I’ve received a few inquiries lately regarding recipes specifically for babies and questions about what I feed Waverley (I guess her affinity towards salmon sparked some interest!). She has quite the palate and turns few food options away. At this point she eats mostly what the family eats, yet I used to make her separate food when she was younger and progressing with solids. My first attempts at multi-ingredient purees were promptly spit out and I feared I had a picky eater on the horizon. Apparently it wasn’t that she was a picky eater, just that my homemade concoctions were disgusting! I accepted defeat at my limitations in the kitchen and purchased The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start for recipe inspiration. Our entire eating experience changed! Every recipe I’ve made from that book has been gobbled up by Waverley … and, on occasion, my husband. As a clinician myself, I respect that it is written by a dietician (in addition to a chef) who backs up the recipes with facts. Each stage of infancy and toddler-hood is broken into applicable recipes considering a multitude of variables such as oral motor control, gastrointensital tolerance, preferred flavors, and textures. The book also provides important information for parents that many people may not know regarding safety, how to introduce new foods, and vitamins/minerals in certain choices. The recipes generally yield large amounts, which I then froze in ice cube trays for handy single-servings of food ready at a moment’s notice- perfect when running late or if the main course wasn’t appropriate for a babe. I highly recommend The Baby and Toddler Cookbook if you are in the throes of or preparing to feed a baby solids. One of my favorites is this Indian-spiced lentil stew, doesn’t it look delicious?

Indian-spiced lentil stew

 

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This is from "The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start".

Ingredients

• One tablespoon olive oil
• One carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• One medium red potato, peeled and finely chopped
• ¼ yellow onion, finely chopped
• One small clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅓ cup red lentils
• Two cups vegetable stock

Instructions

1. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the carrot, potato, onion, and garlic and sauté for five minutes. Add the spices and stir to mix well.
2. Add the lentils and the stock, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil.
3. Cover and simmer until the vegetables and lentils are tender.
4. At this point depending on the baby's age and chewing abilities the stew can be blended to puree more or served as is.

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