I think Courgettes (or Zucchinis as Americans prefer to call them) are another under-rated vegetable.This is a great weaning finger food that uses Courgettes and combines them with potato to make handy and delicious finger food which are especially ideal for when you are using the baby-led weaning technique.

A good source of

• Folate
• Potassium
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Calcium

Ingredients

• 2 x Medium Courgettes
• 1 x large potato, preferably King Edward
• 1 x Small Red Onion
• 2 x Tablespoons of Polenta (Sometimes referred to as Corn Meal or Maize Flour
• 2 x Tablespoons Plain Flour
• A splash of milk or water

You will need

• 1 x Cheese Grater
• 1 x Griddle\Skillet or Frying Pan
• 1 x Chopping Board and Sharp Knife

Method

1. Grate the Courgette, onion and potato. Drain these ingredients as best you can to remove excess liquid by using a colander and tea towel or a seive. Press down to squeeze out as much moisture as you can.

2. In a bowl mix your grated vegetables with the polenta and flour and mix thoroughly.

3. Prepare your ‘Fingers’ or Burger’ shapes by taking a spoonful of the mixture and pressing together to form your shape. If the mixture seems too dry you can add a splash of milk and try again.

3. Once you have you Fingers or Burgers, add some Olive Oil to your griddle or frying pan and fry gently for about 4- 5 minutes each side or until they have browned off nicely.

4. Take off of the heat and leave to cool before presenting them to your baby.

5. Serve these with a little Sour Cream or Yoghurt to dip into.

Enjoy

Please note, I am not a pediatrician or a nutritionist and my information is based on personal experience and thorough research only.

Firstly, please accept my apologies as this is the first, new baby food recipe in a long time. This is a baby weaning recipe using yummy cannellini beans. Cannellini beans originate from Italy and can be bought as dried or canned. I would recommend suing canned bean for all intents and purposes as there is much less preperation but for the food purists, use the dried beans!

A good source of

• Molybdenum
• Folate
• Fibre
• Manganese
• Vitamin C
• Iron

Ingredients

• 2 x cans of Cannellini beans
• 3 x medium leeks
• 1 x small onion
• 1 x carrot
• 3 x rashers of streaky bacon
• 25g x unsalted butter
• 1 Teaspoon x Fresh, chopped Marjoram
• 2 x cloves of garlic
• Approx. 1 x pint of hot water

You will need

• 1 x Food processor or hand-held blender or a Baby Dan Food Mill with Serving Spoon
• 1 x Ice Cube Tray or Happy Mummy Baby Cubes Food Portioners (Stage 2)
• 1 x Chopping Board and Sharp Knife

Method

1. Prepare the leeks by removing the outer layer and chopping into rings about half a centimeter thick. Prepare the carrot by grating into a bowl, and prepare your onion and garlic by chopping and dicing finely.

2. Slice your bacon into small strips and add to a medium hot sauce pan along with the butter. Fry off gently until the bacon starts to turn crispy.

3. Add your onion, leek, carrot and garlic and continue to cook gently for about ten minutes or so, turning occasionally.

4. Finally, drain the canned beans and add these to the pan. Cook for another 3-4 minutes and add your hot water. Turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Once boiling you can turn it right down and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes.

5. Finally, take off the heat and stir in your chopped herbs.

6. Now, add the whole mixture into your blender of choice. Add enough water or breastmilk or baby formula to adjust the consistency. You may want to do this in batches if there is too much.

7. Fill up you ice cube tray or portioner evenly with the puree and place in the freezer.

8. Once frozen you can empty you portions into a freezer bag so you can use the portioners again!

Et Voila !

Please note, I am not a pediatrician or a nutritionist and my information is based on personal experience and thorough research only.

The sweetness of the carrots in this recipe goes beautifully with the aromatic celeriac. I liked the coriander in this baby food recipe but you may want to hold back as it is an acquired taste.

A good source of

• Vitamin A
• Alpha-Carotene
• Beta-Carotene
• Potassium
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B6

Ingredients

• 6-8 Carrots
• 1 x Celeriac
• 1 x small onion
• 3 x small potatoes
• 25g x unsalted butter
• 1/2 Teaspoon x Fresh, chopped Coriander
• 2 x cloves of garlic, chopped

You will need

• 1 x Food processor or hand-held blender or a Baby Dan Food Mill with Serving Spoon
• 1 x Ice Cube Tray or Happy Mummy Baby Cubes Food Portioners (Stage 2)
• 1 x Chopping Board and Sharp Knife

Method

1. Prepare your Celeriac and potatoes by peeling and cutting them into small cubes. Place your celeriac and potato into a large saucepan of boiling water and boil for about 4-5 minutes.

2. Prepare your carrots by peeling and cubing. Place them into another saucepan of boiling water and boil for ten minutes.

3. Chop your onion and garlic finely.  Fry the onion very gently in a saucepan with the unsalted butter until nice and golden. At the last minute add the garlic and continue to fry for a few minutes until it softens.

4. Now, add all of your ingredients together – the onions, garlic, celeriac, carrot, potato and a little coriander into your blender of choice. Add enough water or breastmilk or baby formula to adjust the consistency.

5. Fill up you ice cube tray or portioner evenly with the puree and place in the freezer.

6. Once frozen you can empty you portions into a freezer bag so you can use the portioners again!

Et Voila !

Please note, I am not a pediatrician or a nutritionist and my information is based on personal experience and thorough research only.

This is a nice, simple fresh and healthy fruit based puree recipe for your weaning baby. Incorporating the soft fragrant flesh of the Papaya with sweet Strawberries and a hint of yoghurt.

A good source of

• Vitamin C
• Folate
• Manganese
• Potassium

Ingredients

• 1 x papaya
• 1 x Punnet of Strawberries
• 7 x Tablespoons of plain yogurt

You will need

• 1 x Food processor or hand-held blender or a Baby Dan Food Mill with Serving Spoon
• 1 x Ice Cube Tray or Happy Mummy Baby Cubes Food Portioners (Stage 2)
• 1 x Chopping Board and Sharp Knife

Method

1. Prepare your Papaya by cutting into quarters, scooping out the seeds and then cutting off the skin so you are left with the soft flesh.

2. Prepare your Strawberries by removing the stalks. Actually, you don’t have to do this – you could leave the stalks on for extra nutrition. You won’t taste them. Cut into halfs.

3. Add you Papaya and Strawberries to the belnder or food mill and blend thoroughly. Add the yoghurt to taste.

4. Fill up you ice cube tray or portioner evenly with the puree and place in the freezer.

5. Once frozen you can empty you portions into a freezer bag so you can use the portioners again!

Please note, I am not a pediatrician or a nutritionist and my information is based on personal experience and thorough research only.

Are you wondering what finger foods you could provide your toddler? maybe you want to start weaning your toddler off of milk and onto solid foods.

Fruit and Vegetables
The best thing you can do for your toddler is provide them with as much fruit and vegetables as possible. You can offer raw fruit such as apple, pear, melon or banana. Cut these fruit up into hand ‘batons’ (Stick shapes) so your toddler can easily pick them up.

Offer small fruit such as grapes, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries raspberries whole.

Cut vegetables such as carrots, broccoli, sweet potato or green beans and boil them just enough to soften them. You could provide these with tasty dips such as yoghurt and mint, Tangy, tomato Salsa or nutritious hummus. You could also try cooking up some Potato and Black Bean Finger Burgers.

Breads
Try to offer your toddler brown breads which are made from wholegrain and stay away from white. White breads are not as nutritious. It is a good idea to encourage your toddler to develop a taste for brown, wholemeal breads before they get older.

Again, you can offer toasted breads in handy baton shapes, with dips as above. Or how about brown toast or pitta with a spread of cream cheese or peanut butter? You could also try a small amount of marmite or grilling cheese on toast with Worcester Sauce for a tangy, alternate treat.

Cereals
Boxed cereals are great for snacking with. Try not to buy the sweetened, over processed cereals and go for the whoegran, natural varieties. You can server tese with milk in the morning or, alternately you can place some dry in a little bowl for your toddler to nibble at.

Cheese
Cheese is a great source of calcium. Don’t be araid of offering cheese as a finger food for your toddler. You should cut cheese into small cubes so as not to encourage your toddler to stuff too much in their mouths as they will have trouble chewing and swallowing. Experiment with different types of cheese and flavours!

Why not try something adventurous like these Egg-Free Apple Pancakes or Chicken and Sage Finger Strips?

They key to feeding children is to offer as wide a range of foods as possible, as wide a range of colours as possible from as wide a range of food types as possible to ensure their palette is well developed and they get all the nutrition they need for a healthy start in life!