Makes other vegetables green with envy.

One of the healthiest baby foods, and baby food ingredients you’ll ever find, green beans are a nutritious, wholesome addition to your little one’s diet. Loaded with calcium, plus vitamins K, C, and A, the positive nutrients in green beans help to build strong bones, your baby’s immune system and also help to prevent future conditions. These conditions include Alzheimer’s, atherosclerosis, diabetic heart disease, colon cancer, asthma, arthritis, acne, and ear infections. Since green beans are recognized as a food that does not cause allergic reactions, most pediatricians indicate that green beans can be introduced to your baby at the early age of four to six months.

A favorite of babies – and the moms who love them.

Best when boiled or steamed in a small amount of water, begin by cooking green beans uncovered for a few minutes, then covered for the remainder of the cooking time. Fresh green beans should be cooked no longer than 15 minutes total to avoid a mushy texture and color change. Green beans are great pureed – add water as necessary for a smooth consistency – and can also be diced into bite-sized, “finger-food” pieces. Many babies enjoy the taste of green beans, especially when mixed with carrots, potatoes, summer squash, brown rice, lentils, chicken, beef and tofu. When buying green beans for your baby recipes, remember that firmer is better and fresh green beans, stored in a sealed plastic bag, will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

Interesting green bean facts.

Green beans were first grown in Latin America about 8,000 years ago. Christopher Columbus, and other explorers, discovered green beans planted next to maize. Green beans originally had a very thick “string” running along the outer curve of the pod, leading to their nickname of “string beans”. Scientists discovered a way to grow green beans without the string in 1894. Green beans are also sometimes called “snap beans”, as they snap when you bend them in half. There are 130 different varieties of green beans, and they can also be white, purple, golden, and red.

Try one of these tasty green bean recipes the next time you’re looking for a new recipe for your family.

• Grilled Green Beans
• A ‘Hungry Bear’ meal with Grrr-oodles 
• Steamed Green Beans

This simple family friendly pasta dish offers a hearty serving of veggies. Not only do I love the way this dish looks, but it is very easy to make! Combining multiple vegetables in a familiar pasta dish increases the likelihood for acceptance. The combination of carrots, red pepper and green beans in this recipe provides a wonderful source of vitamins and nutrients. Green beans are rich with antioxidants containing vitamin C and beta-carotene. They are low in calories and offer cardiovascular benefits that make them a heart healthy food. For an overview of essential vitamins and minerals your child needs, check out our Nutrient Chart.

Depending on the toddler and adult size portions, this recipe will serve five to seven.

Here is what you will need to make this recipe:

• 1/3 lbs fresh green beans, rinses and julienned
• 1/3 lbs carrots, peeled and julienned
• 1 red pepper, rinsed and julienned
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 3 tbsp parmesan cheese
• 1/3 package whole grain angel hair pasta or favorite pasta

Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt to the water, if desired. Add noodles and cook for approximately eight minutes.

While the pasta cooks, peel and julienne the carrots.

Note* Although the vegetables will soften as they cook, chop them to the size you desire. Feel free to chop veggies as small as you would like for smaller children.

Wash red pepper and chop.

Wash and slice green beans.

Add one tablespoon of butter to the pan and sauté the julienned vegetables. Cook for three minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook for another five minutes covered. Stir occasionally.

Have your little “hungry bear” help determine if the pasta is cooked by throwing a noodle against the wall.  If it sticks its ready!

When the pasta is ready, drain and rinse.

Add the remaining two tablespoons of butter to the noodles and toss in the vegetables.

Finish with three tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese.

Serve warm and Enjoy! You can try this recipe with chicken or sweet Italian chicken sausage if you desire.