Triple Berry (Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry), Banana and Oatmeal Puree

This delicious blend of three berries with the sweetness of banana and the goodness of oatmeal makes a perfect breakfast for my Prisha. Prepare this fresh and serve warm. You can keep the rest of the puree in the fridge in an airtight container for up-to two days. 

When I think of baby food I think of colors, orange is for carrot and sweet potato, green is for avocado and green beans and purple is for berries and fun! You can use fresh or frozen berries for this recipe. I am sure most of the parents prefer buying organic stuff for our babes. By preparing baby food at home I feel confident that the food is fresh and prepared with the best ingredients. 

I like mixing bananas with other fruits because homemade banana purees tend to brown quickly and once the color changes all science fails to convince a mom that this can be given to your baby. Bananas add a natural sweetness to the berries which in turn prevent the discoloration of the bananas by adding a bright purple color.

Berries – You can use fresh or frozen. But keep in mind that fresh raspberries have seeds. I always cook the berries for a few minutes then push them (raspberries) through a sieve or strainer to remove the seeds. If I am using frozen raspberries, I blend them straight away.

Bananas - Make sure to always buy organic bananas because the non-organic ones are sprayed with synthetic fertilizers and other harmful chemicals which we do not want to include in our baby foods. Price wise it doesn’t make much difference. Also make sure to use only ripe bananas when making baby foods, as unripe bananas are not suitable for your baby’s digestion.

Oats – Oatmeal is like a religion in our home. Every week I make a mix of oatmeal with lots of dried fruits (chopped pecans/ walnuts, raisins, apricots, dates, plum, figs etc.) in it. This turns the dull bland oatmeal into an exciting meal. If you have never tried this version of oatmeal before, you must! You will never look for another breakfast option again. 

The pre-packaged baby oatmeal available in the grocery stores are ready to serve. Although they can be a convenience, if you have oatmeal at home, ask your pediatrician if you can give it to your baby. I use my Nutribullet (milling blade) to finely ground about half a cup of oatmeal. Then I keep it in an airtight container and label it as ‘Cook First’. Just a reminder to self not to give it to baby Prisha without cooking. This method is excellent when you are preparing lentil soup with oatmeal or this berry blend.

I prefer oatmeal over rice cereal. Oats are filled with fiber; they are sodium free with no artificial preservatives or flavors. Plus, I think this helps to introduce the idea of a filling, warm breakfast to our babies.

Triple Berry and Mango Banana Puree

Ingredients:

• Mixed Berries - 1 cup (Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry), washed thoroughly
• Banana – 1, ripe
• Old Fashioned Oats – ½ cup

Blueberry Banana Puree

Directions:

• Grind the Oats to a fine powder. I use my Nutribullet (milling blade) for this.
• Now take a small pan and heat it over medium heat.
• Add the berries in it with ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook till the berries soften up. Add about 1 tablespoon of ground oats in it. Mix well, cover and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes over low heat. Break and mash the berries to check that they are cooked.
• Turn off the heat, keep it aside.
• Once the berry mixture cools down, transfer them with the banana in your Nutribullet/ blender cup (extractor blade) and blend till smooth.
• Serve warm to your baby. You can also add a tablespoon of yogurt in it (if your pediatrician allows that).

Tips: 

• Try making this with just one type of berry to see what flavor your baby likes most.
• You can double the quantity and make a smoothie for yourself. Reward yourself for all the hard work!
• If using fresh raspberries, push them through a sieve or strainer to remove all the seeds. I don’t do this step when using frozen berries.

Raspberry Banana Puree

Try these Baby Food purees as well:

• Collard Greens, Pineapple and Apple Puree
• Mango Banana Coconut Cream (with Yogurt) Puree
• Carrot Puree/ Carrot Avocado Puree
• Chicken, Yellow Squash, Apple with Nutmeg
• Chicken, Mango and Broccoli Penne
• Apple Puree/ Apple Mango Carrot Puree
• Green Power: Green Beans Puree/ French Beans and Pear Puree with Yogurt
• Garlic Tomato Pasta Puree
• Chicken Broccoli Fried Rice/ Casserole
• 5 Minute Purees – Blueberry Avocado Banana Puree and Cherry Mango Banana Puree
• Breakfast Purees – Pear Oats Plums Blueberry and Pear Oats Apricot Mango
• Chicken and Barley Puree with Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
• Avocado Purees – Avocado Cherry Banana Puree and Avocado Orange Banana Puree
• Chole Chawal (Chickpea curry with Rice)
• Sweet Potato, Kidney Beans, Purple Carrots and Green Apple
• Ginger Beef with Veggies
• Beef Pasta with Spinach, Tomato and Carrot
• Zucchini Pear Mango Purée
• Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Golden Beets, Acorn Squash, Peas and fresh Parsley
• Sweet Banana – Banana Avocado Pineapple Puree with Yogurt and Banana Golden Beet Mango Puree
• Butternut Squash, Strawberry and Golden Beet Puree
• Apple Blueberry Puree
• Beef, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Puree
• Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Butternut Squash and Mango Puree
• Khichri (Lentils and Rice with Garden Veggies Puree)
• Carrot, Peach, Butternut Squash puree with Clove
• Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Zucchini Carrot and Cilantro
• Kiwi, Carrot, Butternut Squash and Mango Puree
• Diary of Finger Foods
• Carrot, Apple and Ginger Puree
• Plum Apple Avocado Puree
• Red Lentils Puree with Turnip, Zucchini, Sweet Potatoes and aromatic Cloves
• Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Carrot, Yellow Squash, Apple and Oregano
• Green Beans and Asparagus Puree
• Green Beans, Green Apple and Avocado Puree
• Collard Greens, Yellow Squash and Sweet Potato Puree
• Diary of Finger Foods -1
• Pear Banana Oatmeal
• Pear, Turnip, Collard Greens, Purple Carrot with aromatic Star Anise
• Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Carrot, Tomato, Pear and Mint
• Rice Pudding with Apple and Banana
• Turnip Pear Broccoli Yellow Squash
• Blueberry Strawberry Peas Avocado Puree
• Sweet Potato, Mango and Avocado Puree
• Kiwi, Green Beans, Peas, Strawberry and Blueberry Puree
• Kiwi, Green Apple and Banana Puree
• Beef Beetroot Yellow Squash Puree
• Butternut Squash and Kiwi Puree
• Plum Puree
• Plum, Blackberry Puree with Yogurt
• Mangsho Bhat (Chicken Rice with Potato and Tomato)
• Pot Roast
• Plum Cherry Mango Puree
• Carrot Peach and Cherry Puree
• Purple Carrots, Butternut Squash and Dried Apricots
• Chicken, Acorn Squash, Golden Beet and Ginger Powder
• Apple Mango Kiwi Banana Puree with a dash of Vanilla Extract
• Diary of Finger Foods - 2
• Mangoes Cherries Peach Acorn Squash and Mint Puree
• Beef Barley Stew for the Babies
• Cardamom Chicken with Vegetables for the Babies