Homemade Baby Food Recipes: Pea Puree
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure.Full disclosure: pea puree has to be one of Layla’s least favorite purees. I made a bunch of it and then decided to just start mixing it with fruit, because she did not like it. The fruit + peas was more palatable though 🙂
Peas are a great source of Vitamin K, which is important for maintaining bone health. They also contain folic acid and Vitamin B6 which are good for heart health.
Another little tip for cooking green veggies – it’s key to not overcook them. All of your green veggies should remain bright green after they have been cooked. It’s all about saving the chlorophyll in these vegetables. If the veggie is exposed to heat over too long a period, the chlorophyll spills out of the vegetable (you’ll notice that the cooking water turns green) – and if that happens you lose a lot of the nutrients in the veggie. Two ways to ensure you don’t overcook: 1) steam the veggies for just 3-5 minutes or 2) if you’re cooking them in water, cook for 3-5 minutes and then “shock” the vegetables by dumping them into a bowl filled with cold water and ice.
Kitchen Tools I Used for This Recipe:
- Durable, covered, ice cube trays for freezing. I like these from Mumi & Bubi because they come with a cover, a recipe book, and the cubes are super easy to get out.
- A great blender. I used our Vitamix to puree large quantities at the same time – which was super convenient. You don’t need a “baby food maker” – any great blender will do. And if you have a Vitamix you can use it for so many other things besides baby food!
Of course, there will be times when you’re on the go and need a healthy pre-made option for your little one. And in those cases, I’d recommend buying one of the pouches on my list of the healthiest baby food pouches.
Here is my recipe for pea puree – simple, easy and a great source of nutrients for your baby!
Homemade Baby Food Recipes: Pea Puree
Ingredients
- 2 bags organic frozen peas usually about 2 lbs
- 8 oz water
Instructions
- Steam your peas for 3-5 minutes
- Once the peas are green and soft, pour them into a blender and add 8oz water. Puree until smooth.
- Pour into ice cube trays, allow to cool, wrap/cover, and freeze.
- Thaw in the fridge the night before use, or thaw by putting the ice cube in a bowl over a bowl of hot water on the counter to defrost.