Baby food prep

I have had so much fun making baby food for Ella. I do love to cook, so that probably accounts for most of the fun, but knowing how healthy the food is and seeing how much money we’re saving- I’m all about it! Whether you’re pro-organic or just trying to save money, making your baby’s first foods is easier than I thought…and I was pretty optimistic about it :-) Here are my experiences from my Baby Food Prep Days!

SHOPPING: I started out buying some fresh or frozen fruits and veggies. If buying frozen, I just make sure there aren’t added ingredients or sugars. This list was already produce we would buy for ourselves, which made it even easier. Seriously though- all of these are about $0.80-$4.00…and make a ton of baby food! The average cost of baby food I found was about $0.60-$1.20/container.

               -Sweet Potatoes
               -Frozen Peas
               -Carrots
               -Apples
               -Acorn Squash
               -Frozen peaches


COOKING: THEN, when I had a free hour while Ella was napping on a Saturday morning, I steamed/boiled/baked/microwaved everything. I had a sweet potato and squash in the oven, peas in the microwave, carrots steaming and apples boiling on the stove. The sweet potato & squash took about 45 minutes (which I almost forgot about anyway), but everything else took around 5-10 minutes.

PUREEING: We have a Baby Bullet which I do love, but really any mixer or blender will do the trick. I threw the cooked fruit or veggie in, added some water and pureed until it reached the consistency that Ella was ready for.

STORING: I filled ice cube trays with each flavor of the puree and covered with plastic wrap. Once frozen, I popped out the cubes and put each different kind in their own Ziploc baggy with a label and date. I usually pop a few out into a container for daycare the night before. Mixing and matching flavors is easy this way!



Some other foods I’ve found that don’t require any prep are avocados, bananas, watermelon. These are handy to mash up quick for supper or a snack. My 1 hour of baby food prep has lasted a good 3 weeks with Ella eating about 6oz of food a day. I’m loving this phase and sharing our healthy habits early is so fun!

Source by: http://www.unitypoint.org/cedarrapids/infants-article.aspx?id=a350246a-d1ce-4449-a689-ee5f48aa7d58&title=Baby+food+prep

White Peach and Banana Puree

Make a double batch of this vitamin and potassium-rich puree to enjoy a mommy-and-me snack with your wee one! Blend half with your favorite yogurt for a refreshing and healthy smoothie while feeding your baby the other half.
White Peach and Banana Puree makes 1 cup

Good for ages 4-6 months

Ingredients:  

1 white peach, peeled and chopped
1 banana, peeled and chopped

Preparation: 

1. Place ingredients in the Baby Bullet and puree until smooth.

Source by: http://www.babybulletblog.com/white-peach-and-banana-puree/

Good reasons for making your baby's food (and how to do it)

As a parent of three kids ages preschool to teen, I look back and realise just how important - and, frankly, how simple - feeding my kids was when they were babies and toddlers. I had so much more control back then. I was in charge of all of their meals, of every fragment of food that entered their world. They were too small to sidle up to a school snack bar, be influenced by their best friends; indeed, they hardly ever ate a meal that I didn't prepare.
It has been shown that children tend to form long-term likings for certain foods and flavours based on their earliest years of eating, and infants tend to be more amenable to trying new foods than their scarcely senior toddler and preschool siblings. These are all good reasons we should feed our babies fresh, delicious, real food from the moment they first seize a spoon.
Homemade baby food is generally more nutritious and tastier than commercially processed food if it is fresh and made from whole foods and nothing else. When cooked in bulk, it is cheaper than commercial options. And you can control the quality of ingredients when you make your own. Seems like homemade baby food is a no-brainer.
Oh wait, it takes time! This is true, but just like any meal, some homemade baby food is better than none. So try making a little bit and see how it goes. In fact, mashed fresh avocado or banana would make a perfect first food, with no cooking required.


How will you know whether your baby is ready for solid foods? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, she may be ready if she shows interest in the solid food around her, can sit up with support, is able to turn her head to refuse food and has doubled her birth weight (usually at about 4 to 6 months). Always consult your pediatrician, as babies grow at different rates.

How to make your own

Vegetables and fruits

Steam vegetables or fruits (chop larger foods into one-inch pieces.)
Puree in a food processor or blender. A fancy baby food maker is not necessary; any variety of food processor or blender will do the job.
Add water to achieve desired consistency for baby's age and stage.
If making in bulk, freeze individual servings in ice cube trays, covered with wax paper and then aluminum foil, or freezer wrap (up to three months).

Whole grains

Grind ¼ cup brown rice, millet or oatmeal in a blender for 1 minute.
Boil 1 cup of water.
Reduce heat to low and add grain.
Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve, refrigerate (two to three days) or freeze (up to one month) in ice cube trays.

Meats

Grind cooked chicken, fish or meat in a food processor or blender and refrigerate (one to two days). Babies should be 7-8 months before eating most poultry, meat and fish.
Serve alone or mix with pureed vegetables or cooked grains.

Homemade stock

Homemade stock is full of vitamins and minerals. It aids digestion and builds bones.
Mix homemade chicken or vegetable stock into baby's cereal or vegetables to liquefy and add nutrition.
Babies can drink homemade vegetable stock from a bottle after the age of 9 months.
Worried about allergies? Introduce one food at a time, and wait at least four days before introducing another. Common problem foods: cow's milk, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts, shellfish and artificial additives. Shellfish and honey should be avoided until at least a year.

Source by: http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/baby-food/good-reasons-for-making-your-babys-food-and-how-to-do-it-20151023-gkgptk.html

Ten breastfeeding tips

Breastfeeding is a gift for your baby that keeps on giving, so enjoy the time together and seek help if you are having difficulties. There is plenty of support out there for new Mums.

1. Eat a healthy, balanced diet while breastfeeding to ensure you get plenty of iron, protein and calcium.

2. Try to feed frequently, as this will help you to maintain your milk supply.

3. At each feed, offer both breasts, but wait until your baby seems finished with one before changing over. Signs may be your baby coming of the breast or seeming unsettled. Your breast will feel quite soft when it is emptier. Offering one breast first ensures that your baby gets the nourishing milk that is delivered later in the feed.

4. If your breasts start to feel uncomfortably full try to encourage your baby to feed with gentle techniques like unwrapping them and placing them on your bare chest where they will smell your milk. Stroking their cheek with your nipple may also rouse their interest in feeding. If you are unable to feed your baby then it is important that you don't stay overly full. Hand express enough for comfort if you will be able to feed shortly, or a good full express if you will be away some time. This regular emptying will ensure a good milk supply and your baby can still have your milk in your absence.

5. You can keep expressed milk in a sealed container in the back of the fridge (not the door) for up to 3-5 days. Alternatively, expressed breast milk can be kept safely in the freezer for up to 6 months. Find out more about breast milk storage times and information.

6. If your breasts are leaking, try using breast pads to absorb leaking milk. Change pads frequently to avoid the nipple becoming too soggy and prone to infection. Use waterproof breastpads only infrequently. An unwanted let-down can be stopped by crossing your arms and using your hands to place pressure directly on the nipple.

7. If your nipples are sore, dry and/or cracked,  the positioning and latch of the baby may need correcting. If it doesn't feel right, if its painful, then the latch is not correct. Ask for help from a lactation consultant.

8. Find a comfortable position to feed in whilst lying down, as this will give you a chance to have a break. It is important you take all the time you need and are not rushed. Breastfeeding is a gift for your baby that keeps on giving, so enjoy the time together and seek help if you are having difficulties. There is plenty of support out there for new Mums.

9. Ask for your partner's support - ask for them to bring you some water and a snack whenever you are feeding.

10. Get a good chair or breastfeeding pillow and create a feeding area, with some magazines or books so you can relax while you feed.


Source by: http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/breastfeeding/ten-breastfeeding-tips-20081030-5bvk.html

How to Make Homemade Baby Food

If your little one is big enough for the high chair and solid foods, you have numerous nutritious options at the supermarket to feed your baby. And, if you prepare homemade baby food, you have even more variety: Not only can you pick from all the fruits and vegetables in the produce section, but also frozen veggies and fruit canned in its own juice. Making your own food can expose babies to more flavors, which can help them become more adventurous eaters, says Bridget Swinney, MS, RDN, LD. Furthermore, by avoiding added sugars and salt, you're in greater control of your baby's nutrition.

Getting Started

If you are interested in preparing your own baby food, but find the idea daunting, start with just a few homemade items to supplement store-bought baby food. Mashing a very ripe avocado or banana is a good place to begin and exceptionally simple, says Swinney. After that, she recommends preparing nutrient-rich foods that aren't common in the baby food aisle, such as beets, broccoli, turnips, asparagus, spinach, blueberries, kale, mango and papaya.

"Use whatever is in season and tastes amazing," adds Sarah Krieger, MPH, RDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, who says preparing baby food for each of her three children was a win-win decision. Everyone in the family ate the same nutritious foods, which saved her time and effort, she explains. Good choices for protein-rich foods include cooked eggs, salmon, lentils, chicken and lean beef. However, a word of caution, wait until your baby is at least 6 months old before serving home-prepared spinach, beets, turnips, carrots or collard greens due to the nitrate content that may make younger babies sick.

Preparing Food

Be vigilant about sanitation. Use only well-scrubbed and washed produce, and clean hands, utensils and countertops, says Swinney.

Cook food until it's very tender. Steaming and microwaving in just a little water are good methods to retain vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables. When cooking meats and fish, remove all fat, gristle, skin and bones before cooking. Be certain that all meats and fish are cooked to proper temperatures.
If you're cooking the same food for the rest of the family, remove the baby's portion before adding salt and seasonings. As the baby grows and becomes more used to table food, feel free to add seasonings other than salt.
Puree or mash the food with a little water, if necessary. It's easiest to puree cooked meats in small pieces and while still warm. A food processor, immersion blender or stand blender all do the trick.

Keeping Baby Safe

After you've prepared the food, either serve it or refrigerate it right away. To avoid illness, throw out leftovers that are more than two days old. If you prepare a large batch of food, freeze it in a clean ice cube tray so you have infant-sized portions when you need them. Homemade baby food keeps for three to four months in the freezer. Small portions are ideal because any food that was served, but not eaten, must be thrown out. Bacteria thrive in the mouth, explains Krieger, so if a spoon goes into the baby's mouth and then touches the food, that food cannot be saved.

Source by: http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/planning-and-prep/snack-and-meal-ideas/homemade-baby-food

Is it time to change baby food guidelines to help prevent allergies?

One of the biggest issues that concern parents today is food allergies.

In fact, you'd be hard pressed to find a parent who doesn't know a child with a food allergy. This is because as many as one in 20 children now have one.

But that didn't use to be the case. Ask any grandparent about food allergies back in their day, and most will say it was something they rarely thought or heard about.

So why are food allergies so common nowadays? And what can we do to help prevent our children developing them?

A new review published yesterday in the Canadian Medical Association Journal shed some light on this issue.

"If parents ask how to prevent allergy in their children, our current advice is to introduce the allergenic foods at four to six months of age," wrote Dr Elissa Abrams and Dr Allan Becker from the Department of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology at the University of Manitoba.

The authors say that once those foods have been introduced, it's then important for your child to eat those foods on a regular basis so they continue to tolerate the food.

This goes against the 'old' thinking, which said it was best to avoid giving children foods they may be allergic to when they were 'too young'. Based on such thinking, many parents were advised to delay giving babies foods such as peanuts till they were at least 12 months old. (The recent LEAP study challenged that thinking too, showing that allergies to peanuts can be reduced by up to 80 per cent by earlier introduction of peanuts).

While peanuts are the main food we think about when we consider allergies, there are many foods children can be allergic to. According to the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, the most common triggers are eggs, cow's milk, peanuts, tree nuts, seafood, sesame, soy, fish and wheat.

However, according to the Australian Government Department of Health, we are only advised to start giving these kinds of foods to our babies from 8-12 months of age. The first potentially allergenic foods we're advised to give our babies, based on current recommendations, are fish and eggs.

But should we wait this long to give our babies these kind of foods?

Emergency nurse Sarah Hunstead doesn't think so, and she says there's so much unnecessary "fear and avoidance" around allergenic foods.

"It's great to see the evidence that this avoidance is actually not preventative," she says.

She believes introducing solids should be an "exciting developmental milestone", but that many parents are so fearful of their child having an allergic reaction that they withhold foods.

Some parents even go to extreme measures. "I have known some parents who have sat in the waiting room at their local emergency departments to introduce peanut butter of the first time 'just in case'," she says.

While she acknowledges allergies can be serious, she says we should focus our energy on increasing education about them, instead of inciting fear.

For instance, she says most parents don't realise that an allergic reaction usually does not occur the first time a child is given a new food.

In fact, the first time a child has that new food, her body's immune system 'sees' it for the first time. When your child then has that food for a second time, her immune system 'recognises' the food, and can then mount an allergic reaction.

Of course, you still need to practice caution when giving your baby a new food; for instance, you need to avoid giving babies foods that pose a choking risk. (Never give a baby a peanut - instead, offer it in the form of a paste, like smooth peanut butter).

But if you're using commonsense, should you ignore the current guidelines and simply start giving your baby potentially allergenic foods earlier than currently recommended, in order to prevent her from becoming allergic?

While that may be tempting, Hunstead believes it's still best to follow advice given by your doctor or early childhood centre.

That said, it looks like the tide is turning on delaying giving babies certain foods. Hunstead hopes our recommendations to parents will soon change to reflect this new way of thinking.

"I look forward to seeing some new guidelines rolled out here in Australia through the early childhood centres, [though] I wonder how long that will take," she admits.


Source by: http://www.essentialbaby.com.au/baby/baby-food/is-it-time-to-change-baby-food-guidelines-to-help-prevent-allergies-20151021-gkelwe.html

Feeding Baby Pumpkin Baby Food – Pumpkin Baby Food Recipes for Baby

Pumpkin in Baby Food Recipes – When Can Baby Have Pumpkin; Age for Introducing Pumpkin: 6-8 month

What’s Covered:

When can baby eat pumpkin?
How do I choose a pumpkin for baby?
How do I cook pumpkin for baby?
Pumpkin baby food recipes


Did you know that Pumpkins are actually fruits. Many of us think of pumpkin as a fruit so it’s also included it in the Fruits pages. Of course, there are also many people who think of pumpkin as a veggie. How do you think of pumpkin? A pumpkin is a type of squash and is a member of the gourd family (Cucurbitacae). This family also includes squash, cucumbers, gherkins, and melons.

Pumpkins are jam-packed full of some of the best nutritional compounds around. They are highly loaded with Vitamin A and beta carotene. Beta Carotene is one of the plant carotenoids that when eaten and digested, turns into Vitamin A in the human body. Beta Carotene may reduce the risk of cancer as well as heart disease. It also may be responsible for combating or putting off the degenerative effects of aging.

Pumpkins are also good sources of potassium, protein, and iron. Pumpkin seeds also contain a good amount of protein and iron so eating the seeds does provide some nutritive value. We don’t recommend that you offer your baby or toddler pumpkin seeds however. Pumpkins are wonderfully low in fat, low in calories but high in fiber.

The Nutritional Goodness of Pumpkin

PUMPKIN: (one cup – cooked)

VITAMINS:
Vitamin A – 12230 IU
Vitamin C – 11.5 mg
Vitamin K – 2.0
Folate (important during pregnancy) – 22 mcg
Niacin – 1.01 mg
MINERALS:
Potassium – 364 mg
Phosphorus – 74 mg
Magnesium – 22 mg
Calcium – 37 mg
Sodium – 2 mg
Iron – 1.40 mg
Also contains trace amounts of zinc, manganese and copper.

When can my Baby eat Baby Food Recipes with Pumpkin?

Babies may begin to eat Pumpkins from 6 months old. You may feed your baby plain pumpkin in pureed form or mixed into homemade cereals, yogurts, and even in meats such as chicken. Adding a dash of cinnamon to pumpkin gives baby a first exposure to the wonder of spices.

You may also bake pumpkin as you would a butternut or acorn squash and serve the baked pumpkin in small dices as Baby Finger Foods. Rub a wee bit of butter and a bit of cinnamon on the inside of the pumpkin prior to baking for a tasty nutritious treat.

Choosing a Pumpkin to cook for Homemade Baby Food Recipes

purchaseorganic According to the EWG, pumpkins are not one of the “dirty dozen” foods that are most highly contaminated with pesticides – purchasing organic is a personal choice.

If you will be using Pumpkins in food dishes, look for smaller, immature pumpkins – sometimes these “cooking pumpkins” are labeled as “sugar pumpkins” or “pie pumpkins”. The smaller, sugar/pie pumpkins provide the most flavorful additions to any baked dish or baked good and are great as a soup. These smaller pumpkins are more tender and less stringy than the larger variety. Sugar pumpkins also have firm, sweet flesh compared to their big counterparts.  Try to find a pumpkin anywhere between five to eight pounds.

You may use canned pumpkin for baby food.  Ensure that you purchase canned pure pumpkin and NOT “Pumpkin Pie” mix.  The Pumpkin Pie mix contains sugars, starches and other additives. We do not recommend using canned foods for all of baby’s homemade food. Please visit our Using Canned Foods for Making Homemade Baby Foods.

Is it Safe to Feed my Baby Canned Pumpkin
How do I cook a Pumpkin?

Pumpkins may be poached, boiled, steamed or baked. Please be aware that Pumpkins tend to loose their nutritive value with prolonged cooking. Baking pumpkins for homemade baby food will ensure the most nutrients are retained for your baby. A Pumpkin must be cooked immediately after you have cut it open or you will find a brownish-blackish mold begin to immediately set into the flesh.

Once cooked, Pumpkin should be used and/or chilled immediately. If you will not be using the cooked pumpkin immediately, store it either pureed or in the cooked chunks, in the freezer. it does freeze well. The cooked pumpkin will turn a brownish orange so don’t be alarmed when you peak into the bowl and find that color.

Baking pumpkins, like many other fruits/squashes may be the best choice of cooking for optimal flavor and nutrient retention.


lightbulb When scooping out the “meat” of many winter squash types, you may encounter some very hard “strings”. These strings are actually the veins of the shell.

Look at the acorn squash or sugar pumpkin and notice it’s ridges. Between these ridges are the “veins” or strings that you may find once you have cut and then baked the squash or pumpkin. Check out the Is your pumpkin or winter squash puree plagued with hard strings? Blog post to see what I mean.

To avoid getting these hard little strings in your puree, scoop the insides out gently and not too closely to the shell. If you have baked your squash or pumpkin enough, these strings or veins will easily fall away from the shell as the meat is separated from it.

Basic Pumpkin Baby Food Recipes:

Pumpkin Puree Baby Food Recipe (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

1 sugar pumpkin
water
cinnamon, nutmeg (optional – sprinkle into the cooking water or when you puree/mash)
Pumpkin is best when baked though you may peel, cube and steam it. Bake a pumpkin exactly as you would bake a winter (Acorn, Butternut etc.) squash. Pumpkin is after all a squash.

Directions:

Step 1: Halve the pumpkin, de-seed

Step 2: Place halves face down in a baking pan with approx 1-2 inches of water

Step 3: Bake between 375-425 F for approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour

Skin should be “puckery” and/or wrinkled and pumpkin should feel soft when pressed

Step 4: Scrape out the pumpkin “meat” and then mash or puree as needed for your baby.

Apple Pumpkin Puree Baby Food Recipe (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

1 sugar pumpkin
3 Apples, peeled & cored (use Macintosh, Gala, Braeburn or Granny Smith)
water
cinnamon, nutmeg (optional – sprinkle into the cooking water or when you puree/mash)
Directions:

Step 1: Halve the pumpkin, peel and de-seed it then cut into cubes

Step 2: Slice the apples

Step 4: Bring water to a boil and then steam gently until soft and cooked. Be sure to check on the water level!Step 3: Add 3 inches of water to a pot and then insert a steamer basket – add the pumpkin cubes and apples

Let cool a bit then puree or mash as needed for your baby.


go2 Pumpkin is very watery so baking is the best method – you may peel, de-seed and steam chunks of you prefer.

Apple, Pumpkin & Oatmeal Breakfast Baby Food Recipe (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 1/2 cup (cooked) oatmeal
Dash of cinnamon, nutmeg and/or ginger
Directions:

Step 1: Mix spices, applesauce, pumpkin puree and oatmeal together

Step 2: Stir thoroughly or blend if needed

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Pumpkin Baby Food Recipes – Yummy Bananas & Pumpkin (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 small bananas
Directions:

Step 1: Mash 2 small bananas and add the pumpkin puree

Step 2: Mix thoroughly, blend if needed for your baby’s texture preferences. Makes a yummy addition to baby’s cereal or yogurt.



Baby’s Pumpkin & Pears (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 pear, peeled & cored & diced
Directions:

Step 1: Mash the pear and then mix in the pumpkin – puree if needed.

Pumpkin, Banana & Peaches (6-8 months)

Ingredients:

½ cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1 pear – peeled and cored and diced
1 peach – peeled, pitted and diced
Directions:

Step 1: Combine all food (steam pear and peach together if need be) and mash or puree if needed.

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Savory Pumpkin Puree – A Tasty Pumpkin Baby Food Recipe (8-10 months)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup diced onion
1 to 2 cups pumpkin peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (butternut squash may also be used.)
2 cups vegetable stock
pepper, rosemary, basil
pinch of turbinado sugar if desired
Directions:

Step 1: Heat the oil in a medium saucepot then add the onion and squash cubes. Saute until the onions are soft and translucent then add the vegetable stock.

Step 2: Bring the mixture to a slow simmer and simmer until the squash is tender enough to puree. Season to taste with pepper, rosemary and basil

Step 3: You may make this a sweet puree by using nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon as the spices instead of the savory spices and herbs.

Step 4: Toss this mixture with cooked brown rice, couscous, lentils or even quinoa for a hearty meal.

Baked Pumpkin Slices (8-10 months)

Directions:

Step 1: Halve a sugar pumpkin then cut into slices as you would a melon

Step 2: Pat slices with a wee bit of butter (or olive oil if you prefer) then place slices on a greased (olive oil) baking sheet and sprinkle lightly with water

Step 3: Drizzle with pure maple syrup or sprinkle slices with brown sugar (if desired) and then sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of ginger.

I like to mix these spices together first for an even mix so that no one spice overpowers the other.

Pumpkin Risotto (8-10 months)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup apple juice)
About 6 cups of hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 sugar pumpkin, one half baked and then pureed; the other half, peeled, cut into small dice, and sauteed in a little oil and butter until tender
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Step 1: In a medium-size skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, until translucent and soft. Add the arborio rice and stir so that the rice is coated in the oil. Cook until translucent, stirring all the while.

Step 2: Add the apple juice and continue stirring and cooking until the juice has been absorbed. Slowly pour in enough chicken stock to cover the rice completely, about 3 cups, and continue to cook, stirring often, until all the liquid is absorbed.

Step 3: Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with last cup of stock. Add the remaining cup and cook until the rice is soft but but not mushy. Most of the stock will be absorbed at this point.

Step 4: Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce heat so that risotto and pumpkin mix in and infuse. Do not simmer – stir in the Parmesan and butter then serve.

I think I found this from the food network – it’s printed on now tattered paper and “network” is in the upper left-corner. It’s tattered because of over-use but my notes/tweaks are still legible – I have it down without the need to read.

Creamy Pumpkin Soup (8-10 months)

Ingredients:

16 ounces Pumpkin (canned or fresh pureed)
13.75 ounces Chicken Broth or Homemade Stock
1 Large Onion
2 Carrots (Wheels or Diced)
2 cups half and half or evaporated milk (sub. with yogurt if desired)
1/4 cup Sour Cream (optional)
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
Dash of Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/3 teaspoon( or less) Salt
Directions:

Step 1: In a large pot add, chicken broth, onions, carrot, baking soda, salt and pepper.

Step 2: Simmer uncovered for ten to fifteen minutes until carrots are soft.

Optional: Put vegetable and broth into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Return to pot.

Step 3: Add pumpkin and half and half or yogurt. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Pour into soup crocks or soup bowls. Top with sour cream (optional)

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Autumn Smoothie (8-10 months)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup plain, vanilla or banana yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 frozen banana
Directions:

Step 1: Combine everything in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Serves one grown-up and one baby.

The Autumn Spoon (8 months+)  – A new twist on the Autumn Smoothie

1/2 cup plain, yogurt
1/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash of ginger
1 banana
Directions:

Step 1: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend or process until a thick consistency is created. Add some wheat germ for even more cling.

Banana Pumpkin Smoothie

Ingredients:

1-cup milk or plain yogurt
2 tablespoons canned pumpkin
(or homemade puree pumpkin)
1 banana
dash of cinnamon (8+months old)
Directions:

Step 1: Blend in blender until smooth and foamy.

Serve immediately.

Foods Good to Mix With Pumpkin:

Apples
Bananas
Blueberries
Peaches
Carrots
Butternut or Acorn Squash
Sweet Potato
Brown Rice
Lentils
Chicken
Yogurt

Source by: http://wholesomebabyfood.momtastic.com/pumpkin-babyfood-recipes.htm