Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

This is another great homemade puree for once weaning has been established and you're ready to introduce some bolder flavours. Just a hint of Garam Masala adds a delicate flavour to this lentil based puree and it is full of goodness for baby too. This is one of Beatrice's favourites.

You could use a baby vegetable or chicken stock cube if you wish - but I prefer to just use water.

We are well into finger foods and more on the baby led weaning side of things, but I still make up purees for throughout the week and serve with finger foods to load the puree onto or spoon feed when we are out and about for reduced mess, none of my friends or family wants the mess I get on a daily basis around Bea's highchair in their house. The combination feeding method has worked well for us with both girls - less stress, no outside-the-house mess! Do what ever is right for you and your little ones.

Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 3 tbsp red split lentils
• 4 florets broccoli
• 1 spring onion
• 1 clove garlic 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Drizzle rapeseed oil

Firstly drizzle the rapeseed oil into a saucepan and place on a gentle heat. 

Finely slice the spring onion and garlic and add to the pan to saute. 

In the meantime give the lentils a thorough rinse in a sieve, then add to the pan and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garam masala and stir. 

Now fully cover with cold water, place the lid on and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. 

Drain and leave to cool whilst cooking the broccoli in the same saucepan - saves on double the washing up! Cover the broccoli with boiled water from the kettle and cook for five minutes, or until the broccoli is soft enough then drain.

Add the lentil mixture and broccoli to a blender or Nutribullet, add two tablespoons of cold water and blitz. Then portion up accordingly and place into the fridge or freezer.

Sweet Potato and Mexican Bean Baby Food Puree

This puree is a great one for once weaning is established as it introduces a little more flavour and gentle spice to baby's taste buds. I really do think the more flavours you introduce to baby early on, the less fussy they are as they get older and grow into small children, my almost three-year-old is such an adventurous eater and I can almost always entice her to try things, so we're following the same routine with weaning our little one.

Again, purees can still be used if taking the baby led weaning approach, serve with a spoon, some bread sticks, rice crackers or the like to load up.

This freezes well or can be portioned up and popped into the fridge for a few days too. The below makes 3-4 portions for my seven month old, but could make more for a younger baby or one with a small appetite.

I've been using my Nutribullet to prepare these purees - but you can simply use a potato masher with a little water added, if you don't have one, or a traditional blender.

Sweet Potato and Mexican Bean Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 1 sweet potato
• 2 tbsp kidney beans
• 1/4 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1 spring onion
• 1/4 tsp paprika
• Pinch black pepper
• Handful coriander leaves and stalks

Firstly place the oven onto 200 degrees and pop the sweet potato inside to bake until soft - for about 25-30 minutes. 

Scoop out the inside and place into a blender or Nutribullet, or into a bowl if you are using a potato masher or ricer.

Now add the cooked/tinned kidney beans with the cumin, paprika and black pepper. If you are using a blender or Nutribullet simply chop the ends off of the spring onion and peel the garlic clove, but if hand blitzing then finely chop the onion and mince the garlic. 

Add the coriander leaves and two tablespoons of cold water and blitz to a thick consistency. 

Portion up accordingly into tubs or an ice tray and either pop into the fridge once cool or the freezer. Serve warm. 

Roast Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Baby Food Puree

Once you have established the weaning process and start introducing meat to baby, this is a lovely meal for her to enjoy alongside the family with the Sunday roast - just remember to omit from adding salt to the meal. 

Equally this works with other roasting joints - lamb, pork or beef and use whichever vegetables you are cooking alongside the dinner. The Broccoli Cheese is a specific weaning one, that omits from the usual salt, and that also works as a textured meal in itself when baby is ready for lumpier textures.

Roast Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 1 slice roasted chicken meat, without the skin
• 1 potato 
• 2 tbsp Broccoli Cheese
• 1-2 tbsp cold water

Carve a slim slice of roasted chicken, that hasn't been salted and add to the blender or Nutribullet. 

Whilst preparing the roast potatoes, add one potato after the par-boiling process to the blender or Nutribullet. 

Once cooked add the two tablespoons of Broccoli Cheese to the Nutribullet or blender with the cold water and blend. 

Portion up accordingly.

Potato, Peas, Broccoli and Carrot Baby Food Puree

This is another really easy baby food puree for the early weaning process. Even if you are following the Baby Led Weaning approach, purees can still be introduced with a spoon or with finger foods such as toast fingers, bagel bites or rice crackers. 

This particular puree is one I've made when I've been making a roast dinner for the rest of the family - we omit from using salt so that all of the vegetables are edible for the whole family.

Potato Peas Broccoli and Carrot Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 1 potato
• 2 tbsp peas
• 2 florets broccoli
• 1 carrot
• 4 tbsp cold water

If you're preparing a roast dinner then simply extract the cooked version of all of the above once ready, place into a blender or a Nutribullet with the cold water and blend. Please note to remove the potato once it has been par-boiled, as this will be fine for baby and you don't want to give her a roasted potato if cooked in meat juices or fats just yet. 

If you're simply preparing the above for baby, and not a family dinner follow the below:

Peel and dice one potato and place into a pan of boiled water on a medium heat, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes.

In the meantime, peel and dice a carrot, chop broccoli into the florets and add to the potato pan once the simmering has begun. 

Add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. 

Drain and allow to cool for five minutes then place into a blender or Nutribullet with the cold water and blitz.

Portion up accordingly.

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash with Cheese Baby Food Puree

Another baby food puree idea that's quick, simple and easy to prepare with minimal mess.

I buy the pre-packaged and prepared diced sweet potato and squash from Lidl to make this, and it goes down very well and means it takes next to no time to prepare.

The addition of a little Cheddar helps introduce some dairy and calcium into baby's diet - all important for the development of little one's teeth and bones, win-win.

Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash with Cheese Baby Food Puree 

Here's how:

1 pack of pre-prepared diced sweet potato and butternut squash
10g Cheddar or other hard cheese
4 tablespoons water

Cook the sweet potato and butternut squash according to the instructions - either on the hob in water or in the microwave if you're in a hurry. Allow to cool and then place into a blender or Nutribullet.

Grate in the cheese and add the cold water.

Blitz and portion up accordingly - this freezes well in little Tupperware containers or in an ice tray.

Cauliflower, Broccoli and Potato Puree Baby Food

I have been weaning my daughter for a couple of months, and now she is over seven months we have progressed onto a range of finger foods and lumpier textures but I began the process with a range of mostly homemade baby purees. I found with my first daughter a simple potato masher worked as the main tool, but this time I've made slightly larger batches of purees with the help of my Nutribullet.

I have no issue with baby food brands, and have used the likes of Hipp Organic, Ella's Kitchen and this time around, Babease, during the weaning process but I much prefer preparing my baby's food and knowing every single ingredient that is going into her food, at this crucial stage. There is extensive research out there, which suggests the more flavours and types of foods you introduce to your baby during the weaning stage, the less likely she (or he) is to be a fussy eater as they get older. Research also recommends introducing different textures between the ages of 6-9 months, to avoid them becoming fussy about 'lumps' so try not to rely solely on pouches which are mainly pureed and smooth at this age.

Remember also to introduce flavours individually during the early days - just parsnips, sweet potato, or carrots to begin with, and then combine. This has worked well for me at least - but as parents, we all just do our best and seem to find our own way - I'm not preaching, just bringing to the table what has worked for us :-) I also try to use the same pan to cook things - another bug bear of being a busy Mum, is the constant clean-up, and I know the convenience of pouches is what attracts many, so I've tried to create some purees where minimal mess and clear up is required.

This puree is simple - potato, broccoli and cauliflower - nothing else, besides water.

Potato Broccoli and Cauliflower Puree

Here's how:

• 1 white potato
• 3 florets of broccoli
• 3 florets of cauliflower

Bring a large pan of water to the boil - or if you're in a hurry, simply boil the kettle and add to a pan. 

Peel the potato and cut into small, 1 cm (ish) cubes and wash well to remove some of the starch, then add to the pan on a medium heat. Bring to the boil, then simmer for ten minutes, testing with a fork to see if the potato has become soft enough to blend. As soon as it has, remove the potato with a slotted spoon and place directly into a blender or Nutribullet to cool a little.

Now add the broccoli and cauliflower to the water and cook for about 6 minutes, until softened. Drain, and add the cooked vegetables to the blender or Nutribullet. 

Pour over 4 tablespoons of cold water and leave for five minutes to cool a little more. Then blitz to a smooth paste.

Portion up and store excess portions in sealable tubs or ice cube trays. Reheat by placing the container into a bowl or pot of boiled water and always test with your hand before serving to baby.

Baby Bites: Sweet Potato, Spinach and Pea Puree

Beatrice is six months old this week, and we are well established on the weaning front; she's been enjoying a range of homemade purees, and I will slowly start to introduce a wider selection of foods, meat, fish and different textures over the coming weeks.

In the meantime I will share some of the purees and meal ideas here, as I did with Bridget. Once again, I'm not anti-shop-bought when it comes to feeding babies and weaning, and am actually using the Aptamil Baby Porridge at the moment, for example, as the super soft texture is perfect for babies and I'm a huge fan of the Ella's Kitchen and Hipp Organic ranges too.

Recently we've been using the Lidl fruit pouches too, which are excellent and super convenient. In the main part, I do try to prepare most of the weaning dishes myself, because I can, and enjoy the knowledge that I know every ingredient that my baby is having, but having said that, I've found, like many parents before me from what I've heard, that second time around, I'm a lot more laid back around the whole weaning situation. I'm less neurotic over panicking if Beatrice has a taste of something that she shouldn't have at her age, she was in Crete last week, boiling and had a few licks of a frozen yoghurt - something I would never have done when Bridget was a baby, but she enjoyed it, didn't get a sore tummy, and it cooled her down into the bargain.

I stick by my original weaning 'tools' and say, that you can get by with a simple potato masher if that's all you have, it's what I used first time around and, still do for some of the meals. I'm so reliant on my Nutribullet these days though for myself, I use it at least once a day and it's excellent to help quickly blitz up a meal into a puree for weaning.

This puree is super simple; sweet potato, baked, and scooped out of the shell, a handful of washed, blanched spinach and a handful of boiled or steamed peas. Either mash all together with a little water or baby milk (breast or formula works) or pop into the Nutribullet, allow to cool a bit first, then blitz for 10 seconds.

Sweet Potato, Spinach and Pea Puree



You'll be left with a glorious, green coloured puree that doesn't look very appetising, but is full of goodness, and Beatrice has been wolfing it down.

Beatrice enjoying her Sweet Potato, Spinach and Pea Puree



If you use 1 medium sweet potato, one handful of spinach and the same of peas, this should make a good 3 portions. May your littles ones enjoy!