamins: A, C, K, Folate
Minerals: Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium
Ingredients:
1/4 cup sliced, soft, seedless melon, rind removed
Directions:
Puree or mash with a fork - add cereal (if desired) to thicken up the melon achieve a smooth, thin consistency. **Melon does not need to be cooked as it is typically introduced at an age where baby can tolerate raw fruits. Melon may be steamed to tender and then mashed if you prefer without harming it.
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