Butternut Squash

4-6 months and up 

1 large butternut squash = about 25 oz puree

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees and line a baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
2. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds and stringy fibers with a spoon and discard.
3. Place squash cut side down on the baking sheet and place in oven on the middle rack. Roast for about 45 minutes, until squash is easily pierced with a fork.
4. Let cool for 5 minutes then scoop the squash out of the skin with a spoon or just peel the skin right off. It’s best to use an oven mitt when handling the roasted squash so you don’t burn your hand.
5. Puree until smooth, using an immersion blender or food processor. Butternut squash is naturally juicy, so you won’t need additional liquid for thinning.
6. Let cool and serve or store.
7. Butternut squash puree can be stored in jars for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Serving

Butternut Squash puree tastes great both warm and cool. For a creamier consistency with added nutrition, mix puree with a little breast milk or formula and a baby cereal (rice, oatmeal, millet, or barley) and serve warm. For extra flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon.

On-The-Go

Stored in jars, butternut squash puree will stay fresh in your cooler, with the frozen ice pack, for up to 12 hours and out of the refrigerator or cooler for up to 2 hours.

All About Butternut Squash

Butternut squash puree is a wonderful first food for your baby. It has a mild sweet taste, is easy to digest, and is not allergenic. Butternut squash are full of nutrients, especially disease-fighting carotenes. This puree can be soothing when your baby has an upset stomach.
Look for butternut squash that are firm to the touch and heavy for their size. Whole butternut squash are hearty and have a long shelf life. They will stay fresh at room temperature for about one month.

Too Good to be True Tomato Sauce

For ages 7-9 months and up - serves 8-10 - suitable for refrigerator and  freezer

Ingredient list:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2–4 cloves of minced garlic
• 2 28 ounce  cans  of crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay  leaf
• 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
• (2 tablespoons if using fresh)
• 1 tablespoon of dried basil
• (2 tablespoons if using fresh)
• 1 vegetable bouillon cube

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium–high heat.
2. Add the onion and garlic, reduce heat to medium, and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions and garlic should not brown—you just want them to become translucent.
3. Add bouillon cube and combine into onion and garlic, 1 minute.
4. Add crushed tomatoes, bay leaf, oregano, and basil. Raise heat to high and bring to a boil.
5. Let boil for one minute, then reduce heat to low, partially cover and let simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  During this time, the sauce will cook down and the flavors will combine.
6. Serve or store.
7. This tomato sauce can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Serving

This tomato sauce is delicious on all types of pasta. At 7–9 months, stick with small shapes like pastina and stellini. At 10–12 months, you can move to slightly bigger shapes like orzo, ditallini, and alphabet pasta, if your baby is ready. For extra flavor, add some grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of fresh basil or parsley.

On-The-Go

Stored in jars, tomato sauce will stay fresh in your cooler, with the frozen ice pack, for up to 12 hours and out of the
refrigerator or cooler for 2 hours.

All About Tomato Sauce

This tomato sauce is full of nutrients and packed with flavor. Tomatoes and oregano, in particular, are rich sources of disease-fighting antioxidants. For added nutrition, try different grain pastas like kamut, quinoa, and, for babies over 12 months, whole wheat; these pastas have a much higher nutrient content than white pasta. Tomato sauce and pasta is a great “go-to” dish. This recipe yields a large amount of sauce—you can store what is leftover and keep it in the freezer for future meals. This recipe has been in my family for generations. It is simple to make and has a fantastic flavor. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

It's smoothie time!

For ages 7-9 months and up - Serves 2-3

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of organic, whole milk vanilla yogurt
• 1 medium ripe banana
• 1 cup of frozen blueberries
• Handful of ice cubes

Variations

7-9 Months: You can substitute mango, peach, plum, apricot, cherry, or prune for the blueberries.

10-12 Months: You can substitute strawberries, pineapple, kiwi, black berries or raspberries for the blueberries. You can also substitute silken tofu for the vanilla yogurt

Over 12 Months: Whole organic milk can be substituted for the tofu or yogurt

Directions

Blend ingredients together until smooth in a standard blender.
Serve or store
While smoothies are best when served immediately after preparing, they can be stored in jars for up to 3 days in the refrigerator or 3 months in the freezer or you can make into popsicles!

Serving

Smoothies are best served cold.  For a baby 7-12 months, serve with a spoon as you would a puree or put it in a bottle with a Y-cut nipple.  For a toddler, you can put the smoothie in a sippy cup that has a Y-cut or straw top.  For an adult, serve in a tall glass.

On-The-Go

Stored in jars, smoothies will stay fresh and chilled in your cooler, with the frozen ice pack, for up to 12 hours and out of the refrigerator or cooler for 1 hour.

All About Smoothies

Smoothies are a big hit in my family.  Every time I yell out, "it's smoothie time!" the kids come running.  Smoothies are a delicious way to fill your family's bellies with nutrients.  Even when my kids aren't feeling well and don't have much of an appetite, they still always drink their smoothies.  It's a great way to keep them hydrated while giving them added nutrients.  For infants, smoothies are a wonderful  treat on a warm day or as a healthy way to soothe sore gums.  For children and adults, smoothies make a quick and satisfying breakfast or snack.

Next: Foods to avoid giving your baby - choking

By Liza Huber - Liza is an actress, author of Sage Spoonfuls - Simple Recipes, Healthy Meals, Happy Babies, mother of 3 and creator of Sage Spoonfuls. Liza also serves as an Ambassador Mom for the March of Dimes.