Eeeeep. It’s Friday! So soon. Welp, this is an extra special *diet water guest post*. Why you ask? Well, it’s from one of ohdeardrea’s very own sponsors: Lacy! She’s got a great fruit veggie puree recipe and explains her thoughts for you on making your own food 🙂 If you’re loving on *diet water* and loving on our recipes, then you should most definitely check out the Living on Love blog cause Lacy has got some more recipes for you there 🙂 They’re not all vegan, but we’re not all vegan either, so that’s okay 🙂 Also, she’s got a great giveaway going on right now for a boon- human powered food processor! Told you, awesome.
So yeah, I don’t know about you mamas out there, but I seriously love love love the joy I feel when making and feeding Marlowe some homemade healthy organic goodness. I don’t have any qualms with store bought baby food, but if I’ve got the time, I really like to make it myself– I’m sure it might get harder when she’s eating more and milk boobing less, but for now, most of her meals are homemade. It’s pretty easy too because I just usually set aside whatever veggies I’m chopping for my meal to make hers along side of mine. Chop extra carrots, sweet potatoes, whatever (well not whatever, but you know), steam, puree, jar! Also, I figure, she’ll be sharing more of my food (with less salt of course) the more months go by. Her new favorite this week? Chickpeas, sweet potato, spinach puree with garlic and basil. No seriously, my kid rules. This weekend I am really looking forward to making her a baby version of my vegan mac and cheese 🙂 and of course the original salty, ‘buttery’ version for Eric and I 🙂
Anyway, I’m rambling, it’s one in the morning and I’m all hyped up excited about homemade baby food. So yes, if you’re still reading my rambles, then you’re obviously also super excited about food, baby food, and baby food making mama’s, so head over to Lacy’s blog, say hello, ask her to cook you a meal, and hopefully be a bit more inspired to try out this recipe for your baby (or even yourself–hey why not?) this weekend! Seriously, mango season is going to end sooner than you know it, you’ve got no excuses!
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Hello friends of Oh Dear Drea! Glad to meet you. I’m so excited to guest post here on Diet Water! I’m Lacy from Living on Love, a lifestyle/baby blog. My blog originally started as a place to share ideas and inspiration, but more recently has revolved around my new baby, Adair Lynden. Addie, as we like to call her, is a growing girl. At 8 months old, she’s eating all kinds of food, food that I like to make myself!  So today, I will share with you one of my favorite baby food recipes with you – Carrot, Mango, and Apple puree. Yummy, I know. This is a stage 2 food – good for babies 6 months or more, depending on when you introduce solids. It is a chunkier puree, so it’s best for a baby who has been on solids for a good 2 months or so.
The ingredients:
3 medium-large carrots
2 medium mangoes
2 green or yellow apples
I got the vitamin/mineral info from a favorite website of mine. Here’s all the good stuff that’ll be in this puree…
Vitamins:Â Â A C, E, K, & Folate
Minerals:Â Â Potassium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Calcium, Sodium, & Iron
As always, go with organic if you can. Local is good too, but if you’re from Missouri, like me, mangoes can be hard to find.
This recipe is super simple. First, peel and chop your  carrots. Then peal and chop the mango. The apples only need to be cored. You can leave the skin on, but chop into small pieces like the rest of the ingredients.
 
Spread your ingredients onto a big cookie sheet and roast them at 350 degrees for 50 or so minutes, or until they are slightly browned and soft. Don’t add any oil or anything – just roast them in their bare bones.
 
 
Once the fruit and veggies are ready, you can plop them into your favorite food processor or blender. If your machine is tiny like mine, you might have to puree it in batches. Mix until everything is smooth and you’ve reached the consistency your baby likes best. You might want to add a little water or breastmilk if you think it’s too thick. It’s totally up to you.
 
To store, simply divvy out portion-sized servings into little, freezable, BPA-free containers. I like to use tiny glass jars, some women I know use the ice cube tray things made for babyfood. It’s totally up to you. Just make sure it has a lid so bacteria doesn’t get in. This will refrigerate for up to 3 days,  and freeze for up to 3 months!
It made 6 servings for us. Depending on how much your little munchkin eats at a time, it might be slightly different for you.
Lots of people think I’m crazy to make my own babyfood, but I honestly love it. I never thought I’d care so much about what I feed my kids, but once I gave birth everything changed. It seems like a lot of work, I know, but it’s so much fun (and it saves so much money!). In the same way that breastfeeding is a way of lovingly providing for your child, making babyfood from scratch is another way I can provide and go the extra, healthy mile by doing what’s best. I know exactly what is going into her food. I don’t have to worry about weird additives or preservatives, simply because the food is so fresh and so, so tasty! Sure, there are some decent companies out there making good, organic food for babes, but there’s nothing like homemade! You’ll have to try this recipe to find out for yourself!
There are many great websites and books that offer babyfood recipes, but you can certainly create your own little mixes. Think about what flavors and foods go good together, then puree away! (Like sweet potato-orange-ginger, beet & bean, sweet pea & pear, etc…)
Thanks so much for reading! Drea, thanks for letting me share! You can check out the rest of my blog at www.livingonloveblog.com. I’d love to answer your questions or hear your ideas! Once a week I post a homemade babyfood recipe, so keep your eyes open!
Cheers,
Lacy
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Thanks Lacy!
Do you have a vegan friendly recipe you’d like to share on ohdeardrea? Email me: ohdeardrea@gmail.com
Your thoughts: I want them. I’ve got some more recipes in mind I’d like to share. Like this stock and soup, and definitely more baby food. What cooking, healthy eating, happy body lifestyle living posts would you like to see? More recipes? More links? More rants? More guest posts from awesome bloggers? I’d love to know!
PS: Two more days to enter the Mild by Nature giveaway!
3 Comments
I have a baby food blog and I'll definitely be making this! I've done the same mixture but I've not roasted the mango- great idea!
Great post! I just started making baby food for my daughter and it's so much fun. I can't wait to get into fun puree mixes; we're still at the single ingredient stage.
Since you asked, things I'd love to see more of on your blog – recipes, rants, and baby tips. I have a six and a half month old, and I need more ideas for entertaining her, especially when we're stuck at home. I feel super lame when my baby is bored with me! 🙂
i have a really great vegetarian recipe but need to look into vegan cheeses to make it a Drea friendly recipe 🙂
its zucchini, either stuffed with cheese or with other veggies… i should make it soon!