Egg Muffins

Made these this morning and brought them to the playground. Small size made them great for snacking while playing (on the swing, on a bench, at the table, in the sand). BT normally doesn't like eggs but had lots of these happily. I think it was because I called them a "muffin" (as opposed to mini fritata or mini-quiche). 

For variety I divided the tin into 4 rows where each row had a combo of 3 veggies (so each row missing one of the 4). Then in the 3 columns, I put one kind of cheese each. So each muffin came out differently.

• 8 eggs
• 1 carrot
• 1 small zucchini
• frozen peas
• fresh baby spinach
• cheese: Cheddar, Parmesan, Mozzarella, ...
• home made salami, cut into small pieces
• salt + pepper
• herbs: rosemary + oregano

1. Grease a 12 muffin tin (****). [Needs improving - see Notes]. UPDATE: Use silicone cups instead (*****).
2. Grate the carrot over the tin directly.
3. Grate the zucchini directly over the tin.
4. Chop the spinach and sprinkle in cups.
5. Add frozen peas to cups.
6. Sprinkle some cheese and salami in each cup.
7. Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste (0 salt if doing BLW) as well as combination of herbs. Use a scoop to pour mixture into each tin.
8. Bake 350 for 20-25 minutes, until eggs are lightly browned.
9. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack.
10. Eat immediately or freeze for later.

NOTES

Greasing the tin with butter was not sufficient. The eggs really stuck and were a pain to get out. Using a spray might work better (but I've never bought a spray in my life). Perhaps adding some oil to the mixture would help?

8/4/15 Used broccoli, carrot, peas, spinach, parmesan/mozzarella, rosemary, thyme. Poured into greased silicone cups - 6 regular and 4 large - could have used another egg.

Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

Based on Baby Led Weaning Cookbook recipe. Removed onions and increased tomatoes. Meatballs are superb for baby since they are soft and easily picked up. First time made this with only 14 oz of tomatoes but the meatball to sauce ratio was a bit high for my liking. Using a 28 oz can came out better.

For the meatballs

• 1 lb lean ground beef (or mix of lamb, pork, beef)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3-4 cl garlic, finely chopped
• 1 t dried mixed herbs OR oregano
• 2 T fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs
• optional: 1 T parmesan

For the sauce

• 4 cl garlic, chopped
• 2 T tomato paste
• 28* oz can chopped/crushed tomatoes
• 1 handful fresh basil leaves, torn
• black pepper
• optional: bay leaf, basil, parsley

1. Put all the meatball ingredients into a bowl and combine using your hands.
2. Shape into golf ball size. Ideally refrigerate about an hour to firm up.
3. Heat oil (optional) in frying pan and add the meatballs. Fry gently until they are browned all over, turning as needed.
4. Lift out of pan with slotted spoon (to drain off oil) and set aside.
5. Return pan to heat and add the garlic, stirring for a couple minutes.
6. Stir in tomato paste, then add tomatoes, HALF the basil, and black pepper.
7. Stir well and bring to a boil. Return meatballs to the pan, cover, and simmer for 10-15 min until the sauce has thickened and the meatballs are cooked through (test by cutting one in half).
8. Serve warm with pasta, rice or couscous, with remaining basil sprinkled on top

Alternative

Bake the meatballs for 15-25 min (depending on size) at 350F. 

Freeze half the meatballs to cook later.

Steamed Veggies Plus

Been steaming a lot since buying the metal insert steamer. Has been a lifesaver in Baby Led Weaning and increased my own veggie intake and simplified preparation. Put the longer cooking ones on the bottom and add ones that take less cooking as time goes on.

1-2 min
spinach/bok choy
5 min
frozen peas
5-10 min
Broccoli/Cauliflower
frozen okra
10 min
Green beans (frozen or fresh)
Asparagus
15 min
Carrots
Corn on the cob
Pumpkin/Squash
20-25 min
Yams
20-30 min
Potatoes

B bought salmon fillets and steamed them - oh so good. So much more tender. Important NOT to salt them beforehand (which would dry them out). 3 minutes for thin part, 9-10 min for thick part.

Tuna and Tomato Pasta

Simple ingredients and easy to put together. Used the leftover tomatoes from Tomato Chicken made with 28 oz can (so already had cumin, coriander and garlic in it). 8 month baby could pick up pasta and tomato chunks and peas.

• 8 oz spiral pasta (or tubular)
• 1 can low-sodium tuna (5 oz, in oil or water)
• 1 cl garlic, chopped
• 1 t mixed herbs/herbes de Provence (savory, fennel, basil, thyme, rosemary, ...)
• 1 can (14 oz) chopped/crushed tomatoes
• dash of balsamic vinegar, to taste
• optional: frozen peas

1. Cook pasta. Drain well.
2. Meanwhile, make sauce. Heat oil in pan. Break up the tuna and add the garlic. Cook for 2-3 min.
3. Add the herbs and stir to mix.
4. Add the tomatoes and vinegar. Stir. Add peas if using.
5. Simmer for about 5 min, or longer to thicken sauce.
6. Pour sauce over the pasta and serve with additional vegetables/salad.

Tomato Chicken

Simple to put together and very tasty. First time used 14 oz can of tomatoes. Second time put in a full 28 oz can. With more tomatoes could easily fit more drumsticks. This is from the Baby Led Weaning cookbook but subbing garlic for the onions.

• 5 cl garlic, chopped
• 1 t cumin
• 2 t coriander
• 5  skinless chicken drumsticks (or 2-3 chicken breasts cut into strips)
• 1 can chopped/diced tomatoes (14 oz OR 28 oz)
• 1 T tomato paste
• optional: 1 T fresh cilantro chopped

1. Heat oil in saucepan.
2. Add garlic, cumin and coriander. Cook for 2-3 min.
3. Add chicken and cook until lightly browned on all sides (but not cooked through).
4. Add the tomatoes and tomato paste. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until chicken is thoroughly cooked (20 min for breast).
5. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve warm with rice and vegetables.

Tuna Croquettes

Made these in the morning while M looked after D. Rolling them and dipping them in bread crumbs takes quite a bit of time. Would love a faster recipe (like spreading it in a pan and baking, then cutting up). They didn't really go brown on the top, after 27 minutes, but took them out and they were firmed up. Could use some additional seasoning next time (herbs).

• 2 large potatoes (or for quick prep, leftover mashed potatoes)
• 1 can low-sodium tuna (5 oz), in oil or water
• 1/2 lime's juice (or to taste)
• 2 T butter
• optional: dried herbs
• 1/4 c breadcrumbs (original called for 1/2-1 c, but they barely stuck)

1. If using fresh potatoes, peel and cut them and steam or boil them.
2. Drain tuna and break it up.
3. Drain and mash potatoes. Add tuna and lime juice.
4. Stir in the butter.
5. Shape mixture into small sausages and roll each in breadcrumbs, putting on a greased cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 400F for 20-30 min, until browned* and cooked through.
7. Serve warm with vegetables.
8. Keep leftovers in fridge or freezer and reheat in microwave or oven.

Finger Oatmeal

The plain ones didn't go over too well, but it could have been because her pincer grip wasn't all that good. Lately been doing it with banana and she actually eats some (8 months). Serves one baby with leftovers for cook to finish. Would like to try apple variation one day.

• 3 T quick oatmeal (not instant)
• 3 T milk
• cinnamon

With Banana

• 3 T quick oatmeal
• 2-2.5 T milk
• 1/2 banana

1. Put oatmeal in flat bowl and pour milk in. Stir and let sit for a few minutes to have oatmeal absorb the liquid.
2. Mash in the banana if using.
3. Flatten with spoon/fork.
4. Microwave for 2 minutes.
5. Cut into fingers (or smaller) and then let cool.

Lentil Cheese Wedges

Based on recipe from Baby Led Weaning Cookbook (this version leaves out the onions). Very easy to make and pretty tasty from the herb mixture.  MM said needed salt but I thought it was fine. Need to cut into thinner fingers for baby to prevent gagging.

• 1 c red lentils, rinsed
• 2 c water
• 3/4 c grated cheese (I used cheddar blend)
• 1 egg, beaten [better with 2 eggs]
• 1/2 c breadcrumbs [or dried coconut]
• 1 t herbs (whatever you have. I used oregano, basil, parsley, thyme, ...)
• black pepper

1. Put lentils and water in small pot. Bring to boil. Cover and simmer for 10-15 min, occasionally skimming off froth as needed.
2. DRAIN and place in large bowl.
3. Add cheese, breadcrumbs, spices and egg. Mix thoroughly.
4. Spread in greased 9" cake pan.
5. Bake 375 for 30 min.
6. Serve warm or cold.

Notes

Have made this many times since, including:

• Indian style: using cumin, turmeric, chili, curry powder. 
• Used dried coconut instead of bread crumbs to make it gluten-free
• Forgetting to drain the lentils - very moist (better to drain it)
• Double the egg
• Less cheese, different cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, etc)
• Add grated carrot

Adults eat it up - especially those from Oz.

Baked Eggplant and Zucchini Risotto

Based on recipe from Baby Led Weaning Cookbook, but modified to suit my diet (no onion) and doubled to have leftovers for lunch. The veggies all shrunk quite a bit and most of the zucchini broke apart. Would need to cut pieces much bigger next time, but the sizes for 6-month intro worked out well none-the-less...the rice made it all sticky and she was able to suck on the eggplant pieces. Surprisingly tasty despite my lack of fondness for eggplant. MM rated it only 3 *s vs my 4 *s.

• 1 eggplant (medium)
• 1-2 zucchini
• 5-7 cl garlic
• 1.5 cups arborio rice
• ~5 c stock, heated
• parmesan cheese, generous amount or less (for BLW watch salt content!)
• pepper
• pat of butter

1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Saute garlic in oil for a few seconds.
3. Add the veggies and cook until soft.
4. Add rice and stir until coated in oil.
5. Add heated stock and bring to boil.
6. Pour into 9x13 dish (or large casserole). Cover with foil (or lid).
7. Bake for 30 min.
8. Stir, add more stock as needed. Bake for another 10 min.
9. Add butter, pepper and parmesan. Stir. Let sit covered for few minutes before serving.

Freezer Chicken Curry

Made this for dinner and kept the leftovers for freezer meals. Day of was *** but leftovers was ****
11/14/12 Had one of the frozen jars for dinner. Moved from freezer to fridge night before. Was still frozen next evening, so left in tub of water for a while (an hour?). Heated on stove top and served with rice. Delicious!
1/16/13 Made this again using 10 thighs, 3 T fresh ginger plus ~1/2 T powdered ginger, 1 giant sweet potato and 2 zucchini - used the spicy east indian curry powder and asoefetida instead of onion - delicious!
8/13/13 Used 6 breasts, 1 giant sweet potato, 3 carrots, 1 home grown zucchini, 2 granny smith apples, no onion, ~10 cl garlic, no sugar and only a dash of salt (to make better for baby to taste). 3.5 c low sodium chicken broth and gold label (thick) coconut milk. Didn't have enough fresh ginger so put in a bit of powdered ginger. Cooked chicken in cast iron pan and the rest in the big one (where in the past the chicken sticks to the bottom of it).
5/27/16 Used 4 breasts, 1 giant sweet potato, 4 carrots, 2 apples, no onion/zuc. Used cumin/coriander/cayenne/pepper/turmeric mixture on chicken and partial Kensington Hot Curry Powder plus all the rest of the Jamaican curry packages. Meant to put in green beans but ran out! All in cast iron wok.
10/9/19 Used 8 thighs. XBD ate the chicken before I could combine it with the vegetables. Then when the meal was complete, gobbled up the dish with rice.

• 6 chicken thighs + 1 chicken breast, cut into chunks 
• 3 T flour
• 1 T curry powder (I used mix of Madras and Jamaican)
• 4 T ginger, finely chopped
• 6 cl garlic, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 green apple, chopped (would increase this next time to 2)
• 3 T curry powder
• 6+ T flour
• 1 t sea salt (or none for Baby Led Weaning)
• 1 T sugar (or none for Baby Led Weaning)
• 2.5 c chicken broth (low sodium/home made no salt for Baby Led Weaning)
• 1 can coconut milk
• Optional: 1 sweet potato, 1 zucchini, carrots: chopped

1. Combine first 3 ingredients (chicken, flour, curry powder) in a bowl to coat.
2. Fry lightly in oil for just a few minutes until cooked. Set aside.
3. Combine garlic, ginger, onion, apple, curry powder, flour, sugar and salt in a frying pan with the optional veggies. Fry on medium heat for ~10 minutes until the ingredients mold together and onions are transparent. 
4. Add liquids (broth and coconut milk). Stir frequently until heated through and thickened. Add more flour as needed to thicken.
5. Add the breaded chicken.
6. Serve over rice.
7. Let cool and store in mason jars, leaving room for expansion. Freeze. When ready to serve, thaw and reheat, serve over rice.