Baby Food

Ingredients
- fruits and vegetables - water - steamer - oven - food processor
Instructions
I've been making food for my daughter since she's been big enough to eat solids. It's a safe and fairly easy way to control what goes into her body and ensure that she's getting the best tasting, best quality food she can. This is more of a method than a recipe, exactly. You can use any green, yellow or orange vegetable you like, any legume, or any fruit except citrus. Just make sure you buy organic or locally grown, as they have the best nutritive value for your baby (not to mention it's a sustainable way to shop). - You'll steam most fruits and vegetables. Cut them into even pieces, put them into a steamer basket over about an inch (3 cm) of boiling water, cover, and cook until a knife pierces the food easily. Transfer to the bowl of your food processor, add water as necessary, and puree to an even consistency. - Bake starchy orange and yellow vegetables such as sweet potatoes or winter squashes. Cut them in half, pierce the skins with a knife, place in a baking pan with a scant amount of water (1/4 inch or 1/2 cm) and bake at 350°F (180°C) for an hour or so (you can push the potatoes to 2 hours for optimum sweetness). Remove the skins, drop the flesh in the food processor, add water, and puree. - Boil legumes before processing with a necessary amount of water (or organic whole-milk yogurt once your baby passes eight months). Frozen green ones like sweet peas or edamame only need 3-5 minutes; dry brown and red ones will take longer. You can mash the brown ones with a fork or potato masher for a more interesting texture. - You can also make meats for your baby at the eight-month mark. Use lean organic meats like beef or chicken, poach them until just barely cooked through, and puree with water. Pictured are carrots and green beans, cooked via the steamer method; edamame that have been boiled; canned red beans pureed directly from the can; and yogurt.