Bell Pepper & Chicken Baby Puree +6M

Peppers are not a so common choice for baby purees (maybe for their distinctive flavor ??) even if from a nutritional point of view they are a wonderful idea 😉

They can be introduced in your baby’s diet starting from 6 months of age.

Of course I’m not talking about hot Peppers (they will literally burn your baby’s mouth and cause a not so fun diaper rash!!) but Bell Peppers, the sweet ones, are such a lovely first food!

From a nutritional point of view Bell Peppers are a good source of folate and vitamins (C, A, B6). They contain antioxidants which contribute to anti-cancer benefits.

As sweet bell peppers are unfortunately in the 2017 dirty dozen list (the list of produce that is loaded with pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides), my suggestion is to buy them organic only.

That being said, which color? Green? Red? Yellow? Orange?

The fun fact is that it’s the same variety, the color is simply a stage of ripeness: that means that if you let a green bell pepper ripe under the sun, soon or later it will get red 🙂

Like any other fruit or vegetable, the ripen they are the sweeter they taste.

So, for a baby puree, my suggestion is to use the sweetest possible, and than means Red or Orange or Yellow Bell Peppers, with red being the sweetest.

What changes with color is not only the taste, but also the nutritional value, again in favor of the red bell pepper vs the green (more folate and beta-carotene).

Today I decided to create a complete nutritious baby meal using bell peppers, pairing them with potatoes and chicken. Potatoes for a creamier result and chicken to add in some proteins 😉

You simply need to chop the potato into small chunks, I used red potatoes that have a super soft skin, so I didn’t peel them. If using yellow potatoes I would peel 🙂 Steam the potatoes for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile core and de-seed the red peppers and chop into chunks too! Cut the chicken in small cubes.

Add both chicken and bell peppers and garlic to steam basket and steam on top of the potatoes for additional 9 minutes.

Let cool slightly and then puree in blender or food processor until smooth and creamy, adding water from steamer if needed.

If you want to use other thinning liquid to get your desired baby food consistency, check out this video too and the post HOW to THIN Baby Food

The baby puree can be stored in the refrigerator in an air tight container for 3 days or freezes for up to 3 months.

You can find the Green Sprouts Baby Food Green Glass Cubes with lid and tray featured in the recipe here

and the green truck silicone baby spoon here.