Super-soft oats + apples + seeds
Little explorer’s bulgar wheat salad
Lemony chicken with sunny Thai noodles
Three ways with baked + scooped potatoes
Stacked + packed veggie moussaka
At 10 months old, babies often have a few first teeth – lumps and chunks are perfect for giving those new gnashers something to do. (If you haven’t had any signs of teeth yet, don’t worry – babies are brilliant at chewing soft chunks with just their gums.) Babies may now be starting to show some taste preferences, so all the recipes in this chapter help to keep the variety coming, many with stronger flavours, to encourage little ones to remain adventurous.
As little explorers become more mobile (some babies will be crawling and climbing; some may even be cruising), their energy requirements increase. Offer foods with good amounts of carbohydrate and protein for energy and keep healthy snacks on hand to pick up energy levels between meals. Try giving one mid-morning snack and one at mid-afternoon. Fruit chunks, yogurt, cheese, crackers and veggie sticks with dips (see Three ways with heavenly hummus) are all yummy options. And don’t forget – babies still need around 500–600 ml (17 fl oz–1 pint) of their usual milk as a drink every day.
You’ll still need to mash or finely shred any meat and fish, but you can chop all other ingredients into small lumps now (not more than 1 cm/½ inch thick, though). At 10 months most babies can manage whole peas and sweetcorn kernels.
Make sure that lumps are held together in a thick purée, which helps keep everything moist and minimize the risk of choking. Avoid hard lumps in thin liquids and check that ingredients such as onion and beans aren’t left with any fibrous bits or hard skin before you serve them up.
Your baby is ready for a heaped baby bowl of food at lunch and tea (and around a small bowl of porridge for breakfast). Here’s our guide to portion size:
A baby palm-sized amount of meat or fish
A baby fist-sized amount of carbohydrate (pasta, potato, rice and so on)
Between 1 and 2 portions of vegetables, where 1 portion is a baby handful
Some babies seem to eat a lot, others very little – that’s perfectly normal. Babies’ appetites vary a lot according to growth rates and how mobile they are. Also, sore, teething gums sometimes mean babies won’t want to put anything in their mouths. Try not to worry – as long as your baby is growing and has plenty of energy, you’re doing fine.
Nutritionist know-how
‘If you’re unsure how small to chop your little one’s food, use the size of whole peas or blueberries as a guide.’
Tingling taste buds
Try combining sweet and savoury flavours – add fruit to a savoury dish (such as in Lovely lamb with mint + pine nuts) or serving a zingy side sauce (try Mega meatballs with mango sauce).
You’ll need to prepare this muesli the night before you intend to give it for breakfast – so that those delicious oats gets lots of time to soften and to soak up fruity goodness.
What you need
25 g/1 oz porridge oats
50 ml/2 fl oz fresh apple juice
1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
1 teaspoon ground almonds
3 tablespoons cooked apple flesh or apple purée
3 tablespoons natural yogurt or baby’s usual milk
A large pinch of ground cinnamon
What to do
Place the oats in a bowl. Pour over the apple juice and 50 ml/2 fl oz water. Stir, cover with clingfilm and soak overnight in the fridge.
The next morning, grind the sunflower seeds to a coarse powder with a pestle and mortar, then stir into the oats with the ground almonds, cooked apple or apple purée, the yogurt or milk and the cinnamon. Using the back of a fork, mash the muesli to a coarse purée, adding more yogurt if necessary.
Eggs, beans and even carrots – this is a cooked breakfast Ella’s Kitchen-style!
What you need
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
75 g/2½ oz canned haricot beans in water, drained
2 tablespoons tomato purée
10 g/¼ oz unsalted butter
2 hard-boiled eggs, yolks only, mashed
Toasted bread, cut into fingers, to serve
What to do
Steam or boil the carrot over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes until tender. Purée the carrot with 2 tablespoons of boiled water in a food processor, or using a hand blender, until smooth.
Meanwhile, place the beans, tomato purée and butter in a separate small saucepan and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the puréed carrot, egg yolks and 4 tablespoons of boiled water, stir and heat through. Mash to a coarse purée, adding a little extra water if necessary. Serve with toast fingers.
We’ve crammed loads of extras into these scrambled eggs to make them especially delicious. Our little taste tester at our photoshoot gave them a massive cheer!
What you need
10 g/¼ oz unsalted butter
1 tomato, deseeded and diced
1 spring onion, very finely chopped
2 tablespoons no-salt, no-sugar canned sweetcorn, drained
A large pinch of Chinese 5-spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons whole milk
Small pitta bread, warmed and cut into fingers, to serve
Eggy variations
Instead of the sweetcorn and Chinese 5-spice, you could add some cooked peas and a little fresh thyme or basil.
Or, shred a few baby spinach leaves and cook with the tomato and spring onion (leave out the sweetcorn), and stir in a pinch of mild curry powder.
What to do
Heat half the butter in a small saucepan over a medium–low heat and cook the tomato, spring onion and sweetcorn for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Stir in the 5-spice.
Beat together the eggs and milk in a small bowl or jug.
Add the remaining butter to the pan and when melted pour in the egg mixture. Cook over a low heat, stirring and folding the eggs continuously until scrambled. Serve with fingers of pitta bread.
We’ve topped this chicken pie with slices of new potato and packed it with yummy leek and scrummy sweetcorn – to give you a hearty meal for your baby.
What you need
200 g/7 oz new potatoes, scrubbed, and halved if large
15 g/½ oz unsalted butter
1 skinless chicken breast (about 125 g/4½ oz), cut into bite-sized pieces
1 leek, trimmed, cleaned and finely chopped
6 tablespoons drained no-salt, no-sugar canned sweetcorn
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour
150 ml/¼ pint whole milk
½ teaspoon English mustard
½ teaspoon dried thyme
A little olive oil, for brushing
What to do
Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 10–15 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to dry and cool slightly, then peel off the skins and cut into thin slices.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the chicken for 5 minutes until browned all over and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the leek to the pan and cook for 3 minutes until tender. Stir in the sweetcorn and heat through, then return the chicken to the pan.
Mix the cornflour into a little of the milk. Pour the remaining milk into the pan with the mustard and thyme and heat over a medium–low heat. Stir in the cornflour mixture and cook gently for 5 minutes, stirring, until the sauce has thickened.
Preheat the grill to medium–high. Spoon the chicken mixture into a small ovenproof dish and top evenly with the sliced potatoes. Brush the top with a little oil and grill for 10 minutes, or until slightly golden.
Using the back of the fork, mash the pie to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Baking mini tortillas in a muffin tin is just so easy! These are packed full of veg and are great mashed up, or left whole for little hands to hold.
What you need
Unsalted butter or olive oil, for greasing
1 potato (about 200 g/7 oz), peeled and quartered
60 g/2¼ oz frozen petits pois
½ red pepper, cored, deseeded and cut into small dice
6 eggs, lightly beaten
2 spring onions, finely chopped
40 g/1½ oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Freshly ground black pepper
Broccoli and wholemeal rolls, to serve
What to do
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease 8 holes of a deep muffin tin.
Steam or boil the potato in a saucepan over a medium heat for 8 minutes until almost tender. Add the petits pois and red pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender.
Meanwhile, beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in the spring onions and Parmesan and season with a little pepper.
Drain the vegetables if necessary, then leave to cool slightly. Cut the potatoes into cubes, then stir them into the egg mixture with the peas and red pepper.
Ladle the egg mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tin. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until the tortillas are cooked through. Leave to cool slightly before serving with broccoli and bread rolls.
Lunchbox lovelies
These mini tortillas are perfect for lunch on the go, and for toddler lunchboxes, too. Once they’re cool, the tortillas will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Sardines are loaded with essential fatty acids, making them a superstar ingredient for developing little brains and eyes!
What you need
60 g/2¼ oz small star-shaped dried pasta
A large handful of baby spinach leaves, stalks removed and leaves finely chopped
120 g/4¼ oz can sardines in water, drained and large bones removed
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
2 tablespoons tomato purée
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
What to do
Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions, until tender, adding the spinach 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
Meanwhile, mash the sardines in a bowl.
Heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium–low heat and cook the tomatoes for 2 minutes until softened. Add the tomato purée, basil, sardines, cooked pasta and spinach and 4 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water and heat for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Using the back of a fork, mash the pasta mixture to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Or, finely chop.
The thyme in this recipe gives our creamy salmon risotto an exciting flavour twist, while the soft salmon is perfect for new little teeth to practise their chomping skills.
What you need
175 g/6 oz skinless, boneless salmon fillet
100 ml/3½ fl oz whole milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
75 g/2½ oz risotto rice
350 ml/12 fl oz vegetable stock
40 g/1½ oz frozen petits pois
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
What to do
Place the salmon in a small saucepan and cover with the milk. Poach over a medium–low heat for 10 minutes, or until cooked through. Reserving the milk, remove the fish with a spatula. Flake the fish into bite-sized pieces, taking care to remove any bones.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the onion, part-cover with a lid and cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the rice and stir until combined with the onions. Pour in the stock and cook for 25 minutes, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender.
Add the petits pois and thyme and cook for a further 3 minutes, then add the cooked salmon and half the reserved milk and heat through, adding more of the milk if necessary. Stir in the parsley (if using), cover with a lid and leave to stand for 3 minutes.
Using the back of a fork, mash the rice mixture to a coarse purée, adding more of the reserved milk if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
There are so many different ways to make mac + cheese, but we think this one is by far the best. Courgettes and petits pois provide veggie goodness, while a little bit of mustard gives a tasty kick.
What you need
60 g/2¼ oz dried macaroni
20 g/¾ oz frozen petits pois
1 small courgette, grated
10 g/½ oz unsalted butter
2 teaspoons plain flour
150 ml/¼ pint whole milk, warmed, plus extra if needed
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
30 g/1 oz Cheddar cheese, grated
What to do
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Cook the macaroni in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions until tender, adding the petits pois and courgette 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat, add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour in the milk, stirring continuously until the sauce has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the mustard and three-quarters of the cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese has melted.
Tip the cooked pasta and vegetables into the sauce, adding 2 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water if necessary, and stir until combined. Spoon into a small ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake in the oven for 15–20 minutes, or until the cheese has melted.
Using the back of a fork, mash the pasta mixture to a coarse purée, adding a little milk if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Lamb is a great source of iron for growing little brains, and pine nuts are packed with protein. (Oh, and they aren’t really nuts at all – they’re seeds!)
What you need
75 g/2½ oz white basmati rice
75 g/2½ oz frozen petits pois
2 teaspoons olive oil
125 g/4½ oz lean minced lamb
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small courgette, diced
1 teaspoon ground allspice
20 g/¾ oz raisins
3 tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons pine nuts, finely chopped
A handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
What to do
Cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions until tender, adding the peas 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the mince for 5 minutes, breaking it up with the back of a fork, until browned all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of the oil in the pan, add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until softened. Return the lamb to the pan with the courgette, allspice, raisins, tomatoes and 50 ml/2 fl oz boiled water and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is cooked through.
Stir in the cooked rice and peas, pine nuts and mint and heat through until piping hot.
Using the back of a fork, mash the lamb mixture to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Pop + squish!
Take out a few cooked peas, let them cool, then hand them whole to your baby to ‘pop!’ and squish between tiny fingers.
This super-delicious, baby-friendly salad is perfect for popping in a pot and taking on outdoor adventures with your little explorer.
What you need
25 g/1 oz bulgar wheat
½ courgette, coarsely grated
5 cm/2 inch piece of cucumber, peeled, sliced lengthways, deseeded and diced
3 tomatoes
20 g/¾ oz feta cheese, grated
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1–2 tablespoons snipped chives
What to do
Place the bulgar wheat in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes, or until very tender. Drain well, then place in a serving bowl.
Meanwhile, steam the courgette and cucumber in a saucepan over a medium heat for 5 minutes, adding the tomatoes 2 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Pick out the tomatoes and when cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and finely chop the flesh. Finely chop the courgette and cucumber.
Stir the tomatoes, courgette, cucumber, feta, oil, lemon juice and chives into the cooked bulgar. Using the back of a fork, mash the salad to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if the texture is too coarse.
Our friends say…
‘I’ve found that my little girl is more likely to try something if she’s been able to squish it or prod it first. Then, it’s natural for her to put it in her mouth as part of the learning process.’
Pasta bake is brilliant for when you have your baby’s friends for tea – pop it in the oven and when it’s cooked there’s enough for everyone. We love it that this one is made using fish, but you could just as easily use bite-sized cooked chicken (or tofu) pieces instead.
What you need
60 g/2¼ oz dried penne pasta
2 teaspoons olive oil
175 g/6 oz skinless, boneless haddock fillet
4 teaspoons red or green pesto (see Perfect pesto)
6 tablespoons canned chopped tomatoes
½ teaspoon dried oregano
5 g/⅛ oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
What to do
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas Mark 5. Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small, nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the haddock for 8 minutes, turning once, until cooked through. Remove the fish and flake into large pieces. Remove any bones.
Place the pasta, 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water, the haddock, pesto, tomatoes and oregano in a bowl and stir gently until combined. Transfer to a small ovenproof dish and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake in the oven for 13–15 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Using the back of a fork, mash the pasta bake to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Old and new
One good way to offer new flavours, such as new herbs or spices, is to mix them up in foods your baby is already familiar with. And don’t forget to offer them lots of times, so that ‘new’ tastes become familiar, too!
Bring a little ray of sunshine into your kitchen with this simple noodle recipe. Add in the lemongrass for a fragrant, citrusy flavour that is traditional in Asian cooking.
What you need
40 g/1½ oz wholewheat noodles
¼ red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
1 runner bean, finely sliced on the diagonal
1 lemongrass stalk, peeled and crushed with the blade of a knife
2 teaspoons sunflower oil
1 skinless chicken breast (about 125 g/4½ oz), cut into thin strips
1 small garlic clove, finely chopped
5 tablespoons coconut milk
1 tablespoon chopped basil leaves
What to do
Place the noodles, red pepper, runner bean and lemongrass stalk in a saucepan, cover with plenty of boiling water and cook for 3–5 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water, then cool under cold running water. Discard the lemongrass.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a wok or large, nonstick frying pan over a high heat and stir-fry the chicken for 5 minutes until cooked through. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the garlic, then add the cooked noodles, vegetables, coconut milk and 3 tablespoons of the reserved cooking water to the pan and heat through. Stir in the basil before serving.
Using the back of a fork, mash the chicken noodles to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Our friends say…
‘Even as my baby got older, I kept puréeing veggies and storing them as ice cubes. Then, I’d pop a few (still frozen) into whatever I was making to add extra veggie goodness to every dish.’
Traditional Jamaican flavours infuse this hearty dish and will get little taste buds jammin’. (Why not get out some saucepans and wooden spoons for a jammin’ drum session, too?)
What you need
150 g/5½ oz new potatoes, scrubbed and halved
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 small red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
1 large garlic clove, chopped
½ teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons mild curry powder
3 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
25 g/1 oz creamed coconut, cut into pieces
50 g/1¾ oz frozen petits pois
200 g/7 oz thick skinless, boneless white fish fillet, such as haddock, bones removed and cut into large bite-sized pieces
White basmati rice, freshly cooked, to serve
Our friends say…
‘When a recipe calls for chopping onions, I chop a few extra and put the slices I don’t need in the freezer to save time on chopping another day.’
What to do
Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 12–15 minutes until tender. Drain and leave to dry and cool slightly, then peel off the skins.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium–low heat. Add the onion and red pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Stir in the garlic and add 200 ml/7 fl oz water, the spices and tomatoes and bring almost to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the coconut and stir until melted, then part-cover with a lid and simmer for 5 minutes until slightly thickened.
Add the petits pois, fish and potatoes and cook gently, uncovered, for a further 5 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
Using the back of a fork, mash the fish mixture to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop. Serve with the freshly cooked basmati rice.
At Ella’s Kitchen we love family holidays! Here are some recipes you can make your little one if the only equipment you have is a hotel-room kettle – perfect if you’re on an actual journey during your weaning journey! All recipes serve one baby aged between 10 and 12 months.
Pick up some fresh fruit, natural yogurt and salad vegetables at your destination and then, with the following suitcase staples at hand, you’ll have everything you need to cook up a nutritious storm in your hotel room!
no-sugar instant porridge-oat pots
couscous
dried noodles
small cans of tuna, salmon or pulses
dried fruit (such as jumbo raisins) and canned fruit
Fruity funtime porridge
What you need
70 g/2½ oz pot no-sugar instant oats
225 g/8 oz can chopped fruit in juice (such as peaches, apricots or clementines), drained
A handful of jumbo raisins
1 tablespoon natural yogurt, to serve (optional)
What to do
Pour boiling water over the oats (straight into the instant pot is usually fine, but check first). Leave to stand for 2 minutes, or according to the packet instructions.
Add the canned fruit and the raisins and stir well to combine. Allow to cool slightly, then serve topped with a spoonful of yogurt, if using.
Seaside salmon + avocado couscous
What you need
4 tablespoons couscous
105 g/3½ oz can red salmon
3 cm/1¼ in piece cucumber, finely diced
½ avocado, mashed
What to do
Place the couscous in a bowl and add 4 tablespoons of just-boiled water. Cover with a plate for 10 minutes, then remove the plate and fluff up the grains with a fork.
Add the salmon, cucumber and mashed avocado to the couscous, mix well to combine and serve immediately.
Wriggly noodles, sweetcorn + sardines
What you need
1 nest of dried fine egg noodles
95 g/3¼ oz can sardines in tomato sauce
4 tablespoons drained no-salt, no-sugar canned sweetcorn
What to do
Place the noodles in a bowl, cover with just-boiled water and leave to soak for 5–6 minutes, until soft. Meanwhile, mash the sardines in their sauce.
Drain off the excess water from the noodles, then add the sardines and the sweetcorn and mix well until the noodles are coated with the tomato sauce and everything is combined. Serve immediately.
Some say that pilaf is rice at its very, very best – fluffy, and lightly flavoured with turmeric and coriander to make it very, very yummy.
What you need
75 g/2½ oz white basmati rice
75 g/2½ oz frozen petits pois
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
55 g/2 oz mushrooms, chopped
2 tomatoes, deseeded and diced
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley (optional)
2 hard-boiled eggs, halved
What to do
Cook the rice in a saucepan of boiling water according to the packet instructions until tender, adding the petits pois 3 minutes before the end of the cooking time. Drain.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a nonstick frying pan over a medium heat and cook the onion for 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook for a further 5 minutes until tender.
Add the turmeric and coriander, then the cooked rice and peas, and the parsley (if using). Top each portion with half a hard-boiled egg.
Using the back of a fork, mash the pilaf to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
We’ve spiced up this mealtime favourite by adding cumin and ginger… and we’ve given it a boost of green veggies, too.
What you need
2 teaspoons olive oil
125 g/4½ oz lean minced lamb
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, peeled and grated
75 g/2½ oz spring cabbage, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato purée
250 g/9 oz sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons whole milk
10 g/¼ oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
What to do
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and cook the lamb for 5 minutes, breaking it up with the back of a fork, until browned all over. Remove the lamb using a slotted spoon and set aside.
Pour off all but 2 teaspoons of the oil in the pan and cook the onion, carrot and cabbage for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Reduce the heat slightly and stir in the garlic, then return the lamb to the pan with the cumin, ginger, vinegar, tomato purée and 150 ml/¼ pint boiled water and stir well. Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes until cooked through.
Meanwhile, cook the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of boiling water for 10–15 minutes until tender, then drain and return to the pan. Add the milk and mash until smooth.
Spoon the lamb mixture into a small ovenproof dish and top with the mash. Dot the butter on top and bake in the oven for 25 minutes until starting to crisp on top.
Using the back of the fork, mash the shepherd’s pie to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
This is Ella’s Kitchen’s very own take on a classic Chinese beef chow mein. Just as you’d expect, it’s packed with colourful veggies and tantalizing tastes to tickle little taste buds.
What you need
60 g/2¼ oz dried egg noodles
3 small broccoli florets
2 teaspoons sunflower oil
125 g/4½ oz lean beef strips
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cm/½ inch piece of root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
1 large spring onion, finely chopped
¼ red pepper, cored, deseeded and finely chopped
40 g/1½ oz spring cabbage, finely chopped
50 ml/2 fl oz fresh apple juice
½ teaspoon reduced-salt soy sauce
What to do
Cook the noodles and broccoli in a saucepan of boiling water for 3–5 minutes until tender. Drain, reserving the cooking water. Cool the noodles and broccoli under running water.
Heat the oil in a wok or small, nonstick frying pan over a high heat and stir-fry the beef for 3 minutes until browned all over. Add the garlic, ginger, spring onion, red pepper and cabbage and stir-fry for a further 3 minutes until softened.
Pour in the apple juice, 50 ml/2 fl oz of the reserved cooking water and the soy sauce. Add the cooked noodles and broccoli and heat through for 2 minutes.
Using the back of a fork, mash the noodle mixture to a coarse purée, adding more of the reserved cooking water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Meatballs as you’ve never seen them before! The mango sauce gives them a delicious tang and they’re just the perfect size for little hands to grab and hold. You could also try serving them with minty yogurt dip (see Mighty fine falafels with mega-minty dip).
What you need
75 g/2½ oz lean minced beef
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander (optional)
20 g/¾ oz fresh breadcrumbs
1 small egg, lightly beaten
Olive oil, for frying
Green vegetables and naan bread, cut into fingers, to serve
For the mango sauce
1 small garlic clove, chopped
5 mm/¼ inch piece of root ginger, peeled and very finely chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
300 g/10½ oz canned chopped tomatoes
80 g/2¾ oz peeled and stoned mango, cut into small pieces
Ella’s shortcut
For a super-speedy mango sauce use a 70 g/2 oz pouch of Ella’s Kitchen mangoes, mangoes, mangoes instead!
What to do
Place the mince, curry powder, coriander (if using) and breadcrumbs in a bowl and stir until combined. Add enough of the beaten egg to bind everything together (you won’t need it all). Divide the mixture into 6 walnut-sized pieces and shape into meatballs. Transfer to a plate, cover with clingfilm and chill for 20 minutes to firm up slightly.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Heat the garlic and ginger in the oil in a saucepan over a medium–low heat for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, part-cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes until reduced and thickened. Stir in the mango and heat through. Purée the sauce in a food processor, or using a hand blender, until smooth. Set aside.
Heat enough oil to coat the base of a large, nonstick frying pan and cook the meatballs in 2 batches each for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through.
Warm the mango sauce if necessary, then serve with the meatballs. Using the back of a fork, mash the meatballs and sauce to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop. Serve with vegetables and fingers of naan bread.
Baked potatoes make such an easy and nutritious teatime favourite. Our clever fillings are simple to put together, then all mashed in with the creamy potato flesh and served in a bowl. Little ones can’t manage the potato skins until after 12 months – so, nibble them as your own tasty snack at baby’s teatime instead!
Baby’s baked potatoes
2 small potatoes (about 115 g/4 oz each), scrubbed
Filling (see following recipes) and favourite vegetables, to serve
Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Place a skewer through each potato to speed up the cooking time, then bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until cooked through.
When the potatoes are ready, cut each one in half, then scoop the flesh into a bowl. Add your chosen filling and mash together. Serve with favourite veg.
3 tablespoons drained canned tuna chunks in spring water
1 tablespoon cream cheese
2 tablespoons natural yogurt
1 tablespoon snipped chives
Mash the tuna in a bowl and mix in the cream cheese, yogurt and chives.
Pea pesto filling
100 g/3½ oz frozen peas
2 teaspoons red or green pesto (see Perfect pesto)
1 teaspoon olive oil
10 g/¼ oz Cheddar cheese, finely grated
Steam or boil the peas in a saucepan over a medium heat for 3 minutes until tender.
Purée the peas with the pesto, oil, cheese and 1 tablespoon of boiled water in a food processor, or using a hand blender, until smooth. To make the purée smoother, pass it through a sieve after blending.
Chicken + vegetable filling
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons no-salt, no-sugar canned sweetcorn, drained
3 tablespoons natural yogurt
25 g/1 oz cooked chicken, finely chopped
Steam or boil the carrot in a saucepan over a medium heat for 8 minutes until tender.
Roughly chop the carrot, then transfer to a food processor or blender.
Add the sweetcorn, yogurt and chicken with 1 tablespoon of boiled water and whiz to a coarse purée.
This is a classic Greek recipe that bursts with 5 different veggies as well as a super-pulse. Wow, that really is stacked and packed!
What you need
1 small aubergine, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
½ red pepper, cored, deseeded and diced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
400 g/14 oz can chopped tomatoes
2 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and very finely chopped
100 g/3½ oz canned green lentils in water, drained
55 g/2 oz mozzarella cheese, torn into small pieces
What to do
Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°/Gas Mark 5. Steam the aubergine in a saucepan over a medium heat for 8 minutes, or until tender.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium–low heat. Add the onion and red pepper, cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add the garlic, cooked aubergine and oregano and cook for a further 2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes and lentils, part-cover with the lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes until the sauce has reduced and thickened.
Spoon the tomato sauce into a small ovenproof dish and scatter the mozzarella over. Bake in the oven for 15–18 minutes until the mozzarella has melted.
Using the back of a fork, mash the moussaka to a coarse purée, adding a little boiled water if necessary. Alternatively, finely chop.
Our treat-time cherry pots are great for introducing your baby to warming spices. Cherries are packed with vitamin C for healthy immunity.
What you need
200 g/7 oz frozen stoned dark cherries
2 tablespoons fresh apple juice
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice
4 slices day-old half-white and half-wholemeal bread
What to do
Put the cherries in a saucepan with the apple juice, mixed spice and 2 tablespoons of water. Cover and cook over a medium–low heat for 5–7 minutes until the cherries are soft.
Meanwhile, using a 7 cm/2¾ inch ramekin as a cutter, stamp out 2 rounds in each slice of bread. Place a round in the bottom of each ramekin and set aside.
Strain the cherries, reserving the juice in a jug. Purée the cherries in a food processor or using a hand blender until smooth.
Spoon 1 tablespoon of the juice evenly over the bread in each ramekin, pressing it into the bread. Top with the puréed cherries and then another round of bread. Spoon over the remaining juice and gently press down. If you can, leave the puddings for 30 minutes to let the flavours mingle before serving. The pots will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Crumb-tastic
Pop any leftover bread in a food processor and whiz it up into breadcrumbs. You can store the breadcrumbs in a container in the freezer until you need them – try them in our Jumping bean burgers.
