Sweetcorn fritters? Yes! These are not just for babies. These are not just the territory of small dictators without many teeth. (What, you mean your baby/toddler doesn’t shout unidentifiable instructions at you every mealtime? Well, you’re lucky).
Today I offer you pork casserole with sweet apple. This time we’re using specially selected pork to make for a super tender dish. And we’re not using just any old apples; we’re using Bramley apples. The sweetness of the apples combined with the succulent pork makes for a really special pork casserole that’s so hands off it’s easy to forget it’s in the oven.
I’ve been working with QMS of late, developing recipes for their Good Family Food kitchen with an emphasis on weaning. First up is a delicious cottage pie recipe with a twist. But wait! This cottage pie recipe with creamy, cheesy, sweet potato mash is not just for babies.
What could be better than to have all the pancake recipes on the blog in one handy place! Your wish is my command. Savoury, sweet… it’s all here. Feel free to add links to any great recipes you know in the comments. Share the pancake love.
Pink, pink, pink. What do we think of pink? I remember loving my one posh pink dress as a child. It had a fairytale hill scene appliqued on the front in pink gingham. But the pink dress was for best. Pink was special.
And in my early adulthood, when I was flying the feminist flag highest, pink was a colour I hated. I raged at the army of pink aimed at little girls; pink domestic drudgery toys, pink dress up uniforms for lower paid jobs than the boys, pink clothed Barbie’s with pneumatic breasts and corset tortured waspish waists. If you’d have asked me, I’d have said pink stinks.
I’ve been meaning to put all my weaning recipes in one place, but, well I’ve been busy weaning. Lawrence is now 9 months old and eats pretty much what we eat. I have been asked many times since he was born whether I follow baby led weaning or the purée method and quite honestly I’ve mostly been avoiding the question. It’s just so political.
But here’s the answer; I do a bit of both. Or, strictly speaking, I offer purées with finger foods before quickly progressing to very lumpy purées with finger foods and then just finger foods. So Lawrence has always had a bit of what we’ve had. Unless we’re eating salty, honeyed food doused in booze. (For current guidelines on what you can and can’t feed babies take a look here).
Here are a few of Lawrence’s favourite things:
I think these may be my favourite creation since I began weaning my babies. My youngest son (and his mates) really like them. But please manage your expectations if you’re planning on having a bite. These are refined sugar free. Powered by dried fruit and banana only. So if you’re used to cupcakes, Mars bars and/or ice cream then these will taste decidedly un-treat like. But then you don’t have the unsullied palate of a baby. Recipe here.
This is one of those purées that makes the house smell divine. Lawrence loved it as a first food but now he won’t go near it. He’s not into purées now he’s a big boy don’t you know. So the little bag of ice cubes I had left in the freezer made a delicious courgette layered bake along with a grating of parmesean for Mummy and Daddy. Recipe for the purée is here.
We all enjoy a homemade bread stick in this house, not least when they’ve been coated in grated cheese before baking. I reduced the salt by half in these before making them for Lawrence to eat. If you do this remember that salt inhibits rising. As in, your bread sticks will rise super fast with less salt. Recipe here.
We all love this. It’s tasty, cheesy, veggie rich comfort food. It makes an excellent spread/dip when blended as well as being really good in it’s non mushed up format. Recipe here.
Lawrence finds this easy to hold and is a big pea fan. I personally love a Spanish omelette for the fact they help clear the fridge of odds and ends of vegetables. Recipe here.
I fashion these into croquettes as they’re easier for Lawrence to hold. Recipe here.
All the boys love pancakes, Lawrence especially. They’re very easy for him to shove into his mouth. They’re also very easy to spread with various nutritious dips and spreads. Hummus is a fave. Recipe here.
Anything with parsnip is a big yes here. So these are popular. I serve them with scrambled egg. Recipe here.
This is NOT authentic. I repeat, this is NOT authentic. But it is tasty and it is easy, so it’s a favourite in our house. Recipe here.
Great for the family, especially loved by babies. I like any recipe where I get to bung it in the oven and forget about it. Recipe here.
Remove the salt and off you go. Add any other flavourings you (or your baby) fancy. Recipe here.
Easy to hold, easy to chew on and incredibly moreish. I dare you not to try and snaffle one off your little one’s plate. Recipe here.
I like to think of this as a baby version of apple pie. Without the sugary pie crust. It fills the kitchen with a sweet orchard smell and is loved by Lawrence. Also good mixed with natural yoghurt. Recipe here.
Call them fritters, call them pancakes. Whatever you want to call them, they’re a big hit with babies. They freeze well too. Recipe here.
Take a look here for advice and tips on weaning including a little video I made with Organix.
There’s a whole chapter devoted to feeding kids in my book Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, The Works, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.
I struggled with what to call these. Sugar free flapjack? Refined sugar free flapjack? Baby flapjack? Or just plain old flapjack? I went for weaning flapjack in the end, but frankly anyone can enjoy these whether they’re 6 months old of 106 years old.
Manage your expectations though if you’re a sugar addict. These are not syrupy sweet like regular flapjack. But they’re still delicious.
Lots of great recipes like this in my book, Recipes from a Normal Mum, out now… on Amazon, The Works, at Waterstones, WHSmith, The Book Depository and many smaller outlets.
One year ago: Florentine quiche and Flourless chocolate cake and Cadbury Creme Mini Egg chocolate flapjackand School fair rocky road
Two year ago: White chocolate & cranberry hot cross buns and Cadbury creme egg mess and Banoffee pecan mini pavs
Three years ago: Easter Apostles scone loaf and Carrot cake in a cup for Mother’s Day and Cranberry oaty biscuits
Four years ago: Mini chocolate birds nests and Puff pastry and Walnut bread
Weaning flapjacks
Makes about 16, but depends how large you cut them
Ingredients:
Preheat the oven to 160C/gas mark 2 and pop the kettle on. Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm tin.
Peel the banana and break into pieces. Place in a jug with the dates and boiling water. Leave for 5 minutes and in the meantime chop the figs and apricots into 1/2 cm chunks using scissors. Use a stick blender to blitz the banana mixture to a fine purée, being careful not to spray yourself with boiling water.
Combine the puree, oats and chopped fruit in a bowl until well mixed then press into the prepared tin. Bake for 30 minutes until the edges are starting to brown and the top feel firm. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack then cut with a very sharp knife once cool. Store in a tin for up to 5 days. Freeze, well wrapped for up to a month. Defrost at room temperature before serving.
Holly Bell 