Each holiday, without fail, turnips and rutabagas play an inevitable part in holiday meals. This is one vegetable side that babies may also eat, from 8 months and older.
For some, turnips and rutabagas are vegetables that rank with brussel sprouts (with all due respect to the brussel sprout lovers out there!), low on the list of “must eats”. The humble and rather awkward rutabaga can have a pungent taste and odor. This is one vegetable that many parents have a difficult time coaxing their babies to enjoy. Rutabagas may also cause tummy upsets in the form of gas so use your own judgement when offering rutabaga to your baby. This holiday season, or any time you want to prepare rutabaga for baby or for the whole family, jazz up your rutabaga by roasting and paring it with pears (these are Forelle pears). Your baby will enjoy the flavor combination and so will you!
Roasted Rutabaga and Pears
Ingredients:
- 1 rutabaga
- 3 – 4 pears (I like Forelle and Red pears)
- olive oil
- Nutmeg
Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
Step 2: Lightly coat a baking dish with olive oil.
Step 3: Peel and then chop the rutabaga into 1-2 inch pieces.
Step 4: Peel, core and roughly chop the pears.
Step 5: Combine pears and rutabaga in the prepared baking dish.
Step 6: Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg (about 1 teaspoon; optional) then stir to combine.
Step 7: Bake for 30-45 minutes or until rutabaga is fork tender.
Step 8: Allow to cool and puree or mash as desired. Enjoy!.
Freezes well.
