5 Easy Ways To Convert Veg Recipes Into Healthy Purees

Team Kidmish Jan 04, 2019

Weaning is a significant milestone in your baby’s life as he begins foraying into the world of solid foods. It is an exciting time as the array of possibilities in his diet are limitless. This time can be utilized to experiment with different baby food recipes as every vegetable has multiple health benefits.

Starting from 6 months, your little one becomes ready for solid food and supplements that provide all the nutrition his body needs to function and develop well. You can begin with veg recipes by making purees that your infant can digest easily. Also, it will be worth your while whipping up purees at home with fresh vegetables instead of relying on store-bought products. For one, they are full of nutrition and your motherly love, care, and attention cannot be replaced.

We have enlisted five baby vegetable puree recipes that your growing child will love to taste and are super easy to prepare.

Beetroot Puree

Beetroot is a gold mine of healthy nutrients that your child can benefit from starting at the age of 8 months. It has many minerals and vitamins like calcium, potassium, fibre, and vitamin A, which can prevent diseases like beriberi, diarrhoea, night blindness, rickets, etc. Hence, you must introduce your infant to the benefits of beetroot. Baby food recipes which include beetroot have high iron content which makes it ideal for the brain development of your little munchkin. The iron-rich beetroot is known to improve blood circulation in the brain. This increased brain activity during infancy bodes well for optimum brain functioning in the later years of your child’s life.

Also, beetroots help with digestion in infants as their digestive tracts are still forming. the lack of iron in babies puts them at risk of becoming anaemic. Therefore, its importance cannot be underestimated.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

Beetroot (1 medium size)

Water (for boiling)

Salt to taste

Rinse the beetroot well.
Put water to boil in a medium saucepan.
Cut the beetroot into smaller chunks and place it in the boiling water.
After boiling it for 15 minutes, drain the beetroot off the hot water, but store this water
Run it through cold water for some time.
Take a pan and add the boiled beetroot with the water that you stored. Mash it to make a puree.
Boil it for some time to get a creamy texture.
Add salt to taste.

Spinach Puree

The benefits of spinach are known to everyone as the leafy vegetable is a nutritional powerhouse. It is an excellent source of many essential minerals and vitamins that will benefit your growing child. The calcium and magnesium in spinach will make his bones strong, and it is also packed with iron and selenium for his healthy development. With the iron and potassium consumption, your baby’s haemoglobin production and brain development are assured. The vitamin A and C will keep his eyesight and immune system in good shape. Additionally, spinach is a natural laxative so it will keep his digestive system healthy.

You can introduce spinach puree in your baby’s diet at eight months as it contains high amounts of nitrate. Your baby’s digestive system develops enough to process the nitrates only after eight months. Therefore, take care to avoid giving spinach to your baby before the recommended time frame.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

Spinach (100 grams)

Firstly, rinse the spinach leaves thoroughly in cold water.
Cut the stems of the leaves and discard it.
Steam the leaves for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once they are cooked, put it in a blender till you get a thick consistency.
Avoid adding water to the mix. You can add few spoons of cold milk to take away the typical metallic taste from spinach. Alternatively, you can add some berries to give a twist to the taste.
Pour it into a bowl and serve at room temperature.

Yellow Pumpkin Puree

We all have observed that kids pull up an unimpressive face when they are served nutritious baby food recipes. In this aspect, yellow pumpkin puree is one of the best vegetable dishes for kids as infants love its sweet taste. The vivid bright color of pumpkins is due to the presence of beta-carotene which helps in the proper functioning of eye-related issues. Additionally, it is loaded with antioxidants and vitamin C. So make it a part of your baby’s diet from 6 months of age. Yellow pumpkins are a good source of fibre and help relieve constipation in babies. It will give your child the essential proteins, iron, and vitamins to build a strong immune system and fight off any infection.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

Pumpkin (½ cup, small pieces)

Water

Wash the pumpkin under running water.
With a peeler, peel off the skin, remove the seeds, and cut into small-sized pieces.
Steam the pieces in a pan for 15 minutes. Likewise, you can also pressure cook it with a cup of water.
Mash the cooked pumpkin or put it through a blender till it becomes a smooth paste.

Carrot, Beetroot, Potato Puree

By combining carrot, beetroot, and potato in a puree, you are ensuring that your baby gets his nutritional needs met easily. Each of these vegetables has nutritional benefits that will help in his overall development. So from 8 months, ensure that his diet includes veg recipes like this pureed mixture.

Beetroot is known for its rich iron content, and the antioxidants present prevents cell damage. The orange-coloured carrots are rich in beta-carotene which is converted into vitamin A by the body. Thus, the high concentration of vitamin A in his body will guarantee healthy development of his eyes. Potatoes are rich in carbohydrates and contain phosphorus that will give your baby strong bones. The potato also lends a creamy texture and coupled with the pink color of the beetroot, makes the puree undoubtedly more appetizing to your little fella.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

Carrot (1 medium sized)

Beetroot (½ of a small beetroot)

Potato (1 medium sized)

Water

Wash all the vegetables and peel off their skin.
Cut them into small pieces.
Steam all the vegetables together for 15 minutes till it is cooked. Alternately, use a pressure cooker and cook it with water for two whistles.
Blend all the cooked veggies to form a thick paste.

Sweet Potato Puree

Sweet potatoes are rich in beta-carotene and carbohydrates, and you can start giving this puree from 6 months of age. Its soft texture in addition to the sweet taste makes this vegetable one of the most commonly prepared baby vegetable puree recipes. What’s more is that it is surprisingly low on fat content as 100 grams of sweet potato contains only 0.05 grams of fat. So you can load up on its puree and leave caution to the wind.

Furthermore, a sweet potato contains many essential vitamins like vitamin C, K, E and B1 to B6 and B9. A healthy supply of these vitamins ensures that your baby’s organs are developing at an optimum rate. The many healthy minerals present in sweet potatoes like magnesium, potassium, sodium, zinc, and phosphorus will keep your little ones’ metabolism processes running smoothly giving him healthy skin and well-functioning digestive tract.

Ingredients

Method of Preparation

Sweet Potato (1 medium sized)

Ghee or butter (1 teaspoon)

Cardamom Powder (for essence)

Run the sweet potato in cold water to rinse off any dirt.
Cut it into small pieces.
Cook the sweet potato by boiling, steaming, baking, or pressure cooking it for three whistles.
After letting it cool, peel the skin off with your hands.
Mash the sweet potato or put it in a blender till it is of even consistency.
Heat some butter/ghee in a pan and add the mashed mix. You can also add a little cardamom powder for its essence.
Fry it on a medium flame for about 2 minutes till the ghee and the mixture blends well.
If the consistency is too thick, you can add water, breast milk, or formula to dilute it.

Conclusion

Isn’t it amazing how beneficial these naturally available veg recipes can be? But knowing kids, making them enjoy their vegetables is an uphill task for every mom. Therefore, by introducing it from an early age as a puree, you are habituating your child to its distinct tastes and flavours. The effort you take to prepare it yourself at home is worthwhile as you can ensure that its nutritional value is not compromised. So whip up these simple baby vegetable puree recipes at home and watch your baby fall in love with veggies.

Let us know how many of these recipes you have tried. And more importantly, has your child enjoyed having these tasty purees? If you know of any more veg puree recipes, please feel free to post them in the comments section below. Let’s grow our online community of mothers and work towards better parenting and well-rounded childhood for our children.

Happy Parenting until then!