Each month we will celebrate a different food type, discuss recipes, food ideas and celebrate the particular foods goodness. We will discuss the food from early weaning through to feeding toddlers!
A new fun way to share what and how we feed our little ones!
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November - the Carrot!
Carrots are cheap to buy, readily available all year round and are a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C, antioxidants and minerals for you LO. They have a sweet taste and are brightly coloured which makes them fun and tasty too for your LOs. They can be cooked by boiling, roasting, steaming or even on a griddle. They can be used from early weaning and continued to be enjoyed throughout adulthood.
Easy carrot puree - Clean and slice 1-2 carrots and boil in a pan of water. Once soft and cool blend with a splash of water to form a soft carrot puree. This can be given as a first food, can be mixed with other purees such as sweet potato, parsnips, butternut squash or given on its own.
Carrot and bean sausage (finger food, ideal for stage 2-3 weaning but not before) -
Wash and drain a can of kidney bean, place in a blender and blend with 4 chopped spring onions. Grate 3 medium carrots and mix in with the bean puree. Add a handful of breadcrumbs (to make blend 2 slices of hardened bread or buy ready- made), mix all the ingredients until to have a thick, lumpy paste. If the paste is very wet add more breadcrumbs or grate another carrot into mix. On a lightly floured surface spoon out a table-spoon of mixture and then roll into a sausage shape (or a pattie shape if preferred). Lightly fry in olive or flaxseed oil until edges are browned. Cool and serve, great as finger foods or can be cut and spoon fed. Can add a cheese or tomato sauce if desired.
Carrot and Ginger slices -(finger foods, stage 2/3 weaning or BLW)
Wash a handful of carrot batons, place in an oven dish and drizzle with olive/flaxseed/vegetable oil. Slice fresh ginger into slices approx 1-2cm in size, place in dish alongside the carrots and roast on a high heat for about 25 minutes, until soft. Discard the ginger pieces before serving.These are great finger foods, ideal for taking out to eat on the move.
Yeah to the carrot!!
I have to confess that I'm not a gardener, but I love the idea of growing my own veg one day, and bringing it onto the table. I do have a small window-box herb garden with herbs I use to flavour our main meals - so I'm half way there! (maybe?).
This month's food of the month is the Carrot, see below link which may inspire some of you to grow your own!! -Let us know if you do try!!!
http://www.rhs.org.uk/Gardening/Grow-Your-Own/Veg-A-to-Z/Carrots
I used to give lo slices of carrot as opposed to batons as my hv advised my friend to start giving her lo carrot sticks and she choked, super scary stuff -maybe she didn't cook it well enough?
Carrot Muffins for toddlers/older peeps
These muffins are delicious. You can reduce the sugar by half and add a bit more cinnamon to flavour if desired, if you want to give to younger children/babies/toddlers etc. We love them in our house. I have let Annabel share one (with half the sugar) and she gobbled it down.
You will need:
3 medium carrots - washed and grated
170g margarine
100g light brown sugar (can use half!)
140g plain flour
1 tea spoon of baking powder
half a tea spoon of bicarbonate of soda
1 tea spoon of cinnamon
1 tea spoon of water
One medium egg.
Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy (hand or electric mixer). Add the egg and beat. Stir in the grated carrots and fold together. Add the spoon of water.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, the bicarbonate of soda and the cinnamon. Fold into the carrot mixture.
Place mixture in 12 muffin/cupcake cases in a bun tray (I use the silicon cases inside a metal bun tray). Bake in a preheated oven gas mark 4 (180c) for 30 -35 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack after approx 10 minutes out of the oven.
Enjoy.
Carrot, apple and potato soup
Soup is filling and can be served with bread rolls or cheese on toast. To give it more texture, add rice or small pasta shapes.
Ingredients
1/4 cup peeled and chopped apple
2 tbsp peeled and chopped carrot
1/4 cup peeled and chopped potatoes
1 tbsp finely chopped onions
1 tsp oil
1. Heat the oil in pan, add the onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 minutes.
2. Add the carrot, potato and apple and 1 cup of water, mix well and until vegetables are soft (15 mins)
4. Cool slightly, blend in a mixer to a smooth purée and strain using a strainer (optional).
6. Serve lukewarm.
Carrot and beetroot soup
Ingredients
1/4 cup beetroot , peeled and chopped
1/2 cup carrot , peeled and chopped
1. Combine the beetroot and carrot in saucepan with 1 cup of water and cook for 20/25mins
2.Cool and purée into a smooth soup.
3.Strain the soup and re-heat to lukewarm before serving.
Carrot nibbles
can be served as a snack or as part of a meal with sauce (tomato based sauce or a white sauce and serve with veg).
Ingredients
Add the quinoa to a saucepan along with the stock, bring to a boil, reduced heat, cover and simmer until stock is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Set aside to cool
Drizzle a frying pan with a little olive oil and fry the onion, until softened.
Add this to a bowl, along with the carrot, cheddar, sour cream, coriander and cooled quinoa and mix well.
Stir in the egg
Grease a mini muffin tray and spoon the mixture into each muffin hole. Place in the oven at 200 degrees and bake until lightly golden and set (approx 30 mins).
Carrot Halwa
This traditional Indian dessert is delicious. Add sugar according to your preference or add palm sugar.
Ingredients
1 kg Carrots
½ tin Condensed milk
½ litre Milk
2 tbsp Butter or Ghee
½ tsp Cardamom powdered
2 tbsp (optional)Nuts (cashew, almonds) make in fine paste
1tbsp Raisins