Tried & True Baby Friendly Plant-Based Foods & Meals
LOTS OF RECIPES BELOW!!
Hello, hello everyone!! I’ve started this segment a couple of times, but have never finished. Life has been busy in the best way! Anyway, I’ve been wanting to share ways that I’ve been feeding my baby who is now a 1 and a half year old. It’s a common subject of interest of friends, followers, and family.
This subject has been on the forefront of my mind as I’ve been helping one of my sisters navigate the introduction of solid foods to her baby. She’s inspired me to write this post and share since she’s had so much success this week. She texted me:
CONTEXT: Jack hates beans. Anytime he comes over and I have beans, he politely says “No thank you.” So, the fact that he ate beans here and LIKED it is a huge win!! (That recipe is below btw! Plant-Based Beef Stew)
Needless to say, I was very moved.
SO, here’s my long anticipated baby food Lagniappe Segment! 🎉
I think as parents, we become hyper-aware of what our children are consuming, and it begins to reflect on us and our choices. We start to realize how little veggies and whole foods we consume (or at least I did!), and we also realize that it’s incredibly difficult to find whole food fast food. We all know our kiddos aren’t getting their nutritional needs met with french fries!!
Before we go any further, I want to provide some practical and honest advice about babies and meal prepping:
Always have something you know they like available.
It may take a couple of exposures before they really take to a new food.
Textures and flavors are explored through touch and taste. Touching and licking the foods are victories!!
One of the first things you can do is keep it really simple: pick a grain, pick a veggie, pick a fruit. Use that as a building block when you get stuck.
Frozen veggies are your best friend!!
You don’t have to do everything and all the things.
Store bought baby food is great, too!
All of this advice to say that I am NOT a certified nutritionist. I am just speaking from my personal experience and sharing what has worked for us in hopes that it may help you or a loved one.
There are two basic categories for baby eaters: the purees and the finger foods.
Purees
Making your own baby food purées is not hard (though it takes some time), and it can save you a lot of money. I could buy an organic sweet potatoes, bake it, puree it, and get 5x’s the amount of food I would get if I got it from the store for a fraction of the price. Did I always make the time to make baby food? No. I mean, hello, life. Did I try to do it once a week to set myself up for success? Yes (try is a key word there). And I found the easiest way to do that was to pop a sweet potato in the oven and let it bake while I did whatever. Then I could a. let it cool and store in the fridge until I could puree it, or b. puree it and put in an ice cube tray and freeze. My baby was incredibly demanding and a terrible sleeper around the age of purees, so any short cut I could take, I was taking it!
NOW. Purees are easy, though some can take a little time and some dishes. You need some good ice cube trays (I love this RubberMaid white cube tray for baby food cubes!) and some foil to cover the food on top. You’ll also need a food processor, blender, or potato masher.
Now — the world is your oyster!! Try steaming some peas, butternut squash, baking a sweet potato, steaming some broccoli, blending strawberries and bananas. WHATEVER!! It’s an easy and great way to get baby introduced to different flavors and textures. Do what works for you!! And remember: whatever you do, you’re doing great! ❤️
“Can I just make the purée and refrigerate, not freeze, it?” Sure, but it’ll go bad more quickly. I think it’s important to consider how much your baby is eating. If they’re just eating 1-2 Tbsps a serving, freeze your food so it stays fresh! If they’re eating 8 Tbsps a serving, then sure, you may use all the purée within a couple days. My thought process is: “Why chance it? Just freeze it.” I hate wasting food, so I would always freeze. No need to worry about wasted food or food going bad. I would start by heating a couple of cubes in the microwave, and if baby wanted more, it only took a couple more seconds to heat another cube.
All this to say that you can totally buy baby food at the store. It’s great! Your baby will love it and be fed! But for those that want to make it, I wanted to provide that advice and this recipe card below for sweet potato baby food, a super hit for my baby!
Sweet Potato Baby Food
Ingredients
- 1 sweet potato
- water
- a couple of ice trays
- a food processor or blender*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit.
- Wash, dry, and pierce sweet potato with a fork. Wrap in foil, place on baking tray, and bake for about 1 hour, or until the potato gives when squeezed with an oven mitt.
- Let cool. Pull skin off of the sweet potato. Place the sweet potato in the food processor or blender with a splash of water and blend. Add a little water until your desired consistency is reached (think: baby food).
- Spoon into ice tray, cover with foil, and freeze.
- For consumption, simply pop a few cubes out, heat for about 10 seconds or until room temp, and serve.
Notes
~ If you're wanting to keep track of how much baby is eating, consider spooning a tablespoon at a time into each cube. My ice tray cubes held 2 Tbsps worth of purée, so I was able to keep track that way.
~ *No food processor or blender? No problem! Try mashing the sweet potatoes (which is a little more laborious, but you still get a great product).
~ Try making purées with steamed peas, corn, fruits, etc using this same method! You can get blend ideas from commercial baby foods and the combinations they sell.
“Noooooowww…!” in the voice of my 1 year old, mimicing me when I say, “Nooooowwww" while fixing him up with whatever he was aspiring for (the toy, the food, putting a bandaid on, etc). We’re moving on to solid finger foods!
Solid Finger Foods
Solid finger foods doesn’t necessarily mean what it implies. I’m honestly not sure what to call it lol! For example, most my recipes below contain rice, which is not a finger food! So take that title with the understand we’re talking about all those good, mushy, easy to gum-chew meals that baby will like! Rice is definitely a front runner on this end!
Here is some practical and honest advice about babies and meal prepping for older baby/toddler:
One of the first things you can do is keep it really simple: pick a grain, pick a veggie, pick a fruit. Use that as a building block when you get stuck.
Frozen veggies are your best friend!! Y’all, the freezer section at your grocery store is the savior for busy parents!! The options these days are mind blowing! You can buy grain bowls, already cubed veggies, squashes, rice, I mean… thank you, Jesus!! 🥹 LOL! Green peas were (and still are) a huge hit! He can pick them up with his fingers. Cubed butternut squash and roasted sweet potatoes were also always a huge hit too! Again, great for baby to pick up and feed himself.
Making a meal (especially a plant-based one) when you a. Hate cooking, b. are an inexperienced cook, or c. are stressed, sleep deprived, and just ready to check meal time off the list can be a stressful undertaking. Let’s be real and honest about that. It’s ok. Sometimes going into something new with the understanding that it may be uncomfortable or stressful allows yourself to relax and have some grace on yourself and your efforts.
And lastly, If all else fails, Taco Bell always has a bean burrito waiting for you. My baby loves those lol!
SO. Here are some meal preps that my little one loves. They’re packed with plants. Easy. Makes a big pot. These are meals that I send to mother’s day out with him that he TEARS UP! So give them a try! AND it doesn’t even have to be just for baby — these are actually meal preps that I love that my baby subsequently loves as well. I ALWAYS leave out spice and add it separately to my serving for this reason.
Give it a try!! I’d love if you could leave a review or comment on the recipe card — it helps so much for others to see what you think of it 🙏🏻
Happy eating, mes amies! A plus tard…
Plant-Based Beef Stew
Ingredients
- 1 lb bag of dried lentils, rinsed and drained
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 lb or carrots, coined (or baby carrots, whatever you like)
- 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed (I used yukon golds, ~ 4 potatoes)
- 1 head of garlic, minced (yes, the whole thing! About 1/4 minced garlic)
- 1 bunch of green onions, chopped
- 8 cups of vegetable broth, divided (see recipe!)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (omit if needing oil-free recipe)
- 1/4 cup corn starch
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 Tbsps vegan Worcestershire (Lord Sandy's or Kroger generic brand are vegan)
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Place lentils and all vegetables in the pot, except for a small portion of the green onions (these will be garnish). Put in seasonings, olive oil, and 7 cups of vegetable broth.
- In a separate cup, mix together the last cup of vegetable broth and the 1/4 cup of corn starch until dissolved. Add to the pot.
- Seal and cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes.
- Release steam. Taste and adjust. Serve over brown rice and garnish with left over green onion.
- In a large pot, sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in the olive oil until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add potatoes, lentils, 7 cups of broth, garlic, green onions (save a handful for garnish at the end), Worcestershire, salt and pepper and bring to a boil.
- In a separate cup, whisk together the remaining vegetable broth and the corn starch to make a thickening slurry. Add to the pot.
- Once boiling, cover, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for about 40 minutes to an hour, or until the lentils and cubed potatoes are soft to your liking.
- Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve over brown rice.
Notes
TO REHEAT: Add a splash of water as the stew with thicken upon standing. Cover and microwave for 2 - 2:30.
Moroccan Stew
Ingredients
- 4 small or 2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 qt low/no sodium vegetable broth, divided
- 1 med onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 zucchini, diced
- 1 yellow squash, diced
- 1- 16oz bag organic mixed vegetables, thawed or steamed (mine was carrot, peas, corn, and green beans)
- 1 - 14.5oz can diced tomatoes
- 1 14.5oz can garbanzo beans (chick peas)
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- Salt (1 t or to taste)
- Ground black pepper (1 t or to taste)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground clove
- 1 dried bay leaf
- Cooked basmati rice, for serving
Instructions
- Boil cubed potatoes until soft about 10 min (times may vary depending on cube size). Drain when cooked. I can tell when mine are cooked by looking at the edges of the potato. If they're rounded/soft, it's done. (You can boil in the same pot as everything else, but they're more likely to over cook. I like to cook them separately if I can).
- While potatoes are boiling, sauté onion, celery, bell pepper, and garlic in some vegetable broth until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Add zucchini and squash, and cook for another 5 minutes or until softened. Add the rest of the vegetable broth, mixed vegetables, tomatoes, chick peas, and seasonings. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat.
- Let simmer on med-low heat, lid vented, until chickpeas are soft to your liking, stirring occasionally. When ready, add the potatoes and add 1 Tbsp of tomato paste to thicken mixture. Adjust seasonings if needed. Serve hot over basmati rice.
Black Eyed Peas & Rice
Ingredients
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 bell pepper, seeded & diced
- 1 pound of black eyed peas, soaked 6-8 hours OR overnight, drained (*no soak needed for the Instant Pot! You can use dried beans)
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3 bay leaves
- 2-4 Tbsps olive oil (*omit if needing an oil-free recipe)
- 6 cups of vegetable broth or water
- 1 Tbsp (or to taste) of Cajun seasoning, like Tony's Chacheres
- 1 Tbsp of dillweed
- Cooked rice of choice for serving (I did a rice blend -- it's what I had on hand)
Instructions
- In a large pot, saute the onion, celery, and bell pepper in the oilive oil until tender.
- Add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil.
- Turn heat to medium and let simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, until the black eyed peas are soft.
- Taste and adjust
- Serve over cooked rice. Enjoy!
- Put all ingredients into the pot.
- Seal the lid and vent. Cook on HIGH pressure for 45 minutes.
- Let steam release. Taste & adjust.
- Serve over cooked rice!
Notes
~ We love the liquid that this recipe creates, almost like a tasty gravy.
Potato Thai Curry
Ingredients
- 1 onion, cut into half moon slices
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 qt low sodium vegetable broth
- 2-3 large carrots, peeled and coined
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 1 13-15oz can of coconut milk
- 1 Tbsp curry powder
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 2 Tbsp rice vinegar
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to garnish (opt)
- Cooked basmati rice, for serving.
Instructions
- Cook basmati rice according to package directions.
- WHILE THE RICE COOKS: In a large pot, sauté onion and carrot with a pinch of salt over medium heat in a splash of vegetable broth.
- Add the rest of the broth and the potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until the potatoes are soft.
- Add coconut milk, curry powder, soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper.
- Serve over cooked basmati rice. Garnish with red pepper flakes for a spice kick!
Notes
~ Feel free to add any veggie to this! I often thrown in frozen peas when I have them or cauliflower.
~ Omit the olive oil for an oil-free dish.
Chickpea Salad Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 2 cans of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 celery stalk
- 1 green onion
- 1/2 cup vegan mayo
- 3-4 Tablespoons of mustard
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp dillweed (can omit if you don't have it)
- Bread of choice for serving
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in food processor until desired consistency is achieved. Taste and adjust. Serve on bread of choice.
- Chop celery and green onion and add to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl. Combine and mash with a potato masher until desired consistency is achieved.
- Serve over bread of choice.
Notes
~ These do great for a make ahead party dish. You can make the salad mix the day before and refrigerate, then assemble sandwiches. You could also make and assemble sandwiches the morning of, chill, then serve later. Just be cautious if assembling too far in advance because the bread could get soggy.
~ This also works great with a homemade cashew mayo if you're feeling up to making that! I have a recipe for that on my YouTube channel in the Plant-Based crab cakes video description.
Oatmeal for Everyday
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds (eyeball it)
- 1/2 Tablespoon hemp seeds (eyeball it)
- 1/2 Tablespoon ground flax seed (you guessed it, eyeball it)
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2/3 cups soy milk, plus a splash more (see recipe)
- Fruit of choice (I always add a quartered banana)
Instructions
- Combine the oats, chia, flax, hemp, cinnamon, and 2/3 soy milk in a microwave-safe bowl (preferably a larger microwave safe bowl).
- Microwave for 3 minutes.
- Carefully remove from microwave. Add a splash more of milk and mix in -- we're wanting the consistency to be nice and creamy. Add in the banana (or whatever mix-ins you like).
- Serve and enjoy!
Cajun Red Beans & Rice
Ingredients
- 1 pound of red beans, soaked overnight in fridge, rinsed & drained
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1-2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded & diced
- 4 cloves minced garlic
- 6 cups low sodium veg broth or water
- 1/3 cup dry roux (whole wheat flour) (*optional; directions below)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp thyme leaves
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp cayenne
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped
- 1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
- Cooked brown rice, FOR SERVING
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Place flour in thin layer in a glass casserole dish or a baking dish (it's easier to see what you're doing in a glass container).
- Bake for 5 min, then stir the flour. Continue in 5 minute increments until the flour smells nutty and is the color of peanut butter.
- 1. Put all ingredients into a pot. Taste water & adjust seasonings now if needed.
- 2. Heat until boiling, then reduce heat & simmer for 1hr & half with lid vented, stirring every 15 min or so to prevent sticking. (Make sure during this process that beans are boiling fairly hard. Otherwise it may take way longer to cook the beans.)
- 3. Once beans are cooked to desired consistency, stir in most of the green onions & parley, saving some for garnish. Taste & adjust seasonings.
- Serve over hot brown rice & garnish with green onions & parley.
- Rinse beans (you don't have to soak them ahead of time).
- Place all ingredients into instant pot.
- Seal & cook on HIGH pressure for 3 hours.
- Release pressure or let it release naturally.
- Taste & adjust.
- Serve over brown rice.
Notes
- Try throwing all ingredients in the slow cooker & cook on low all day! Super easy & guaranteed to be full of flavor.
- Serve with a side of cornbread, a standard pairing to this dish as the sweet cornbread compliments the spicy red beans! Recipe on my YouTube.
- Wanna make it even more simple? Just throw in the beans & veggies, water, & some Tony's Chachere's to your liking! This dish is customizable, so get creative or keep it simple!