Raspberry and pear quinoa porridge

Serves 3

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Quinoa is a small seed that packs a big nutritional punch. It’s a rich source of iron, folate, fibre and protein, amongst other goodness. One reason it outperforms other cereals is that it’s not a true grain. Botanically, it comes from the same family as beetroot and spinach, which means it has quite a different nutritional profile from grains such as wheat and oats.

100 g (3½ oz/½ cup) quinoa, washed and drained

1 pear, cored and chopped

60 g (2 oz/½ cup) fresh raspberries, plus extra to serve

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

milk, to serve (optional)

Place the quinoa and 500 ml (17 fl oz/2 cups) water in a saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally, for 15–20 minutes, or until tender – there should still be some liquid remaining.

Add the pear to the quinoa and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 5 minutes until the pear has softened (if the pear is very ripe it may not require cooking). You can simply add the raspberries and cinnamon and serve stirred through the quinoa or transfer to a blender and blend until smooth.

Divide between serving bowls and top with fresh raspberries and a little milk, if liked.

Baby’s serve: for a younger baby, blend until smooth. If the puréed consistency of this porridge is too thick for your baby, simply add a little extra liquid – either some water or your baby’s milk. Younger babies in particular need a thinner consistency until they’re more established on solids. For an older baby, keep the puréed consistency lumpier so that he experiences more texture.

Toddler’s serve: serve as is.

Tip After setting aside one serving for your baby, you can freeze any remaining quinoa porridge in individual portions for later use.