While orange vegetables are the perfect first "real" food to give your baby because of their smooth texture and sweet flavor, they also work brilliantly as a companion to green veggies. Sometimes the green stuff can be a little jarring if you give it to baby straight up. Let's face it, stuff like broccoli & spinanch have a strong flavor that baby will notice! In this recipe, sweet potato is used to soften the flavor of the greens. I love this recipe because it's the perfect way to introduce green veggies to your baby for the first time if they've already fallen in love with sweet potatoes, as my Micah did right away!!
Sweet Potato and Greens - Top 100 Baby Purees
(p. 68)
(p. 68)
1/3 cup chopped onion (I actually tried leeks, for something different)
1 tablespoon chopped butter
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cups Vegetable Stock or water
1/2 cup chopped broccoli florets
1/4 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup spinach, washed and tough stems removed (I was out of spinach, so I omitted this)
Saute the onion in the butter over medium-low heat until softened, but not browned. Add the potatoes to the pan and pour in the stock or water. Cover, bring to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the broccoli florets and cook for 3 minutes, then add the peas and spinach and cook for 3 more minutes.
Puree with as much of the cooking liquid as needed to reach the desired consistency.
Author Annabel Karmel also suggests mixing in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese with the cooked vegetables before the puree step. I might need to try that! This was always one of Isaiah's favorite recipes when he was a baby. He couldn't get enough! Our first try with Micah was met with a scrunchy face, but it takes kids a while to get used to new flavors. I think I will make it again, but sticking to the onions this time. I have a feeling the leek was a little too strong for him.
also suggests mixing in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese with the cooked vegetables before the puree step. I might need to try that! This was always one of Isaiah's favorite recipes when he was a baby. He couldn't get enough! Our first try with Micah was met with a scrunchy face, but it takes kids a while to get used to new flavors. I think I will make it again, but sticking to the onions this time. I have a feeling the leek was a little too strong for him. I tried mixing two cubes of this recipe with two cubes of straight sweet potatoes.
This was the end result:
SUCCESS!!
