Easy Lentils For Baby
My lentils for baby is one of the easiest meals you can make for your little one. Combining lentils, rice, and veggies, this baby lentil recipe, known as "khichdi" in India, is a nutritious, one-pot meal. It’s healthy, flavorful, and easily adaptable to your baby’s age and dietary needs.
Servings: 16 cups
Calories: 33.8kcal
Ingredients
- 2 cups dried lentils any lentil is fine, I've used red lentils, yellow split peas, and "moong dal" which you can get at the Indian store
- 1 cup brown basmati rice you can also use white basmati rice or quinoa
- 6 cups water depending on the type of lentils used, you may need more water than this. Add more water as needed if your mixture turns out too thick
- 10 cups frozen or fresh veggies I used 1 16oz bag of frozen broccoli, 1 16oz bag of frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, green beans), and 1 8oz bag of frozen cauliflower
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp garam masala
- 1 pinch salt
- whole milk organic yogurt optional, for serving
Instructions
- Put water, lentils, rice/qunioa, veggies, and spices into a large pot on the stove.
- Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and simmer 1-3 hours until it's the consistency you like, stirring occasionally. Add water as needed if you find the mixture is getting too thick.
- (Alternatively, put all ingredients into a crock pot and cook on high for 4-6 hours)
- Mash up, freeze in ice cube trays or store for 5 days in the fridge.
- Serve with whole milk organic yogurt.
Notes
Expert Tips
- Allow the lentils and vegetables enough time to cook down until soft and mushy. This will take several hours on the stovetop, or in the crockpot.
- Use a potato masher to puree the stew. Alternatively, you can place the lentils in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. It should have the consistency of a hearty soup or stew.
- Feel free to adjust the spices and consistency based on the age of your baby!
- This recipe makes 16 cups of food, which equals 256 tablespoons of food. Assuming your baby is eating about 4oz of food in each meal, this will make 64 meals for your little one!
Nutrition
Serving: 4tbsp | Calories: 33.8kcal | Carbohydrates: 6.3g | Protein: 2g | Sodium: 7mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 2.3g