Archives for posts with tag: Food processor

Guest Blogger (Chef Steph): Kalorik Baby Food Maker – MCH 33526

February 4, 2012 //
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The Kalorik Baby Food Maker (Kalorik Baby Gourmet) was a purchase made through coincidence. A friend had given us a gift card to Sur La Table, and since cooking adult food had moved far down on my list of priorities after the kiddo came along, we decided to use it to purchase this baby food maker that another friend had been lusting after. We figured she and I could have baby food prep parties, sipping wine and talking about our beloved DD and DS whilst the Kalorik practically made the food itself.

Turns out, not so much. While I can definitely see the benefit of this unit for someone who has a micro-sized kitchen and no storage space to keep the pots/steaming baskets/food processor that is needed to make baby food without it, the unit does leave a bit to be desired (I have a feeling others share my sentiments considering the current going price for this machine has dropped into the $60 range, whereas you couldn’t find it for less than retail ($99) anywhere when we bought it last year).

Kalorik Baby Gourmet

The use of the unit is super simple. There is a port to put in the water, which is measured out with a handy measuring cup that has increments of not only milliliters and ounces, but also steam time.  This way you can guestimate how much water you need to add based upon a guess of how much time will be needed to steam something (this is useful as the instruction manual only lists about a dozen example foods and steaming times).  You pour the water into the port, screw in the knob (better not lose that as the unit won’t work without it), lock in the main bowl, put in the steaming basket, put in your evenly cubed fruits and vegetables, lock on the tip, turn the knob to steam and voila… it turns off automatically once the steam runs out.

While it is simple to use (and I lost the instructions after the first time setting it up, so it must be easy to figure out as I have very little mechanical aptitude), there is a lot left to be desired in the design.

First off, the basket only holds about 2 cups of cubed fruit/veggies.  This translates into about a cup of cooked food. Which is fine for when you are just introducing solids and are only making enough for a few days at a time, but when your ravenous infant is eating 2-3 cups of purees a day, the tiny output doesn’t cut it.

It is a bit difficult to have the transfer the scalding cooked fruit/veggies from the steaming basket (which has no handle) back into the main bowl, AND manage to get the blade on without smooshing food into the gears or burning the crap out of yourself.

Cleaning the unit can be a pain, and there are parts that will never get clean. The steam port on the main bowl that lets the steam in from the base is screwed on and not removable. (That may have changed on the newer model.)

Steam Port on Kalorik Baby Food Processor

It also doesn’t have a flow back prevention valve, which means that when you blend in the main bowl, pureed food seeps back into the port. And you can’t rinse or scrub it out. So the food just sits there. Forever.

Also, the plastic on the base cracked almost within the first week (and no, it wasn’t because Dylan was showing Gavin Kung Fu moves with it), and the blending is SUPER loud, even more so than the mini food processor we own.

So, all in all, I probably wouldn’t buy this again. In fact, I am going out this weekend to buy a full size food processor to make sure I can make enough food at one time to last the week without having the prepare 17 batches of the same thing.

———-

Overall Rating:  5 Worms

Ease of Use: 7 Worms

Performance:  6 Worms

Features:  5 Worms

Durability:  3 Worms

Manliness:  5 Worms (Your man may make the baby food, but I have a hunch he probably ain’t gonna use this)

Retail Price:  $99

———-

Pros:

Purees food much smoother than a regular food processor.  If you don’t have the storage space for a full size food processor and steaming pans, this is a nice compact little all-in-one unit that will allow you to make some small batches of food at home and it’s easy enough that a caveman (or husband) could use it.

Cons:

The blending is very noisy (not so good when you’re trying to sneak in some food preparation while baby’s napping); the steaming port on the main bowl is impossible to clean out (yuk); it is not very durable.

Things I would modify:

Definitely allow for the steam port to be rinsed out (Maybe changed on the newer model); make the bowl and steam basket bigger; increase the durability of the base.

Where to find:

http://www.kalorik.com/Kalorik-html/itempages/foodpros/MCH-33526-Y.html

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Categories Product Reviews

Guest Blogger (Chef Steph): Orange You Glad I Didn’t Say Carrot – Carrots, Peaches, Yams and Squash Puree

January 30, 2012 //
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Another Chef Steph creation.  This recipe is also full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals!

Ingredients:

  • 2/3 cup baby carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup sliced peaches (I used the frozen ones, but if they are in season, fresh is even better)
  • 1/2 cup yam, chopped
  • 1/2 cup yellow summer squash, chopped (you can also use green summer squash or zucchini)

Orange You Glad I Didn't Say Carrot - Carrots, Peaches, Yams, and Squash

Preparation:

Place the carrots and yam in the colander over boiling water; cover
and steam for 10 minutes. Add the peaches and squash and steam for an
additional 10-15 minutes or until everything is thoroughly cooked and
soft. Place in a food processor along with some of the steaming liquid
and puree to desire consistency. This freezes well and keeps in the
fridge for 5-7 days.

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Categories Food

Guest Blogger (Chef Steph): Purple Explosion – Blueberries, Purple Potatoes, and Cauliflower

January 23, 2012 //
3

So here is my next recipe for the wee one; it is full of antioxidants, vitamins, and is sure to create diaper surprises in all sorts of interesting colors (and sounds)!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup frozen blueberries, defrosted
  • 3-4 small purple potatoes (our grocery happens to carry these, and they are the most gorgeous color you’ve ever seen on a vegetable – if you can’t find them, you can substitute with any small potato such as baby yukon or red bliss)
  • 1/2 cup cauliflower (I’ve actually seen a purple variety of cauliflower at the store before that would have been too cool for this recipe, but alas, they didn’t have any when I was shopping, so I used the regular kind)

Purple Explosion - Blueberries, Purple Potatoes, and Cauliflower

Preparation:

Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes.  Cut the cauliflower into small pieces. Place the potatoes and cauliflower in the colander over a pot of boiling water and cover, steaming for 10-15 minutes or until both can be smashed easily with a spoon. Add the blueberries and steam for an additional 3-5 minutes. Place everything as well as some of the steaming liquid into a food processor and puree to desired consistency. Potatoes don’t freeze so well, so this is best made in small batches as it will keep in the fridge for 5-7 days.

IMPORTANT NOTE: These recipes are for more advanced eaters. Your babe should be at least 9 Mo old, have been eating solids for a while, and ideally have had most, if not all of the components in the recipes previously to ensure there was no reaction. Once they hit 9 Mo and have had a wide variety of foods, it’s okay to introduce more than one new thing at a time, but be on the lookout for any signs of an issue such as rash, tummy ache, excessive gas or change in eating habits. Unless, of course, they all the sudden start wolfing down the food, and then you can just chock it up to my mad food-making skillz.

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Categories Food

Guest Blogger (Chef Steph): Pears, Parsnips, and Green Beans Puree

January 16, 2012 //
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In the beginning of Gavin’s introduction into solid foods, we simply followed the advice of internet pediatricians. We gave him a single fruit or vegetable puree every 3-4 days, and noted which he liked and disliked, and any noticeable reactions (incidentally, plums gave him diaper rash). Considering he ate pretty much everything with the same gusto,

Nomnomnom

we were able to try close to 3 dozen different fruits and vegetables over the following 3 months. Just recently, I’ve been mixing and matching various produce and really getting into the fun part of making baby food.
The following is a recent recipe that Gavin gives a baby thumbs up. As I mentioned in my previous post, we have one of those do-it-all baby food makers, but you definitely do not need one to make these concoctions (and honestly, considering the portion size of the thing, I don’t even use it anymore). All you need is a pot and a metal colander (or sieve) that fits over the pot without touching the bottom, and a food processor or blender.

Ingredients:

  • 3 ripe pears (I use Bosc, but Bartlett is also a great choice)
  •  1 medium parsnip
  • 1/2 cup frozen green beans, defrosted

Preparation:
Peel and chop the pears and parsnip into small cubes. Place the parsnip in the colander or sieve over a pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid or foil and allow to steam for about 5 minutes. Add the pears and steam for another 10 minutes or until the pears and parsnips can be smashed with a spoon. Check the level of water in the pot periodically to make sure enough remains. Add the green beans and steam for an additional 3-5 minutes. Take everything off the stove and place the fruit and veggies in a blender or food processor. Add a bit of the remaining steaming liquid (this has lots of the flavor from the veggies in it) and puree to the desired consistency. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool completely (it’s a good idea to cool in the fridge to avoid bacterial growth).

Bon appetit!

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Categories Food
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