Purees 101 – Peas

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My kids love peas. I know, I know, you think I say this a lot.  You are right, they do like a variety of fruits and veggies, but they definitely have their aversions too.

My bigger one right now won’t eat spinach if she can see any flecks of it, except in quiche, then she says “I’m fine with it”.  My little one won’t eat watermelon. I mean, what kid won’t eat watermelon. See, it’s not all fun and games over here in the Simple Gray T-Shirt home!

But, I digress.

I say they love peas, though, because they will eat them in almost any form (yes, they even eat them frozen straight from the freezer).  Weird, I know.

My kiddos like them in sugar snap form, they like to pick the peas out of the pod, they like them from a can (but only when it’s LeSueur, discerning little taste buds, but they really are the best). Peas are also one of the best veggies to put into a simple stir fry. It keeps the kids totally occupied trying to get them onto a fork or pick them out with chopsticks (fun for adults too).

They like picking them from the garden.

Speaking of peas on the garden, the Burpee website (this is the company that I get my plants and seeds from) had a lot of great information on growing them in your garden.  We grow two varieties and our plants are doing well this year. The kids love picking the pea pods and seeing the plants grow taller than them.  

Peas are a simple way to start a garden.

Just keep them watered and out of too much sun (not a problem in Chicago this year) and they’ll do great.  Grow them in a pot on a porch or a tiny plot of dirt up a trellis and you’ll have fresh produce by mid-summer.  I highly recommend trying this out. You won’t be disappointed. Check out the Burpee site for more detailed directions and information (not sponsored at all, I just like their stuff).

Want some simple interesting pea facts?

• Peas are technically a legume, not a vegetable.  They are part of a class of produce that includes beans and lentils.
• They are relatively high in protein compared to many vegetables (4 times the amount of protein in carrots)
• Peas are considered a complex carb and high in fiber
• These little green guys pack a punch as they contain several vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that make up a balanced diet

Now you might be thinking…

Why do I need directions on how to puree peas?  Can’t I just cook them and mash them up?

You sure can.  

In fact, for babies getting used to a bit of texture peas are great.  However, cooking, pureeing (thank you Vitamix) and then freezing the peas the puree ensures that you have a great building block for mixing foods for your little one in a pinch.

Peas goes well with so many other flavors and foods, as well.  Here are a some ways that I like to use them, both freshly pureed and frozen.

• Mashed potatoes: Mix in a ratio of 1:1 potatoes to peas for a delicious take on green mashed potatoes.
• Mint: Grab some mint from the garden and add it to the peas before pureeing.  They make a great pair and the mint adds a nice fresh taste to the peas.
• Lemon and Parmesan: Thaw a frozen pea cube and mix with 1 Tablespoon shredded Parmesan cheese and a squeeze of lemon for another fresh take on peas.  This combo adds in additional flavor and protein.
• Ricotta:  Peas and ricotta go together in one my favorite salads (blistered sugar snap peas and carrots with dollops of ricotta and a squeeze of lemon) and this combo evokes the same flavors.  Use one pea cube and 2 teaspoons ricotta mixed together.
• Carrots:  Peas and carrots, they not only sound good together, but are a classic pairing of veggies.  You can find them together in a can, but they are so much better homemade.

Want a great book to read to your little one while introducing peas? Check out this one…Little Pea by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. Little Pea doesn’t want to eat his sweets in order to get his vegetables dessert. See how your little one quickly relates to Little Pea in this delightful story.

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