As a new mom and foodie, I was excited for the day to come when I could feed my baby real food. And as it turns out, it is indeed a lot of fun to watch my baby try different foods and experiment with her meals! My daughter’s reactions to new foods can be hilarious, and when she loves baby food recipes that I’ve whipped up, it gives me a definite sense of satisfaction.

I’ve heard from some moms that they aren’t sure what to make their babies. My attitude from the start has been to be adventurous with what she tries yet laidback with my approach. I want her to look at food as as a fun part of everyday life, and as nourishment. I have Benadryl on hand in case of a severe allergic reaction, and we have had a few rashes here and there, but overall I don’t worry about negative reactions. I believe that the wider variety of foods I give her early on, the more likely it is that she’ll be a good eater later on in her life.

3 Easy Recipes, 15 Ways to Make Em!

Whipping up homemade meals for your baby doesn’t need to be complicated. Now that my daughter is almost a year old, I’ve had a lot of practice in making baby food recipes and baby-led weaning meals.

Today, I’m sharing three of my go-to easy meals for her – all plant powered – along with 12 additional recipe variations. Since I like to switch up her meals but I don’t have endless time to be in the kitchen playing around, making substitutions like adding in new veggies or switching out oats for almond flour allows me to have her try new foods and flavors without making it a lot more difficult to prepare. Let’s get to it!

Potato puree.

Pureed potatoes are a go-to of mine, or baby mashed potatoes as I call them. Potatoes are super mild, so even picky eaters tend to be okay with potato baby food recipes. I use different types of potatoes, including yellow, red, purple and russet potatoes, so use whatever variety you like.

Basic potato puree

• 4 cups of peeled and diced potatoes (around 2 medium russet potatoes)
• 5 TBSP water
• Salt & pepper to taste

1. Add the peeled, diced potatoes to a small pot of boiling water (I salt the water a bit).
2. Cook until they’re tender.
3. Drain and slightly cool.
4. Add the potatoes to a food processor (again, can hand mash if you choose) and add in the water + salt & pepper to taste. Process until it forms smooth mashed potatoes.
5. Makes enough puree for 6- 2 oz cups.

Variations:

1. Add zucchini. Zucchini is such a versatile veggie – great for sneaking into dishes to get your little one some extra nutrients!  I chop 1/2 medium zucchini into large pieces, then boil and process it in with the potatoes.
2. Throw in summer corn. Another great addition to a potato puree in the summertime is corn. Shuck a piece of corn on the cob, cut it into large pieces, and cook it in with the potatoes. When you drain the veggies, remove the corn and cut it off of the cob, then add it back to the veggies to puree.
3. Add chickpeas. Being a predominantly plant-based household, I’ve been determined to get my baby to eat legumes like black beans and garbanzo beans. To incorporate chickpeas into this potato puree, I simply add 1/2 cup of drained beans to the food processor.
4. Mix in some broccoli & herbs. Another great veggie addition to this puree? Broccoli! I chop around 1/2 cup broccoli and cook it in with the potatoes. I also like to add in different fresh & dried herbs to get my daughter used to different flavors. For this combo, I add in some Italian seasoning sometimes.

BLW banana pancakes.

Baby-led weaning is an approach to feeding little ones that lets them take the reins and feed themselves from early on. I like to do a mix of self-feeding + me doing the feeding, and it’s definitely nice to let baby feed herself while I prep dinner or eat myself!

Easy pancakes are one of my go-to BLW recipes for breakfast, lunch or a snack. I usually whip up a batch and then keep leftovers in the fridge for an easy meal another day or two during the week.

Easy banana pancakes

• 1/2 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup dry oats
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or milk of choice)
• 1/4 TSP baking powder
• Pinch of cinnamon & salt

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse just until combined.
2. If you don’t have a high-powered processor or blender, you can use oat flour, mash the banana, and combine all of the ingredients in a bowl.
3. Warm a skillet to medium heat. Coat with cooking spray.
4. Form 6-8 mini pancakes on the skillet. Cook until lightly brown on both sides.
5. Break pancakes into bite-sized pieces and let your baby enjoy feeding her/himself!

Variations:

1. Make em pumpkin. Add 3 TBSP pure pumpkin puree in place of the banana.
2. Swap the oats for whole wheat flour. I use 1/4 cup whole wheat flour in place of 1/2 cup oats to switch it up & make em fluffier.
3. Add blueberries. Add some antioxidants to the batter with the addition of a hearty handful of blueberries! I add them in after I’ve processed the mixture into a batter, then pulse for 10 seconds.
4. Get nutty. Healthy fat is good for babies’ development, so I like to incorporate foods like nut butters into meals. Add in a TBSP of peanut butter to the batter, or spread it on top of the flapjacks to feed to your babe. I also like to switch it up and use cashew or almond butter.

Sweet potato puree.

Sweet potatoes are a great veggie to get your kiddo into, as they’re high in lots of goodness – including beta carotene (which gives it that gorgeous bright color), magnesium and choline.

Basic sweet potato puree

• 4 cups peeled & diced sweet pots (about 2 medium potatoes)
• 5 T water
• Pinch of salt

1. Add the diced potatoes to a small pot of boiling water.
2. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
3. Drain and slightly cool.
4. Add the potatoes to a food processor (can also hand mash) and add in the water and pinch of salt. Process until smooth.
5. Makes enough puree for 6- 2 oz cups.

Variations:

1. Make it sweet. Add in ground cinnamon – I sprinkle in at least 1/2 TSP.
2. Make it creamy. Add in butter for a bit of fat and added flavor.
3. Boost your veggie power with lentils. I add in cooked lentils to the food processor and blend them into the puree.
4. Dice em with apples. If your baby is able to chew small bites, make a sweet potato & apple meal by baking diced apples with the diced sweet potato. I like to add in a drizzle of oil, cinnamon & fine sea salt.