Why and how to include beetroot in your child’s food

Beetroot is chock full of immune-boosting vitamins and minerals, which makes it an excellent food for growing kids. Unfortunately, like every nutritious food, most kids kick up a fuss and look for ways to avoid eating beetroot But including beetroot in your child’s food is very important.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF BEETROOT IN YOUR CHILD’S FOOD

Beetroots should be one of your child’s favourite vegetables and for good. reasons! Because they have high nutritional value. Here are some amazing benefits of beetroot for kids!?

BEETS ARE RICH IN VITAMINS AND MINERALS

Beetroots are filled with vitamins A, B, C & E. They are also a depository of? minerals such as iron and magnesium and prevent several diseases that are? common among children such as diarrhoea.?

BEETS HELP IN REDUCING ANAEMIA

Do researchers recommend that drinking 500 ml of beetroot juice a day lowers the risk of? anaemia because of its iron content. Use the juice extractor ? to create a delicious afternoon beverage.

BEETS PROMOTE DIGESTION

Beetroots highly participate in soothing the digestive. system, because they are rich in fibres. That said, this tasty vegetable prevents constipation among kids.

BEETS BOOST YOUR CHILD’S IMMUNITY AND INCLUDE BEETROOT IN YOUR CHILD’S FOOD

Beetroots are an organic antioxidant storehouse and they are essential to enhance? your kids’ immune system.

Here is our compilation of 10 amazing beetroot recipes for kids, that they will love. Check them out below.

1. BEETROOT AND CARROT SOUP

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized carrot
• 1 small-sized beetroot
• finely chopped garlic
• pepper powder
• salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
• water as required
• 1 teaspoon butter

How to Prepare and include beetroot in your child’s Food

Mince carrot and beetroot into small-sized cubes and cook them on a medium flame for 2 to 3 whistles by adding water and salt in a pressure cooker. Then blend it to make a fine paste. Now, add cumin seeds and chopped garlic in melted butter in a pan and sauté for a minute. Add carrot-beetroot paste along with salt and pepper.

2. BEETROOT PARATHAS

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• Oil
• salt to taste
• water as required
• 300 gm grated beetroot
• 1 teaspoon dry mango powder
• ½ teaspoon garam masala powder

How to prepare

Knead the wheat flour into roti dough with salt, water and a teaspoon of oil. Sauté the grated beetroot in a heated pan with oil for about 5 minutes. Add dry mango and garam masala powder. Take a medium-sized ball of dough and stuff it with the beetroot filling. Make a circular paratha by rolling this stuffed dough. Then, on a heated pan, add a few drops of oil and cook the paratha well on both sides.

3. BEETROOT DOSAS

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 cups of dosa batter
• 1 medium-sized beetroot grated
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• salt to taste
• water as required.

How to Prepare and include beetroot in your child’s Food

Add the grated beetroot, garlic cloves and a pinch of salt into a blender to get a smooth puree without using much water. Merge this beetroot paste into the dosa batter and mix well and let it rest for 10 minutes. After spreading a teaspoon of oil on a heated pan, take the batter and spread it into a circular shape on the pan using a ladle. Add 2-3 drops of oil on the edges of the dosa so that it cooks well.

4. BEETROOT JUICE (POPULARLY CALLED THE ABC JUICE)

Ingredients

• Apple – 1
• Carrot – 1 very small
• Beetroot – chopped 1 cup
• Ginger – a pinch (optional)
• Jaggery / brown sugar/honey – 1 spoon

How to prepare and include beetroot in your child’s Food

Chop the peeled apple, carrot and beetroot into small cubes. Add peeled ginger if you want to. Add all the given ingredients to a mixer jar to make a fine puree. Add 2 glasses of water and filter the juice and transfer to a glass.

5. BEETROOT HALWA

Ingredients

• 3 peeled and grated beetroot
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon ghee
• A few cashews and almonds
• ½ tsp elaichi

How to prepare

Add the grated beetroot in a heated pan with ghee and sauté until the moisture evaporates. Add milk to it and mix well. Cook it on a low flame with a covered lid for some time and stir it at regular intervals. Add the sugar and ghee once milk evaporates and the halwa thickens. Roast the nuts (almonds, cashews) separately. As the halwa thickens, keep adding ghee and stirring and don’t forget to add the roasted nuts.

6. BEET PANCAKE

Ingredients

• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup of whole-wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon of baking powder
• ¾ cup of beet puree
• ¼ cups milk
• 1 cup of plain Greek yoghurt
• 1 egg
• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

How to prepare

Sift whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and kosher salt in a bowl.<

Add beet puree, milk, egg, butter, Greek yoghurt and vanilla and mix well separately. Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients and stir to mix well. Drop two tablespoons of pancake mixture into a frying pan greased with oil. Cook the pancake for 3 minutes on both sides and serve with honey or raspberry sauce.

7. MOIST CHOCOLATE BEET CAKE

Ingredients

• 8 ounces of fresh beets
• 7 ounces of fine dark chocolate
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 cup+ 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup of hot espresso
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1 ¼ teaspoon of baking powder
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup of superfine sugar
• Crème Fraiche to serve

How to prepare

Butter an 8-inch cake pan and line the base with parchment paper while preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook the whole beets in water for about 30 to 40 minutes. Drain and let them cook underwater. Now peel and slice the beets and make a puree.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler and pour hot espresso over it after it has completely melted. Add chopped butter to the melted chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes.

Sift together cocoa, baking powder and flour in another bowl. Separate egg yolk from the egg, and add it to the chocolate and beat well. Now add the beets and gently add the whisked egg white and sugar to the chocolate mixture. Lastly, fold in the cocoa and flour mixture. Turnover the mixture to the cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.

8. PASTA IN BEET SAUCE

Ingredients

• 3 medium-sized beets, cleaned and diced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons of vermouth
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon of sugar
• ¼ cup cream or milk
• ½ pound of pasta
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• Mint leaves, for garnishing

How to prepare

On a baking sheet, flip the beets with one tablespoon of oil, salt, pepper and thyme sprigs and roast for 40 minutes. Add the beets to the food processor jar with balsamic vinegar, vermouth, half cheese and two tablespoons of oil. Pulse until you get a smooth puree then transfer the beet to a saucepan and add cream and stock into it. Bring it to a simmer and add sugar, a pinch and the leftover cheese to it. Simmer on medium to low heat. Cook the pasta and add to the sauce. Season and cook for a minute. Garnish with mint leaves and serve and include beetroot in your child’s food.

9. APPLE BEETROOT PORRIDGE

Ingredients

• 1 beetroot
• 1 apple
• ½ -inch piece of ginger
• ¼ cup oats
• ½ cup milk

How to prepare

Grate the peeled beets, apples, and ginger. Add all the given ingredients to a pan and cook them for five minutes till soft and cooked. Add more milk to the porridge to make it thinner if required.

10. BEETROOT CARROT RAITA

Ingredients

• 2 cups thick yoghurt
• 1 medium beetroot (grated)
• 1 medium-sized carrot (grated)
• 1 dry-roasted teaspoon of cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon black salt
• chopped coriander to garnish.

How to prepare

Combine grated carrot and beetroot with the yoghurt along with black salt and cumin powder. Mix well until it turns pink. Garnish with chopped coriander before serving and beetroot in your child’s food serve.

Beetroot is healthy and nourishing food for toddlers and kids. Children may not like eating it raw, but on trying these delicious recipes, you never know these dishes might become your little one’s favourites.