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Wean Meister’s Recipes to Make Your Baby Smile! Wean meister is delighted that you are interested in making home-made food for your baby. So you can be sure that you‟ll know exactly what your baby is eating – NO colourings, additives or preservatives! Just good fresh ingredients… just what your baby needs! Designed to make your life easier; here are the Wean Meister‟s delicious and nutritious recipes. Cook, freeze and pop them out whenever you desire!
Contents Page
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Getting Started – 6 months
Page 3
Apple and Apricot with Cinnamon
Page 4
Butternut Squash
Page 5
Peach and Papaya
Page 6
Night Vision Puree (carrot, swede and sweet potato)
Page 7
Ready for New Tastes – 7 months
Page 8
3 Cheeses and Peas
Page 9
Hot Pot Chicken
Page 10
Parmesan Asparagus Puree
Page 11
Tomatoes, Cauliflower and Cheese
Page 12
Chicken and Mango
Page 13
Yogurt with Banana and Avocado
Page 14
Apricot, Pear and Vanilla
Page 15
Natural Yogurt with Peaches and Cherries
Page 16
Really Adventurous – 7 – 9 months
Page 17
Tomatoes and Sweet Potato with Basil
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Salmon poached in Orange Juice
Page 19
Fishy Pie
Page 20
Braised Lamb Shank with Carrot and Sweet Potato
Page 21
Baby Beef Casserole
Page 22
Lentil Hot Pot
Page 23
Banana and Cherries with Custard
Page 24
Apple and Blackberry Porridge
Page 25
Nearly Grown-up Food – 9 – 12 months
Page 26
Barramundi, Leek and Mushroom Risotto
Page 27
Lamb and Orange Bake
Page 28
Couscous Chicken
Page 29
Paprika Pork
Page 30
Tasty Chicken and Beans
Page 31
Beef & Noodle Dinner
Page 32
Strawberry, Kiwi and Pear Crumble
Page 33
Yummy Rice Pudding
Page 34
Key Why Wean Meister loves this recipe!
Nutritional value of the meal
Get the best from your Freezer Pods: After you’ve made a recipe and the food is frozen in the Freezer Pods, pop them out and store them in a zip lock bag. This will mean your Freezer Pod is ready for your next recipe and you will be able to collect a bank of frozen meals. Lucky baby!
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Getting Started – 6 months Now your baby is ready to explore a new world of tastes and smells. It‟s an exciting time for both of you, so have fun with it! You won‟t have to start from scratch every day. You can just put the food in your Freezer Pods and it will be ready for your convenience whenever you need it, fresh as the day it was made. The aim of these recipes is for your baby to develop a very early appreciation of different flavours and blended textures. Not all blended food has the same texture, some is watery, some is creamy, and some might be thick? We recommend that babies are around 6 months before they start weaning, because it reduces the risk of them developing some food allergies. But our age recommendations should just be used as a guide. Wean Meister gives you a few interesting recipe ideas to try, but most of the recipes can be adapted to suit your baby as you begin to learn what flavours and textures they like best.
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Apple and Apricot with Cinnamon Sweet, smooth and watery – what baby could resist? Adding cinnamon might seem a bit much for a baby just learning to eat, but remember the more variety you give your baby from a young age, the less likely they will be to develop into a „fussy eater‟. Which are the best types of apples to use? Any type, they each have a slightly different taste and consistency when blended. It is just a matter of preference, so you can decide.
Ingredients:
3 apples 4 ripe apricots 4 tbsp pure unsweetened apple juice or water Generous pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Peel and chop the fruit, 2. Put into a saucepan together with apple juice or water and pinch of cinnamon (if you choose), 3. Cover and cook over a low heat until tender (about 6 to 8 minutes). 4. Blend the fruit to a smooth puree. 5. Spoon portions into Freezer Pods and allow to cool before putting into the freezer.
Apples and apricots are good foods to start with, because they are easy to digest. Take your time when you begin eating solids; your baby has a lot to learn to get the food to the back of his/her mouth. Babies will be developing all the muscles required for speech as they learn to chew and swallow.
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Butternut Squash The EASIEST, TASTIEST baby food you could possibly imagine! You will notice all the natural juices and oils of the butternut squash collect in the seed space as it roasts. You can use some of this oil when blending your squash. You can add a knob of unsalted butter to the squash as you blend as well. Don‟t feel guilty about adding extra fats to your baby‟s diet, babies thrive on a high calorie diet (and it will make it all the more delicious).
Ingredients:
Half a Butternut Squash Knob of Unsalted butter
Makes approx 9 portions. Method:
With this recipe there is no preparation what so ever! (Except removing the seeds)
1. Simply place your half of butternut squash in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4, and roast for about an hour, or until soft. 2. Then simply scoop and blend with the butter. 3. Divide into Freezer Pods for your convenience. Butternut squash is extremely easy for your baby to digest and it is packed full of goodness. It is high in Vitamin C and E and potassium.
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Peach and Papaya Papaya is a great fruit to mix with others. It can have kind of a bland taste on its own. But sometimes fruits like peaches and nectarines can be a little sour for your baby. Papaya compliments sour tastes beautifully and creates a delicious smooth consistency. Just perfect for a baby starting to try new tastes.
Ingredients:
1 small papaya 2 peaches
Makes approx 9 portions.
Method:
1. Cut a small papaya in half; remove the black seeds and puree or mash the flesh of one half until smooth. 2. Score a cross on the base of the peach. Plunge into boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to cold water. Skin, chop and discard the stone. 3. Boil the chopped peach for 5 minutes to make it nice and tender, then mix together with the papaya. 4. Blend and then put into Freezer Pods so you can enjoy this meal any time, any day. Papaya is a great source of fibre, so it will really help with digestion and promote healthy bowel movements, as well as being very high in vitamin C. As long as it is ripe, papaya won‟t need any cooking at all. When your baby is a bit older and small lumps are being introduced, you can leave the skin on, just makes sure it‟s roughly chopped in the blender.
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Night Vision Purée (carrot, swede and sweet potato) It‟s always a good idea to mix up vegetables to increase the nutritional value and experiment with different textures and flavours. Unless your baby appears to have a sensitive digestive system, then you may want to try them with just one thing at a time.
Ingredients:
3 carrots 1 swede 1 sweet potato 1 onion Knob of unsalted butter 60ml (2 fl oz) orange juice 60ml (2 fl oz) water
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Sauté the onion in butter until softened. 2. Add the carrots, swede and sweet potato and sauté for 3-4 minutes. 3. Pour over the water, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the veg is tender. 4. Add the orange juice and purée in a blender. 5. Finally freeze in small portions, and the meal will stay as fresh as the day it was made. “Carrots improve night vision” – A myth from World War 1 and 2. But it does actually contain some truth, because carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A (and C) and vitamin A, deficiency can cause night blindness!
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Ready for New Tastes – 7 months Your baby‟s food needs to be nutritious and calorific. They are growing so quickly at this stage so make sure you‟re using full fat yogurts and cheeses. Babies have a store of iron when they are born, which starts to run out around 6 months, so you should try and include foods that are high in iron, such as red meat and green leafy vegetables. Iron is very important for brain development and your baby‟s brain is developing more in the first 2 years than the rest of his/her life! The aim of the game is to be introducing as many new tastes as possible and pretty much all fruits and veg are suitable by now. But beware of fruits such as citrus, pineapple and berries as these can be a bit too acidic for some babies.
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3 Cheeses and Peas This cheese sauce is one that you will probably end up making time and time again. It‟s a great way to jazz up any vegetable!
Ingredients:
200g Peas Knob of unsalted butter 1 tbsp flour 200ml (7 fl oz) milk 2 tbsp cheddar cheese, grated 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated 2 tbsp ricotta
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook for one minute . 2. Slowly whisk in the milk, and then keep stirring over a low heat for 3 minutes until the sauce thickens. 3. Take off the heat, stir in the cheddar and parmesan until melted, and then stir in the ricotta. 4. Put peas in a glass bowl, cover with water and microwave for about 3 minutes. 5. Finally, drain, mix in cheese sauce and blend. 6. Place into perfectly portion sized Freezer Pods, ready for meal times. Although you are not supposed to freeze most foods twice. It is OK to use frozen peas in these recipes, because they are raw the first time they are frozen. It‟s the easiest way to buy peas and they are as fresh as the day they were frozen.
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Hot Pot Chicken Chicken is probably the best meat to start on, as it is the easiest to digest and it bends well with many vegetables.
Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil 1 chicken breast, cut into chunks 1 chopped leek 2 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 butternut squash, peeled and cubed 50g frozen peas 200ml (7 fl oz) water Bay Leaf
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1.
Put the butternut squash in a pre heated oven at 180°C, for about 45 minutes, or until soft.
2.
Peal and chop the carrots. Then boil them both together for 15 mins.
3.
Get peas out of the freezer and add them to the boiling water and continue boiling for 5 more minutes.
4.
Slice leeks, cube chicken and fry gently in a pan until cooked through.
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Scoop soft butternut squash into a large bowl and combine with all the rest of the ingredients.
6.
Blend to the desired consistency and then serve to baby and freeze the rest. Don‟t add too much chicken to your baby‟s meals at first as the texture can be quite difficult to swallow. Keep it nice and moist by mixing it with plenty of veg.
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Parmesan Asparagus Purée Here is a scrumptious asparagus recipe for your baby that will certainly add variety to their diet. The butter and garlic really boost the nutritional value of this vegetable and provide the fatty acids needed to promote healthy brain development.
Ingredients:
6 fresh asparagus spears, trimmed 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted ½ clove of garlic 2 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Place asparagus in a baking dish and drizzle with butter. 2. Sprinkle parmesan cheese and garlic. 3. Bake asparagus at 200°C/400°F/Gas 6 for 20 minutes or until tender. 4. Remove from oven and cut spears so that they fit into your food mill or food processor. 5. Puree while adding water until desired consistency is reached. 6. Serve your baby and freeze the rest. Beware of the nasty smell in your baby‟s nappy! Same as when we eat asparagus, it makes your baby‟s wee wee smell like hamsters!
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Tomatoes, Cauliflower and Cheese Tomatoes being mushy by nature, make a natural choice for weaning and they are extremely flavoursome. They also have high acidity, so it‟s good to have the cauliflower in there to tone things down.
Ingredients:
4 tomatoes 4 large cauliflower florets Knob of unsalted butter 50g Cheddar cheese
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Score a cross into the bottom of the tomatoes and put them in boiling water for 30 seconds. 2. Peel, deseed and chop tomatoes. 3. Melt a knob of unsalted butter in a saucepan and sauté the tomato until mushy. 4. Grate cheese into the mush and melt together. 5. Boil cauliflower until tender. 6. Combine ingredients and blend. 7. Freeze in the Wean Meister’s 100% non-toxic Freezer Pods. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and also contain some vitamin A and B. More surprisingly, they are also a good source of calcium and iron. Some children tend not to be keen on the tangy taste of tomatoes. If you introduce them to your baby from young, they are less likely to be so fussy.
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Chicken and Mango Don‟t be afraid to mix sweet and savoury together when weaning. Your baby has been used to sweet milk for the first 6 months, so it is no surprise that they like the sweet stuff! It is important that their diet is nutritious and varied. A little top heavy on the sweet side is no bad thing at this stage. Once you have chopped the flesh off the mango, give the husk to your little one to chew on. It makes a tasty teether, especially if it has been in the fridge.
Ingredients:
½ tbsp olive oil ½ small onion, peeled and chopped 1 large mango, stoned, peeled and sliced 150ml (5 fl oz) water with a bay leaf 1 chicken breast (approx. 125g/4oz) 1 small apple, cored, peeled and chopped
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion till softened. 2. Add the mango, pour over the water and bring to the simmer. 3. Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the mango stock together with the chopped apple, and continue to cook for 15 minutes. 4. Remove the bay leaf if necessary. 5. Puree in a blender and then spoon some of the puree into your baby’s bowl, 6. Serve lukewarm. Freeze the remainder in individual portions. The mango is stuffed with Vitamin C and its natural sweetness will make this meal simply irresistible to your baby.
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Yogurt with Banana and Avocado Is it a dinner or is it a desert? Who cares… It‟s delicious and nutritious! Although all of these ingredients freeze well, I wouldn‟t recommend microwaving to defrost. Just take out one portion in the morning, put it in the fridge for a few hours and it will be ready to eat by dinner time.
Ingredients: 1 avocado 2 bananas 3 tbsp Natural Yogurt
Makes approx 9 portions. Method:
1. Cut a small avocado in half, remove the stone, scoop out the flesh, 2. Mash together with a little of your baby’s usual milk. 3. Mash up a banana on a plate using a fork and thoroughly mix together with the avocado. 4. Then take 3 tablespoons of natural yogurt, mix it all together and it’s ready to go. Bananas and avocados are like natures super foods. You can simply mash and eat and they are packed full of goodness. Bananas contain plenty of potassium and fibre and they tend to make stools a little firmer.
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Apricot, Pear and Vanilla The vanilla is there simply to enhance the flavours. You can use a fresh vanilla pod, but 1/2 tsp of vanilla essence will also work. Try it with and without the vanilla. It‟s simply about experimenting with flavours.
Ingredients:
75g ready to eat dried apricots, chopped 1 vanilla pod 4 tbsp apple juice or water 2 large ripe pears, peeled, cored and chopped
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1.
Put the apricots and pear into a saucepan and then add the apple juice or water.
2. If you are using vanilla, split the vanilla pod, scrape the seeds into the pan and throw in the split pod. 3. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes. 4. Add the chopped pear and continue to simmer for 2 minutes. 5. Take out the split vanilla pod and puree in a blender. 6. Freeze portions for later. It is best to cook fruits before serving it to your baby (except banana and avocado), up until they are around 8 months old, as it breaks the fruits fibres down and makes it easier for immature stomachs to digest.
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Natural Yogurt with Peaches and Cherries You can use plain natural yogurt or Greek natural yogurt, but make sure it‟s full fat. No need to get pre flavoured yogurt, your baby doesn‟t need the extra sugar. Not ideal to microwave after freezing. Just leave frozen portions to thaw in the fridge for a couple of hours instead.
Ingredients:
20 cherries, de stoned 2 ripe peaches 4 tbsp natural yogurt
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Score the peaches and plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds, and then cold water, before skinning. 2. Then de-stone, chop and boil in a saucepan using just enough water to cover the peaches and the cherries. 3. Drain and blend the fruit, then mix with the yogurt. Yogurt is a great way to introduce calcium into your babies diet. It is quite easy to digest as the lactose has already been broken down as the yogurt was being cultured.
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Really Adventurous – 7 – 9 months By now you need to start gradually making your baby‟s food thicker and lumpier, even though they don‟t have many teeth by this stage, chewing is still an important skill they will need to learn. Aim to feed them at the usual breakfast, lunch and dinner times and begin to reduce their milk in take so they are hungry enough to enjoy this. They can also have finger foods between meals. Try to have at least 2 carbohydrates a day – potatoes, rice, pasta, bread. Fruits and Veg at least twice a day – theses can also be given as finger foods. And one portion of meat, fish, lentils or beans. Babies do not require any added salt to their diets. Before they are a year old their livers will find salt difficult to digest and it will make them very dehydrated. A lot of the recipes that feature in this book would be tastier to use stock instead of water. You can make a home-made stock using bones and vegetables, but the Wean Meister believes in convenience and making stock can be very timely. Some supermarkets sell ready-made baby stock, but if you can‟t find that, we think it‟s best to add water and a bay leaf to the recipes. Some of these recipes are quite large due to all of the ingredients. At this stage it would be useful to have at least two sets of freezer pods, so you are able to make 18 baby portions in one. Now how convenient is that!
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Tomatoes and Sweet Potato with Basil Keep your eyes peeled for baby pasta, or else you can find very small types of pasta or even rice. This can then be one of your staple foods that you can mix up with many of the fresh sauces you can make and freeze.
Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped ½ clove garlic, crushed 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes 200ml (6 fl oz) water with a bay leaf or baby stock 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped 55g (2oz) Cheddar cheese, grated 2 tbsp single cream or milk 100g baby pasta (or the smallest shapes you can find)
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic for about 3 minutes until softened. 2. Add the sweet potato and carrots. 3. Then pour in the tomatoes and water and bay leaf. 4. Bring to the boil, stirring, then cover the pan and simmer for about 30 minutes until the vegetables are tender. 5. Allow to cool slightly, add a few basil leaves, the cream or milk and stir in the cheese until melted. 6. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the packet and drain. 7 Blend everything to the desired consistency. Older babies may not need the pasta blending—for them you could simply blend the sauce and mix with small pasta shapes. Younger babies should have both sauce and pasta blended. 8. Freeze in approx 60ml portions, in your Wean Meister Freezer Pods.
Pasta is a fabulous addition to your baby‟s diet, because it is packed full of carbohydrates. Your baby needs plenty of carbs to ensure they have lots of energy.
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Salmon poached in Orange Juice To be honest the orange juice doesn‟t have a very strong flavour when it is all blended together, but it‟s still a great way of packing lots of vitamins in. Be really careful to pick out any bones in the fish before serving (although the blending should take care of those at this stage).
Ingredients: 2 carrots, peeled and sliced, 125g (4 ½ oz) salmon fillet, skinned 60ml (2fl oz) orange juice 1 large potato, peeled and cubed 40g (1 ½ oz) cheddar cheese, grated 15g (½ oz) unsalted butter 2 tbsp milk
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Put the carrots and the potato into a saucepan, cover with water, bring to the boil and cook over a medium heat for about 20 minutes until tender. 2. Then, put the salmon in an oven/microwavable dish, add the orange juice and sprinkle over the cheese. 3. Cover but make sure you leave a small air vent and microwave on high for about 2 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with a fork. Or, cover with foil and cook in the oven, pre-heated to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4, for about 20 minutes. 4. Flake the fish with a fork, be sure to remove any bones. 5. Drain the carrots and potatoes and mix with the butter and milk. 6. Then purée in a blender the veg, the flaked fish and its sauce. 7. Allow to cool before putting into Freezer Pods. Salmon is particularly nutritious because it contains Omega 3‟s which are great for brain development and eyes. You should aim to feed your baby fish at least twice a week.
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Fishy Pie Many children don‟t like fish, this could be because they weren‟t introduced to it enough as a baby. It‟s so high in nutrition, it really shouldn‟t be avoided. Don‟t over cook fish as it will make it tough. It won‟t take long to cook, you know it is ready when you can flake the flesh with a fork.
Ingredients: 2 potatoes, peeled and diced 40g unsalted butter 1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped 1 tbsp flour 125 g (4 1/2 oz) cod fillet, skinned and cubed 125 g (4 1/2 oz) salmon fillet, skinned and cubed 1 tsp chopped fresh parsley 1 bay leaf 75 ml milk 50 ml water 25g frozen peas 50 g (2 oz) Cheddar cheese, grated
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the potatoes, reduce the heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender. 2. Drain the potatoes and mash together with the milk and half butter until smooth. 3. Melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the onion and sauté until softened. 4. Add the flour and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Gradually stir in the milk and then the water. Bring to the boil and cook for one minute. 5. Add the fish with the parsley and bay leaf. 6. Simmer for about 3 minutes and then stir in the peas and cook for three more minutes. 7. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the cheese until melted. 8. Divide the fish between the Freezer Pods, top off with the mashed potato, allow to cool and put on the lid before freezing. You should avoid feeding your child large fish like shark and sword fish, as they contain higher levels of mercury, which can affect the nervous system. Don‟t give your baby raw fish because they are more susceptible to food poisoning.
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Braised Lamb Shank with Carrot and Sweet Potato Lamb is an excellent source of iron, so it is brilliant for brain development. The good thing about the lamb shank is that it is one of the cheapest cuts of meat, but when it is cooked for long enough it is completely tender, soft and delicious. Just perfect for your little one!
Ingredients: 20g (¾ oz) unsalted butter 1 carrot, washed and sliced 1 lamb shank 1 tablespoon flour 6 mushrooms, sliced 1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped 250 ml/8 fl oz chicken stock (from the baby food section of your supermarket) or water Juice of 1 orange (about 120 ml/ 4 fl oz)
Makes approx. 18 portions. Method: 1. Melt the butter or margarine in a flameproof casserole and sauté the carrot for about 4 minutes until softened. 2. Roll the shank in the flour; add to the carrot and sauté until browned. 3. Add the mushroom, sweet potato, liquid and orange juice. 4. Bring to the boil and transfer to an oven preheated to 180C/250F/Gas 4 for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is tender. 5. Take the lamb off the bone, it should fall off easily. 6. Blend to the desired consistency using as much of the cooking liquid as necessary. 7. Distribute into the silicone Freezer Pods, they’ll be so easy to pop out when you need them. Vitamin C assists the body in absorbing iron, so the carrot in particular is really helpful in absorbing as much of the iron from the lamb as possible.
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Baby Beef Casserole Another super duper brain food, due to its high iron content. Now it is a lot of effort to go to, so it would really be worth having more than one Freezer Pod, so you can make at least 18 delicious meals from this recipe.
Ingredients: 1 tbsp oil 1 small onion , peeled and sliced 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 500g lean beef, trimmed and cut into small chunks (use gravy beef , blade or chuck ) 1/2 a pumpkin, peeled and chopped 400g can tomatoes 250 ml/8 fl oz chicken stock (from the baby food section of your supermarket) or diluted stock 2 tbsp of parsley, chopped 1 bay leaf
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Heat the oil in the frying pan and fry the onion and carrot until soft. 2. Add the beef chunks and cook until browned. 3. Transfer the beef, onions, and carrot to a heavy based pan and stir in all the other ingredients. 4. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, adding more stock or water if needed, or until the beef is tender. 5. Remove bay leaf, and then blend, or mash if serving to an older baby. 6. Distribute into the silicone Freezer Pods, and stack into the freezer. It is important to cook the beef for a long time until tender, otherwise it will be difficult for your baby to chew.
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Lentil Hot Pot Not just for veggie babies… Lentils make a great consistency when blended. As well as being packed full of goodness they carry the taste of all the other vegetables very well.
Ingredients: 30g (1oz) butter 1 leeks, sliced into short strips 1 celery stick, chopped ½ red pepper, cored, de-seeded and chopped 60g (2oz) red lentils 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped ½ sweet potato, peeled and chopped 1 bay leaf 500ml (15 fl oz) baby vegetable stock or water
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the leeks for 2 to 3 minutes. 2. Add the celery, red pepper and carrot and sauté for 5 minutes. 3. Add the lentils, sauté for one minute. 4. Then add the sweet potato and bay leaf and pour over the stock. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the vegetables and lentils are tender. 5. Remove the bay leaf and blend to a purée. 6. Freeze in small baby sized portions. Lentils are a great source of protein and also contain iron. Beware though, as lentils have been thought to cause gas in some babies and adults, so just something to keep an eye on. We recommend cooking the lentils for a long time so that they are easier to digest.
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Banana and Cherries with Custard It‟s great to start pumping up your baby‟s calorie intake by giving them desserts as well as dinners. I‟m sure they will appreciate it too! Custard will provide a delicious source of calories. Remember not to buy low fat! This dessert will be ideal to freeze in your Freezer Pods, but don‟t over defrost in the microwave, or the banana will start to go a bit rubbery.
Ingredients: 10 sweet cherries, halved and stoned 1tbsp water 1 ripe banana 1 tbsp baby rice 2 tbsp ready made custard
Makes approx 9 portions. Method: 1. Put the cherries into a small pan together with the water and simmer for 2 minutes. 2. Mash the banana, add to the cherries and simmer for another minute. 3. Purée in a blender, adding the baby rice. 4. Stir in the custard, serve warm or cold. Cherries do contain pits and a rather thick skin. Occasionally babies may not be able to properly digest cherries earlier than 8 months of age.
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Apple and Blackberry Porridge For breakfast, desert, or just a snack. You have two choices, you can either make up a batch of apples and blackberries to freeze and make the porridge fresh each time. Or make a big batch of fruit mixed with porridge, and freeze together so itâ€&#x;s super convenient and just seconds away when you need it.
Ingredients: 1 dessert apple, peeled, cored and chopped 45g (1 1/2oz) black berries 4 tbsp water 150ml (Ÿ pint) milk 15g (½ oz) rolled oats
Method: 1. Place apple and blackberries in pan with the water and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. 2. Meanwhile heat up milk in a pan, stir in oats and bring to boil -then simmer stirring continually for 3-4 minutes or until thickened. 3. Mix in fruit, then blend to desired consistency if necessary. Any fruit added to porridge will enhance the nutritional value of this dish. You could try pear, strawberries or mango. The porridge is a great source of energy and the fruit adds a natural sweetener.
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Nearly Grown-up Food – 9 – 12 months There is lots of movement around this stage, so now more than ever they need lots of healthy nutrients and a high amount of calories and iron. You should be encouraging them to eat by themselves and giving them plenty of finger foods. Give them a fruit purée with a stick of raw veg. This will encourage their fine motor development (finger skills) as well as giving them extra nutrition. They should really be eating pretty much the same sort of food as the rest of the family by now, with the exception of: honey, whole nuts, lightly cooked eggs, anything low-fat or high-fibre, unpasteurised cheeses. Cooking with stock: If you managed to find some baby stock in the supermarket, continue to use that. If you have been using water, you could begin to use diluted stock to make the meals a little tastier. Just use your normal stock, but double the amount of water the directions advise you to use.
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Barramundi, Leek and Mushroom Risotto You may even want to increase the quantities of this recipe and make it for the whole family. Then you can just put the leftovers in your Freezer Pods. Just remember – NO added salt for your baby!
Ingredients: 1 knob of butter 1 leek finely chopped 250g Barramundi cut into small cubes (you can use any type of fish you fancy) 5 mushrooms, sliced 1 litre of diluted stock 1 cup Arborio rice 1 cup grated parmesan or cheddar cheese ¼ tsp nutmeg
Makes approx 18 portions. Method 1.
Put the stock in a separate saucepan and keep at simmering.
2.
Heat the butter in large saucepan, and then add the leeks and fry for 1-2 mins or until soft. 3. Add the mushrooms and Arborio rice. Stir in so that it is all coated in butter and cook for 1 minute. 4. Ladle in enough hot stock to cover the rice and stir well. 5. Reduce the heat and add more stock as it is absorbed. Stirring frequently. 6. Continue until the rice is tender and creamy—approx 25 mins. You will need to add more stock every few minutes. 7. Add the cubes of fish and cook for 5 more minutes. Stirring regularly and adding stock as necessary. 8. Remove from the heat, add the cheese and nutmeg and season lightly with fresh ground pepper. 9. Either blend, or for older babies simply flake the cubes of fish with a fork. 10. Then cover and leave to cool down before putting in your freezer pods for freezing.
You can use any white fish for this recipe. Or even smoked cod will give an interesting flavour to this tasty meal.
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Lamb and Orange Bake It‟s great to cook with fresh herbs for your baby, they will grow up appreciating a wide range of flavours and it sets healthy eating standards for the future.
Ingredients: 8oz lamb shoulder, cubed 1tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp paprika ½ tsp butter ¼ onion, sliced 5 mushrooms (approx), sliced 1 cup of peas 200ml/7 fl oz water pinch rosemary 2 fresh mint leaves or pinch dried mint 1 fresh sage leaf or pinch dried sage pinch freshly ground black pepper 30ml/1 fl oz soured cream finely grated rind of ½ orange 100ml orange juice
Makes approx 18 portions. Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°/350°F/Gas mark 4. 2. Sprinkle the lamb with the paprika and cook in a frying pan until browned on all sides. 3. Place the lamb into an oven-proof dish. 4. Sauté the onions, peas and mushrooms in the butter until tender. 5. Add the water , orange juice, herbs and pepper and pour over the lamb. 6. Cover and cook in the oven until the lamb is tender (about 1 hour). 7. Stir the soured cream and orange rind into the mixture. 9. Blend as necessary and serve! 10. Freeze the rest for your convenience. The lamb is superb for the iron content and with the vitamin C in the orange it is sure to be absorbed easily by your baby‟s body.
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Couscous Chicken Couscous provides a pleasant alternative to pasta or potatoes. It‟s actually a perfect consistency without blending. But you‟d need to blend the rest of the ingredients.
Ingredients: 1 chicken breast Knob of butter 2 carrots 1 red onion 1 parsnip 1 small turnip 100g couscous 100ml (3 fl oz) diluted chicken stock
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Peel and dice all the vegetables. 2. Dice the chicken. 3. Warm the butter in a pan then add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes then add the chicken and cook for another 5 minutes until just cooked through. 4. While you are waiting for the chicken put the parsnip, turnip and carrot into a pan of boiling water and cook for 10 minutes until tender. 5. Boil the stock add the couscous then remove from the heat cover and leave for about 5 minutes until all the stock has been soaked up. Fluff with a fork and add the chicken and vegetables. 6. Blend to the desired consistency. Spoon into Freezer Pods to be used for baby’s future mealtimes. Root vegetable such as carrots, parsnips and turnips are among the sweetest vegetables out there, so this recipe is bound to go down a treat.
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Paprika Pork This recipe contains baked beans which are only really suitable in this late stage of weaning because of their high sugar content. But I do feel that they really add to the flavour of this recipe and the nutritional value of the beans themselves outweighs the extra sugar.
Ingredients: 175g lean pork 1 carrot 1 potato 1 small onion ¼ red pepper ¼ green cabbage Dash of olive oil Pinch paprika ½ can baked beans 150ml/5 fl oz water ½ cup of rice 50g sour cream
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4, then cut the pork into small pieces. Peel and chop the vegetables. Heat the oil in an oven proof dish and seal the pork. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 5 minutes. Then add the paprika, the beans and the water and bring to the boil. Put in the oven for about an hour or until the pork is tender. Mash or blend to the desired consistency. Serve to your baby and freeze the rest in your freezer pods.
Green leafy vegetables such as cabbage provide a great source of iron. Wean Meister recipes have a lot of ingredients. This is why they are so flavoursome and highly nutritious.
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Tasty Chicken and Beans A double dose of protein for all those growing babies!
Ingredients: 1tbsp olive oil 2 boneless chicken breasts 1 onion, sliced 1 Capsicum A knob of butter ½ tbsp flour 60ml/2 fl oz diluted chicken stock 1 tin of tomatoes 1 tin of beans and sweetcorn, drained Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the chicken until golden brown. Place the chicken into an oven-proof dish. SautĂŠ the onions in the butter until tender, then stir in the flour. Slowly add the stock, and then bring to the boil. Add the tomatoes, beans, sweetcorn and black pepper. Bring to the boil again, and then pour over the chicken. Cover, and then cook in the oven for 45 mins. Allow to cool before putting into Freezer Pods. You could experiment with any type of beans: butter beans, baked beans, any type you fancy. I buy a can of 4 beans mix at the supermarket, and the sweetcorn makes them even tastier.
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Beef and Noodle Dinner This is a highly flexible dinner. Just substitute different meats, or different pasta or noodle types, or different vegetables. There must be hundreds of combinations that would all be nutritionally very sound!
Ingredients: 200g cubed beef 100g noodles 60g frozen peas 1 carrot, peeled and diced 1 celery stick, peeled and diced 2tbsp water 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Cook whole wheat or plain egg noodles according to the directions on the packet. (You could use rice or pasta instead of the noodles). SautĂŠ the beef in a knob of unsalted butter in a large pan. Add and mix in the peas, carrot and celery. Add and mix in the water and the tomato paste. (Tomato paste is optional and should be left out for babies under 10 months old, using milk and butter will make a creamy mix in the place of the tomato paste). Put into the blender and puree to the desired consistency. Serve baby and freeze the rest! You should get in the habit of thinking is there a meat or protein? Are there carbohydrate? Like potatoes or noodles. Is there at least 2 vegetables? If you answer yes to all of these questions, you have prepared a great nutritious meal for baby.
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Strawberry, Kiwi and Pear Crumble Crumble is delicious hot or cold and even better with a dollop of custard or icecream. If only us grown-ups could burn calories as quickly!
Ingredients: 4 Pears 2 Kiwis 10 strawberries 4 tbsp caster sugar 3 tbsp ground almonds Crumble Topping: 150g (5 oz) plain flour 75g (3 oz) sugar A tiny pinch of salt 100g (4 oz) cold butter, cut into pieces 50g (2 oz) ground almonds
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C / 400F / Gas 6. To make the topping, mix the flour together with the sugar and salt in a bowl and rub in the butter using your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 2. Mix in the ground almonds. 3. Cut the pear and kiwi into small pieces not larger than half an inch and halve the strawberries. 4. Mix the fruit together with the sugar and spoon into each of the seven portions of a freezer pod, until just over half full. 5. Cover the fruit with the crumble topping and bake in the oven for about 30 minutes. 6. Make sure you press the fruit and the crumble down and fill up to the top, because the size will reduce when cooked. 7. Desserts freeze just as nicely as dinners. Kiwi is quite acidic and not highly recommended when babies are young. However, after baking for 30 minutes with the other fruit, it will be perfectly safe and delicious.
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Yummy Rice Pudding So simple, you‟d be crazy not to try it!
Ingredients: 100g (4 oz) pudding rice 900ml/20 fl oz (1.5 pint) milk 3 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp vanilla essence
Makes approx 18 portions. Method: 1. Put the rice, milk, vanilla essence and sugar into a saucepan. 2. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 – 35 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Wait for it to cool before putting into Freezer Pods ready for a dessert that can be enjoyed every day. Boost the nutritional value – You could stew some fruit and mix this in at the end. Strawberries, prunes, apricots work well.
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