How to Prepare Lentils for a Baby
After your baby hits the 6-month mark, you get to start introducing her to solid foods. Among your many baby-friendly choices, cooked lentils are soft, easy to gum, fiber-rich, offer plenty of protein and packed with vitamins and minerals. One batch of these tasty legumes will provide several meals for your little one.
Things You'll Need
- Lentils
- Water
- Measuring cup
- Fine mesh strainer
- Cooking pot
- Wooden spoon
- Blender or food processor
- Vegetables, if desired
- Ice cube tray
Instructions
Measure out your lentils. One cup should be plenty, but you can make more or less if you want. Pour your measured beans into a fine mesh strainer. Use your fingers to sift through the lentils. Remove any pebbles that you find. During processing, every effort is made to de-stone the legumes, but the occasional pebble gets through. Rinse the lentils with cool water. This removes any dirt, dust and debris that are on the lentils. Measure out the water. The ratio should be 1 part lentils to 1.5 parts water. If you notice that you need more water during the cooking process, you can increase the ratio to 1 to 2 parts. Pour the water into a cooking pot. Bring the water to a boil on high heat. Pour the lentils into the water and boil for a few minutes. Reduce to a simmer and cook for approximately 15 to 30 minutes or until they are soft. Remove from the heat and drain any excess liquid. Let the lentils sit until they are at room temperature. Blend the lentils into a puree for a younger baby, around 6 or 7 months old. When a baby is about 8 or 9 months old, let him eat the cooked lentils whole -- he may enjoy the new texture. Mix the lentils or lentil puree with other well-cooked, mashed or pureed veggies to make them more palatable, such as sweet potato, carrot, zucchini or broccoli. Scoop out just enough of the mixture to feed your baby. Put the rest in the refrigerator or freezer. For convenience, freeze unused lentil mixture in an ice cube tray and dump frozen lentil cubes into a large resealable freezer bag. Pull one or two cubes out when you need them.
