Asparagus Baby Food - Age for Introduction to Baby:
8-10 months
The Goodness of Asparagus:
Did you know that the asparagus is actualy a member of the Lilly family? Asparagus plants will shoot up new asparagus spears for 6-8 weeks during the growing season! Asparagus is full of Vitamin C, fiber, some B vitamins and folic acid. Just 5 spears of steamed asparagus contain 2 grams of protein!
ASPARAGUS: (4 spears - steamed)
VITAMINS:
Vitamin A - 604 iu
Vitamin C - 4.6 mg
Niacin - .65 mg
Folate - 89 mcg
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) - .09 mg
Vitamin B6 - .62 mg
Vitamin E - .9 mg
Vitamin K - 30 mg
Contains some other vitamins in small amounts.
MINERALS:
Potassium - 134 mg
Phosphorus - 32 mg
Magnesium - 8 mg
Calcium - 14 mg
Sodium - 8 mg
Iron - .55 mg
Contains zinc, manganese and others
When can my Baby eat Asparagus?
Asparagus, like broccoli or cauliflower, is not a good choice for one of Baby's first vegetables as it may cause gas and may be a bit hard for a young infant to digest. Asparagus is best given to an infant between 8-10 months old. If your baby has had any digestive issues, it would be best to introduce asparagus into the diet later rather than sooner!
Many people find that asparagus gives them a bit of gassiness and bloating. You may want to also take note of the fact that your baby's urine may change. Many babies who eat asparagus will have urine with a very bitter smell and quite possibly color changes due to the asparagus!
Asparagus makes a great Baby Finger Food too!
The best way to cook asparagus for homemade baby food:
Prep the asparagus by holding one asparagus spear with one hand in the middle of the spear and the other hand at the stem.
Bend the spear until it snaps. Toss out the lower end that snapped off. Repeat until all your asparagus is "snapped".
A few people recommend peeling asparagus - we have done this only once and found it very very time consuming and not worth the trouble! The snapping method works just fine. You may however wish to experiment with both methods!
A Few Asparagus Baby Food Recipes: (all good for 8-10 months)
Asparagus - Basic
1. Wash asparagus under cool water.
2. Place asparagus, "flower" side up into a steamer basket. 3. Steam asparagus until very tender and mushy or baby food puree.
3. Puree the asparagus when finished steaming. Place into your choice of appliance for pureeing and begin pureeing.
4. Add water as necessary to achieve a smooth, thin consistency.
We suggest that you serve asparagus as a finger food to an older baby.
Asparagus Creamy Chicken Soup
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 package (10 ounces) frozen asparagus
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon basil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup fat free plain yogurt
1/2 cooked and diced chicken breast
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion and sauté until tender. Add asparagus, chicken broth, basil and garlic powder; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until asparagus is tender. Remove from heat and stir in yogurt and chicken. Purée in batches in a blender.
Asparagus Leeks & Potatoes Soup
1 lb fresh asparagus or 16 ounce bag of frozen asparagus
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 medium sweet onion, chopped & diced
2 leeks, sliced
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 cup potatoes, peeled and diced (not cooked!)
1 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (not cooked!)
seasonings as desired
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated
