Beet & Potato Swirl
This pretty autumn swirl is a comforting and delicious early combination for baby. Fresh beets are naturally sweet and a good source of folate, potassium, fiber and disease-preventing antioxidants. Choose baby beets if possible, as they tend to be a little sweeter and less woody-textured than their larger counterparts.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch baby beets, about 1 lb. total, trimmed and scrubbed
- 1 russet potato, scrubbed
Directions
Preheat an oven to 375°F.
Place the beets in a small baking dish and add water to come 1/2 inch up the sides of the beets. Cover with aluminum foil. Prick the potato in several places with a fork and place on a small baking sheet. Place the beets and the potato in the oven and bake until very tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Peel the beets and the potato and cut into chunks, discarding the skins. Put the potato in a food processor or blender and process to a puree, adding a little water, breast milk or formula for a smooth consistency. Transfer the potato puree to a bowl.
Put the beets in the food processor or blender and process to a puree, again adding a little liquid for a smooth consistency. Transfer to a separate bowl. To serve, swirl together the potato and beet purees in baby’s bowl. Makes about 1 1/2 cups puree.
Store It: Refrigerate the purees separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days, or spoon individual portions into ice-cube trays or other baby-food freezer containers and freeze, covered, for up to 3 months.
Variation: For another easy combination with both sweet and savory flavors, swirl the beet puree into mashed sweet potato.
Adapted from The Baby & Toddler Cookbook, by Karen Ansel, R. D., & Charity Ferreira (Weldon Owen, 2010).
