Recipes Using the Beaba Babycook #3

Roasted Carrot & Parsnip w/ Onion, Garlic, and Thyme

Peel 3 small carrots and peel and core 2 parsnips (ends up a 1:1 ratio).  Rub with olive oil and sprinkle with a pinch of garlic powder and a pinch of  ground thyme.  Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.
Peel and bake an onion with a tablespoon of butter on 375 degrees for 45 minutes - covered.

Add roasted carrots and parsnips and 1 layer of onion to the Babycook steamer.  Steam on level 3.

Puree with water for consistency.

Note: This is an advanced flavor palate for baby.  Test baby food in individual flavors for allergies before trying this recipe.  Based on what I read, onion has a very low chance of allergies, so it is safe to test blended with another ingredient that is safe.

Output: 16 ounces
Homemade cost: 11 cents per ounce

Plums (Red Plums)

Core and chop 3 large plums.  Steam on level 2.  Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice as needed for consistency.

Output: 10 ounces
Homemade Cost: 7 cents per ounce

Cherry Banana

Pit a cup of cherries and peel a banana.  Steam on level 2. Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice and water as needed for consistency (I used 3:1 ratio).

Output: 8 ounces ( I did mix this a little thick for my baby, so I probably could have gotten another 2 ounces)
Homemade Cost: 19 cents per ounce

Cherry Apple (Gala apples)

Pit a cup of cherries.  Peel, core, and cube 1 large apple.  Steam on level 2.  Reserve juice and puree fruit.  Add juice and water as needed ( I used 1:3 ratio).

Output: 14 ounces
Homemade Cost: 17 cents per ounce

Blueberry Apple Banana with Vanilla (Granny Smith Apple)

Peel 1 medium apple and 1 banana.  Add peeled fruit and 4 oz (2/3 pkg) of blueberries to steam basket.  Steam on level two.  Reserve steam liquid.  Puree fruit.  Thin with water and reserve juice ( I used 1:1).  Add 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract.

Output: 15 ounces
Homemade Cost: 13 cents per ounce

Baby Fruit Cocktail Juice

Juice left over from steaming fruits from previous recipes. My juice is a result of the liquid from my Plums, Cherry Banana, Cherry Apple, and Blueberry Banana Apple.  Mix with water (we use distilled) at a ratio of 25% juice to 75% water.  Freeze.  Cubes of frozen juice can be used for teething in a mesh feeder or defrosted and used to help a constipated baby.

Note: Babies should not be given juice as a beverage until they are drinking out of a regular cup and juice is not needed nutritionally.  Do NOT give baby juice created from raw fruit.

Output: 1 Quart Juice "concentrate" = 1 Gallon baby juice
Homemade Cost: Free - made from after product of steaming fruit for baby food (the average cost of                               the purees used to make the liquid in my version of juice comes to 14 cents per oz)

No Juice for Baby

Many moms want to introduce juice to their babies and I dont understand why.  First of all, most of the juices I see parents give are not really juice but a juice drink - Kool-aid and Hi-C punch are NOT juice!

I would much prefer my child to get their nutrition from milk/formula or actual fruits.  Maybe when Genevieve is older I will give her juice, but its not a needed for nutrition and its full of sugar.

Reference Articles

The American Society of Pediatrics: "The Use and Misuse of Juice in Pediatrics"

Dr. Sears: "The Truth about Pure Fruit Juices vs Fruit Beverages"

The Guardian: "How Fruit Juice went from Health Food to Junk Food"