Age of Introduction|
4-5 months
Yield| 3 medium sweet potatoes (approx. 2.5 lb. total) + 1/4 c. water =
2 to 2-1/2 c. puree
Storage| Refrigerator 3-4 days/ Freezer up to 2 months
Prep Time| 20-25 minutes (includes cook, cool, and puree time)
Choose| Sweet potatoes should be firm and uniform in color with no broken skin and without shriveled/dried up looking ends. Try to buy sweet potatoes that are similar in size, as they cook more evenly when cooking multiple potatoes at one time.
Prep| Mist potatoes with veggie wash, then scrub gently with a vegetable brush under running water. Poke each potato several times with a fork.
Cook|
Microwave Place up to 3-4 potatoes on a plate in pinwheel configuration and cook 7-10 minutes on high power, rotating ends from center to outside of plate about halfway through cook time.
Crockpot It is best to do about 6-10 potatoes at a time using this method. Individually wrap potatoes in aluminum foil. Place along bottom and stack against sides of crock pot. Do not add water. Cook on high power 2-1/2 to 4 hours or low power 8-10 hours.
Test for doneness (peel back the foil from one foil-wrapped potato to test). When potatoes are fork tender (check 2-3 different areas), remove from microwave or crock pot and cool at room temperature about 5-10 minutes.
Puree|
- Unwrap foil-wrapped potatoes.
Cut each potato in half across the middle.
Using a spoon, scoop potato from peels into a bowl.
(If they are still too hot to handle, cool more or hold the potato half in a folded paper towel or oven mitt).
Repeat with all potato halves. - Transfer sweet potatoes to food processor container. Add 1/4 c. water.
Process until smooth.
Puree should be the consistency of a thick custard.NOTE: This consistency is required for use in related recipes. For young babies (4-7 months old), set aside some of this thick puree to use in recipes, and prepare the rest for serving baby by adding enough water to create a smoother consistency, then pressing puree through a mesh strainer to avoid any lumps or strings. Label baby servings and store separately. More water could be added to individual servings to reach desired consistency.
Serve| The sequence of baby ages is listed to show the appropriate stages of introduction for foods that pair well with sweet potato puree. All of the suggestions for 9 months and older are also appropriate for older children and adults.
| 4-5 months | Mix with rice cereal Mix with applesauce (no sugar, artificial sweetener, or high-fructose corn syrup added) |
| 6 months | Mix with oat cereal Mix with pear puree |
| 7 months | Mix with multigrain cereal Mix with carrot puree |
| 8 months | Mix with plain whole milk yogurt Mix with wheat germ Serve with finely diced or mashed green beans |
| 9 months | Mix with crushed or finely diced pineapple (100% juice, no syrup) |
| 10 months | Mix with chopped cranberries Serve with diced green beans |
| 12 months | Stir in a little orange juice and sprinkle with cinnamon Serve with cooked ground turkey |
| 15 months+ | Serve with cooked diced chicken or turkey |
Related Recipes| Cranberry Orange Sweet Potato Bread –
Sweet Potato Pancakes – Maple Citrus Sweet Potato Bake –
Cranberry Orange Sweet Potato Bread
– get the recipe in this cookbook: “The Family Table Cookbook~ Whole Grain Pancake & Baking Mix: 30+ Recipes/ONE Easy Mix”
Main Nutrients| Vitamin A – Vitamin C – Dietary Fiber – Vitamin B6 – Manganese
Potassium
