Feeding Your Baby Pumpkin for Baby Food - Yummy Pumpkin Baby Food Recipes for Your Baby

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

 

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The Goodness 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 actually fruits. We, and many of our visitors, always think of pumpkin as a fruit so we have included it in our Fruits area. Of course, there are also many people who think of pumpkin as a veggie. So how do you think of pumpkin?

 

Pumpkins contain some of the best nutritional compounds ever. 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 ageing.

Beta Carotene is also responsible for "Orange Babies".

 

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.

 

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

 

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. Try to find a pumpkin anywhere between five to eight pounds.

 

Is it Safe to use Canned Pumpkin in Baby Food Recipes?

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.

 

How do I cook a Pumpkin?

We recently peeled back the label on a can of 100% pure pumpkin (Libby's brand) and found this very interesting information, posted verbatim: Can I Eat the Pumpkin Without Cooking It? Libby's 100% pure pumpkin is thoroughly cooked during the canning process so it is perfectly safe and acceptable to enjoy straight from the can.  Once opened, can I freeze? How to Store? How Long Does Pumpkin Last? Pumpkin may be stored in a sealed plastic container for 1 week in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer. When freezing, allow for headspace at the top of the container as the pumpkin may expand when frozen.    Pumpkin may have a separated appearance when thawed due to air bubbles. This will not affect the pumpkin quality or performance.

 

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.

 

28 Sept. 2007: Beth wrote us to ask why her baked acorn squash had hard strings in it. Today as I was baking some sugar pumpkins, I was pleased that they baked so nicely that the meat just slipped off the shell, without the hard veins (strings) sticking to the meat.

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. 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)

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.

1. Halve the pumpkin, de-seed
2. Place halves face down in a baking pan with approx 1-2 inches of water
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
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)

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)

1. Halve the pumpkin, peel and de-seed it then cut into cubes
2. Slice the apples
3. Add 3 inches of water to a pot and then insert a steamer basket - add the pumpkin cubes and apples
4. Bring water to a boil and then steam gently until soft and cooked. Be sure to check on the water level

Puree or mash as needed for your baby.

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)

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

 

Mix spices, applesauce, pumpkin puree and oatmeal together
Stir thoroughly or blend if needed

 

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

1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 small bananas

 

Mash 2 small bananas and add the pumpkin puree
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)

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

 

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

 

 

Pumpkin, Banana & Peaches (6-8 months)

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

 

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 Yummy Baby Food Recipe (8-10 months)

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

 

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.

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

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

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

Baked Pumpkin Slices (8-10 months)

• halve a sugar pumpkin then cut into slices as you would a melon

• 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

• drizzle with pure maple syrup or sprinkle slices with brown sugar (if desired) and then sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of ginger.

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

 

 

Pumpkin Risotto (8-10 months)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (or apple juice for baby)
About 6 cups of hot chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 sugar pumpkin, one half baked in the oven 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

 

In a medium-size heavy saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute, stirring continuously, just until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice and continue to stir, using a wooden spoon, to coat the rice with the oil.

Add the white wine (apple juice for baby.) and continue cooking, stirring often, until it has been absorbed by the rice. 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.

 

Pour in 1 cup more of the remaining stock and stir and cook until it has been absorbed. Repeat with 1 more cup. Add the remaining cup and cook, stirring, until the rice is al dente, tender but still very chewy, and most of the liquid has been absorbed.

 

Stir in the pumpkin puree and the diced pumpkin and reduce the heat to very low so that the risotto doesn't simmer anymore. Stir in the Parmesan and butter to give the risotto a nice, creamy finish. Spoon it immediately into heated shallow serving bowls.
I think we 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 now, 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

Preparation Directions:

1. In a large pot add, chicken broth, onions, carrot, baking soda, salt and pepper.
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.
3. Add pumpkin and half and half or yogurt. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
Pour into soup crocks or soup bowls. Top with sour cream (optional)

 

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Autumn Smoothie (8-10 months)

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

 

Combine everything in a blender. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.
Serves one grown-up and one baby.

 

 

The Autumn Spoon (8months+) 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

 

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:
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

 

 

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