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)

Genevieve's Eighth Month - Babybook Snapshots

This month Genevieve got her first top tooth - the top right one.  It sure did give her fits, especially considering that the first two came in before we even noticed!

This month our poor baby has had her fair share of sickness.  The month started out with a stomach bug that cause her to run fever, vomit, and get diaper rash.  It also made her fussy.  The end of the month saw her with a sinus infection or upper respiratory infection (doctor never clarified) and swollen eyes which the doctor said was caused by the infection spreading to her eyes.  The stomach bug was treated with pedialyte and the infection was treated with antibiotics and eye drops.

This month Genevieve attended her first wedding: The wedding of Michael and Amanda Busick.  The wedding took place in Pocahontas, AR.  I dressed Genevieve in an adorable silver swing dress from The Gap so she would match her dad's suit.  I absolutely love the picture I have of Michael (my husband / her dad - not the groom) dancing with her at the reception.

I bough Genevieve her first bouncing ball (6" ball) this month and she thinks that the bouncing ball is so funny as it bounces!

Genevieve is now wearing size 6-9 month clothes, size 3 diapers, and size 2 shoes (although her size 1 sandals fit fine and she has a few pairs of size 2 shoes that are too small).  The last two days she has even kept shoes on all day at daycare!

This month we introduced peas (jarred) and blueberries (homemade blended with banana). prunes (jarred - im not sure how these would come out homemade), and Baby Mum Mums.  I dont really want her eating the Baby Mum Mums though because of the salt and sugar content.

Daycare insisted we start bringing baby food and "snacks' because she was getting upset when the other kids were eating.  I am sure she is only upset because her playmates are in highchairs and she is by herself.  I went ahead and sent the food though.  She does eat a few bites, but no more than she eats at home (2 to 3 bites is normal / 5 bites is a huge deal!).  I hunted and hunted for sugar free and salt free "baby snacks" and only found 2 products: Ella's Kitchen Baby Cookies and Puffits.  There are a few things out there that are sweetened with fruit juice concentrate, but I hope to avoid that as much as possible.  I even tried to make my own puffs and teething biscuits, but I couldnt get them to harden enough.For now though, she isnt interested in the snacks.  She might play with them, but she has no interest in eating them at all.  Heck, we even tried smashed banana one day and she wanted no part of that either.  I really hope that she doesnt end up with sensory issues with food!

Why chose to use the Beaba Babycook and how to use it

I purchased my Babycook when my daughter turned 6 months old because I wanted to make my own babyfood. I determined that this machine was cost effective for several reasons:

1.) Store bought babyfood costs $1 for every ounce to two ounces of babyfood
2.) I want to feed my daughter pure food without preservitives or chemical additives
3.) I want to know what my daughter is eating and control the flavors and seasonings she is exposed to
4.) I want to create a flavor palate experience that matches our general diet and provide a healthy foundation for my daughter's experience with food.
5.) This machine allows me to steam, puree, and reheat in one easy to clean device.  No extra dishes to wash and I can easily make babyfood while cooking dinner.

About the Unit:

The Babycook includes instructions with indications on how much water is needed to cook the item you are planning to use.

The unit includes the base device which houses the water resoviour and the time/puree control,a cooking container,  a steam basket, and a blade for pureeing, and a spatula for lifting the hot steam basket.

The cooking container looks like a blender pitcher.  The blade connects to the bottom with a screw on the bottom on the unit.  It is very easy to remove for cleaning.  The cooking unit also has two sets of markings: measuring cup units on one side and water level measuring units on the other.  The water level measuring units are marked: 1, 2, and 3.  Level 1 is for reheating, level 2 is most fruits and vegtables, and level 3 is for denser procduce.   The water is measured in the cooking unit and then it is poured into the base unit through a small hole at the top of the unit (under the lid hinge).

How to make your babyfood:

1.) Peel and chop produce (or meat) into small pieces - remove seeds and cores
2.) Measuse water and fill reserviour
3.) Snap cooking cointainer into base unit
4.) Put steam basket into cooking container
5.) Add food pieces into steam basket
6.) Close lit and press lock button
7.) Press the steam button (the machine times the cook based on the water level)
8.) When the steam button flashes and beeps - cooking is done
9.) Open lid and use spatula to lift steam basket
10.) Remove liquid from bottom of cooking unit (depending on what you cooked you may want to reuse the steam liquid for pureeing, but you may not) - reserve liquid if you want to reuse it
11.) Add cooked food to the cooking unit, place the lid cover on top of the cooking container, and the close the lid.
12.) Turn the puree control and puree food product.  Add steam liquid, water, forumla, or breast milk. (If using breast milk, it must be fresh if you plan to freeze the babyfood.  Breast milk should never be refrozen).

Storing:
I use silicone baby food trays for initial freezing and then remove and keep frozen in Zip Lock Freezer bags.  Babyfood can be frozen for 3 months.  All food used for babies should be cooked for the first year, including fruit.

Getting back into the swing of things

I resolve that in 2015 I will catch up on my past promised blogs and write on a much more regular basis.  I have so many things I want to say and it will be my goal to get my thoughts "on paper" to my blog at least twice a month.