Make it once, use it twice. Homemade fruit puree for baby works double duty when you transform it into a beautiful and nutritious smoothie bowl for yourself and others in your household. 

What you need: 

• Stainless steel cooking pot
• Immersion blender or stand-up blender
• Your favorite ripe fruits
• Your favorite toppings

Instructions:

Add your fruit to the pot (chop any large fruit before adding).  Pot should be no more than 2/3 full of fruit.  

Add about 1/4 cup of water per 1 cup of fruit. This is a general guideline.  If you are using juicy fruits like pears or blueberries you can use less water.  If you are using firmer fruits like apples or apricots, you may need slightly more water.  As you cook, if your fruit looks dry or thick, just add a few more splashes of water.

Cook over medium heat until fruit is soft and falling apart.  Stir often to ensure even cooking. 

If you are using an Immersion blender, remove pot from heat and puree right in the pot.  If your are using a stand-up blender, cool puree for 10 minutes, then transfer to your blender. 

Storing your puree:

You can use your finished puree immediately, or chill in the refrigerator first if you prefer it icy cold. You can also freeze for future use. Always refrigerate or freeze your puree in sealed food safe containers within 2 hours of cooking. Do not refrigerate large quantities of puree in the hot cooking pot (it may not cool down properly!) Store refrigerated puree up to 2 days and frozen puree up to 3 months. 

Flavors:

Some of our favorite fruits to use in any combination are: blueberries, strawberries, fresh figs, mango, pear, peach, nectarine, cantaloupe, cherry, grape, apple, apricot, plum, pineapple, kiwi

Peach nectarine smoothie bowl topped with blueberries, pumpkin seeds, and granola

Cherry berry smoothie bowl topped with coconut, almonds, and cocoa nibs

Mango pineapple smoothie bowl topped with blueberries, coconut, banana and granola