YouTube Video: How to Make Pureed Quinoa, Sweet Potato, Broccoli and Collard Greens Baby Food
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One of the great advantages of making baby food at home is that you get to control the ingredients. I started to mix many ingredients into one once my infant had tried each ingredient individually on its own. For instance, if I had just introduced him to pureed sweet potatoes, I would feed him only pureed sweet potatoes for 3-4 days straight. That way if he were to have an allergic reaction, I would know that the sweet potatoes were the cause of it.
The combination of these ingredients provides such a hearty and a healthy meal for an infant since it contains protein from the quinoa (in addition to its many wonderful nutrients) and the vast array of nutrients from the vegetables. Might I add, the addition of the leafy green is spectacular. Also, the sweet potato adds a natural sweetness to this meal, which might be why my infant enjoyed it so much.
Some of the nutritional benefits your infant will receive from this meal are the following:
- Quinoa: Protein, gluten free, all 9 essential amino acids, copper, manganese, iron, phosphorous, fiber
- Broccoli: Folate, Antioxidant, Vitamin A, Vitamins C & E, fiber
- Sweet Potatoes: Beta-Carotene (Vitamin A), Vitamin C, fiber, vitamin B-6, potassium, Antioxidant
- Collard Greens: Vitamins A, C, E, K, Vitamins B1 & B6, Iron, Folate, Antioxidant, Detoxification benefits
Step By Step Instructions
How To Cook Quinoa:
Measure 1/2 cup of Quinoa, place it in a mesh strainer and run cold water over it to give it a rinse (similar to how rice is rinsed before cooking).
Note: The quinoa I use has already been rinsed and cleaned. Please refer to the package’s instructions to learn whether or not the quinoa needs to be rinsed.
Add 1 cup of filtered water to a saucepan, cover it with a lid and bring it to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add 1/8 teaspoon of Iodized salt and stir.
Add 1/2 cup of the rinsed Quinoa into the boiling water.
Give the Quinoa a stir. Cover the saucepan with a lid and lower the heat. Allow it to simmer on low heat until all the water has been absorbed, which can take about 15-20 minutes.
Once the liquid has been absorbed, turn the heat off and allow it to sit with the lid covered for an additional 5-10 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
Set the cooked quinoa aside.
How to Cook Sweet Potato, Broccoli, and Collard Greens
Thoroughly scrub 3 medium sweet potatoes and 1 bunch of broccoli under cold water. Also wash and pat dry 3 collard greens.
Peel the skin off of the sweet potato. I also like to peel the skin off the broccoli’s stem, if I intend to use it.
Cut the ends off of the sweet potato.
To facilitate in cutting the sweet potato, carefully, stand the sweet potato on one of its ends on the cutting board. Cut a small portion off, as shown, to give it a flat surface to lie on.
Don’t discard that piece. Rather, chop it up into slices and place it in your steam basket.
Cut the sweet potato into thin slices and place them in the steam basket.
Cut the end off of the broccoli and discard it.
Cut the stem off of the broccoli. I use the stem of the broccoli as well because it too provides many nutrients. I like to separate it from the florets because the stem is a bit more tough. For that reason, I thinly dice the stems so this way the stems and the florets can cook in the same amount of time.
Cut the stems into small chunks
Cut the rest of the broccoli into medium chunks
Place the broccoli into the steam basket.
Add water to your saucepan
Place the steam basket over the saucepan. Make sure the steam basket doesn’t touch the water when placed inside the saucepan.
Cover it with a lid and bring the water to a boil.
Once the water starts to boil, decrease the heat to medium low ( a temperature to where you can hear a low boil occurring in the saucepan). Allow it to steam for 30 minutes or until the sweet potatoes and the broccoli are a little soft.
While the sweet potatoes and the broccoli are steaming, prepare the collard greens.
Remove the stems from the collard greens.
Pile the leaves on top of each other
Then, starting from the bottom tightly roll the leaves upwards.
Cut the rolled up bunch into strips.
Turn the cut strips horizontally and dice it into finer pieces.
Carefully mince it into finer pieces.
Once the sweet potato and the broccoli are a little soft, add the collard greens and steam it for an additional 5 minutes.
The broccoli and sweet potatoes are done when they are fork tender, meaning a fork can easily go through them.
Allow it to sit off the heat for an additional 5 minutes.
Carefully spoon the sweet potato, broccoli, collard greens and the quinoa into the blender and allow it to sit for a few minutes just to bring the temperature down a bit.
Add 1/2 cup of filtered water and blend it altogether until it resembles a puree like consistency.
Spoon the puree into glass jars and let them cool.
Store it in the refrigerator.
Or place them in freezer safe containers and place it in the freezer.
Recipe
Pureed Quinoa, Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli and Collard Greens.
Makes about 32 ounces
Ingredients:
Quinoa
- 1/2 cup of Organic Quinoa
- 1 cup of filtered water
- 1/8 teaspoon of Iodized Salt-like the Morton brand (Iodine is extremely necessary for the health and well being of all ages)
Instructions:
Measure 1/2 cup of Quinoa, place it in a mesh strainer and run cold water over it to give it a rinse (similar to how rice is rinsed before cooking). Place it aside.
Note: The quinoa I use has already been rinsed and cleaned. Please refer to the package’s instructions to learn whether or not the quinoa needs to be rinsed.
Add 1 cup of filtered water to a saucepan and cover it with a lid. Bring the water to a boil. Once it starts to boil, add 1/8 teaspoon of Iodized salt and stir. Add 1/2 cup of Quinoa to the boiling water and give it a stir. Cover the saucepan with the lid and lower the heat to low. Allow the Quinoa to simmer for about 15-20 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.
Once all the water has been absorbed, turn off the heat and allow it to sit for an additional 5-10 minutes. With a fork, fluff the cooked Quinoa.
Set the quinoa aside.
Ingredients-Organic, if possible
Sweet Potatoes, Broccoli and Collard Greens
- 3 medium Sweet Potatoes
- 1 Broccoli bunch
- 3 Collard Greens
- 1/2 cup of filtered water to blend
Instructions:
Thoroughly scrub the medium sweet potatoes and the broccoli under cold water. Wash and pat dry 3 collard greens. Peel the skin off of the sweet potato. I also like to peel the skin off the broccoli’s stem, if I intend to use it.
Cut the ends off of the sweet potato. To facilitate in cutting the sweet potato, carefully, stand the sweet potato on one of its ends on the cutting board. Cut a small portion off to give it a flat surface to lie on. Don’t discard that piece. Rather, chop it up into slices and place it in your steam basket. Cut the sweet potato into thin slices and place them in the steam basket.
Cut the end off of the broccoli and discard it. Cut the stem off of the broccoli and don’t discard it because it too provides many nutrients. I like to separate it from the florets because the stem is a bit more tough. Furthermore, thinly dice the stems so this way the stems and the florets can cook in the same amount of time. Cut the stems into small chunks and the rest of the broccoli into medium chunks. Place the broccoli into the steam basket.
Place the steam basket over the saucepan. Make sure the steam basket doesn’t touch the water when placed inside the saucepan. Cover it with a lid and bring the water to a boil.
Once the water starts to boil, decrease the heat to medium low ( a temperature to where you can hear a low boil occurring in the saucepan). Allow it to steam for 30 minutes or until they are a little soft
While the sweet potatoes and the broccoli are steaming, prepare the collard greens.
Remove the stems from the collard greens. Pile the leaves on top of each other. Starting from the bottom, tightly roll the leaves upwards. Cut the rolled up bunch into strips. Turn the cut strips horizontally and dice it into finer pieces. Carefully mince the collard greens into finer pieces.
Once the sweet potato and the broccoli are a little soft, add the collard greens and steam it for an additional 5 minutes.
The broccoli and sweet potatoes are done when they are fork tender, meaning a fork can easily go through them.
Carefully spoon the sweet potato, broccoli, collard greens and the quinoa into the blender and allow it to sit for a few minutes just to bring the temperature down a bit. Add 1/2 cup of filtered water and blend it altogether until it resembles a puree like consistency.
Spoon the puree into glass jars and let them cool.
Store it in the refrigerator.
Or place them in freezer safe containers and place it in the freezer.
