Baby Chef: Ground Beef and Carrot Puree

As our little guy grows older, it is important to introduce him to new foods, textures and tastes.  I have to admit that it is difficult, especially with our busy schedules and a little guy who is now moving and moving fast.  Still, I have committed myself to make some new things for our little guy to try. 

During a recent business trip, I took a baby food cookbook to read on the plane.  I came across a recipe for beef and carrot puree.  The recipe called for cooked ground beef, carrot puree, yogurt and chicken broth.  It was a very interesting recipe, although I was a little concerned about a couple of the ingredients.  First, from what I have read, there is some concern about feeding yogurt or milk based products to a baby that is less than one year old.  Second, chicken broth has a lot of salt.  Even the reduced sodium chicken broth has a lot of salt.  There is a much greater consensus about not feeding salty things to a small one.  So, while I really liked the recipe, I wanted to skip the yogurt and chicken broth when I made it.

There was one other consideration.  I do not ordinarily buy regular beef for myself, given all of the issues with beef produced by mass-agricultural concerns.  (That is a post for another day.)  I usually buy locally raised, grass-fed beef (or at least grass-fed beef).  When it comes to our little guy, only the best would do.  So, I bought some grass-fed ground beef to use in the recipe.

As with just about every baby food recipe, this dish is really easy to make.  Just cook some ground beef in a pan (with no oil or butter) until it is cooked thoroughly.  Steam some carrots.  Add the beef and carrots to a food processor, and, pulse with some water until you reach the desired consistency.  The end product is certainly not haute cuisine, but then again, the clientele is not looking for something fancy.  

One last note ... when making the puree, I started with just a little amount of water, and added water in small amounts.  In the end, I did not puree the mixture all the way, because I wanted there to be some texture.  I have that, after having fed an infant with purree after puree, it takes some time for them to get use to changes in texture. 

After all was said and done, the puree got mixed reviews from our little one.  He was skeptical at first, but he ate the first few spoonfuls readily.  After several spoonfuls, he tired of the food and did not want any more.  He did eat the rest of it, which means I'll be making more and, perhaps tweaking the recipe.  Perhaps a little spice for the little guy?

GROUND BEEF AND CARROT PUREE

Recipe adapted from The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet

Page 88

Ingredients:

2 ounces of cooked ground beef (do not add salt or oil)

2 tablespoons of pureed carrots

2 tablespoons of water

Directions:

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend to the desired consistency.  You can use additional water if necessary.

ENJOY!