Collard Greens, Pineapple and Apple Puree

Collard Greens are a wonderful way to add more greens to your baby’s diet, especially when they have just started eating purees. After all it is a whole new world of different flavors after drinking milk for the first several months. I would recommend not adding more than ¼ cup of greens the first few times because their digestive system is still developing. 

When picking up any greens, always go for the freshest leaves. They shouldn’t be tough or have any discoloration. The leaves should be easy to pull away from the stem when you are tearing/ cutting them. You will also see quite a lot of mud on the leaves which is only natural so cleaning them properly before eating is a must.

What I do is: 

Fill two big bowls with lukewarm water.
Cut/ tear the leaves (I also use the stems because of the high nutritional value) into one bowl and thoroughly wash, making scrubbing motions with your hands, this will loosen any grit.
Now transfer the washed leaves in the second bowl and repeat the washing process. If you still see mud, wash the first bowl with soap and water and fill it with lukewarm water again. 
Repeat the washing steps until you don’t see any grit left in the bowls. 
Once the leaves are clean, you can use them in any dish you want. 

Tip: Since pre-washed Collard Greens are hard to come by, this recipe can also be prepared with Spinach. Use the same quantity of Spinach and try to find one of the triple washed bag/ box to save time.

Ingredients:

• Collard Greens – 1 cup, cut in pieces
• Pineapple – ½ cup, cut into chunks
• Apple – 1, big (cored, peeled and cut into chunks)

Directions:

• Place the Collard Greens, Pineapple and Apple pieces into a small pot with ½ cup of water. 
• Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes.
• Let it cool down completely then use only half of the water (in which they were cooked) to make the puree. Puree using a hand blender/ food processor or Nutri bullet.
• Yummy homemade Puree is ready! You can keep this in fridge for up-to 2 days. 

Tip: You can use the leftover water (in which the greens and fruits were cooked) to cook your meals, curry/ gravy/ rice etc.

Try these Baby Food purees as well:

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

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

Pear, Turnip, Collard Greens, Purple Carrot with aromatic Star Anise

This combo has quite a few stage 2 ingredients. If you or your family members have any history of food allergies do consult your pediatrician before trying this combo. You can also prepare purees of individual ingredients first (for a trial run) and if everything goes ok, try the combo.

Let’s discuss Star Anise. I don’t recommend giving any herbal teas to your babies at this age. But occasionally adding star anise in a puree for some fragrance should be ok. Remember to take it out before making the puree though. We don’t want our babies actually eating the whole spice. 

So what is Star Anise?

This is a mahogany colored, 8 pointed star shaped fruit. It has a licorice anise like flavor and we get hints of fennel, clove and a little pepper from it. It is perfect to add in dishes where the ingredients have a bland/ dull aroma and flavor. However, you are most welcome to skip it if you feel uncomfortable adding it in.

Before we move on to the recipe, I would like to address the messages of the mama’s wo are looking for a Sippy cup recommendation, I have been using the Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cup for baby Prisha. These are 7 Oz cups and you get 2 cups for $11.25. They have two handles so it is easier for the babies to hold them. They also have a 360 degree drinking edge so the babies can drink from any angle and they don't spill! I trained baby Prisha with water in these cups and now she drinks milk. It is super easy to clean both in dishwasher (top rack) and by hand and are of course BPA free.

A word of advice, never leave the Sippy cup with the babies in their crib. Offer it to them when you are around to keep an eye on them.

Ingredients:

• Pear – 1
• Turnip – 1
• Collard Greens – 3 stems with leaves, fresh
• Purple Carrot – 1
• Star Anise – 1

Directions:

• Remove the stem and core of the Pear, you can do that by cutting the pear in half lengthwise then chopping it into pieces excluding the stem and core.
• Peel, wash and chop in big pieces the Turnip and Purple Carrot.
• Rinse and chop the Collard Greens, include the stems as well. Discard any discolored leaves or thick stems.
• Fill a medium saucepan with 3 inches of water and bring to a boil over medium heat. Place the Pear, Turnip, Collard Greens, Purple Carrot and the Star Anise into a steamer basket over the boiling water, cover, and cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Alternatively, you can pressure cook with ½ cup of water. 2 whistles on medium heat should be enough.
• Let the fruits and vegetables cool down. Remove the Star Anise. 
• Transfer the fruits and vegetables to your blender cup or Nutri bullet cup and puree until smooth. Keep adding water (in which they were cooked) 1 tablespoon at a time till you reach your desired consistency.
• Delicious puree is ready! 
• This puree can be kept in the fridge for 1-2 days.

Try these Baby Food purees as well:

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