As summer approaches making baby food from grapes is a good idea. It is a very cooling fruit that is full of immune system boosters and antioxidants. The darker the color of the grapes are the better they are thought to be for you. Grapes contain a lot of vitamin A, most of the Bs, Vitamin C, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Sodium, Iron, Zinc and Copper.
When buying grapes for your baby try to buy the organic types as other kinds might be highly contaminated with pesticides. Choose grapes without soft spots or cuts and try to avoid grapes that are imported from Latin and South America as they are more likely to be tainted with pesticides. Wash the grapes well, especially if they are coated with a bit of a dusty looking substance. Be sure that you do not blend any mould into your purees by inspecting each grape to make sure it is not overripe or fermented. Fizzy grapes can cause upset stomach in a baby.
Until your baby is about two years old it is best to peel them and mash them up. They are a choking hazard. The simplest way to make grape baby food is to simply take a cup of grapes and pure them. You do not want to overdo it as it is easy to simply reduce it to grape juice if you blend them too hard. Adding a bit of yogurt can help thicken the mixture.
A nutritious savory baby food recipe using grapes is –
• 1 12 oz. package couscous
• 1 3/4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock/broth
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 3/4 cup finely mashed up grapes
• 1/2 cup finely diced cooked chicken
Cook the cous cous according to the package directions and then pour into bowl. Add oil and lemon juice. Add the grape mash and the chicken and stir together. If the baby is under a year be sure to puree it before serving.
If you do not have cous cous you can also use any kind of rice or even quinoa. Just make sure that if the baby is under a year to blend the mixture very well. If this tastes bland you can try adding a bit of cheddar cheese or a touch of soy sauce to the mixture as well.
Other foods that go great this a pureed grape mash are blueberries, avocado, peaches, pears, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, sweet potato, chicken and yogurt.