Your Baby Food Ideas

Crispy Chicken Strips with Sweet Potato and Broccoli Mash

Crispy chicken:

1 chicken breast

1 clove garlic (chopped fine)

1 tsp mixed dried herbs

pepper to taste

pinch of paprika (optional)

bread crumbs (home made with whole meal bread)

Parmesan cheese (as per requirement)

Sweet Potato and Broccoli Mash:

1 cup chopped sweet potato

4 florets of broccoli

1/4 cup full fat milk

1 slice cheese

dried herbs/pepper to taste

1. Cut chicken breast into long strips, marinate with chopped garlic, paprika, pepper and dried herbs.
2. In a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Coat marinated chicken pieces with the mix.
3. Shallow fry in olive oil.
4. Cook sweet potato and broccoli until well done. Add milk, herbs and pepper and mash until you get a smooth consistency.
5. Return to heat, add a slice of cheese and mix till cheese has melted.
6. Serve warm along with the chicken strips for a nutritious meal

Mini Baby Pizza Sandwiches

From Fatima in Pakistan

2 slices white bread

3 tablespoons pasteurized grated mozzarella cheese

1 tablespoon pasteurized grated cheddar cheese (optional)

1/4 teaspoon olive oil

1 garlic clove (finely grated)

3 finely chopped cherry tomatoes

1/8 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
2. To prepare the sauce, heat the olive oil in a a non-stick frying pan. Now, saute the garlic until golden and crisp.
3. Add the tomatoes and saute until the tomatoes turn mushy and tender. Sprinkle oregano on top. Turn off the flame.
4. Allow to cool at room temperature.
5. For a smooth sauce, blend the cooked tomatoes in a blender until smooth and then sprinkle the oregano.
6. To prepare the sandwich, take one bread slice and spread the prepared pizza sauce on one side of the bread. Spread the mozzarella and cheddar cheese over the sauce. Then close the sandwich with other slice of the bread.
7. Wrap tightly in foil and place it on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese melts. Before serving, remove the foil and diagonally cut the sandwich into four slices.

Kale, Zucchini and Pears

From Wendy in the United States

kale

zucchini

pear

1. Steam or cook kale and zucchini until they are soft. Puree pears. Mix the kale/zucchini puree with the pear puree so it is equal parts. Serve.

This recipe is creative because have you ever seen it on the shelves? My 10 month old didn’t think much of the kale/zucchini puree but mixed with sweet pears he ate it right up! Kale is a power food, rich in so many nutrients. Get your babies started on it young!

Pasta and Avocado Sauce

From Holly in Canada

1/4 cup macaroni pasta

1/2 avocado

3 teaspoons natural plain yogurt

Seasoning (optional) – basil or oregano. I use organic whenever possible, but that is up to you!

1. Boil the macaroni in some water for 15-20 minutes, until soft.
2. Depending on your baby’s age and texture preference, they may need the macaroni cut smaller, as I did. I chopped one piece of macaroni into fours.
3. Mix together the avocado and yogurt until creamy.
4. Top the macaroni with the avocado sauce or mix the sauce in with the pasta entirely.

My 8 month old daughter is branching out with textures and absolutely LOVED this recipe I made!

Coconut Curry Stew

From Sarah in the United States

5 sweet potatoes or 1 butternut squash

4 chicken breasts (or 4 pieces of white fish)

1 cup chickpeas (or lentils)

1 cup brown rice or quinoa

1/2 cup coconut milk

2 tbls curry powder

1 tbls cilantro

1 tsp of minced ginger

1 tsp of minced garlic

1. Steam or boil peeled sweet potato or squash along with chicken or fish.
2. Drain water and combine with cooked quinoa or brown rice and remaining ingredients.
3. Using food processor, blend until you’ve reached your desired consistency and serve.

Brown Rice Criollo (Latin Flavor)

From Laura in the United States

1 cup cooked instant brown rice

1/2 cup of water

pinch of salt (note from editor – not recommended for babies under 12 months)

1 tbsp of sofrito (latin sauce, mix in food processor: garlic, onion, green pepper, oregano, cilantro – you can make enough and store it in a container in the refrigerator for future recipes)

1 small piece of chicken breast (raw and diced)

1/2 cup of frozen mix vegetable

1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a small saucepan over medium heat, add oil, sofrito, chicken, vegetables and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
2. Then add water, pinch of salt (if using) and rice. Combine all ingredients.
3. Cover the pot and reduce heat for 15 minutes or until water is reduced.
4. For smaller babies, put in a food processor. For toddlers, leave the original recipe. Your baby will enjoy this dish rich in flavor!

Stuffed Zucchini

From Tatjana Novovic in Yogoslavia (former)

2 young zucchinis (any kind or shape)

1 fresh spring onion (healthy green parts)

1 carrot

half a cup quinoa

some tomato juice water

salt (optional – not recommended for babies under 12 months)

1. Chop the green parts of the onion, cutting off dry and unhealthy parts. Grate the carrot.
2. Put it all in a little water and let it boil for a few minutes. You can add a few drops of olive oil. Cook the quinoa halfway.
3. Spoon out the seeds from the zucchinis and peel them. Stuff them with the mix of quinoa, carrot and onion.
4. Pour half water – half tomato juice in a smaller saucepan and place the zucchinis so the hole where you have put the filling is upwards and the liquid should reach to the top of zucchinis, not more, otherwise they can turn over and the filling would end up in the saucepan. Pour some water-tomato juice in the zucchinis, too.
5. Boil for about 20 minutes, or until done. Be sure that there is some liquid in the zucchinis during all the time of cooking in order to cook the filling thoroughly.

All combinations of veggies, meat and other ingredients are possible. My baby ate it as a side dish, because he had some meat left from the previous day. He really enjoyed the meal.

Lentils with Green Sauce

From Malika in Pakistan

5 tbsp lentils – also known as yellow split lentils and in the subcontinent known as yellow moong daal

For the Green Sauce/paste:

coriander leaves (handful)

1 small tomato

1 small garlic clove

small amount of cumin seeds

Note: the quantities of ingredients are for 12-13 month olds, you may increase as per your child’s age/needs.

This recipe is for children 1 year and above.

1. Wash the yellow lentils.
2. If you have time you can keep the lentils soaked for 30 minutes. If you are short of time you can go directly to boiling them.
3. Add water to the washed lentils and keep on medium heat. Let the lentils cook till they soften.
4. For the green paste/sauce: Blend all the sauce ingredients and add this paste to the lentils when lentils are almost cooked.
5. For more flavour add 1 tsp of salted butter when the lentils are cooked and ready to eat.
6. For best digestion, mash the lentils when cooked.

Optional: You may also add to this recipe any vegetable of your choice for example, crushed carrots, crushed cabbage etc. Note: I also use the same green sauce with fish.

Baby Smoothie

From Jane in the United States

fresh organic strawberries

pineapple

handful of organic spinach

coconut milk or water

1. Put all the ingredients in a blender until smooth, add more coconut milk or water to reach desired consistency.
2. For younger babies, strain and use a straw sippy cup. My year old loves it!

Quick Banana Pancakes

From Jenette in Australia

mashed ripe banana

2 fresh eggs

butter

1. Mash up one banana, mix with two beaten eggs. 2. Melt a little butter in a frying pan at a medium heat, pour a small amount of pancake mix, flip/turn over when nicely browned.

Baby Chocolate Mousse

From Katarina in Australia

1/2 ripe avocado

cube of silken tofu

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp Maple Syrup

1. Blend the ingredients in a food processor, or mash together until smooth.
2. Pour into bowls, let it set in the fridge for 1 hour. Serve.

Tofu and Rice Balls

From Jocelyn in Canada

1/4 lb firm tofu, crumbled

1/2 cup vegetable stock (homemade or low sodium)

2 tbsp rolled oats

1 tsp fresh parsley

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

Optional – steamed carrots, peas or any veggies your baby likes, cut into small pieces

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Blend together the tofu, vegetable stock, oats and parsley until well mixed.
3. Place the mixture in a bowl and add the basil, bread crumbs, rice and optional steamed veggies. Mix well (it’s easiest to use your hands) until the mixture can be formed into small balls.
4. Optional – roll the balls in bread crumbs for a light coating.
5. Place the balls on a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until browned. This should make 10-15 balls, depending on the size. These balls freeze well and are a great finger food!

Quesa-dippers

From Kristin in the United States

2 tortillas, white or whole wheat

1/2 cup canned or precooked black beans

pinch cumin

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 ripe avocado

Optional- pineapple and red pepper

1. Mash black beans with cumin using a fork. Spread on tortilla.
2. Sprinkle with cheese and heat in a skillet until cheese is fully melted and tortillas are golden (turning once).
3. In mini food processor blend yogurt with sliced avocado.
4. Use a pizza cutter to cut cooled quesadilla in thin strips and serve with avocado dipping sauce. To add dipping interest, serve wedges of pineapple and strips of red peppers along with quesadippers.