Introducing spices and wholesome ingredients into your baby’s meals can be a fun and rewarding way to encourage healthy eating habits early on. Curry, with its anti-inflammatory spices and nutrient-dense ingredients, is a fantastic base for baby-led weaning. By adjusting the flavors and ingredients, you can create a variety of curries to suit your baby’s palate and nutritional needs.
In this post, we’ll guide you through a base curry recipe, explain how to adapt it for different flavor profiles, and explore how it can support gut health and sleep for babies under one. We’ll also link to our upcoming post on why avoiding animal meat in nighttime meals may help reduce night waking, focusing on digestion.
Why Curry for Babies?
Curry can be a nutrient-packed meal for your little one, providing a balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. The warming spices like turmeric, ginger, and cumin are not only flavorful but also known for their anti-inflammatory and digestive benefits. Combined with pre-soaked and pre-cooked quinoa and rice, this curry serves as a gentle yet nourishing introduction to grains and spices for babies.
Nutritional Benefits of the Base Recipe Ingredients:
• Turmeric: Known for its anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric helps boost immune function and can support gut health, which is crucial for babies as their digestive system develops.
• Black Pepper: Increases the bioavailability of turmeric, making its benefits more accessible to the body.
• Ginger: Aids digestion and has anti-nausea properties, which can be soothing for babies as they transition to solid foods.
• Garlic: Garlic contains allicin, which has antimicrobial and antiviral properties, supports digestive enzyme production, and promotes a healthy gut microbiome, making it a great addition for immune and digestive health.
• Cumin: Helps stimulate digestion and can reduce gas, making it easier for babies to tolerate new foods.
• Bone Broth: Rich in collagen, gelatin, and amino acids that support gut lining integrity, bone broth provides a nourishing base for gut health and joint development.
• Pre-soaked Quinoa and Rice: Soaking helps reduce phytic acid, making the grains more digestible. Quinoa offers plant-based protein, while rice provides gentle, easy-to-digest carbohydrates.
Base Curry Recipe
Ingredients:
• 1 cup quinoa (pre-soaked overnight, rinsed, and cooked)
• 1 cup rice (pre-soaked overnight, rinsed, and cooked)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 1 clove crushed garlic
• 1 cup homemade bone broth (or water)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil or ghee
Instructions:
1. In a small pot, heat the coconut oil or ghee over medium heat.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and cumin, sautéing until fragrant (about 1 minute).
3. Stir in the turmeric and black pepper.
4. Pour in the bone broth and let it simmer for a few minutes.
5. Add the pre-cooked quinoa and rice and stir to combine.
6. Let the mixture simmer for 5-10 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld together.
Flavor Variations
You can easily customize this base recipe to create a variety of curries for your baby. Here are some ideas:
1. Saag Curry
Add a handful of spinach or any other leafy green to the base curry. Blend it with the curry for a smoother texture, making it easier for babies to eat. Spinach is rich in iron, which is vital for brain development in growing babies.
2. Tikka Curry
For a creamier curry, add 1/2 cup of tinned tomatoes and 1/4 cup of either coconut milk or plain yogurt. Both options offer healthy fats, and tomatoes provide vitamin C, which helps with iron absorption. If your baby can tolerate dairy, yogurt is a great probiotic-rich option to support gut health.
3. Chickpea Protein Boost
For an added protein boost, squish some cooked chickpeas and stir them into the curry. Chickpeas are high in protein and fiber, helping to keep your baby fuller for longer while providing essential nutrients like folate and iron.
These adaptations ensure your baby receives a range of nutrients from different sources, supporting both their growth and their ability to sleep well, thanks to balanced blood sugar levels and easily digestible ingredients.
Why Protein in Baby’s Diet Helps with Sleep (But Not at Night)
Protein is a key nutrient for growth and development, and it plays a crucial role in sleep regulation. Research shows that consuming protein-rich meals can help stabilize blood sugar levels, leading to more restful sleep for babies. However, heavy animal proteins can be harder for babies to digest, particularly at night. That’s why we recommend offering plant-based proteins like chickpeas or quinoa for dinner, which are easier on the stomach.
Read my post on timing of feeding animal protein to baby, where we dive deeper into how certain foods can improve nighttime sleep.
How Curry Became a Family Favorite
When my baby started solids, I was hesitant to introduce spices like turmeric and cumin, fearing they might be too strong. But after experimenting with this base recipe, I was amazed at how well he took to it. Not only did he love the flavors, but the ease of digestion helped him sleep better at night. I also found that by using chickpeas or quinoa for dinner instead of meat, he slept more soundly without the digestive discomfort that sometimes followed meat-based meals.
According to pediatric dietitian Sarah Almond Bushell, introducing mild spices early on can expand a baby’s palate and make them more accepting of diverse foods as they grow. Additionally, she explains that spices like ginger and turmeric can help soothe the digestive system, which is especially helpful as babies adjust to new foods.
Some ideas to try:
• Start small with spices: If your baby is new to spices, begin with a small amount of turmeric and cumin, gradually increasing as they become accustomed to the flavors.
• Pre-soak grains: Soaking grains like quinoa and rice overnight helps reduce their phytic acid content, making them easier to digest for little tummies.
• Make it creamy: If your baby prefers smoother textures, blending the curry or adding yogurt or coconut milk can make it more palatable.
• Protein timing: Focus on introducing protein-rich meals during the day, and avoid animal meats at dinner time to support digestion and better sleep.
• Adding meat: For parents who want to introduce meat as a source of protein, incorporating it into this curry for morning or lunchtime meals is a great option. Meat offers important nutrients such as iron, zinc, and protein, which are essential for a baby’s growth and development, particularly for brain and muscle health.
This simple, whole-food-based curry recipe can be a versatile, nutritious staple in your baby’s diet. By experimenting with different flavors and ensuring it’s easy to digest, you can help support your baby’s growth, gut health, and sleep.
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