Weaning Mashed Banana and Oat All-In-One Pancakes

These are a super quick pancake, filled with slow release energy from porridge oats and banana. Perfect for a baby led weaning breakfast, brunch or even lunch - they are super easy to hold and go down a treat with both my 7-month old and my (nearly) 3 year old. Finger foods never seem to go out of fashion the older my daughter Bridget gets. 

I adopt the 'all-in-one' method to most of the ingredients using a 'half a cup' measuring utensil so you get a perfectly close texture each time. They are a 'heavy' and filling pancake so don't dissolve in baby's hand either.

One banana mashed into the batter works well but you could just as easily use blueberries or strawberries. 

The below makes enough for two little ones plus a parent-sized portion, or you can wrap up and pop in the fridge for the following morning.

Weaning Mashed Banana and Oat All-in-One Pancakes

Here's how:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup full fat milk
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup porridge oats
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 banana 
• Little drizzle vegetable oil

Add a little drizzle of vegetable oil into a pan and place on a low heat. 

Into a mixing bowl, crack two large eggs, and add the 1/2 cup full of flour, oats and milk. Stir well with a fork until you gave a thick batter. 

Now drop in the banana and mash into the batter with the vanilla and stir well. 

Use a tablespoon to drop in several spoonfuls of the batter into the now hot-pan, ensuring they are spaced out enough not to combine in the pan. 

Allow to cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip, they should be golden brown, and cook for the same time on the other side. 

Serve with some fruit fingers. Enjoy!

Here are a few other pancake and other breakfast-bite recipes/ideas that are great for the weaning stage:

• Berry Yoghurt Pancakes
• Salmon and Dill Potato Pancakes
• Eggy Bread
• Banana and Oat Breakfast Muffins
• St Dalfour Porridge Fingers
• Courgette and Corn Pancakes
• Yoghurt and Banana

Turkey and Charred Vegetable Ragu Pasta Bake

This is another super simple pasta bake recipe perfect for a quick mid-week meal - ideal for working parents or those who's little ones have gone back to school this week. 

For me this is a cheat pasta sauce too - I was making my Thomasina  Mier's Fruity Chilli for me and Glen this evening, which is a little too spicy for the girls, and basically made extra for the basis of the sauce which is a load of charred vegetables - tomatoes, onion, peppers and garlic blitzed to a fine sauce and added a little here and there to jazz it up. It went down an absolute treat with both of my girls this evening. We've started having turkey mince a lot too instead of our usual steak or pork, as it's leaner, cheaper and we genuinely like the taste, 

I added a carrot into the blitzing stage of the sauce too, which will add a little sweetness and a little extra vegetable too which is completely disguised! It's a great toddler meal but also good for the weaning stage - you could of course blitz it up or if you're following the baby led weaning route, it's a great finger food as the fusilli is easy to hold, and just spoon-feed or offer loaded spoons with the remaining meat and sauce mixture.

Turkey and Charred Vegetable Ragu Pasta Bake

The below is enough for 3 toddler meals.

Here's how:

• 60g turkey mince
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 red or green pepper
• 1 carrot
• Drizzle olive oil
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 4 close cup mushrooms
• 75g fusilli 
• Little grating of hard cheese such as Cheddar

Firstly switch the oven onto 200 degrees, and cut the tomatoes and pepper in half, and peel and quarter the onion, and peel the garlic. Drizzle over a little olive oil, and scatter over some dried oregano.Place all into a baking tray or dish and into the oven for 20 minutes or until nicely charred on the outside, remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Now cook the pasta according to the pack instructions, and drain and set aside.

In the meantime, drizzle the olive oil into a pan, and place on a medium heat. Cook the turkey mince in the oil, and season with black pepper. Use a wooden spatula to turn the mince over and cook all over.

Finely chop the mushroom at this stage - my Bridget 'doesn't like mushrooms' when she can see them, but miraculously eats them all up when they're not visible. 

Now place the charred vegetables into a blender or a Nutribullet  alongside the peeled carrot and blitz - depending on your blender you may need to chop or grate your carrot, I just threw mine into the Nutribullet. Pour this sauce over the turkey mince and add the water, cinnamon and a little more oregano. Allow to cook for twenty minutes on a medium heat to allow the spice to cook out.

Now add the pasta to the sauce mixture and stir well to ensure all is evenly coated. Pour the pasta into an ovenproof dish and scatter over the cheese before placing into the hot oven. Allow to cook for twenty minutes until the cheese is melted and there is a golden brown colour. Enjoy!

Bridget's Easy Peasy Cheesy Veg Pasta Bake

A variation of this dish has been doing the rounds in our household since Bridget was eating solids - she has always loved anything carby (like her mother) be it pasta, rice or potatoes but she adores pasta in all it's many guises.

She has been 'helping' me in the kitchen since she was walking and now she's about to be three, she absolutely loves getting her apron on and helping out. This particular dish was made today, mainly by her, with the obvious help and cues from me, avoiding the hot oven and hob, but doing all the 'important' jobs.

You could use any pasta shape for this really, but with my weaning seven month old, Beatrice, in mind we used penne today, as it's a bit easier to grip than macaroni. This went down well with both girls today - three lots of vegetables in one hit too, winner. Of course you could play around with the vegetables used, depending on what's a favourite for your little ones, or what is easier to disguise, in some cases.

Bridget's Easy Peasy Cheesy Veg Pasta Bake

This is a great weaning dish once finger foods have been introduced - Beatrice loved it!

Baby Led Weaning with Pasta Bake

Here's how:

• 1.5 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1.5 tbsp plain flour
• 250ml milk (I use full fat)
• 60g Cheddar cheese 
• 100g dry penne or other pasta
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 6 florets broccoli
• 6 florets cauliflower
• Cup of peas (fresh or frozen is fine)
• Few breadcrumbs

Firstly pop the oven on at 200 degrees and fill and boil the kettle with water. 

Cook the broccoli and cauliflower first, using freshly boiled water - cook for four minutes, and then use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and set aside. 

Add the penne to the pan and cook according to the pack instruction - be careful not to overcook, as it will cook a little more in the oven. Drain and place with the cauliflower and broccoli for the moment.

Now to make your cheese sauce, pop the butter into a frying pan, on a medium heat and allow to fully melt, gently. Next, add the flour and stir the whole time until the flour and butter is combined, it will be a bit of a mound or paste, now slowly add the milk a bit at a time, until all is combined, stirring all the time. It will be a fine liquid at this point but will thicken up in time. 

Cheesy Sauce

Now add the grated cheese, retaining a handful for the topping. Add the mustard powder, black pepper and grate over the fresh nutmeg - be liberal, the flavour is enhanced massively by this! Allow to cook out and thicken for five more minutes.

Now pour the cooked penne, broccoli and cauliflower into the cheese sauce and add the peas too. Stir and ensure everything is coated well in the sauce. Pour into an ovenproof dish and arrange with the broccoli and cauliflower florets facing upwards and evenly distributed.

Give another seasoning with black pepper and nutmeg, and scatter over the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. 

Bridget's Easy Peasy Cheesy Veg Pasta Bake pre-bake

Bake for 20 minutes until the topping is golden brown. Enjoy!

Bridget's Easy Peasy Cheesy Veg Pasta Bake

Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

This is another great homemade puree for once weaning has been established and you're ready to introduce some bolder flavours. Just a hint of Garam Masala adds a delicate flavour to this lentil based puree and it is full of goodness for baby too. This is one of Beatrice's favourites.

You could use a baby vegetable or chicken stock cube if you wish - but I prefer to just use water.

We are well into finger foods and more on the baby led weaning side of things, but I still make up purees for throughout the week and serve with finger foods to load the puree onto or spoon feed when we are out and about for reduced mess, none of my friends or family wants the mess I get on a daily basis around Bea's highchair in their house. The combination feeding method has worked well for us with both girls - less stress, no outside-the-house mess! Do what ever is right for you and your little ones.

Spiced Lentil and Broccoli Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 3 tbsp red split lentils
• 4 florets broccoli
• 1 spring onion
• 1 clove garlic 
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• Drizzle rapeseed oil

Firstly drizzle the rapeseed oil into a saucepan and place on a gentle heat. 

Finely slice the spring onion and garlic and add to the pan to saute. 

In the meantime give the lentils a thorough rinse in a sieve, then add to the pan and allow to cook for a couple of minutes. Add the garam masala and stir. 

Now fully cover with cold water, place the lid on and cook for 20 minutes or until lentils are soft. 

Drain and leave to cool whilst cooking the broccoli in the same saucepan - saves on double the washing up! Cover the broccoli with boiled water from the kettle and cook for five minutes, or until the broccoli is soft enough then drain.

Add the lentil mixture and broccoli to a blender or Nutribullet, add two tablespoons of cold water and blitz. Then portion up accordingly and place into the fridge or freezer.

Roast Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Baby Food Puree

Once you have established the weaning process and start introducing meat to baby, this is a lovely meal for her to enjoy alongside the family with the Sunday roast - just remember to omit from adding salt to the meal. 

Equally this works with other roasting joints - lamb, pork or beef and use whichever vegetables you are cooking alongside the dinner. The Broccoli Cheese is a specific weaning one, that omits from the usual salt, and that also works as a textured meal in itself when baby is ready for lumpier textures.

Roast Chicken and Broccoli Cheese Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 1 slice roasted chicken meat, without the skin
• 1 potato 
• 2 tbsp Broccoli Cheese
• 1-2 tbsp cold water

Carve a slim slice of roasted chicken, that hasn't been salted and add to the blender or Nutribullet. 

Whilst preparing the roast potatoes, add one potato after the par-boiling process to the blender or Nutribullet. 

Once cooked add the two tablespoons of Broccoli Cheese to the Nutribullet or blender with the cold water and blend. 

Portion up accordingly.

Potato, Peas, Broccoli and Carrot Baby Food Puree

This is another really easy baby food puree for the early weaning process. Even if you are following the Baby Led Weaning approach, purees can still be introduced with a spoon or with finger foods such as toast fingers, bagel bites or rice crackers. 

This particular puree is one I've made when I've been making a roast dinner for the rest of the family - we omit from using salt so that all of the vegetables are edible for the whole family.

Potato Peas Broccoli and Carrot Baby Food Puree

Here's how:

• 1 potato
• 2 tbsp peas
• 2 florets broccoli
• 1 carrot
• 4 tbsp cold water

If you're preparing a roast dinner then simply extract the cooked version of all of the above once ready, place into a blender or a Nutribullet with the cold water and blend. Please note to remove the potato once it has been par-boiled, as this will be fine for baby and you don't want to give her a roasted potato if cooked in meat juices or fats just yet. 

If you're simply preparing the above for baby, and not a family dinner follow the below:

Peel and dice one potato and place into a pan of boiled water on a medium heat, bring to the boil and simmer for ten minutes.

In the meantime, peel and dice a carrot, chop broccoli into the florets and add to the potato pan once the simmering has begun. 

Add the peas for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking time. 

Drain and allow to cool for five minutes then place into a blender or Nutribullet with the cold water and blitz.

Portion up accordingly.

Baby Bites: Weaning Breakfast Yoghurt and Banana

At six months old, Beatrice is well under way with weaning and like her big sister Bridget, she enjoys pretty much everything, she's a hungry baby and has been super content since the journey with solid food began.

For breakfast, we started out with the Aptamil Baby Porridge, and I do still give this a couple of days a week, but I like to offer variety and this yoghurt breakfast has been going down really well the past week, so I thought I'd share it.

Weaning Breakfast Yoghurt and Banana

 



A spoonful of Greek Natural Yoghurt, with a 2-3cm piece of banana, mashed with a fork, and then all mixed in together. It's a lovely, healthy breakfast, and one that my toddler loves too - her version is slightly more grown up with chopped banana, strawberries and blueberries and a drizzle of honey. I'm sure it won't be long until Beatrice enjoys the blueberries and strawberries as finger foods, but please remember honey is off limits for baby's under 12 months.

Natural Yoghurt with Mashed Banana



I still only allow Bridget to have Greek Natural Yoghurt as it only has the natural sugars inside - all the yoghurts aimed at children seem to have a shocking amount of added sugars and nasties - even the Yeo Valley Little Yeo's range, have a shocking amount of sugar per pot - it works out to almost 10% so just be cautious of these 'healthy' ranges aimed direct at your little ones. Enjoy!

Beatrice enjoying her yoghurt and banana