Whenever I’m conjuring up new baby puree recipes I typically sit around and ponder how to get new taste and healthy veggies into his tiny meal. I want him to experience a range of flavors so he can get accustom to these flavors now instead of trying to force feed “weird” food to him later. My husband and I eat an array of vegetables at home so we aren’t worried that once our son really starts to sit down with us for full meals that he won’t follow suit.
My biggest influence is finding fruits and vegetables in season to give life to dishes and purees. When buying produce in season, you are getting it when it’s picked at it’s ripest so they are packed with nutrients.
In this puree I have combined eggplant, broccoli stalk, pluots and blackberries. Since the eggplant and broccoli stock can have a very dense vegetable flavor, I added in the plot for a sweeter, smoother texture and the blackberries for added tartness. I love saving broccoli stalks that we don’t cook for dinners since they are edible! Don’t ever toss them out – we use them in our soup stocks and then in meals. Just be sure to shave off the outer tough edge to reveal the soft center that cooks up really nicely.
Eggplant, Pluot, Blackberry Puree
- 1 eggplant
- 2 pluots
- 1 pint blackberries
- 1 broccoli stalk
Start by dicing produce. If eggplant has seeds inside, slice out the innards to remove seeds. For the pluot, be sure to remove the pit. On the broccoli stalk, slice off the outer tough layer.
Toss all ingredients into a steamer. Place on stove over boiling water for 5 minutes.
Once veggies are soft enough to easily puree, transfer the produce into a blender or food processor. Puree to your childs liking – if they are on the younger side, puree until smooth but if they are 9 months + this is a perfect puree to leave clumps in. Store the puree in jars and keep in refrigerator for 3 days or store in the freezer for up to 6 months.
I use washi tape to label the tops with what’s inside and the date so mommy brain can’t take over and leave me memoryless on what I created or how long it’s been stored.
-Essentially a Mom
Essentially a Mom 