Making your own baby food is quick, easy, healthy and affordable. You know exactly what goes in and for convenience you can store it in small portions for up to three months in the freezer. Here are some of my favourite baby and toddler recipes that you can make in minutes, plus they all double as dips or appetisers, so you can enjoy them too.
These recipes are flexible as I tend to cook with whatever is in the cupboard, so don't be afraid to substitute ingredients as desired.
Cauliflower and Cream Cheese Dip / Baby Mash
This little recipe is simple, tasty and a great way to get your kids (and husband) to eat their vegetables.
Ingredients
1/2 a cauliflower
3 tablespoons of cream cheese
3 tablespoons of sour cream
1 onion
Method
Step 1 Roughly chop the cauliflower and steam it in a saucepan (with the lid on in a small amount of water) until tender.
Step 2 Dice the onion and cook in a frypan until translucent.
Step 3 Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and creamy.
Tips: You can choose to spoon out the baby's portion and embellish the remainder with cooked bacon, a pinch of salt and a sprinkling of paprika before serving warm with crackers or chopped vegetables. If you are looking for a classy appetiser, you can also use this dip to fill some voul au vent pastry cases.
This recipe even makes a great pasta sauce for your toddler, just add some tinned tuna and mix through cooked pasta before serving.
Zucchini and Corn Fritters with a Zesty Dipping Sauce
This is a delicious appetizer which can be prepared in minutes and even cooked on the barbecue.
Ingredients1/2 a grated zucchini
1/2 cup of corn kernels (from 1 cobb)
2 eggs
1 tablespoon of whole milk
1/4 cup of grated cheese
1/4 cup of self raising flour
Dipping sauce:
3 tablespoons of sour cream
1 tablespoon of sweet chilli sauce
1 small lime, juiced
Method
Step 1 Place all ingredients into a bowl and combine well into a mixture, similar to pancake batter in consistency. If your mixture is a little too dry, you can add a splash of additional milk.
Step 2 Heat some olive oil in your frypan on a medium heat and spoon mixture into small circles, like you would with piklets, After about 3 minutes turn your fritters over, they should be lightly browned on the bottom.
Step 3 Let your fritters cook for a few more minutes, you can cut one of your fritters in half to check it is cooked through.
Step 4 Serve warm to your toddler and set some aside for yourself. To make the dipping sauce, simply combine the sour cream, sweet chilli sauce and a teaspoon of lime juice.
Tips: This is great finger food that is easily cut into smaller pieces to suit the developmental level of your child. You can also add tinned salmon to the mixture, adding extra nutrients for your growing bub.
