Thursday, April 25, 2013

Pass the Peas Please!!!



Green Pea Puree
Looking for an easy and quick baby food puree for your little one?  Try some PEAS.  Peas are a great first food for babies age 6-8 months. Not only are they nutritious because they are protein rich and full of vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, Vitamin A and C but they are also a tasty sweet green treat for young palates.  

Follow this recipe for a stage 1 pea baby food puree:

Ingredients:

1 cup of peas
1/2 cup of water (approximately)

Instructions:
  1. Place the peas into a steamer basket in a skillet
  2. Fill the pan with water until it just kisses the basket
  3. Steam until the peas are very tender (approximately 15 minutes ~ be sure to watch the pan so that all of the water doesn't evaporate)
  4. Remove peas from pan and place in blender/food processor/grinder - save the water*
  5. Blend/grind the peas on the highest setting while adding water to achieve desired consistency
*Using the water from the pan enables you to return the nutrients from the steamed peas to the puree


Tip: Push the peas through a sieve to ensure a shell-less puree

Storage:
Option 1: Store pea puree in air-tight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days
Option 2: Place pea puree in ice cube trays and freeze overnight, then empty frozen cubes into a freezer safe air-tight container/bag and save for 3 months (each ice cube equals 1 ounce)