Mashed Snow Peas for Baby

I had pounds of snow and sugar snap peas lying around from my CSA, and we just weren't going through them fast enough. I looked into making baby food, but all the recipes were for shelled peas. But these have tasty edible pods! So I ignored them and made it, pods and all!

Mashed Snow Peas

Ingredients:

1 pound snow peas

1/4 c water

Directions:

Step 1: Rinse the peas quickly (or wash them thoroughly, if not organic) but don't let them dry. This extra water is for cooking and mashing. 

Step 2: Chop the peas. Either use a sharp knife to cut the strings off along both sides lengthwise, or else cut the peas into really thin strips (1/8-1/4-inches,) widthwise. 

I just kind of tore them periodically and threw out any strings that got in my way. Big mistake. Her mash is all stringy, and is giving her some problems.

Step 3: Add 1/4 c water and microwave covered for 4 minutes. Stir them up and microwave covered another 4 minutes.

Step 4: Puree in blender, food processor, or with an immersion blender. Freeze in serving sized-amounts for up to 3 months. (Longer for deep-freeze, but I know nothing about that kind of thing. Google it!)

Baby's Peas on the left.
Something store-bought on the right.

The Verdict:

She had a hard time with the strings, so I'd pull them off the spoon if any were sticking out. She got better with it, and it was a win overall!

Mixing It Up!

Another time I tried adding a dash of cinnamon to a thawed 1-ounce cube, and it was a big hit! I might try a sprinkle of turmeric and cumin to give it a curry flavor next!
Since mine are so stringy and chunky, they also do better when mixed in a 1:1 or 1:2 ratio with some store-bought puree, which is muuuuuuuch smoother than mine. She's enjoyed them so far with apples, sweet potato, and carrots.