Strawberry and Plum Puree 9+ months Yield: 2 cups (500 g), or 5 baby servings 2-in-1 Option: Best Buttermilk Biscuits and Summer Jam Strawberries and plums are a dream combination for a baby and for a cook. This sweet dynamo lends itself to lots of potential dishes, but babies absolutely love this nature's candy. Strawberries are considered a citrus that is also a higher allergen, so waiting until your baby is a little older is better as their digestive tracts get more mature and able to handle more foods. Strawberries and plums are both high in vitamin C, and plums are also high in potassium. Ingredients: --3 plums, peeled and cubed --2 cups (350 g) chopped strawberries Directions: 1. Steam plums and strawberries together for 5 to 7 minutes, until they are soft. Reserve the water from the steamer. 2.

Blend the plum-strawberry mixture in a blender until pureed. Add 1 teaspoon of reserved water at a time, if necessary, until desired consistency is achieved. Best Buttermilk Biscuits and Summer Jam 16+ months Yield: 6 to 8 biscuits, or servings Using your purees to make jam is a great way to use up leftovers and give your jam a boost of nutrition. This entire recipe is fun to make with kids, and you might use extras of your sweet summer jam for friendly gifts for your neighbors. Agar is a thickening agent made from seaweed and is a good vegetarian substitute for gelatin. Look for it in health food stores, or online. Ingredients for Jam: --1 cup (350 g) raw agave nectar --1/2 cup (100 g) pure cane sugar --1 large lemon, zested and juiced --1 cup fresh chopped strawberries --2 cups (500 g) Strawberry and Plum Puree --1 teaspoon (5 ml) agar Ingredients for Biscuits: --2 cups (250 g) all-purpose, self-rising flour --1 1/2 teaspoons (7 g) baking powder --1/2 teaspoon (7 g) baking soda --1/2 (3 g) teaspoon sea salt --1/4 (55 g) cup cold butter, cut into small cubes --3/4 cups (175 ml) buttermilk, fresh if possible To Make the Jam: 1. In medium saucepan, combine the agave, sugar, and lemon zest and juice and heat until well combined.

2. Add fresh strawberries and the Strawberry and Plum Puree, and let simmer for about 3 minutes. Add in the agar. 3. Let the jam thicken for another 2 minutes and then store in glass jars with airtight lids. To Make the Biscuits: 1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F (250 degrees C, or gas mark 9). You want a fully hot oven for baking really flaky good biscuits! 2.

In a medium-size bowl, blend together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 3. With a dough hook mixer, cut the butter into the dough until the mixture gets crumby. Stir in the buttermilk and shape the dough into a ball. 4. On a floured work surface, knead the dough until it is smoothly blended. Roll out the dough to about 3/4-inch (2 cm)-thick and use a biscuit cutter or glass to cut out biscuits. 5.

Brush the tops of the biscuits with melted butter and place them in the center of a baking sheet, sides touching. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.