Cinnamon Apple Sweet Potatoes and Sweet Pea Basil Puree

I’m so excited to share these two baby food “recipes” with you all.  They’re perfect for fall and Grace LOVES them. Complex flavors help develop baby’s pallete (as long as she will tolerate them) and make introducing new foods later on a little bit easier. Plus- they are really easy to make which is always a plus.

Cinnamon Apple Sweet Potatoes

4 Large Sweet Potatoes, cut in half lengthwise

1 Large Apple, peeled (any non-tart variety)

2 tsp. Cinnamon

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Place your sweet potatoes, cut side down, on a baking dish and pour in about 1/4 inch of water.  Bake them for 1 hour or until very tender and soft when poked with a fork.

Meanwhile, use a box grater to grate your apple into a bowl.  Rotate apple frequently to get at all sides and stop when you get to the core- baby doesn’t want to eat seeds! Sprinkle apples with cinnamon.

When the potatoes are done, use a pot holder to hold one half in your hand at a time.  Scoop out the soft flesh into the apple cinnamon bowl.  They will be PIPING hot so be careful. At this point your house will smell amazing- like fall and thanksgiving and cider. Yum.

Use an immersion blender to start pureeing the mixture to a texture suitable for your baby. I needed to add about a cup of water to my puree but go slowly, adding a little bit at a time.

This made me a whole lotta baby food.  About 30+ cubes which get’s me 15 meals for Grace (she eats two cubes at a time).  That’s a BIG savings compared to traditional, store bought baby food. Plus this stuff seriously tastes so good you’ll be licking it off the spoon.

Sweet Pea Basil Puree 

3 Cups Frozen Sweet Peas

6-8 Large Leaves of Fresh Basil torn into small pieces

1/2 Cup Water

Combine everything in a covered, microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes, stir, then microwave again for 2-3 minutes until peas are tender.  Use your immersion blender again until mixture is smooth and lump free. I needed to add a little bit more water but again, aim for a texture your baby will eat!

This mixture made about 20 cubes- so ten meals for baby Grace.

The cheapest baby food I bought this week was on sale: 3 for $2.00. Store bought meal for Grace: $0.66.  Homemade meal for Grace: roughly $0.15 per serving. She’s  a cheap date.

However, as I mention in this post, I’m not making her food for cost savings. Baby food is not that expensive all things considered.  I just want to give my baby a little bit more variety, expose her to various spices and herbs earlier than I did with my first daughter, and it’s something I actually really enjoy doing!

(Click here for a great baby food recipe- the light orange pictured above- and my favorite baby/toddler cookbook: Ginger Nutmeg Squash.)

Thinking of trying a roasted beet and pear puree next.