More Broccoli and Cheese, Please

season — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 20:59:08 +0000

For some reason I never would have thought that Claire would like broccoli but, boy, does she ever. She’ll eat it plain or a little spruced up like in the picture above (yes, I know, often pureed baby food does not look appetizing to us grown-ups; but, the picture doesn’t do it justice: it’s bright, it’s green, it looks vibrant). This is one of my favorite meals to make for Claire because it’s so jam-packed with goodness. I usually take two broccoli cubes, one cauliflower cube, and then grate some cheddar cheese on top (where it melts into gooey deliciousness). This ends up being a lot of food for one little person; but, Claire – being the Bear that she is – gobbles it all up.

Broccoli food cubes are super simple to make. I usually use the broccoli crowns that are readily available in my supermarket. I trim off some of the stem and leaves (but not too much, broccoli is full of flavor). Then I steam it as I would if I were going to eat it. It’s almost as simple as 1-2-3:

1. Trim (and I cut into smaller bits for easier steaming).

2. Steam until tender.

3. Puree.

Okay, there are a few more things involved; but not too much. Just add some water as the broccoli is pureeing to your desired texture and you’re done.

The cauliflower I make the exact same way. I use cauliflower often as what I call a ‘filler’ veg. Cauliflower is good on it’s own but not always. Sometimes I use it to add a little extra something to veg, like broccoli or carrots. It gives it a nice depth. (Yeah, I just used ‘depth’ when talking about baby food.)

Leeks, Potatoes, Carrots…and Peas!

season — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 13:17:45 +0000

Claire has not been a big fan of peas. I’m not sure I blame her. It took a long time for me to open up to the wonderful world of sweet peas and, even then, I like them best when mixed with other veg. (Try sauteing some shallots and mushrooms in butter and then add peas and corn and you have a sweet veg medley.) So I decided to give peas another go with the help of some other veg that I know she likes: potatoes and carrots.

I started out with some leeks, which I find to be a beautiful veg: the way the green fades into white.

So, everything gets a good chop and then into the pot it goes with a little chicken stock.After about 10 minutes you add some peas (I used frozen – and, yes, you can refreeze them).

Simmer for another 5-6 minutes and it’s ready for the food pro.

It’s hard to tell from this picture, but this puree was delicious – like a potato velvet soup. I ate the remainder for lunch!

feeding claire » vegetables

More Broccoli and Cheese, Please

Leeks, Potatoes, Carrots…and Peas!