Beet Chickpeas Rainbow Chard Nectarine Baby Puree +9M

A lovely nutritious puree for little one, full of nutrients and color!! 

Only seasonal ingredients: nectarines, beets, swiss chard and chickpeas to add some protein for a complete baby meal.

Nectarines vs peaches. Do you know the difference? to be sincere they are very similar, cousins I would say. The main difference is in the skin, soft and smooth for the nectarines and fuzzy for the peaches. I also find nectarines firmer and with a more intense and aromatic flavor.

Nectarines are a late spring/summer stone fruit, full of vitamins, fiber and a lovely source of antioxidants. Before offering nectarines to your baby (like with any other fruit) I would suggest to taste a bite to check the sweetness. Sometimes it takes one more day to fully ripen and reach the perfect sweetness. 

Beets. They are one of my favorite veggies thanks to the peculiar sweet flavor and the color!! A lot of kids find beets’ flavor too strong, that’s why I really suggest to add beets in your baby’s diet as soon as possible to get them used to it and benefit of the lovely content of B vitamins (folate) and manganese (useful for brain development). 

Swiss Chard. I wanted to add some greens to the recipe to increase the fiber and iron content and I had many options. LOL, to be sincere I picked the rainbow swiss chard over spinach or kale because of the color of the stem that paired with the red beets 🙂 As the chard is used raw in the recipe, I didn’t use the stalks, too hard, but only the leaves, more tender. Chards come in many varieties (white, yellow, red stalks) but they have the same flavor and nutritional value: they are rich in Vitamin A and K.

Last but not least, chickpeas. This legume is a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, iron and fiber. The creamy texture and mild flavor make chickpeas a great baby food ingredient. That being said, chickpeas are still legumes and might cause gas and tummy ache in a very young digestive system. That’s why it’s recommended to add chickpeas (and any other legume) in your baby’s diet starting from 9 months of age. 

Also, if you can choose between dried chickpeas and canned one, I would suggest the dried ones as they have less side effects (gas and tummy ache) than the canned ones.

COOKING FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. In order to prepare the baby puree’ you don’t need big quantities (few tablespoons of chickpeas, half beet, two leaves rainbow chard…). My suggestion is to cook bigger quantities and use the leftovers to prepare something yummy for the whole family. That’s what I did: I used 1 cup dried chickpeas and I obtained 2 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas. I boiled 4 beets, medium size. I used the needed quantities for my baby puree and than I prepared a nice beets + chickpeas + feta cheese salad for the whole family with an olive oil + salt + balsamic dressing. Yum!!

Let’s start Soaking the chickpeas overnight in a bowl full of water. The following morning rinse them and soak them again for few more hours. Rinse, place in a sauce pan full of water and boil for 60min up until tender. When they are boiling a white foam will form on the surface, remove it with a spoon. Rinse and let the chickpeas cool down. 

If you don’t have time you can use a can of no salt organic chickpeas. Rinse them very well with water.

Meanwhile boil the beets for 60min. They will be ready when you will be able to easily insert a fork in the center. Drain and remove the skin with your hands. I like to do it under running water as it’s easier and my hands don’t get too stained 🙂 Set the beets apart.

Wash the swiss chards and use the leaves only (the stem is a bit too hard if not cooked. In this recipe we are using the leaves only, raw).

Chop the nectarine in pieces, leave the skin. For this reason I suggest to use organic nectarines 🙂

In a food processor (or tall contained if you use and immersion blender) add the chickpeas + beets chopped in big pieces + nectarine + chard leaves. Blend up until smooth. Serve at room temperature.

You can store any leftover in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months.