Baby Food Maker? You mean my new best friend.

Hi.  My name is Lindsay.  I am addicted to making baby food because of my new Beaba Baby Cook.



When Liz originally suggested that we use our Williams-Sonoma gift cards that we had been saving for the perfect kitchen gadget on the Beaba Baby Food Maker, I scoffed.  Why couldn't you just use a pan, some water, and a food processor?  We have all of those things.  This is just another cheap ploy for Liz to get a new kitchen appliance.

To make a long story a little less long, Liz won.  I am sure you are all shocked and amazed by this.  We gathered up our Williams-Sonoma gift cards and hauled them to our nearest store, where we walked in like crazed lunatics ( did not pass dishcloths and All Clad, did not spend $200) and headed straight for the baby food maker.  We didn't truly understand its magic until we got it home that night.

For the first couple of times that we used it, I stood off to the sidelines.  I wasn't convinced that Liz hadn't tricked me into spending $150 of perfectly good gift cards on a baby food maker when a steamer basket and a food processor would work just fine.  And naturally, I got jealous.  Liz was making food for Jude, and then he was eating it!  He didn't know anything about my cooking and he had already chosen Mama!  

Naturally, I had to try it for myself.   And now I think to myself, "No more visits to Trader Joe's - we don't have any room left in our freezer for grown-up food!  The colorful food cubes are taking over!"  So far, I have made (with some commentary):

• Bananas: Beaba not necessary, but makes the process much more enjoyable.
• Apples: Both the Pink Princess, which Jude found overly tart, and the Fuji, which was much more enjoyable
• Chicken: See earlier post.
• Lamb: Most disgusting experience.  One moment, it smelled like gyros, the next, dog food.
• Green Beans: A raging success.  I had heard this, but was shocked to witness the phenomenon for myself.
• Peas: First, I shelled the peas myself.  Then I bought frozen organic.
• Mango: Yes, organic mangoes.  Yes they were on sale at Whole Foods.
• Plums: Jude loves plums.
• Summer Squash: Turns out extremely runny - now I understand why you can't buy this in the baby food aisle.
• Carrots: He can't eat these until 6 months due to high potential levels of nitrates.
• Beets: Nitrates.  Blah Blah Blah.
• Sweet Potatoes: Jude loves him some sweet potatoes.  Just when you think that there is no way he could possibly eat any more SPs (as they are called in our family), he downs another bite.
• Cauliflower: Jude loves this stuff even without cheese sauce!

I will say that in order to properly feed my addiction, I have my process down pat.  First, it is essential to lay out a dishtowl under the Beaba, as it is a steamer and therefore gets steamy.  Measure out the appropriate measures of water.  It isn't cups or tablespoons, it is just little marks on the side of the container, so measures is the word we use.  3 for veggies and meat.  2 for fruit.  Prepare fruit, which usually involves some sort of peeling.  Of both the fruit/veggie and my finger.  I have war wounds, people.  Place food in basket and set to steam, as seen in the earlier video.  SO EASY!   Then use the handy orange stick which I was originally extremely skeptical about to remove steamer basket.  Pour steamed food into the pureeer (3 eees).  Puree until desired consistency, adding water as necessary.  

Here's where the Heyer brilliance comes in.  Originally, our plan was to store our baby food in the Glad reusable 1 cup plastic cups.  But we realized that destroyed our dream of large batch food, as you can only have so many 1 cup containers.  So we have now moved on to the Wilton Silicone Baking Cup.

These little beauties allow you to make up to 12 little cups of food, freeze them, and then POP THEM INTO ZIPLOC BAGS FOR STORAGE! And LABELING!  It is really amazing.  And because they are individual cups, you can put them where ever you have room in your freezer, including the door.  You don't need to have one huge flat place to put your cups.  These babies are versatile.

As you can see, I love how Beaba + Wilton Silicone Baking Cups = Organic Fruits, Meats, and Veggies for my baby!  I'm not into cloth diapers, glass bottles, wooden toys, organic cotton sheets, or all that other stuff, but damn it, my kid is going to love food.