If your baby is ready to move on to Stage 2 foods, this Chickpea Spinach puree is the perfect recipe! Suitable for babies above 8 months.
Starting solids for babies is an exciting experience as you watch baby’s reactions to each food she tries! Initially, you’ll be focusing on Stage 1 foods, which means foods with just one ingredient. Once your baby is familiar with those, you can move on to stage 2 baby foods that contain multiple ingredients in one dish.
Todays recipe is an ideal stage 2 food for babies over 8 months. The chickpeas are filling and packed with protein, while the spinach adds a load of antioxidants to the puree along with a gorgeous green color! With carbs, protein and lots of micronutrients, this is a perfect balanced meal!
This recipe is also a convenient recipe to prepare. Whenever you cook chana for your family, reserve a few tablespoons for your baby so you can add it to purees. After all, we all love a recipe that’s both healthy and convenient to make!
Chickpea Spinach Puree for Babies
Ingredients:
- Baby spinach leaves – 1/2 cup
- Garlic – 1-2 cloves
- Chickpeas – 1/4 cup
Method:
- Rinse the chickpeas and soak them in enough clean water over night.
- Next day drain and pressure cook the chickpeas with fresh water for 2-3 whistles or until well cooked. You should be able to mash the chickpeas with your fingers on cooking.
- While the chickpeas are getting cooked, clean and wash the baby spinach leaves thoroughly. Heat 1 -2 cup of water in a sauce pan. Once the water is hot, add the washed spinach leaves to it along with the garlic clove. Allow the leaves to cook in boiling water for 2 minutes. Put off the flame.
- Remove the leaves from the hot water and add to a bowl of ice cold water. This step is optional but it ensures the lush green color of spinach leaves is restored and also cools the leaves prior to making its puree. Also remove the garlic cloves from the water.
- Next in a grinder jar, pulse the boiled chickpeas, garlic cloves and blanched baby spinach leaves to get a smooth puree. You may add the water used for cooking chickpeas to thin out the puree as per the desired consistency.
- Heat the puree again and serve it to the baby, while warm.
If you like, you can add some black pepper to this puree, which increases its healing benefits. This recipe also contains garlic cloves, which boosts gut health in babies, helps cure cold and enhances the flavor of the puree as well. Do not add salt or sugar to the puree for babies under 1 year. For older babies and toddlers you may serve this puree as a dip for baked finger veggies like carrot, beetroot, red bell pepper.
Chickpea Spinach Puree
Ingredients
- Baby spinach leaves - 1/2 cup
- Garlic - 1-2 cloves
- Chickpeas - 1/4 cup
Instructions
- Rinse the chickpeas and soak them in enough clean water over night.
- Next day drain and pressure cook the chickpeas with fresh water for 2-3 whistles or until well cooked. You should be able to mash the chickpeas with your fingers on cooking.
- While the chickpeas are getting cooked, clean and wash the baby spinach leaves thoroughly. Heat 1 -2 cup of water in a sauce pan. Once the water is hot, add the washed spinach leaves to it along with the garlic clove. Allow the leaves to cook in boiling water for 2 minutes. Put off the flame.
- Remove the leaves from the hot water and add to a bowl of ice cold water. This step is optional but it ensures the lush green color of spinach leaves is restored and also cools the leaves prior to making its puree. Also remove the garlic cloves from the water.
- Next in a grinder jar, pulse the boiled chickpeas, garlic cloves and blanched baby spinach leaves to get a smooth puree. You may add the water used for cooking chickpeas to thin out the puree as per the desired consistency.
- Heat the puree again and serve it to the baby, while warm.
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