Fresh plums are an excellent defense against constipation. They also make a tasty puree for your little one. Keep reading for the recipe.
Step 1: Select & Buy Plums
A ripe plum will smell sweet at the stem and give slightly when you squeeze it; the color can vary and isn't a good indicator of ripeness. Look for fruit that's free of nicks, bruises, and other blemishes. One whole plum yields about four ounces of puree.
Step 2: Wash the Plum
Wash the plum with a mixture of three parts water and one part white vinegar to remove bacteria. Rinse under cool running water and dry.
Step 3: Peel the Plum
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan and then add peaches to the water for about 45 seconds. With a slotted spoon, remove plum from boiling water and plunge into an ice bath immediately. After plum has been fully submerged, remove and peel the skin with your fingers or a sharp paring knife.
Step 4: Pit & Slice the Plum
Slice plum in half, lengthwise, working your way around the pit. Twist and pull the plum halves apart. Use a spoon to pry out the pit, or stick the blade of a sharp knife into the pit and twist until the pit pops out. Slice each half into even-sized slices then quarter each slice.
Step 5: Puree or Mash the Plum
Puree plum in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add water as needed to reach desired consistency.
For chunkier plum puree, which is ideal for babies 10 months or older, mash the plum with a potato masher instead of pureeing it.
Step 6: Serve Plum Puree
Sweet, mild flavored plum puree is delicious plain. To introduce your baby to new textures and flavors, mix the puree with other fruits, meat or poultry, oatmeal, or full-fat yogurt. Try mixing peach puree with:
Step 7: Freeze Leftover Plum Puree
Cool plum puree and refrigerate leftovers in BPA-free containers for up to 3 days. Freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in your refrigerator.
