Rice & Beans

I mentioned a little while ago I would share my recipe for baby rice and beans. I started Little E out on mashed beans at 8 months and began mixing beans and rice the following month. I felt like feeding him both rice and beans in one sitting to begin with was a little much for his digestive system. I didn't want to suffer alongside him all night if the after effects were negative! I keep a steady supply of rice and bean frozen food cubes in the freezer. I feed him two at a time every few days or so.

I have heard from a friend who is from Puerto Rico that Latinos don't have a problem with gas from beans because they began eating them as babies. I hope this is true for my little Latino boy, too!

For the beans, I take one can of organic light kidney beans or black beans and rinse and drain them in a colander. I puree the entire contents in my food processor, adding a little water so they can puree evenly. The texture is entirely up to you, puree more for a smoother consistency and less for a chunky consistency, which is great for older babies.

Set aside.

For the rice, I measure out 1/2 cup of brown rice and 1 cup of water into a small saucepan. Bring the rice and water to a boil and turn heat to low. Simmer for 1/2 hour or until the rice is done and the water is evaporated. I then puree the rice with water until fairly smooth. I have found that brown rice doesn't really ever get too smooth, but I like the chunkiness. It makes the meal seem kind of hearty to me.

Then, I mix the beans and the rice together. I usually refrigerate enough for 2 days and freeze the rest in food cubes, like this:

Sometimes I need to add a little water before heating to make it a little thinner.

Yum! No salt or spices, but it's still great. I even love the taste!