Collard Greens, Yellow Squash and Sweet Potato Puree

I just love that our Bengali cuisine has so much to offer. We have so many different varieties of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes. Our lunch usually comprises of rice (in Northern India) while the dinner has a flatbread (like roti). The dishes to be served for lunch/ dinner are also prepared accordingly. For example, we will almost always have some sort of leafy vegetable to start our lunch. Saag Bhaja being the most common. Pui Saag, Lal Saag, Kumro Saag, Lau Saag etc. are also often prepared with/ without other vegetables/ fish for other courses. 

Now although these greens (and their dishes) are all amazing I do want to introduce baby Prisha to some other greens as well and three most common greens I turn to are: Spinach, Collard Greens and Red Chard. Today we are going to discuss a recipe with collard greens. When eaten raw, collard greens have a bitter taste like Kale. I always cook all the vegetables for baby Prisha’s food and although the taste does improve (it gets mellow almost earthy), it doesn’t taste very appetizing. So I make sure to add some sweet ingredients as well, which in this recipe are Yellow Squash and Sweet Potato. When you are making baby food, if you have some vegetables left, temper some Panch fhoron in mustard oil and sear them on medium heat. Cover and cook for twenty minutes and ta da! Delicious side dish ready. Serve it with steamed rice. Lunch for you and baby! 

Ingredients:

• Collard Greens – 2 cups, cut in pieces, thoroughly washed
• Yellow Squash – 1 cup, ends cut, cut in cubes
• Sweet Potato – 1 cup, peeled, cut in cubes
• Salt – a pinch

Directions:

• Place the ingredients into the pressure cooker. You can also use a heavy saucepan. Add ½ cup of water.
• Cover and cook over medium heat for 3-4 whistles or until the vegetables are tender.
• Let them cool down completely then use half of the water (in which they were cooked) to make the puree. Puree using a blender or Nutri bullet. Keep adding 1-2 tablespoons of water till the puree is smooth enough for your baby.
• You can keep the puree for 1-2 days in the fridge.

 

Try these Baby Food purees as well:

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