Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Mauritian aubergine

My daughter absolutely loves this meal. My partner is Mauritian and his mother serves up the most wonderful tasting vegetable dishes - more to follow. I serve it with freshly cooked rice. It is quick and simple to make and very easy to eat as the vegetables are nice and soft. Should you wish to puree the vegetables after cooking, it is best to remove the curry leaves beforehand.

Mauritian aubergine (from 6-8 months)

Ingredients:
1 medium aubergine
1 tomato
1 small onion
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1 crushed clove garlic
15 curry leaves
A little water if needed

Cook:
1. Peel and chop the onion finely. Fry the onion in a saucepan for 5 minutes
2. Meanwhile wash and chop the aubergine and tomato into small squares
3. Add the garlic, ginger and curry leaves to the onion and cook for a couple of minutes before adding the aubergine and tomato. If you find the vegetables sticking to the bottom of the pan, add a little water. Do give the dish a stir every five minutes or so.
4. Place the lid on the pan and cook on a low heat for 20-25 minutes

Suggestions:
Delicious served with rice, with pitta bread or cold as a salad.
For smaller babies it is best to remove the curry leaves otherwise they are fine to eat. You do not have to add all the ingredients and can leave either the ginger, garlic or curry leaves out if you wish.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Carrot, lentil and coriander puree

Carrot, lentil and coriander puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
175 grams carrots
175 grams potatoes
1 teaspoon ground coriander (you can always just add ½ teaspoon at the beginning)
50 grams ready to cook lentils
½ pint formula milk

Cook:
1. Wash and peel the carrots and potatoes and roughly chop
2. Place all the ingredients into a saucepan, with the lid on and bring to a boil.
3. Then reduce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, until the lentils are nice and tender (Check every now and then that there is enough liquid in the saucepan and top up if need be with milk or water)
4. Once cooked puree with a hand blender and leave to cool

Suggestions:
This meal is ideal for freezing or will keep fresh in a cold fridge for up to 3 days - just remember to reheat it thoroughly.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Green pea and spinach puree

Green Pea and spinach puree (from 6 months)

Ingredients:
100 grams frozen peas
100 grams spinach leaves
2 tablespoons breast/formula milk

Cook:
1. Wash the spinach leaves and add them with the peas to a pan of boiling water and then simmer for 3-4 minutes.
2. Remove the vegetables from the water and add 2 tablespoons of breast or formula milk and blend together into a smooth consistency. You can always add a little more milk to make the mixture wetter.

Suggestions:
Adding a pinch of nutmeg or some fresh parsley will make this dish a little tastier.

Nutritional values:
Iron-tastic!

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Chicken and parsnip puree

Chicken and parsnip puree (from 6 months)

 

Ingredients:

300 formula milk
350g parsnips
110g chicken breast

Method:

1.  Wash and peel the parsnips, and chop into small pieces
2. Slice the chicken into small slithers
3. Add the chicken, parsnip and milk into a medium sauce pan and cook on a low heat for 15 minutes
4. Remove from heat and puree with a hand blender or pass through a metal sieve

Suggestions:
You could always add a bay leaf or a little thyme or parsley to the mixture to get your child used to different flavours. A grate of nutmeg would also add something different to this dish and goes well with parsnips.

Today's nutritious recipe from Kinder Kitchen - Baby friendly banana cake

This recipe is a winner with babies, children and adults alike. Great for an afternoon snack or a lunch box treat and so quick and easy to make. Also ideal for using up those black bananas sitting in the fruit bowl that no one wants to eat but you can't bring yourself to throw away.

Baby friendly banana cake (from 12 months)

Ingredients:

4oz butter

2oz sugar

7oz self raising flour

2 eggs beaten lightly

2 large or 3 medium, very ripe bananas mashed with a fork

2 tsps. good vanilla essence

Method:

Preheat the oven to gas mark 4; 180C and grease a loaf tin

Mash the bananas with a sturdy fork

1. Cream the butter and sugar together and next whisk in the eggs, one at a time
2. Now add the mashed bananas, vanilla essence and flour and mix well together
3. Scrape the mixture into the loaf tin and bake for 40 minutes on gas mark 4; 180C and then lower the temperature to gas mark 2; 150C and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Once cooked, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a wire rack.

Kinder Kitchen Yummy additions:

If there is no history of a nut allergy in the family, you could replace 1oz of the flour for ground hazelnuts or almonds to the mixture. For chocolate lovers, you could add 50g of finely chopped dark chocolate to the mixture.

Kinder Kitchen Healthy Kids Recipe - Gnocchi with cheese, butter and herbs

Gnocchi with cheese, butter and herbs (from 9 months)

 

A great recipe for getting your baby used to the wonderful taste of different herbs.

 

Ingredients:

 

50 grams gnocchi

1 tsp. butter

2 tbsp. grated cheese

Fresh or dried mixed herbs (if fresh – great with finely chopped sage, parsley or basil)

 

Method: 

1. In a saucepan, cook the gnocchi in boiling water for 2 minutes or until they rise to the surface of the water. Drain and set aside (Depending on age of your baby, it is best to cut the gnocchi into two or three pieces)
2. In a frying pan, fry the herbs in the butter on a low heat
3. Add the melted cheese and the gnocchi
4. Once the cheese has melted, remove and once cooled add a little fresh pepper if your baby likes it

Kinder Kitchen Cooking Tip - Italian Gnocchi

Gnocchi are Italian potato dumplings and a great alternative to pasta. My little girl absolutely loves them and they are a great source of energy and fill her up too. You can find packets in the dried pasta section of the supermarket or some places will sell them fresh in the refrigerated section. The dried packets are great as a cupboard staple as you can add just about anything to them and they are ready in just two minutes!

For a great homemade recipe with illustrations and a step-by-step guide go to: http://foodnouveau.com/2010/10/destinations/europe/italy/how-to-make-gnocchi-an-illustrated-step-by-step-recipe/