Safe from 6 months. Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene (vitamin A), vitamin C, fiber, and potassium. Most babies accept the natural sweetness on the first try.
Raw sweet potato is starchy, dense, and faintly sweet with a dry, firm texture that is completely inappropriate for babies. Baking or steaming transforms the flesh into something silky and moist with a pronounced, honeyed sweetness and a warm earthy depth that is richer and more complex than white potato. It pairs naturally with butter, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, black beans, tahini, apple, coconut, and mild soft cheese.
Roast whole until completely soft, then slice into long spears. High in beta-carotene and naturally sweet - an excellent first food. Skin can stay on for grip.
Dice into 1/2-inch cubes, roasted or steamed. Can also mash and spread thickly on toast strips.
Fries, mash, soup, wedges, pancakes. Completely flexible.
Ingredients
Steps
Test doneness by squeezing a wedge lightly. It should yield with almost no resistance. Undercooked sweet potato is a choking hazard.
Garden notes
Long days to maturity - needs warm soil and a long season. Plan well ahead.
Plant slips (rooted cuttings) 2-3 weeks after last frost into warm soil.
Harvest for baby
Dig carefully when vines begin to yellow. Medium-sized tubers mash and puree most easily.
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