Baby Suppers™ Recipe of the Month

Get inspired! Get started on feeding your baby the most nutritious food possible. When making your own food choose fresh, seasonal, and preferably organic produce, meat, and dairy which has more nutrition and tastes better than anything you might find frozen or in a jar. Cut out the guide below and use it for making the healthiest produce selections.

Sweet Potatoes for your Sweet Potato

Sweet Potatoes are so much higher in nutrients than white potatoes. Plus, they are much sweeter tasting.

1 lb. (2-3) organic sweet potatoes

Thoroughly rinse, and then peel the potatoes. Rough-cut into smaller pieces for steaming. Place them into a steamer basket. Place steamer basket into a large saucepan with water. Water should not touch the potatoes. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and steam the potatoes until very soft, approximately 18 minutes. Turn off the heat, uncover and let cool slightly in the pot. Remove the potatoes and puree in a food processor or blender. Additional liquid is required to achieve a smooth consistency. Add 1/4 cup of the water used for steaming and puree until smooth.

Pour the sweet potatoes into three, 4oz. individual portion storage containers and let cool completely before refrigerating or freezing. Label and date for storage in the refrigerator for use within the next few days or freezer for up to 3 months.

Baby Suppers Baby Bite: Add a dash of cinnamon to the sweet potato puree for a mock pumpkin pie taste.

What does Organic mean?

FRUITS and VEGETABLES: for produce, organic means that the item was grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers.

MEATS and POULTRY: for animal protein, organic means that the animal was raised on feed that meets the same standards as for produce.

DAIRY: for dairy, organic means that the source animal was raised on organic feed and that there were no growth-promoting hormones or antibiotics used.

HANDY DANDY CUT-OUT: A pocket guide for choosing organic fruits and vegetables when making your own baby food.

According to a five year study, concluded in 2005 and conducted by the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) Organization, pesticide exposure in adults (not to mention children) can be lowered by almost 90 percent by avoiding the Dirty Dozen. These are the top 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables. Making selections from the Practically Pesticide-Free column—those least likely to have pesticide residues on them-- will most certainly lower pesticide exposure in the diet. Those fruits and vegetables in the Middle of the Pack are generally not grown with as many contaminants as those in the Dirty Dozen; however, they are not as clean as those in the third column either. Choose wisely and always choose organically grown produce when available.

DIRTY DOZEN: BUY ORGANIC ONLY	MIDDLE OF THE PACK: CHOOSE ORGANIC WHEN AVAILABLE	PRACTICALLY PESTICIDE-FREE
Apples	Blueberries	Asparagus
Bell peppers (sweet)	Cantaloupe	Avocado
Carrots	Cauliflower	Bananas
Cherries	Honeydew	Broccoli
Green Beans	Lemons	Cabbage
Nectarines	Oranges	Corn (if frozen)
Peaches	Papaya	Eggplant
Pears	Plums	Kiwi
Potatoes	Sweet Potatoes	Mango
Raspberries	Tomatoes	Onions
Spinach	Watermelon	Peas (if frozen)
Strawberries	Winter squash	Pineapples

Note: imported grapes, lettuce, celery, hot peppers and cucumbers are also on the EWG’s “buy organic only” list, however, these are not ingredients found in Baby Suppers recipes. For more extensive information on the study that resulted in these lists, go to www.ewg.org or www.foodnews.org