Our babies need the best quality food for optimum development and nourishment. Today, more and more parents are opting to make their own. Besides being fresher, homemade baby food doesn’t contain additives, plus there are seemingly endless flavor varieties for picky little ones. It also saves money, since there are fewer costs associated with labor, shipping, storage and packaging – not to mention environmentally friendly, with no jars to dispose of.
In honor of National Baby Food Week, KRUPS has put together a few recipes for homemade baby food using their The GPA 1 Immersion blender ($79.99), a perfect kitchen tool for moms who want to go the DIY route. A powerful hand blender that chops, purees and mixes most foods. It is made with a stainless steel shaft that is easily removed with a click for easy storage. It has six variable speeds and comes with a measure beater and wall mount. This appliance also has a LCD display on the soft grip ergonomic handle that shows the selected speed.
Below are a few baby food recipes to make with the immersion blender, courtesy of KRUPS.
Breakfast Idea – Rice Cereal
Ingredients
2 oz brown rice powder
8 fl oz water
a splash of formula or breast milk
Preparation-
To make the rice powder, grind brown rice with an immersion blender until powdery. Bring water to a boil.
Add the rice powder, stirring constantly with a wire whisk. Simmer and stir for about 10 minutes
Add formula or breast milk to give the desired consistency. Once baby has been introduced to fruit add a little fruit puree.
Lunch idea – Chicken and Veggie Mash
Ingredients
2oz (1/4 cup) chicken, cut into small pieces
1 small carrot, peeled and diced
2oz (1/4 cup) cooked peas
homemade chicken stock or water
Preparation-
Put all ingredients into a saucepan and just cover with the stock/broth.
Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.
Drain (reserving the broth) and puree with an immersion blender, adding back a little of the reserved cooking broth to create a thinner texture if necessary.
Dinner Idea – Pork and Sweet Potato Puree
Ingredients
4oz (1/2 cup) lean pork
4oz (1/2 cup) sweet potato, peeled and diced
1/2 small apple, peeled, cored and diced
6 fl oz (3/4 cup) homemade chicken stock
pinch dried sage.
Preparation-
Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and simmer until the pork is cooked and the sweet potato/apple are tender. Blend in a food processor and serve.
