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Annabel Karmel’s Winter Weaning
Coming up with purée ideas in the winter involves a bit more thought as there is less seasonal fruit and vegetables available to us.
However there are some delicious ingredients you can easily get hold of in winter that combined make purées bursting with flavours that will have you eating up any left overs! Inspired by my favourite home-cooked recipes, my stage 1 and 2 organic baby purées and new tasty sauces are ideal for when time is not on your side.
First Fruit Purée
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 10 minutes
• Makes 4 portions
• Suitable for freezing
Adding fruit such as plums or apricot can make a plain apple purée a little more interesting, but I love the mixture of pear and apple, this makes a lovely simple first fruit purée.
INGREDIENTS
• 1 ripe pear, peeled,cored and diced
• 1 eating apple, such as Spartan or Pink Lady, peeled, cored and diced
• 2 tbsp water
METHOD
1. Put the diced apple and pear in a saucepan with the water. Bring to the boil, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently for about 10 minutes or until the fruits are all soft.
2. Cool slightly, then tip into a blender and purée until smooth. Serve warm, or cool quickly and chill in the fridge before serving.
3. The purée can be frozen in individual portions; thaw for 1 – 2 hours at room temperature when needed.
Porridge with apple, pear and raisins
This is a delicious warming breakfast, make extra fruit compote to add to your own morning bowl of porridge.
Prep: 7 minutes | Cook: 10 minutes | Makes 3 portions | Suitable for freezing
INGREDIENTS
• 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
• 30g raisins
• 4 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons baby porridge
• 2 tablespoons cooled boiled Water
METHOD
1. Put the apple, pear and raisins into a heavy-based saucepan together with the water.
2. Cover, bring to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, or until the apples are soft.
3. Purée using an electric hand blender.
4. Mix the baby porridge with the cooled boiled water and stir into the purée.
Squash, Salmon and Spinach Purée
Oily fish like salmon provide a good source of essential fatty acids, which are important for the development of the brain, nervous system and vision. A baby’s brain grows very rapidly in the first year.
Prep: 10 minutes | Cook: 25 minutes | Makes 4 portions | Suitable for freezing
INGREDIENTS
• 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
• 1⁄2 small onion (30g), peeled and chopped
• 200g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
• 350ml water
• 225g salmon fillet, skinned and chopped
• 50g washed baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 teaspoons chopped dill
METHOD
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion and fry for 3 minutes. Add the squash and water.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the squash is soft. Add the salmon and spinach and stir for 3 minutes, until the salmon is cooked and the spinach is wilted.
3. Add the cream cheese, Parmesan and dill. Blend until smooth using an electric hand blender.
Avocado and Banana
The combination of fruit and vegetables is delicious, the prunes adding a lovely sweet taste.
Prep: 4 minutes | Makes 1 portion | Suitable for freezing
Avocado and banana are great first foods, they are quick and easy to prepare and are perfect for taking out an about as require no cooking and come with their own packaging.
INGREDIENTS
• 1⁄2 small ripe avocado, stoned
• 1⁄2 small ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• A little breast or formula milk (optional)
METHOD
1. Scoop out the avocado flesh and mash together with the banana.
2. For a thinner consistency, stir in a little of your baby’s usual milk.
Butternut squash, Carrot, Apple and Prunes
Prep: 12 minutes | Cook: 15 minutes | Makes 6 portions | Suitable for freezing
INGREDIENTS
• 1 medium carrot (100g), peeled and sliced
• 1 small dessert apple (50g), peeled, cored and chopped
• 10g prunes, chopped
• 200g butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped
METHOD
1. Put the carrot and squash into a steamer and cook for 5 minutes.
2. Add the apple and prunes and continue to steam for 10 minutes until all the ingredients are tender.
3. Blend with about 2 tablespoons of water from the steamer.
Annabel’s new delicious, nutritious range of Organic Baby Purées and Organic Sauces
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