Issue #033
6 May 2009

What's in this issue...

• Win a Baby Bjorn Baby Carrier
• Preparing Peas to Please!
• Visit our New Articles
• Competition Corner
• Join Our Group on Facebook
• Safety Recalls
• Our Featured Product Review
• Visit Our Featured Website
• This Month's Recipe - Baby's Beany Burgers

Win a BabyBjörn Baby Carrier - Only 3 Weeks Left!

How to enter...

All you need to do is send in your review(s) of your favourite baby products!

Not only will you have a chance to win ... you'll also be helping other parents by letting them know just which items are really useful!

This contest is open to residents of the US and the UK - and you can enter as many times as you like before the closing date of May 29th!

For more details of how to win this fantastic prize...

please visit our Baby Product Reviews page!

Preparing Peas to Please!

This month we're turning the spotlight on peas - so if you're think about introducing peas to your little one any time soon, read on to learn how to prepare them in ways he'll really enjoy!

When can I introduce peas to my baby?

You can offer peas to your baby (with your doctor's consent, of course) from 6 months of age.

You'll often see jars of commerically prepared pea puree marketed as a 'first food' - although, in our experience, pureed peas may not actually make the best first food for baby.

This is because peas may cause gas in some babies (and in some adults, too!) - so, if you'd like to wait until a little later to introduce peas, why not visit our Best First Food for Baby Section to find some other great ideas to try right now!

Types of peas for baby food

Peas are not usually sold by variety, although many varieties DO exist.

Frozen peas are often the most readily available (read more about making baby food with frozen fruits and veggies here) and are both easy to use and very nutritious.

Canned peas are also widely available, although they tend to be unsuitable for use in your baby food recipes as they usually contain salt or sugar. Processed - or marrowfat - peas are also best avoided as they, too, usually contain salt and have gone through extensive processing, which strips them of many of their nutrients.

Petit pois are simply - if you haven't guessed by their name - very small garden peas. They are picked whilst young and offer the same nutritious benefits as regular green peas.

Fresh peas are - sadly - less widely available. They are sold unshelled, in their pods, with several peas to a pod. Different varieties include snow peas/mange tout and sugar snap peas, which differ from regular (garden) peas because they are eaten whole - pods and all - before they are fully mature.

Nutritional value of peas

Peas are a great source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and C, vitamin B1, folate, phosphorus and iron. They are also rich in protein and fibre.

The website devoted to peas - peas.org - really puts the value of peas into perspective!

"Just one serving of freshly frozen garden peas and petits pois contains as much vitamin C as two large apples, more fibre than a slice of wholemeal bread and more thiamine than a pint of whole milk."

Pretty impressive - and definitely worth including in baby's menu when he's ready!

Choosing and cooking peas for your baby

Frozen peas are very easy to cook - simply steam them until tender or just boil a little water in a saucepan, add the peas, then cook until they return to the boil.

Fresh peas, however, require a little more work!

If you're lucky enough to find fresh peas at your local market, choose vibrant, mid-green velvety pods and avoid those that are too light, too dark or speckled. The pod should rattle just a little when you shake it - if it rattles too much, the peas will not be as plump as they should be.

Now, we recommend using fresh peas on the day you buy them, as their taste will be at its best. If not, then be sure to store the peas in the fridge - heat changes the sugars in the peas into starch, so they won't be anywhere near as sweet if stored unrefrigerated.

TO SHELL PEAS...

Always shell peas JUST BEFORE you are ready to use them.

Wash them, snap off the top and the bottom of the pod, then pull off the 'string' along the seam. Open the pod and use your thumb to remove the peas. If you have older children, this is a job you can delegate to them... kids love podding peas!

Don't go throwing those pods away - instead, why not try using them to create this tasty Peapod Soup?

Although your newly shelled peas have been protected by their pods, we still recommend giving them an extra wash before using them in your baby food recipes.

TIP: When you purchase fresh peas in their pods, buy one pound of pea pods for every cup of shelled peas you need.

TO COOK FRESH PEAS...

Steam them or boil them in a little water for 3 to 5 minutes, until tender.

TO MAKE A PEA PUREE FOR BABY...

Simply blitz the cooked peas in a food processor, with a little of the cooking water or even a little homemade vegetable or chicken broth if desired.

Pea puree can be difficult to get completely smooth, because the little bits of the skin tend to be rather stubborn! We've never had much success with using a hand blender to puree peas - our Magic Bullet has been the best tool for this, although the peas have to be pureed in small batches and STILL don't come out 100% smooth.

The best way around the problem is to pass the puree through a very fine mesh strainer, which should filter out even the tiniest bits. Or use this tip from Andrea, one of our visitors...

I was able to get a smooth puree without straining by using a blender on the fastest setting and letting it run for two mintues or so. Add a little water so it really gets moving and the skins will puree.

For a more flavoursome green pea puree, why not try adding fresh, finely chopped...

• chives
• parsley
• mint
• sage

Alternatively, try adding a little pinch of ground nutmeg!

And here's another tasty idea for your baby...

Try stirring pea puree into natural yogurt and adding a little fresh, chopped basil... simple and delicious!

Peas as a finger food

Cooked peas can make a wonderful finger food for older babies - a bowl of cooked peas would keep our little ones occupied for ages and our eldest daughter loved them so much that - when we introduced corn kernels - she would only eat them when we told her they were yellow peas!

And green peas are FUN... try using them to create a smiley face on a bowl of veggie puree, for example!

Delicious as they are, uncooked fresh peas are not a suitable finger food for babies. They are too hard and would present a choking hazard - save these sweet treats until your child is older and equipped with enough teeth to chew them effectively!

Pea baby food recipes

Fresh or frozen peas can be added to your baby's food with ease - just toss a handful into soups, stews or casseroles a few minutes before the end of the cooking time (or around 10 minutes before for fresh peas).

OR...

Give these yummy pea baby food recipes a try!

Pea, Carrot and Leek Puree (6 months+)

1 tbsp green peas (fresh or frozen)
1 carrot, peeled (if not organic) and sliced
1/2 small leek, washed thoroughly and chopped
water or low sodium/homemade chicken or vegetable broth
1 sprig fresh rosemary

Place the carrot, leek and rosemary sprig in a saucepan and just cover with water or stock
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.
Add the peas and cook until all the veggies are tender.
Remove the rosemary sprig, then puree the vegetables in a food processor until smooth.

Pea and Chicken Dinner (7 months+)

1/2 chicken breast, boneless and skinless, cubed
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
2-3 cups of water or low sodium/homemade chicken broth
4 oz (1/2 cup) frozen peas
pinch dried sage

Put the chicken in a saucepan and cover with water or stock.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 mins.
Add the sweet potato dice and cook for a further 3 mins.
Add the peas and cook for 2 mins more, until the chicken is cooked through.
To make a puree: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ingredients to a food processor. Add the sage and blend until smooth, using some of the stock to thin the mixture if desired.
Alternatively, add the sage and mash to the perfect texture for your baby.

Easy Peas-y Soup (6 months+)

8 oz (1 cup) fresh garden peas (shelled)
10 fl oz (1 1/4 cups) of low sodium/homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 small leek, sliced
2 fresh mint leaves, chopped

Saute the leek in olive oil for around 5 minutes, until tender.
Add the chicken/vegetable stock and bring to a boil.
Add the peas and the chopped mint. Return to the boil.
Lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the peas are tender.
Transfer to a food processor and puree, passing through a strainer if any small pieces of skin remain.

Baked Potato 'n Peas (7 months+)

Bake a potato in its skin until tender.
Halve lengthways, scoop out the flesh from the skins and mash with a blob of butter, a little milk (breast milk or formula is fine) and a teaspoon of chopped, fresh chives.
Add 2 teaspoons of cooked peas, stir well, then spoon the mixture back into the potato skins.
Sprinkle with grated cheddar cheese, then place under the grill (broiler) until the cheese has melted and turned golden.

Curried Pea and Butternut Squash (7 months+)

1 lb (2 cups) butternut squash, peeled and diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
3 fl oz (around 1/3 cup) water

Saute the onions, garlic and ginger in a lidded frying pan/skillet until tender.
Add the turmeric, cumin and butternut squash dice and stir until the squash is coated.
Pour in the water, cover and simmer until the squash is tender (10-15 mins).
Add the peas, stir and re-cover.
Cook for a further 5 mins until the water has been absorbed (if the mixture looks too dry, add a little more water).
Mash and serve with cooked brown rice.

New and updated pages

• Beets - they may turn your baby's face purple, but they contain masses of important nutrients and have a flavor that little ones love!
  Learn more about beets (beetroot) and how to include them in your little one's diet

• You may know them as zucchini, courgettes, Italian squash or vegetable marrow - but, whatever you call them, these versatile little veggies have a delicate flavour and are easy to incorporate into your baby's menu
  Read our zucchini baby food recipes and preparation tips here

• You can make baby's purees by pushing his food through a sieve or fine strainer - or you can do it the easy way and pop it all into a blender designed for the job!
  Check out these Baby Food Processors , available in the UK and US.

New baby food recipes and tips from our blog