Puréed Spinach with Pasta by Shana Priwer and Cynthia Phillips
While pasta noodles make a great finger food, they're really more suitable in their whole form for older babies (or babies with a few teeth). You can try fork-mashing this dish for a “Step 3” type of meal, but may have more success with the food processor.
3 Servings
¼ cup thin pasta
1 cup fresh or frozen spinach
2 cups water
Place pasta in a pot and cover with water. Boil for 20–25 minutes, or until pasta is very tender.
If using fresh spinach, wash the leaves thoroughly, remove stems, and chop. Boil in a pan of shallow water for 10 minutes. If using frozen spinach, defrost and cook according to the package directions.
Combine the cooked spinach and pasta in a food processor or blender. Purée for about 30 seconds.
Add breastmilk or formula, 1 tablespoon at a time. Continue puréeing until the mixture reaches a creamy consistency.
Pasta Differences
For the purpose of puréed baby food, try to use a pasta that cooks up soft, such as tubular or ribbon noodles. Like your spaghetti al dente? Overcook it for baby, since chewy or hard noodles will not purée well. Also avoid whole-wheat pastas — they may be healthier, but usually have a firmer consistency.
