Bella & Fella's Boring Bedtime Stories

I grew up in a banana republic. Not just bananas but pineapples, papayas, mangos, coconuts and other exotic fruits I miss dearly…but no apples. We did come across imported apples now and then but they were rare. Knowing this, I learned to hoard my apples.

One time, I held my apple as we traveled five hours by car to the countryside for the weekend. I sniffed it several times and enjoyed its unique, fresh scent but I couldn’t bear to eat it. I wanted to savor it for a little while longer. So back it traveled with me to the city a few days later, untouched. Now that I live in apple heaven, apple pie has become my dessert of choice to serve guests. Add some Häagen Dazs vanilla ice cream to cut any tartness and its pure savory joy.

Apples aren’t just for adults, they’re great for babies, too! The reasons are plentiful. Apples are easy to prepare and digest, and can be puréed with other foods like banana, blueberries and carrots. They offer a variety of health benefits, they don’t usually trigger allergies, and they contain two types of fiber plus antioxidants. Most of all, babies love them, especially the delicious varieties–red and golden–along with braeburn and gala.

To make applesauce, simply slice and core the apple. It’s best to leave the skin on for greater nutritional value. Slice into chunks. You can bake them, steam them or boil them, then remove from the pan and mash or purée. Spice it up with cinnamon, nutmeg or vanilla essence, and you’re set to go. It’s a lucky baby that has easy access to apples because there’s truth in the adage of “an apple a day…”

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Late last week, I had a chance to catch up with my Chicago pal, Bea, who let me know that our mutual friend, Amy, gave birth to a baby boy. Amy is a one-of-a-kind. She’s funny and generous, and she has a lot of spunk. She can also be entertainingly brash… definitely not a wilting wallflower. And she’s a great mom.

Bea and I share a love of cooking, and often, our conversations will meander into our latest delectable degustation. I now live in the east coast, and Bea likes to call me when she’s on her way to Shaw’s Crab House for Happy Hour oysters. She knows how to make me salivate.

“You know, Amy makes all her baby’s food, none of that store bought stuff,” she said. I pondered this a moment. “Lucky baby,” I thought. Homemade food is certainly safer and more nutritious, fresher and less expensive. One doesn’t know what goes into processed foods these days. Too many chemicals and additives I can’t pronounce, and with constant news of salmonella poisoning, I say no thanks. I know there’s a convenience factor with prepared foods but with a little bit of planning, it’s certainly worth the effort.

Here’s the basic premise
Cook the food by steaming, baking, microwaving or boiling, let it cool, then purée. It’s that simple. You can add breast milk, formula or water to help with the texture: smooth, mushy or chunky. What are some things you can purée? Pumpkin, squash, avocado, sweet potato, apple… the list goes on. You can’t go wrong. Think you’re ready to give it a shot? Here’s a recipe with a dollop of yogurt instead of milk.

Sweet potato and melon mash*
8 oz (1 cup) cooked sweet potato, diced
8 oz (1 cup) cantaloupe melon, diced
2 oz (1/4 cup) natural yogurt

In a food processor, blend together the melon and sweet potato. Add the yogurt and blend for a further 30 seconds. Sprinkle with a little powdered ginger (optional) and refrigerate.

* From Homemade Baby Food Recipes



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