Caribbean Veggie Casserole

Ingredients: 1 onion diced, 100g potatoes diced, 3 carrots (175g) sliced, 400g tin of plum tomatoes, 250g cabbage, 1 large (175g) sweet potato, 1 large (100g) parsnip, 1 green pepper (capsicum), 2cm piece of fresh ginger or 2 tbsp of ground ginger,  2 tbsp of curry powder, 2 tbsp all purpose seasoning, vegetable low salt stock cube, teaspoon of chilli flakes/powder, 2 garlic cloves finely chopped, 10 allspice berries, 2 tbsp parsley, 2 tbsp fresh coriander.

Put all ingredients except stock cube in a large pot on medium heat.  Make up stock and pour into pot until all vegetables are covered. Bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat for about 45 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. 

This can be quite spicey.  I served it with crusty bread but you could also serve with rice or cous cous.  The heat mellows a bit and it tastes even better the next day.  A lot of the heat is in the sauce but Ethan did not seem at all bothered by the spiciness.    

Spicy Parsnip & Carrot Soup

Parsnips are carbohydrates which are the only fuel source for many vital organs, including the brain, central nervous system and kidneys.  Parsnips are a good source of vitamin C (immune booster, potent antioxidant) and niacin (vitamin B3 which assists in the functioning of the digestive system, skin, and nerves. It is also important for the conversion of food to energy).  They also provide some vitamin E, potassium (which is essential for the function of all organs in the body) and dietary fibre.  Carrots are an excellent source of beta carotene, which is converted in the body to vitamin A.  Vitamin A helps with night vision - that’s why children are told to eat carrots so they will be able to see in the dark!  Vitamin A also benefits the skin and is great for the immune system.  Garlic is a good source of vitamin B6 and C.  So enjoy this soup safe in the knowledge it's not only really yummy, it's good for you and baby too!

Makes 2 Adult and 2 baby portions

Ingredients:
1 small onion
4 garlic cloves
2 carrots
2 parsnips
Olive Oil
1 tbsp curry powder
200 -300 ml of stock (Kallo do a low salt stock cube)
Crusty bread

Preheat oven to 200'C/400'F/Gas Mark 6.
Dice onion and place in a roasting tin.  Remove skin from garlic cloves and place whole in tin.  Chop up carrots and parsnips into your baby's usual eating sized sticks. Drizzle with olive oil and scatter the curry powder all over the vegetables. Roast in oven for 30 minutes, remove and turn vegetables to ensure even cooking.  Roast for approximately another 30 minutes (keep an eye and nose on them though and if you think they are ready sooner get them out!).  At this point I took a few sticks of carrot and parsnip out to serve Ethan with his lunch.  Pour everything else from tin into a saucepan and add 100ml of stock.  Use a hand blender to blend as much as you like, gradually adding more stock.  I like my soups pretty thick but if it's too thick for you just add more boiling water.  I used a petit pain when giving Ethan some, ripping up the bread and dunking it into the soup and then giving him that to eat.  You could put this in a loaded spoon to give your baby too.  My friend Hannah's baby Ollie was over for lunch and loved this soup too so that's the thumbs up from two babies today!

The curry and the garlic really compliment the carrot and parsnips.  I put a bit of black pepper in too as I love the stuff.  Enjoy ;)  

Pasta Con Carne

Pasta is a good source of carbohydrate which is slowly released for energy and contains glucose which is fuel for brain and muscles.  Beef mince is a rich source of iron which is more easily absorbed by the body than vegetable sources and protein which is essential for muscle and organ health but there are health risks associated with eating too much red meat so it's best to stick to having it once or twice a week if you can.  If you're vegetarian or vegan you can substitute the mince for lentils which are also a good source of iron and protein.

Serves 4 Adults & 4 Babies
(Freezes really well so a good one to cook in bulk and then freeze for when you want a healthy meal for you and baby but don't have the time or energy to cook one)

Ingredients:
Olive oil for frying
1 Onion diced
500 grams Beef Steak Mince
1 Parsnip thinly sliced
1 tin tomatoes.
1 Red Capsicum (pepper) cut into strips
Garlic to taste ( I like 3 big cloves)
100 grams frozen sweetcorn or a small tin
75grams fresh spinach or a couple of portions of frozen
300 grams of Conchiglie pasta (this shell like stuff is easy for baby to handle and the sauce fills the shell but you can use any shapes you like).
Handful of grated cheese and black pepper.

Method:
Put olive oil in a wok or large pan over a medium heat.  Add onion and fry until looks clear. Pour in mince and cook til browned.  Next add tin of tomatoes followed by parsnip and capsicum and combine all ingredients.  Crush garlic and add to pan, stirring into mix.  Stir in sweetcorn and then spinach.  If sauce begins to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes.  Meanwhile make pasta according to instructions and drain and set aside.  When sauce is cooked stir in pasta.  Season with black pepper and top with cheese (if you don't have an inconvenience store near you which stocks dog chews but no cheese!)   I usually leave Ethan's dinner to cool by an open window as the weather is pretty cold here now but you could put a bowl in the fridge and then put baby's food in there to cool it down quicker.

I put in what vegetables were to hand but it would work equally well with courgettes(zucchini), aubergine (eggplant), carrots, broccoli, peas etc.  Little one's enjoy picking out the different textures.