BABY FOOD 101 + MY FIRST BABY PUREE RECIPE

I've been waiting for this moment...for a looooong time. Probably even before I was pregnant! When I was 14 years old, I started teaching cooking classes to very young, very underprivilaged children, and that is truly when, the lightbulb sparked in my head, that I have such a passion and desire to work with children and families and help teach and inspire them to eat healthy, how to cook, and how to simply lead the most healthful lifestyle possible. While studying at IIN, I learned so much about health and wellness, with some of the focus being on pregnancy, and the best part was, I was pregnant at the time! What a mother eats during pregnancy has such a direct effect on the growing fetus - and truly influences the health of the baby. What nourishes a baby in utero also can influence what the baby's tastebuds will be accustomed to when he or she starts to eat! No wonder my twins have loved everything I have introduced to them, I actually find that fascinating. They have tried spinach, pumpkin, carrot, sweet potato, kale, pear, millet, quinoa and the list goes on! 

I am so excited to share the recipes that I will be coming up with here on the blog with all of you mamas! The first food that I made for the twins was a simple sweet potato puree. I have been using an incredible steamer/blender called the BabyCook Plus, but you can steam, boil, or roast whichever way you prefer with whatever appliances you have. As the twins are still drinking breastmilk 4 times a day, I mix a little bit of that with whatever food I am making to help thin it out a bit; water or formula will work well too. It is super important to keep in mind to introduce one food at a time, and only feed that food to your child for about 4 days, to see if they develop any allergic reaction, or to see if they love it or hate it! Once you have introduced an array of foods, go ahead and start mixing them! Always consult with your pediatrician first before introducing solids into your child's diet. Additionally, I have been adding coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil to all of the foods I have been preparing. Healthy fats = brain food! 

Bon appetit for your little ones!

Squash and Pear Puree

Ingredients:

1 squash

1 ripe pear

1 tsp coconut oil

1 oz breastmilk, water or formula

Directions:

Steam the squash and pear. Let cool. Blend with coconut oil and liquid of your choice!