by Joe Wicks
2 tbsp Greek yoghurt
1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
Whisk together the egg and milk in a shallow bowl. Dip the bread in the egg mixture and leave to soak for 10 seconds.
Meanwhile, mash the strawberries and mix with the Greek yoghurt.
Melt the butter or coconut oil in a medium non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the eggy bread for 1–2 minutes on each side until the egg is completely cooked through.
Cut into fingers and serve with the strawberry Greek yoghurt.
TIP
This mashed yoghurt recipe would also work really well with blueberries, raspberries or blackberries.
SPINACH, BANANA AND SWEETCORN MINI MUFFINS
These are so great for batch-cooking and taste awesome. If we are out for the day we often carry a few of these for Indie.
MAKES 12 SMALL MUFFINS | LONGER RECIPE
V F
100g sweetcorn
2 large handfuls of spinach
2 eggs
2 soft ripe bananas
100ml rapeseed oil, plus extra for greasing
160g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp chia seeds – optional
Special equipment
18-hole silicone mini muffin tray, or 18 mini muffin moulds
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan 160˚C/gas mark 4).
Blitz the corn until roughly chopped into smaller pieces in a mini blender or food processor.
Place the spinach, eggs, bananas and rapeseed oil in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth.
Place the flour and baking powder in a mixing bowl and whisk together to combine. Pour the wet mix into the flour along with the chopped corn and fold together in as few moves as possible – try not to overmix.
Lightly grease the mini muffin tray. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tray, sprinkle with the chia seeds if using, and bake in the oven for 12 minutes or until risen and cooked through in the middle. Leave to cool before removing from the muffin tray.
Keeps for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
BLACKBERRY AND APPLE CINNAMON BAKED OATS
This is a guaranteed winner! At this age we usually didn’t offer Indie her breakfast until about 60–90 minutes after she had her morning milk so she had a bigger appetite.
MAKES 2 PORTIONS | LONGER RECIPE
V F GF
50g porridge oats
1 small apple, grated
1 egg
150g yoghurt splash of milk generous pinch of cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 large blackberries
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan 160˚C/gas mark 4).
Mix all the ingredients except the blackberries together and pour into a small, deep baking dish or two small ramekins. Top with the blackberries, pushing them into the surface of the mixture a little.
Bake in the oven for 25–30 minutes or until golden and puffed.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
BEETROOT PORRIDGE PANCAKES
Getting a baby to eat beetroot isn’t easy, so we started to blend it with Indie’s pancake mixture. She loved it! It’s a great little trick for introducing a variety of new flavours.
MAKES 14–16 SMALL PANCAKES
V F
1 cooked beetroot (vacuum-packed in water)
70g plain flour
1 egg
120ml whole milk
1 tsp baking powder
150g left-over plain porridge knob of unsalted butter
Place all the ingredients except the porridge and the butter in a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Pour the batter into a bowl and whisk through the porridge.
Grease a non-stick frying pan with the butter and set over a medium heat. Fry the batter in batches, spooning the batter in and cooking for 2–3 minutes on each side.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
TIP
Serve with yoghurt and berries at breakfast, or for a savoury twist spread with cream cheese and top with cucumber, mackerel or salmon.
CHEESE AND TOMATO ORZO
Such a simple flavour combination but I love it. Orzo was the first pasta we offered Indie as it’s nice and small and is easily swallowed.
MAKES 1 ADULT AND 1 BABY PORTION | FAMILY MEAL
V F
1 tbsp olive oil
½ small red onion, finely chopped
100g cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
100g orzo pasta
300ml hot homemade vegetable or chicken stock (see here) or water
50g cheddar, grated
Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion and tomatoes and fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion is softened.
Add in the orzo and hot stock and simmer over a low heat for 10 minutes until the pasta is cooked through.
Beat in the cheese with a wooden spoon and serve.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
TIP
This recipe would work with another pasta such as rigatoni or spaghetti, but ensure it is chopped nice and small before serving.
BEETROOT, GREEK YOGHURT AND MINT DIP
It’s nice to offer your baby a variety of different colourful foods.
This is good to have as a dip for chicken strips, veg sticks or a warm pitta.
MAKES 10 TBSP | NO-COOK
GF
1 medium cooked beetroot (you can buy them vacuum packed in water from any supermarket)
50g cucumber, peeled
100g Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp lemon juice generous pinch of ground cumin
2–3 finger-sized grilled chicken strips, to serve
Coarsely grate the beetroot and cucumber. Mix with the Greek yoghurt, lemon juice and cumin.
Serve with 2–3 finger-sized pieces of cooked chicken.
Keeps for 2–3 days covered in the fridge.
BLACK BEAN DIP
Black beans are a great source of plant-based protein. Indie loves to dip food – although it’s messy, it’s a fun part of food exploration.
MAKES 12 TBSP | NO-COOK
V GF
1 × 400g tin of black beans, drained and rinsed
½ clove garlic
1½ tsp ground cumin
2 tbsp crème fraiche juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp olive oil
Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blitz until perfectly smooth. Serve with red pepper strips and toasted pitta bread as a snack.
Keeps for 3–4 days covered in the fridge.
CAULIFLOWER, KALE AND CHICKPEA CURRY
A little mild curry powder will be a whole new taste experience. Babies might pull funny faces at first but they may simply be getting used to new flavours.
MAKES 4 PORTIONS
VE F GF
60g tinned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 tsp coconut oil
100g cauliflower, broken into small florets
1 tsp mild curry powder
200ml coconut milk
20g kale, stems removed and finely shredded
1 tbsp lime juice
Squash each chickpea using a fork or your thumb. Melt the coconut oil in a medium saucepan then add the broken chickpeas, cauliflower and curry powder and fry over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes until the cauliflower is beginning to soften and has taken on a little colour.
Add the coconut milk and kale to the pan and continue cooking until the cauliflower is completely tender. Stir through the lime juice, leave as is or mash/blend to create a smoother texture.
Serve with rice, flatbread fingers or couscous.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
SWEET POTATO, RED LENTIL AND CINNAMON DAL
Lentils are a brilliant texture for babies. This dish has natural sweetness from the potato and cinnamon so it is sure to be a hit.
MAKES 2 PORTIONS
V F GF
2 tsp coconut oil
80g sweet potato, peeled and cut into 5mm dice
½ small onion, finely chopped
½ tsp cinnamon
50g red lentils, rinsed
250ml homemade stock (see here) or water
Melt the coconut oil in a medium saucepan over a medium heat. Add the sweet potato, onion and cinnamon and fry for 2–3 minutes until the onion is soft and translucent.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the lentils have absorbed most of the liquid and the sweet potato is soft – this should take around 8–10 minutes. Leave as it is or blend/mash for a smoother consistency.
Keeps for 2–3 days in the fridge.
COD, SPINACH, POTATO AND PEAS
This is like a healthy version of fish, chips and mushy peas.
Cod is really flaky so a good fish for babies to feed themselves.
MAKES 1 ADULT AND 1 BABY PORTION | FAMILY MEAL
F GF
1 medium potato, peeled and sliced into small pieces
2 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp unsalted butter
50g shallots (around 2), finely sliced
140g cod, cut into cubes handful of spinach, roughly chopped
60g frozen peas squeeze of lemon
Add the potato to a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook in the microwave for 7–8 minutes until soft. Mash with the milk until smooth.
Melt the butter in a medium pan. Add the shallots and fry for 3–4 minutes until soft. Add the cod cubes and cook for 2–3 minutes until cooked through. Stir in the spinach and peas and continue cooking until the spinach has wilted and the peas are cooked through. Mash everything together a little and fold through the potato, adding in a squeeze of lemon.
Keeps for 2 days covered in the fridge.
WHITE FISH CONGEE WITH SPRING ONIONS AND PEAS
Congee is a bit like a rice porridge which sounds odd, but it tastes delicious. It’s really comforting and a great texture for your baby.
MAKES 2 PORTIONS
F GF
90g jasmine rice
1 thick slice of ginger, peeled
1 clove garlic, bruised
1 spring onion, finely chopped
600ml hot homemade or low-sodium chicken stock (see here)
30g frozen peas oil, for greasing
70g boneless, skinless white fish such as haddock, cod or hake
1 tsp cider vinegar
Add the jasmine rice to a small saucepan, along with the ginger, garlic, spring onion and hot stock. Simmer on a low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring regularly to prevent the rice from sticking as it gets soupy and thicker. Stir in the peas 5 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Remove the garlic and ginger and discard.
While the rice is cooking, lightly oil a small microwaveable dish. Place the fish in the dish, adding a tablespoon of water. Cover and microwave for 4–5 minutes until cooked through. Break the fish into flakes.
Stir the cider vinegar through the rice. Stir through the white fish flakes.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
TIP
If you don’t want to use white fish you can top the rice with finely chopped hard-boiled egg.
MOROCCAN MINCED LAMB WITH SWEET POTATO AND COUSCOUS
This is one of my favourite recipes in the book. This dish will also taste really good over rice or pasta.
MAKES 1 ADULT AND 1 BABY PORTION | FAMILY MEAL
F MOROCCAN MINCED LAMB ONLY
250g lamb mince a little olive oil, if necessary
1 onion, finely chopped
130g sweet potatoes, peeled and diced small or grated
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp mixed spice
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground turmeric
2 tbsp tomato puree
45g sulphate-free dried apricots, finely chopped
400ml hot homemade stock (see here) or water couscous, to serve (20g per baby portion)
Add the mince to a dry frying pan over a medium heat and brown, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. The lamb should release its own fat but if needed add a splash of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Remove the mince from the pan with a slotted spoon, leaving any fat behind in the pan, and keep to one side.
Add the onion, sweet potato, garlic and spices to the pan and fry until the onion is soft and the spices are fragrant. Add the mince back to the pan along with the tomato puree, dried apricots and stock and simmer away for about 10 minutes until most of the stock has evaporated and the flavours have melded.
Place the couscous in a small bowl and add just enough hot water to completely cover it. Cover with cling film and leave for 5 minutes until the water has been absorbed. Remove the cling film and fluff with a fork.
Serve the lamb with the couscous.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
SQUASHED TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN STEW
I love giving Indie a variety of beans and pulses. We keep tins of chickpeas, kidney beans or cannellini beans in the cupboard for a good addition to lots of meals.
MAKES 2 PORTIONS
VE F GF
1 tbsp olive oil
½ red onion, finely chopped
100g tinned cherry tomatoes
¼ tsp smoked paprika
100g tinned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 sprig of rosemary – optional
2 tbsp water
80g cooked rice
Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the red onion and sauté for 2–3 minutes until the onion begins to soften.
Add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 minutes, squashing the tomatoes until they pop and breaking up the cannellini beans a little with a wooden spoon. Remove the rosemary from the pan before serving.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
TIP
You can play with the texture very easily with this dish because the beans are very easy to mash up or leave a bit chunky.
EDAMAME AVOCADO MASH FLATBREAD WITH SALMON
Salmon is a great oily fish, which is important to offer to babies from around 6 months of age. It flakes really easily, making it easy for babies to feed themselves.
MAKES 1 PORTION
F MASH ONLY
1 flatbread (see here or use 1 wholemeal pitta)
½ medium ripe avocado, de-stoned
30g cooked edamame
1 tsp lime juice generous pinch of ground cumin
30g poached salmon
Warm the flatbread through in a toaster or under the grill.
Mash or blend the avocado and edamame with the lime juice and cumin. Spread the mash over the warm flatbread, flake over the salmon and serve.
The mash keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
TIP
Serve with chopped hard-boiled eggs as an alternative to the salmon.
CREAMY CHICKEN, BROCCOLI AND MUSHROOM PASTA
I remember when I first made this recipe for Indie. Her face lit up and she loved it. It tastes just as good with butterbeans or chickpeas instead of chicken.
MAKES 1 ADULT AND 1 BABY PORTION | FAMILY MEAL | LONGER RECIPE
F
100g broccoli florets
120g chestnut mushrooms
1 tbsp unsalted butter
½ onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 skinless boneless chicken thighs, finely diced
100g orzo pasta
500ml hot homemade chicken stock (see here) or water
50g cream cheese juice of ½ lemon
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped black pepper
Cut the broccoli into very tiny florets – you only want the ends. Discard the stems, or if you like you can keep them and use for stocks or soup. Chop the mushrooms very finely, or you can tear into small pieces with your hands.
Melt the butter in a non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat. Add in the onion, mushrooms and garlic and sweat for aroun
d 8 minutes until the mushrooms have released some of their water and the onion is soft and translucent. Add the chicken to the frying pan and cook until lightly browned and cooked through.
Add the orzo to the pan and stir to combine and coat in the butter. Pour in 400ml of the chicken stock or water and stir in the broccoli florets. Simmer away until the orzo is cooked through and very soft, adding a little more of the remaining stock if it gets too dry.
Stir through the cream cheese, lemon juice and tarragon. Season with black pepper to finish. Blend or mash to create a finer texture if you like.
Keeps for up to 2 days covered in the fridge.
SWEET POTATO FRITTATA SQUARES
Anything bite-sized and easy to hold like this is great for babies learning to feed themselves. The squares are good warm, cold or reheated in the microwave.
MAKES ABOUT 20 SQUARES
V F GF
6 eggs
handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped chives
30g parmesan or vegetarian hard cheese, grated
black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
150g shallots, peeled and finely sliced
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 fat clove garlic, minced
50g frozen peas
1 large roasted sweet potato, peeled and cubed
Preheat the oven to 180˚C (fan 160˚C/gas mark 4). Whisk together the eggs with the parsley, chives and parmesan. Season the mixture with black pepper.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a roughly 16 × 21cm ovenproof omelette pan. Place over a medium to low heat and cook the shallots until soft, translucent and sweet. Add the smoked paprika and garlic, sauté for another minute. Stir in the peas and cook for 1 minute or until defrosted.
Add another tablespoon of olive oil to the pan followed by the sweet potato and pour over the egg mixture. Lowering the heat, stir the egg mixture gently to cook until you have the consistency of wet scrambled eggs.
