Bento Yum

Here is what I am aspiring to when we get to packed lunches stage … Bento Yum!

Win Vegetarian and Vegan Mother and Baby Guide

My lil half pint pixie friend is having a competition to win a copy of Vegetarian and Vegan Mother and Baby Guide, have a look!

Baked Polenta Fries

Heidi Swanson is my hero. Check out her baked polenta fries. I’ve omitted the salt in hers …

2 cups organic milk

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups polenta

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup melted clarified butter or olive oil

Bring the milk and water just to a boil in a large saucepan. Slowly stream in the polenta while stirring constantly. Turn down the heat a bit if needed (you don’t want the polenta to scorch). Continue stirring until the polenta thickens up, this can take anywhere from just a few minutes to much longer depending on your polenta. Stir in the cheese.

Remove from heat and spread out 1/2-inch thick onto a baking sheet using a spatula (although I feel like I get a better shape by letting it cool a minute or two and then using my hands). Chill in a refrigerator for at least an hour, or overnight. Cut into wide-cut “fry” shapes using a straight-edge for guidance and uniformity (or opt for a more rustic cut). Rub each fry with a bit of clarified butter or olive oil.

Bake in a 450 degree oven, middle rack, for 20 minutes or until golden and crispy. Flip the fries once after ten minutes.

Makes 2 dozen wide-cut fries.

Ginger’s Muesli Bars

My lovely sleep deprived friend, Gingerninja at Sleep is for the Weak makes a museli bar which she claims is much better than the porridge pancakes I keep making for breakfast and which the Imp never eats.

Soak some chopped apricots, figs, raisins, oats and desicated coconut in apple juice for a few hours. Put it in a saucepan with a nob of butter and cook for a few minutes then put in a baking tray and cook for about 20 mins. You will have to experiment with quantities but they’re lovely.

I can’t wait to make it!

Pear, Zucchini and Parmesan Patties

Yum yum! Try these at your next barbie! My little Imp can’t have eggs (I’m hoping that will change in the near future, mabye he’ll grow out of it soon), but this is a great little recipe.

2 medium pears, grated with skin on

1 medium zucchini/courgette, grated

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup of polenta

pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic

A little ahead of time: Combine zucchini and pears in a colander. Stand for 20 minutes or so to drain. Squeeze excess liquid from mixture.

At the time: Add the remaining ingredients and mix well. Make into patties and place into a hot oiled heavy based pan. Cook until golden brown on each side.

Your leftover roasted beetroot …

 

Time is often of the essence in cooking for babies, so take last nights roasted beetroot leftovers, and make a whole new dish. This is wonderful, and so easy.

Beetroot pasta

3 or 4 roasted beetroots, see below a few entries ago

2 tablespoons olive oil

400g pasta

juice of half a lemon

200 mL single cream

1/2 cup parmesan

handful of toasted pine nuts

bunch of fresh basil

Peel beetroot and cut into chunks. Heat oil and saute garlic in a pan for a few minutes. Add beetroot, cook a few more minutes. Stir in lemon juice, lower heat and add cream, cook for 2 minutes until just hot. Combine beetroot mixture and cooked pasta, top with parmesan and basil (and toasted pine nuts for momma).

Quinoa the superfood

Pronounced ‘keen-wah’, quinoa contains more protein, is higher in unsaturated fat and lower in carbohydrate than any other grain, and provides all eight essential amino acids. According to Nasa, it is the perfect food for long-range space missions! Of course I wanted my baby to eat some of this. Conveniently, it’s also super easy and quick to cook. Cook one cup quinoa to 2 cups water for 10 minutes. Brilliant. Inspired by this recipe Sweet potato black bean quinoa burgers, I wizzed it up in the blender with onion, garlic, black eyed beans, roasted sweet potato, bread crumbs, tomato paste, parsley and balsamic vinegar. Formed into burgers and baked for a bit. I also pan fried a few, but found the baking superior for making the edges harder and hence better for baby fingers to hold.

For lovers of mess …

Roasted Beetroot

We had a few beetroot in the fridge which I wanted for dinner. Rather than invent something completely different for the Imp, I decided he could have some beetroot too. With stain remover on hand for his clothes, I gave him slice … after slice … after slice. He adored it. What a success.

Place whole beetroots in oiled baking pan or tray, rub oil over them with your fingers and cover with foil. Roast for about 1 1/4 hours or until nice and tender. Allow to cool sufficiently before eating. The skin should slip off quite easily once roasted.

Take 3 Zucchinis …

Here is my failsafe recipe that can be thrown together very quickly and baked in the oven. It’s even quicker if you’ve got a grater attachment on your magimix. And a dishwasher. If you don’t please leave the dishes for your partner

Oh and where I come from, they call courgettes zucchinis …

Courgette/Zucchini Pie (it’s like a frittata, but easier)

3 courgettes/zucchinis, grated

1 large onion, chopped

1 cup grated cheese

1 cup self raising flour

5 eggs

1/2 cup olive oil

pepper

Mix oil, eggs and pepper then stir into mixed courgette/zucchini, onion cheese and flour. Pour into greased baking dish and bake in moderate oven.

That’s seriously it. It takes about 45 mins to bake.

Great for your baby as long as they are ok with eggs. Mine had a bit of a reaction so I took some of the pre-egg mixture, added some ricotta and put a few spoons in the muffin tin. Worked brilliantly.

Probably not a first food unless your baby is particularly dextrous, but by 8 months it is probably fine.

I served my dinner with leaves and sliced radishes. Yum!