He eats! (Zucchini cheesy rosti)

I grated zucchini, carrot and cheese, mixed with finely chopped onion and garlic, bound with a little olive oil and flour, seasoned with a little pepper and baked them in my mini muffin tin. You could just as well put them in little rounds on a tray and bake. I can’t say the quantities would be that important, just go for a thickish conistency at the end. The cheese went all melty, but once they cooled down they were cute little shapes. The Imp refused them yesterday, but ate two for dinner today – hooray!

Vegie-Cheese Mini Muffins

250g grated carrot and courgette (and/or any other vegetable taking your fancy!)

125g cheese, grated

50g breadcrumbs

2  tbsp water

2  tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp baking powder

Pour boiling water over grated vegetables and leave for 10 minutes, then drain.
Combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Spoon the mixture in mini muffin tin, or spoon blobs onto greased baking tray and bake in moderate oven for 20-25 minutes.

The simple things in the oven

You don’t have to get all fancy when it comes to feeding your little one finger food. Personally I think one of the tastiest treats is your favourite vegetable rubbed in olive oil and left in the oven for a bit. Either cut your veg into chip shapes or manageable chunks, rub with a little oil, sprinkle with herbs if you wish. No salt for the little people, you can add yours later.

Try potato, pumpkin (butternut squash), summer squash, sweet potato, tomatoes (though can get messy), beetroot, parsnip, carrots, even kohlrabi!

You can usually tell when they are cooked, as they start to smell delicious and make your mouth water.

Stuffed Summer Squash

At the farmers markets this morning the bright sun-yellow summer squash became irresistable to me. I bought a handful, but now I regret not buying more. Regret not, as there is always next week! I made these stuffed summer squash and they are a little more-ish… for myself as much as for the Imp.

6 medium summer squash

1 medium carrot

1/2 onion

1/2 cup grated cheese

1 clove garlic

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Boil the squash and carrot for about 10 minutes until they are only slightly tender. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the middle, so the squash skins form a neat little case. Chop onion, carrot and garlic very finely. Fry them with a little oil. Add in chopped squash flesh that you have scooped out and saute a few minutes. Remove from heat and mix together with cheese and breadcrumbs. Put the squash cases onto a baking tray and spoon the mixture into the squash cases. You can sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs if you wish. Bake in medium oven about 20 minutes.

Enjoy.

Potato Parmesan Rosti

It’s the day before my Abel & Cole veg box delivery so I went through the fridge to figure out what need to be used up. A mountain of potatoes, a few carrots and a zucchini. So where to from there – ah, the humble potato rosti. As the Imp is in a serious potato craze at the moment, these are sure to meet with his approval.

Potato Parmesan Rosti

450g potatoes

1 medium zucchini

2 medium carrots

handful grated parmesan

1 small onion

olive oil

tablespoon butter

Grate zucchini, carrot, potato and squeeze excess moisture out and put into large bowl. Mix in grated parmesan. Finely chop onion and fry for a few minutes in butter and a drizzle of oil. Add to potato mixture and mix well. Spoon balls of mixture onto baking tray and slightly flatten. Bake in 200 degree oven for 15 minutes. Turn and bake a further 10 minutes. Makes about 12.

Oh, they are in the oven now and I’m counting down the minutes!

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!

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!