We must ensure that our children eat different coloured fruits and vegetables.
This is because different coloured fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients. And when they eat a mix and match of colours, children get all the nutrients they need.
To make it easy for parents to feed children all the nutrients that they need – doctors often say – “Just eat a Rainbow”.
What are the colours children should eat?
Children should eat vegetables and fruits that are Violet, Indigo (dark blue), Green, Yellow, Orange, Red and White every day if possible.
Red
Many Phytonutrients like Anthocyanin and Lycopene give red fruits and vegetables like tomatoes and strawberries their color. These are wonderful antioxidants.
However, to add red to your plate I have chosen beetroot. Beetroot is red because of the pigment Betalain which has anti-inflammatory properties and is also an antioxidant. Betalains support liver function and help in detoxification.
Here are the ingredients:
Boiled Beetroot, pureed, 1 small
Wheat flour, ½ cup
Aliv seeds, powdered, ¼ tsp
Ajwain, ¼ tsp
Salt, to taste
Grated ginger, ½ tsp
Ghee, for frying
Chana dal, boiled and mashed, ⅛ cup
Method:
1. Wash and roughly chop the beetroot. Boil the beetroot in water and set aside to cool.
- Once the beetroot has cooled, grind it along with the water it was boiled in to make a puree. The puree should be thick, so add the water accordingly while grinding.
- Sift the flour in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, grated ginger, aliv powder and ajwain.
- Add the cooked chana dal and boiled beetroot puree to the flour and mix well. Knead the dough until soft, add water if required.
- Let the dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the parathas and cook on tawa on both sides till done.
- Serve with chutney or pickle (if the baby has been weaned to chutney/pickle).
Click on the below link for above recipe video –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVL21e94I_s&list=PLSijh59RPVTJOsy9K-UsKK8zMeOEez2av&index=17&t=4s
Note – You can also serve this to a 10 month old baby but without salt.
Always check with your doctor before giving your baby any new food. Wean your baby to all the ingredients separately first, in the usual recommended way and then serve this dish if your baby tolerates all the ingredients without any problem.
By
Dr Debmita Dutta MBBS, MD
Dr Debmita Dutta is a practicing doctor, a parenting consultant and the founder of the website WPA whatparentsask.com – She is based in Bangalore and conducts online and offline Parenting workshops at schools and corporate organizations. She also conducts online and offline prenatal classes for expecting parents and infant care classes for new parents.
