Fall Applesauce

Only recently have I embraced the idea of making homemade applesauce for baby.  Maybe it's the coming of fall, maybe it's boredom of the bland store brand.  Regardless, this is my simple favorite!  The different types of apples and the addition of a peach or pear gives it a nice punch.  I do the prep before feeding baby a meal and let the simmering happen while he eats, then do the finishing-up as I set him free of the high chair.  Even in the refrigerator, it's usually still warm for the next mealtime!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

5 large apples, of 2 or 3 different varieties

1 peach or pear

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Peel, core, and quarter fruit

Simmer apple juice and fruit in a large pan until apples break down and are very tender (about 20 minutes)

Place in blender with cinnamon and nutmeg and blend until smooth

Avocado Fruit Salsa

Here's one the whole family enjoys.  This is my boy's favorite way to eat avocado.

Avocado Fruit Salsa

1 small avocado

1 peach

1/4 cup cut Mango (I didn't have any but I bet it'd be delish)

1/2 banana

Lemon juice

Lime juice

Combine cubed avocado, peach, and mango in a bowl.  In another bowl mash 1/2 a banana and add lemon juice and lime juice (a bit less than you would use for yourself).  Pour the banana mixture over the cubed fruit like a glaze.  Mash LIGHTLY* with a potato masher.  Serve either as a sticky finger food or spoon feed.

*The way you serve this will determine how mashed you make it.  If your baby won't eat chunks off a spoon and you need to feed it as a finger food, keep the cubes mostly in tact.  If your baby will eat this off a spoon, you can mash more thoroughly, but it should be far from a puree.

My husband and I ate this with chips and LOVED it!  It's a good mild salsa.  Feel free to add more lemon, lime, and jarred mango salsa to it for you!

Tip:  If this flavor is too strong a flavor for your baby, try using baked apple instead of the mango and less lemon & lime.

Fruity Brown Rice

This recipe is fun to make.  I love the smell as all the flavors combine while it simmers!  It's also very versatile so you can change it to your baby's preferences, or what you have in your cupboard!

1/2 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup pumpkin puree (or you can substitute or add peach, pears, plums, etc.)
Pinch of cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and simmer gently until creamy and well blended.

This makes about three meals for my little guy, or one full Nuk baby bowl.
For babies about 9 months +