experi-lentil

Many children struggle with constipation...it can happen for lots of reasons, like starting solids or not getting enough fluids or fibre. Nora has had her bouts with mild constipation and I've learned it affects everything else in her life. She doesn't eat or sleep as well when she isn't regular, and those are two of the most important things in her life.
I've experimented with all kinds of high-fibre foods, most of which she eats routinely. She has pureed, stewed prunes almost every morning (and just recently I started adding raisins and dried cherries into the mix). She also has blueberries in a smoothie almost every day, leafy greens, barley, oats, brown rice, quinoa, etc.
However, the only food that is a sure fire remedy for regularity is legumes. Some may call me the 'bean queen' because I recommend legumes (meaning beans, peas and lentils) to pretty much every patient I see. They are high in fibre, low in fat, contain protein and lots of vitamins and minerals. They are essential for stabilizing cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar and help prevent diseases like colon cancer and other digestive tract troubles. With the majority of the North American population being deficient in fibre, a daily dose of legumes is a great way to up your intake. Replace red meat with legumes once a week to get started and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Some people do have increased intestinal gas production from eating beans...rinsing them well washes off the starch that causes the problem, not to mention the excess sodium in canned beans. Plus, the more beans you eat, the better you'll do!
Nora has tried lots of legumes by now (she started eating them around 9 months), but her absolute favourite is lentils. She especially likes them done up as dal, a staple in Indian cooking. I put them on in the slow cooker in the morning and they are perfect by dinner time. Of course, the whole family eats dal for dinner, we usually serve it with brown rice or quinoa and some other Indian dish like saag paneer or another leafy green dish. For babies just starting into spices, remove their portion before adding the salt and oil mixture.

Dal
Yield: 4 servings

1 cup lentils or mung beans
4 cups water
2 tbsps ginger, peeled and minced
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps canola oil
2 tsps cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 tsp hot chiles, chopped or flaked
1 tomato, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine lentils and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and add ginger and turmeric (this could also be done in a slow-cooker all day). Simmer with a lid slightly ajar for 1 hour or until lentils are soft and dal has reached desired consistency (some people like it soupier than others). Add the salt.
Heat a small frying pan on medium and add canola oil. Once hot, add cumin and mustard seeds and stir until they begin popping. Add garlic and other spices and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add tomato and cook until softened. Stir spice mixture and cilantro into lentils. Let sit 5-10 minutes to allow flavours to combine. Serve with rice and/or chapati.

Nutrient Information(per serving):
197 Kcal
14.5 g Protein
30 g Carbohydrate
6 g Fibre
3 g Fat
5 mg Iron
224 mg Folate
300 mg Sodium