Berry fruits are plentiful in the summer, but many mums worry about giving berry fruits such as strawberries to their babies in case they cause an allergic reaction. As long as there’s no strong family history of allergies it’s fine to carefully introduce strawberries. Sometimes strawberries can cause irritation in children with sensitive skin or eczema, so watch out for soreness around the mouth if they’re susceptible to this.
Strawberries contain more vitamin C than other berry fruit, although when using them to make purées, sieve the mixture to remove any seeds.
According to researchers, blueberries top the list of 40 fresh fruit and vegetables in terms of their antioxidant activity. While blueberries contain well-known antioxidants such as vitamin C and E that help protect the body against disease, their main health benefits are thought to come from anthocyanins: the naturally occurring pigments that give them their blue colour, and which act as potent antioxidants.
When using blueberries in purées, try mixing them with banana or pear, as these make tasty combinations.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes

Makes: 2-3 portions
Suitable for freezing

You’ll need:
• 1 sweet eating apple
• 1 ripe peach, peeled, cored and chopped
• 50g (2oz) strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 40g (1½oz) blueberries
• 2 tbsp baby rice or half a crumbled rusk

Method:
1. Tip all the fruit into a heavy-based pan. Cover and cook over a low heat for about 5 minutes.
2. Purée, stir in the baby rice or rusk and serve.

For more on nutrition and for Annabel Karmel’s recipes, log on to www.annabelkarmel.com

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