One question that I have been receiving lately is when is it appropriate to start combo foods for your baby. I started baby Prisha on solid foods when she was 6 months old. I gave her several types of purees but all of them were prepared with a single ingredient. Now sweet potato, carrot, apple, beans, pear, banana these are all first foods. Once I knew that she is not allergic to any of these and can digest these well, I started combining these ingredients (and that was around 8 months). As a rule of thumb, whenever I want to introduce something new to her I always offer her a small quantity of only that ingredient. If everything is ok, then only I add it in a combo. Combination foods are fantastic! They introduce our babies to more flavor and aroma. In fact, combo foods are easy to prepare as well. I love adding some vegetable and fruit in a combo with an herb so that it gets a natural sweet, tangy flavor and aroma.
Ingredients:
- Cheese – ½ cup, shredded or in small pieces
- Chicken breast – 1/3 cup, cut into cubes
- Penne Pasta – ¼ cup, uncooked (I used whole wheat pasta)
- Golden Beets – ½ cup, peeled, cut into small cubes
- Acorn Squash – 1 cup, peeled, seeded, cut into cubes
- Peas – ¼ cup, fresh or frozen
- Fresh Parsley – 2 tablespoons, washed, chopped
Recommended Reading: Handling Raw Meat with Safety
Directions:
- Wash the vegetables and Chicken thoroughly.
- Place the ingredients into the pressure cooker (except the Parsley and Cheese). You can also use a small heavy saucepan.
- Add about ½ cup of water.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for 3-4 whistles or until the vegetables are tender and the Chicken and Pasta completely cooks (about 20-25 minutes on low heat for saucepan).
- Add the Cheese, stir then let everything cool down completely.
- Make the puree using the water in which the vegetables were cooked. Add the Parsley and puree using a blender or Nutri bullet. Keep adding 1-2 tablespoons of water till the puree is smooth enough for your baby.
- Serve for lunch or dinner and let them enjoy the goodness. You can keep the puree for up-to 2 days in the fridge.
Try these Baby Food purees as well:
- Apple Mango Kiwi Banana Puree with a dash of Vanilla Extract
- Diary of Finger Foods - 2
- Carrot Puree/ Carrot Avocado Puree
- Beef Pasta with Spinach, Tomato and Carrot
- Zucchini Pear Mango Purée
- Diary of Finger Foods
- Apple Puree/ Apple Mango Carrot Puree
- Triple Berry (Blueberry, Raspberry, Strawberry), Banana and Oatmeal Puree
- Green Power: Green Beans Puree/ French Beans and Pear Puree with Yogurt
- 5 Minute Purees – Blueberry Avocado Banana Puree and Cherry Mango Banana Puree
- Breakfast Purees – Pear Oats Plums Blueberries and Pear Oats Apricots Mangoes
- Chicken and Barley Puree with Sweet Potato or Butternut Squash
- Avocado Purees – Avocado Cherry Banana Puree and Avocado Orange Banana Puree
- Sweet Banana – Banana Avocado Pineapple Puree with Yogurt and Banana Golden Beet Mango Puree
- Sweet Potatoes, Peas, Butternut Squash and Mango Puree
- Khichri (Lentils and Rice with Garden Veggies Puree)
- Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Zucchini Carrot and Cilantro
- Kiwi, Carrot, Butternut Squash and Mango Puree
- Carrot, Apple and Ginger Puree
- Plum Apple Avocado Puree
- Turnip Pear Broccoli Yellow Squash
- 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
- Pear, Turnip, Collard Greens, Purple Carrot with aromatic Star Anise
- Cheesy Chicken Pasta with Carrot, Tomato, Pear and Mint
- Blueberry Strawberry Peas Avocado Puree
- Apple Blueberry Puree
- Beef, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Puree
- Carrot, Peach, Butternut Squash puree with Clove
- Sweet Potato, Mango and Avocado Puree
- Kiwi, Green Beans, Peas, Strawberry and Blueberry Puree
- Beef Beetroot Yellow Squash Puree
- Chicken, Yellow Squash, Apple with Nutmeg
- Ginger Beef with Veggies
- Chicken, Mango and Broccoli Penne
- Garlic Tomato Pasta Puree
- Collard Greens, Pineapple and Apple Puree
- Mango Banana Coconut Cream (with Yogurt) Puree
- Diary of Finger Foods -1
- Pear Banana Oatmeal
- Chicken Broccoli Fried Rice/ Casserole
- Kiwi, Green Apple and Banana Puree
- Beef Barley Stew for the Babies
- Cardamom Chicken with Vegetables for the Babies
- Chole Chawal (Chickpea curry with Rice)
- Sweet Potato, Kidney Beans, Purple Carrots and Green Apple
- Butternut Squash and Kiwi Puree
- Purple Carrots, Butternut Squash and Dried Apricots
- Chicken, Acorn Squash, Golden Beet and Ginger Powder
- Plum Puree
- Plum, Blackberry Puree with Yogurt
- Plum Cherry Mango Puree
- Rice Pudding with Apple and Banana
- Carrot Peach and Cherry Puree
- Mangoes Cherries Peach Acorn Squash and Mint Puree
- Collard Greens, Yellow Squash and Sweet Potato Puree
- Mangsho Bhat (Chicken Rice with Potato and Tomato)
- Pot Roast
