Go, Butternut!

Hungry baby loves butternut squash! Another under-rated vegetable, butternut squash is tender, sweet, and good for both baby and family. With a taste reminiscent of pumpkin, butternut squash is loaded with vitamins A and C, as well as fiber.

This recipe does not even need to be modified to satisfy both baby and the rest of the family, and that's less work for tired moms and dads, right?

Baby Age: approximately 8 months

Consistency: cubed or mashed

Baked Butternut Squash

1 teaspoon dried or 2 tablespoons of minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine parsley, oil, garlic powder, and salt. Add butternut squash and toss to coat squash with oil. Transfer squash to lasagna pan. Spring parmesan cheese over squash. Bake, uncovered, for 50-60 minutes or until squash is tender. If your baby can grasp and chew the cubes of squash, you can serve this as is. If your baby needs a bit of help, the squash is easily mashed with a fork and can be thinned with formula or breast milk.

Serves a family of three, plus a baby!

NOTE: If using a smaller oven, such as a toaster oven, lightly cover squash with aluminum foil to protect it from sitting directly under the heating element; this can cause the squash cubes to brown, which can makes it difficult for baby to chew.