Making your own baby food is an awesome way to make sure your little one is getting all the nutrients they need with none of the additives that you don't want. But where to start? The Amazing Make-Ahead Baby Food Book by Lisa Barrangou is a life saver for busy parents. It's full of simple directions for making delicious purees your baby will love. After you've mastered those, use the purees as building blocks for incredibly yummy, wholesome recipes. Even though it's technically a baby food book, we'd eat all of this ourselves (and we do!)
Banana pancakes. Need I say more? Baby is going to love the introduction of baked goods with this indulgent breakfast. While you could use all whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe for maximum nutrients, the all-purpose flour adds the extra lightness and fluffiness you expect from a pancake. There is no need to top these pancakes with maple syrup, as the natural sweetness of bananas makes these sweet enough. The optional chocolate chips in this recipe will take these pancakes to the next level! Top these sweet treats with a thin layer of nut butter to make this a complete protein meal. These pancakes freeze very well, so you may want to increase the batch size and freeze some for later. Take them straight from the freezer to the toaster for a super fast and tasty meal. My babies still love to eat one of these pancakes with peanut butter as an afternoon snack.
RECIPE: Banana Pancakes
Makes 6 pancakes
Ingredients
- 1⁄2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1⁄2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 11⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 3⁄4 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk (nondairy milk is a suitable alternative, if desired)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3 (2-tablespoon) cubes Banana Puree, thawed
- 3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
Directions for Pancakes
- In a large bowl, whisk flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Make a well in the flour mixture and carefully add the milk, egg, and banana puree. Stir together until just combined and all dry ingredients are completely wet. Do not overmix or the pancakes will become tough when cooked. Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add coconut oil to melt. When the oil begins to sizzle, ladle 1⁄3 cup of the batter into the pan for each pancake. Cook until the tops of the pancakes have several bubbles and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip and cook the other side until golden brown. Transfer pancakes to a serving dish and repeat with the remaining batter.
- Allow the pancakes to cool, then serve immediately. If freezing pancakes for later, layer individual pancakes between waxed paper and place them in a freezer storage bag, taking care to remove as much air as possible before sealing. Pancakes can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. For reheating, take individual pancakes straight from the freezer to the toaster. Toast pancakes for 1 to 2 cycles, or until warmed completely through.
Directions for Bananas
Makes 15 (2-Tablespoon Freezer Tray Cubes)
- 11⁄2 pounds ripe bananas (about 5 bananas)
- Peel bananas, then place banana flesh in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. No additional water will be needed.
- Pour the puree into a freezer tray and cover with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Place the freezer tray in the freezer for 24 hours, or until completely set, then transfer frozen cubes from the freezer tray into a labeled freezer storage bag.
Reprinted with permission from The Amazing Make-Ahead Baby Food Book, by Lisa Barrangou, copyright 2015. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.
