What Kate Ate: Beef, Leek, Spinach, Broccoli + Apple Puree

I used to have a hard time with meaty baby food purees but I've learned to embrace them over the past few months. Kate will basically eat anything and I love knowing that she's getting in good, healthy protein as well as a good servings of vegetables. I always test taste a little bit of her food and this combo is seriously good. The texture isn't at all what I expected and the flavors are so bright. Kate ate every last bite! 

Steaming the steak was a tiny bit questionable to me but my Little Foodie cookbook hasn't failed me yet so I just went with it. I bought an organic, grass-fed ribeye that was on sale but I'm sure any good quality beef would work well. I have been paying attention to grocery store specials and trying to buy organic meats as much as possible, especially when I'm cooking for the minis. This puree is packed full of protein and nutrients and has been a hit with the little princess lately! 

Pump Some Iron Beef Puree
recipe from Little Foodie 

1/2 lb. organic beef, cubed
1 cup fresh broccoli florets
2 leeks, white and green parts only, chopped
1 apple, cored and chopped
1 cup trimmed and roughly chopped packed spinach
1/2 cup water, reserved from steaming (or unsalted beef stock)

Fill a medium saucepan with 2-3 inches of water. Heat on medium heat until it comes to a boil. 

Place the beef in a steamer basked (I use a metal mesh strainer on top of a saucepan) over the boiling water and cover for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli, leeks, apple and spinach to the steamer basket and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes, or until all veggies are tender and the meat is cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes.

Place all cooked ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until you reach your desired consistency, adding reserved steaming liquid or stock as needed. I also add a pinch of salt at the very end. 

Refrigerate and use within 3 days or store in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

What Kate Ate: Pink Applesauce

Pink applesauce for my little princess! What more could a baby girl want!? Will wanted nothing to do with this because it wasn't "just applesauce", but Kate couldn't get enough! 

I'm all about hiding vegetables in my kids' food and apples seem to mix well with so many of them. I love the idea of beets with apples, since beets, when cooked, take on a really sweet flavor. They mix well with warm spices like cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg and anything made with beets is just so bright and beautiful. 

Beets are a superfood and full of so many vitamins and minerals. They are bursting with iron, potassium, magnesium, vitamins A, B and C, and lots of beta-carotene. I always feel good knowing when my kids are getting an extra boost anywhere they can get it! 

Chopped apples and beets simmer with spices for half an hour creating a sweet mixture of fruits and warm spices. 

Pink Applesauce
recipe adapted from the Little Foodie cookbook

6 organic apples, peeled, cored and shopped
1 small organic beet, peeled and chopped
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 cup water

Place apples, beets, spices and water in a medium sauce pan, covered, on low- medium heat for 35-40 minutes. 

When the mixture has cooled, place in a food processor and blend until desired consistency. 

What Kate Ate: Baby Food Basics, 6-8 Months

Nothing makes me quite as satisfied as making fresh and healthy meals for my family- baby food included! I've had so much fun making Kate's food these past couple of months and she is honestly loving everything that she eats! Summertime has also been ideal because there is such an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetable available. 

As soon as Kate turned 6 months old, I started her on vegetable purees. I did a new food every 2-3 days so that I could watch out for any reactions. As time went on, I didn't wait as many days to try new foods but was careful not to give her vegetables that may cause any extra gas, as she has a sensitive little tummy! (see also: I learned my lesson with cauliflower!) 

COOKING METHODS + APPLIANCES

I use my Beaba Babycook to steam and puree all of the baby food and I am still loving it as much as I did when Will was a baby. In fact, my original machine actually died shortly after Kate turned 6 months old. Beaba was a dream to work with and sent me a reconditioned Babycook- all I had to pay was shipping! I just love the convenience of having one appliance that steams and purees everything. It's so easy to have it running while I'm doing other things around the kitchen or the house. When my Babycook was out of commission for those few weeks, I simply set up a steam basket in a small pot and then pureed in my mini Cuisinart food processor. 

VEGGIES

Avocado

Peas

Green Beans

Zucchini

Sweet Potato

Butternut Squash

Parsnips

Carrots

Yellow Squash

All of these veggies are great for baby's first foods! Aside from the avocado, which I mash myself, I steam all of the veggies prior to pureeing. The vegetables are listed above in the order that I gave them to Kate. I tried cauliflower early on but it really irritated her stomach! As a result, I also steered clear of broccoli until later. The only thing she really didn't love was green beans. I found that adding avocado to the beans made everything better! To add in some healthy fats and a little flavor, I frequently pour some olive oil in the veggie purees as well as add a tiny pinch of kosher salt. 

FRUITS

Bananas

Peaches

Blueberries

Apples

Strawberries

Watermelon

Mango

Cantaloupe

Plums

Since I started with dinner as Kate's first "meal", I stuck with vegetables for the first 2 weeks before adding in fruits. I then alternated fruit/vegetable when introducing new foods! 

HERBS

Basil

Thyme

Rosemary

Cloves

Cinnamon

I didn't wait too long before I started adding some herbs and spices to Kate's foods. It's a fun way to mix things up and makes the food extra tasty! Zucchini and summer squash with basil is one of her favorites! She also loves roasted blueberries with cinnamon and pears or apple with cloves. I add the herbs to the cooked fruits or vegetables and then puree them together.

STORING

Making big batches of food at a time is a great way to save from making food every single day! I typically store my food in the fridge for 3-5 days and in the freezer for 3 months. I love the Beaba multiportion silicone containers. The food freezes in little pods, pops out, and then I store them in small freezer bags, each labeled with whatever food is in them! So easy. 

For more on my Baby's First Food Essentials, see my list here! Happy baby food making!

What Kate Ate: Potato, Pepper + Olive Oil Puree

Kate is LOVING this potato and pepper combo this week! I have a huge post coming about the basics of baby food making, but I had to pop in and share this tasty puree. I found the recipe in my Little Foodie cookbook, which has been my go-to this time around! It's full of great recipes and tons of flavor mashups you wouldn't normally think of. 

The potatoes make this nice and creamy and the peppers give it a nice sweet flavor. I like to add good olive oil (like Ina!) to veggie purees for a flavor boost plus the good fats and a pinch of kosher salt always goes a long way. I bought some organic chicken breast this week that I'm going to be adding to this, too! 

Potato, Pepper + Olive Oil Puree

1 organic white potato, chopped
1 organic red bell pepper, chopped
1 TBSP. olive oil
pinch of kosher salt

Steam potatoes for 10-15 minutes, until they start to get tender. Add peppers and steam for another 5-7 minutes. Discard steaming liquid. Place peppers and potatoes in a mini food processor with olive oil and a pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Add additional water if you need to thin it out a bit. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. 

What Kate Ate: Baby's First Food Essentials

I am in total denial that she is even old enough for this, but here we are. Little Kate has entered the world of real food and when she had her first blissful taste of Avocado shortly after she turned 6 months we knew that she was more than ready. She was so excited with each bite and kept pulling the spoon to her mouth! She's tried tons of different vegetables and some fruits already and is doing so well with new flavors and textures. Another little food lover- I'm so proud. 

Pulling out all of my baby food making supplies made me so happy. I love cooking for my family and having little mouths to feed, although challenging at times, is so much fun. Here are some of my favorite baby food making products!

Beaba Babycook Pro- while not necessary, it certainly makes the entire process much easier! I love having one appliance that steams and purees and that is only used for baby food. Cleanup is easy, too. I love this thing!

Oxotot Baby Blocks- the best containers for food storage as well as taking on the go. They are freezer and microwave safe and also stack neatly in trays for tidy storage in the fridge or freezer.

Beaba Silicone Multiportions Container- These trays are my favorite for freezing purees. Each section holds a 2oz. portion and pops out easily when you are ready to use. I also use these to freeze my marinara sauce for pizza! I pop two out which is enough to cover a pizza and dip pizza knots in!

Beaba Silicone Spoons- the best baby spoons!

Cooking for Baby- This book is great! It was my go to for Will. The recipes are organized by baby age making it easy to work through and experiment with different flavors and food combinations.

Little Foodie- My newest discovery this time around. I'm loving this book and the Baby Foode blog is one of my favorites right now! 

Additionally, these mesh feeders are great for frozen fruits and veggies for teething babies. Bumkins bibs are easy to wipe down and throw in the wash. 

I'm looking forward to many more first food adventures with this little princess!

{What Will Ate} Pear + Avocado Pops

My sweet little eater has entered a bit of a picky phase. I have learned that everyday in the world of baby/toddler eating is different and some are more frustrating than others. On top of that, Will also has some teeth coming in in a few spots, making mealtimes even more of a challenge. BUT HE IS SO CUTE. Right now, he is especially loving anything soft and anything that's really cold.

Popsicles and smoothies have been a favorite around here lately! Smoothies are a great way to sneak in extra veggies and protein and popsicles are all around great for a teething toddler. The flavor combos are endless. 

Creamy avocado and sweet pear make a perfect pop! Avocado is full of good fats and nutrients and pear adds just the right amount of sweetness. This is a treat you can feel good about giving your little ones. 

Pear + Avocado Pops

1 large organic avocado
1 organic d'anjou pear

Cut avocado in half, remove the pit and cut into large chunks, set aside.  

Cut pear into large chunks, leaving the skin on. Steam for 15 minutes, or until fork tender. 

Place steamed pear and raw avocado in a blender or food processor (I did this all in my Beaba Babycook) and blend until smooth. Pour into popsicle molds and freeze for 4-6 hours or overnight. 

{What Will Ate} Apricot Oat Cakes

Healthy snacking is just as important for our little people as it is for us! I like to keep a variety of things on hand for Will to snack on. These little oat cakes are made with wholesome ingredients and are perfect for tiny hands. Will has been snacking on these this week and loves them. They also make a great pre or post run snack for me which is even better. I omitted the butter and used organic butter infused olive oil from Pour Olive which was a genius and much healthier swap. 

This recipe is another gem from my favorite baby cookbook, Cooking For Baby. The apricots are so delicious, but you could really mix in any of your favorite dried fruits. The coconut adds to the substance and texture of the cakes, so I wouldn't leave that out. If you do, just add two extra tablespoons of oats. 

Apricot Oak Cakes
recipe from Cooking for Baby

Coconut oil cooking spray
Organic old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
3 Tbsp. finely chopped dried apricots
2 Tbsp. shredded unsweetened coconut
1 cup water, heated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spray with oil.

In a mixing bowl, combine oats, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Make a small well in the center and add the olive oil and honey. Using a rubber spatula, combine until all oats are coated. Mix in apricots and coconut.

Heat 1 cup of water on the stove until just before it begins to boil. Add hot water to the oat mixture 2 Tablespoons at a time, stirring after each addition with a rubber spatula. Oats will become wet and sticky. With wet hands, mix oat dough one final time. The dough will be sticky, but not firm. 

Using two large spoons, scoop and drop dough onto baking sheets. Shape into 2-inch round flat cakes. Bake oatcakes until edges turn golden brown and centers are firm and not sticky, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Store oatcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days or freeze for up to 3 months.

{What Will Ate} Vanilla Cinnamon Oatmeal

When the weather starts to get cool, I love to add oatmeal to my breakfast rotation. It's warm and nutritious and the flavor possibilities are endless. Old Fashioned Oats are my favorite and are worth the extra cooking time. 

This is the best and easiest oatmeal recipe for your littles! The oats cook in a bath of vanilla and cinnamon, giving it a sweet bite! Will loves this in the morning. It's quite a messy breakfast now that he particularly enjoys feeding himself from a spoon, but the kid has to learn some way, right!? I love to mix in fresh or frozen berries, applesauce or any other homemade fruit purees that I have on hand. 

One bowl for baby and one for mommy. Perfect to share with your pint sized breakfast date!

Vanilla Cinnamon Oatmeal

recipe from Cooking for Baby

2 cups water

1 cup organic old fashioned oats

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

In a small saucepan on high heat, add water, cinnamon and vanilla. Bring to a boil.  Add the oats and turn the heat down to medium low. Once the oatmeal warms back up to a boil and starts to simmer, place a cover on top and remove from the burner. Let sit for 15 minutes. Serve with fresh fruit or any other flavor add ins that your baby loves. 

{What Will Ate} Little Green Pouch

If you have a little one/little ones, you know that food pouches overtake much of the "baby needs" aisles. The handy little snack pouches are really a brilliant little method for snacking both at home and on the go. I'm not a fan of all of the additives in many of the store bought pouches- even some of the applesauce pouches contain added sugar or citric acid and other preservatives. 

My friend Julie introduced me to these refillable pouches and Will and I are in LOVE! This takes a little bit of extra prep time, but its worth it to me. I've filled these little guys with everything from homemade strawberry applesauce to sweet potato, carrot, mango and parsnip puree. Lately, Will has been loving green smoothies after his afternoon nap and the little green pouches are perfect. I also blend up Greek yogurt and fresh fruit in the Beaba Babycook for fruit and yogurt pouches. For an easy filler, Trader Joe's organic applesauce (no added sugar or other ingredients- just apples!) is another favorite filler. To fill, I just use a spoon!

The zip top makes these easy to clean out. I run hot water through the pouch to rinse them and soak them in soapy water for a few minutes before scrubbing out. Bonus- they are also dishwasher safe! I purchased my pouches on Amazon. 

{What Will Ate} Trader Joe's Edition

{image via}

I thought that the 6 month transition to pureed baby foods was fun, but true solids are a new level of excitement! Will is now eating pretty much everything that we eat and his little palate continues to grow. I continue to shop carefully for him, making sure he is getting real, whole foods and mostly organic produce and meats. Most of our grocery shopping is done at Harris Teeter, but I have a list of staples that I always buy from Trader Joe's. 

I LOVE the Trader Joe's experience. The staff is friendly, the music blasting from the overhead speakers makes me want to dance through the aisles, and I truly believe they have some of the best food marketing because I always leave that place with a few new things to try that I didn't venture in for. I also need to note that the hydrangea stems from Trader's last longer than any other! I love to pick up a fresh bunch when I pop in the store. My little shopping assistant loves riding through the aisles and makes several friends along the way. 

Here are some of Will's Trader Joe's Favorites!

{Organic Grade B Maple Syrup} A little more robust than Grade A, Grade B maple syrup is darker and has a wonderful rich flavor. I use maple syrup as a natural sweetener in my Paleo Snack Bites and sometimes drizzled on plain Greek Yogurt with fruit. Will enjoys this on his Baby's Paleo Pancakes.

{Frozen Pineapple Tidbits} A freezer staple around here! I blend this pineapple up with plain Greek Yogurt and fill Will's food pouches and stick it in smoothies for me!

{Organic Unsweetened Applesauce} Applesauce is one of the easiest baby foods to make, but I always keep a jar of the Trader Joe's brand on hand. It has one ingredient: apples! There is no added sugar or preservatives, unlike most grocery store brands. 

{Ezekial Bread} One of Will's favorite lunches is a slice of this bread, toasted, and topped with mashed avocado. This bread is made from a combination of 6 grains and legumes, and contains no flour. It has a nutty flavor and texture and we all love it. The cinnamon raisin makes a sweet breakfast treat! You can read more about this bread here. 

{Organic Creamy Unsalted Peanut Butter} This peanut butter is the best! At the advice of our pediatrician, we didn't wait to introduce Will to peanut butter and he just loves it! This stuff is smooth, creamy and all natural. The consistency is perfect for Will's morning pancakes and he also enjoys it for lunch on Ezekial bread. 

{Freeze Dried Fruit} My friend Elizabeth introduced me to these freeze dried fruits and Will is a huge fan! The strawberries, mango and bananas are his favorite. They are great on the go because they are dry and practically mess free. Again, no added sugars. 

{Frozen Mango Chunks} Another favorite yogurt mix-in! When I make homemade applesauce, I'll sometimes steam some mango chunks to blend in. Will also loves pieces of mango with roasted/grilled meats such as chicken and pork.

*This post is not sponsored or endorsed by Trader Joe's and the thoughts expressed are my own. 

{What Will Ate} Baby's Paleo Pancakes

My sweet little eater loves every single meal time. When it's time to get into his high chair, he screams and laughs and smiles and pulls out all of his best tricks because he is just so excited about filling that belly! And much like me, he likes his food on a schedule.

Breakfast at 8am.

Lunch at 12:30pm.

Dinner at 6:30pm.

And perhaps a few snacks in between.

I know that I say it all the time, but I absolutely love cooking for Will. Knowing that he is eating well balanced meals made in my kitchen is so gratifying. I try to mix up his foods as much as possible so that he is not eating the same thing each day. He gets a great variety! Some of Will's favorite breakfasts are oatmeal with fresh fruit puree, greek yogurt with fresh fruit, scrambled eggs and these delicious pancakes. With three simple ingredients, they are easy to make and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. AND HE LOVES THEM. Ripe bananas make these naturally sweet and I always add a sprinkle of cinnamon. 

Don't be fooled by the title of this blog post. When Will gets paleo pancakes, I eat them, too. I just double the recipe and enjoy a pancake breakfast date. 

Baby's Paleo Pancakes

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 egg

2 Tbsp. unsalted almond butter

Cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Put a small amount of coconut oil in a large pan and heat on medium heat, letting the oil melt and spread evenly. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, pour batter into pan. When pancakes start to bubble, flip, and cook on the other side. 

{What Will Ate} Baby's Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

Cooking for Will is so much fun. I love watching him try new foods and enjoy his favorites. This comes as no surprise, but he LOVES to eat. So many people are surprised at the variety of foods that he eats, but from an early age, we introduced a wide variety of foods. He puts on quite the show in his highchair during every meal just because he is having so much fun and enjoying every bite. I just love that kid!

Cooking for Baby has been one of my favorite resources for baby food. The recipes are fresh and wholesome and the book provides a great guide to when to start certain types of foods. Will is to the point now where he is able to eat a lot of what we eat, but I still take time to prep foods for him to keep on hand for his meals. I always have fruit purees on hand to mix in with plain Greek yogurt and homemade applesauce is another staple. Roasted vegetables are another go to for Will's lunches and dinners. Mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, cauliflower- he loves all of them roasted. I'm convinced that you can turn any vegetable loather into a vegetable lover just by introducing them to the art of roasting.

Roasting vegetables brings out the best of their flavors. All you need is a pinch of salt, a quick drizzle of olive oil and 20-30 minutes of oven time. This root vegetable medley is so tasty and baby and parent approved! Parsnips are the rare bite in this bunch but my favorite of them all! The original recipe calls for Rosemary, but I switched it out for Herbs de Provence, my favorite for roasting vegetables. This recipe is baby and parent approved!

Roasted Root Vegetable Medley

1 large sweet potato
2 parsnips
2 large carrots
2 Tbsp. good extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp. Herbs de Provence or Rosemary
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Peel sweet potatoes, parsnips and carrots. Using a chef's knife, slice vegetables into rounds that are about 1/2" thick. Cut rounds into small, baby sized chunks. Place veggies in a large ceramic dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with herbs, salt and pepper until combined. Roast until vegetables are tender, about 15-20 minutes.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze in individual portion sizes for up to 3 months. 

{What Will Ate} Peaches, Pears, Peas + Ricotta

This baby food business is quite fun! I love watching Will try new foods and the excitement in his entire body at even the sight of a spoon. Making my own baby food is so easy and I truly enjoy it. I know that Will is getting whole, unprocessed foods and that alone is worth the little bit of extra time it takes which really is nothing at all.

Will is proving to be a good little eater, just like I hoped he would be! We have still been incorporating a new food every 3-4 days. Here are a few things we can add to Will's menu:

Peas
Pears
Peaches
Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
Whipped Ricotta +Herbs

...yes, you read that right! I mixed up my favorite appetizer for a wine exchange party shortly before Christmas and I gave Will a few bites because I was curious. HE WAS IN LOVE. What a good little Italian boy. The Roasted Butternut Squash Soup was the first course to our Christmas dinner at my parents house so thanks to my mom, Will enjoyed a fancy little Christmas meal. I'm making a batch this weekend to add to his regular menu rotation.

Every new bite isn't always met with excitement. It seems to be the trend that the first few bites he is unsure and doesn't eat much of it. But on day two, he always gobbles it up. Right now, Will gets some fruit with whole grain oatmeal cereal in the morning and a vegetable at night. All of his fruits and vegetables are steamed and then pureed. Sometimes I add a little extra virgin olive oil to the veggies. I use as much fresh produce as I can but thankfully, Harris Teeter has a wonderful selection of organic frozen fruits and vegetables. 

If you are in the baby food making club as well, here's a great resource that my friend Sarah shared with me. This site has loads of information and recipes. 

Next on the menu? Zucchini, green beans and fuji apples!

What Will Ate

Exciting things are happening in our kitchen...Will has started eating REAL FOOD! There was no doubt in my mind but it's official, this baby LOVES to eat. About a month ago, he started becoming very interested in our food. We eat dinner together as a family every night and the little guy has been paying close attention to our forks, knives and spoons as we take each bite. He has been MORE than ready to explore the delicious world he lives in.

Long before I was pregnant, I knew that making my own baby food was something I would do. My mom did it for us and I have always wanted to do the same. Not only is it easy, but there is 100% control in what goes into the food, which is important to me in feeding my little one! I'm so excited about introducing Will to new foods and flavors. 

Sophie gifted us this baby cook book (Cooking for Baby) and I just love looking through it! Her sweet boy Jack has enjoyed so many meals from this book and I can't wait to cook up all of this goodness for Will. My Beaba Babycook Pro is going to be my new favorite kitchen gadget!

I had grand plans of serving Will avocado for his first bite, but since my avocados weren't quite ripe enough, we started with sweet potatoes...and he LOVED them! Our little buddy was practically lunging towards the spoon, pulling our hands closer to him and making so many happy noises as he gobbled them up. After a few days of sweet potatoes, avocado made an appearance. We are introducing new foods every 3 days.

I'm looking forward to making many more baby meals for my sweet little eater!