Courgette, Spinach & Cheese Muffins

I’m a big fan of finger foods, especially ones that are quick to make and packed full of nutrition – courgette, carrots and spinach with the added hit of cheese for that moreishness…oooh these’ll be a hit in your household too if my family are anything to go by!

Adelyn literally bounces and makes strained squealing sounds when she sees me coming with these. Just like her Papa.

Remember – babies under 1 years old shouldn’t have salt added to their food as their kidneys aren’t mature enough to process it efficiently so there’s no need to season this. The cheese contains enough savoury flavour to satisfy even an adult’s palate.

INGREDIENTS

225g self-raising flour

1tsp baking powder

1 carrot – peeled and grated

1 small courgette – washed and grated

80g mature cheddar, grated

2 handfuls of spinach, chopped

1 egg, beaten

45g unsalted butter, melted

120ml milk

• Preheat your oven to 180C (fan) and lightly grease a muffin tray with butter or oil. You can use muffin cases if you like.
• Pop your dry ingredients into a big bowl – so your flour, baking powder, cheese, carrot, courgette and spinach – and mix together.
• Then add your wet ingredients one at a time, mixing after each addition – so the egg, butter and then the milk. You should have a thick and pleasingly colourful batter.
• Pop a generous tablespoon of the mixture into your prepared muffin tray – you should have enough for 12.
• Bake for 20-25mins, until golden brown on top and your chosen poking testing implement comes out clean (toothpick, uncooked spaghetti, actual poker tester thing etc.)
• Leave them to cool slightly, if you can bear the wait.

FREEZING TIP: These freeze well in an airtight container or baggy. You can warm them up in the oven from frozen for 15mins (or leave to defrost) to enjoy all over again.

Adelyn using two hands to devour hers – a sign of enjoyment!

Baby Weaning Recipe: Salmon Fish Pie

If you’re looking for a delicious way to introduce your baby to fish, look no further than this creamy and comforting dish!

Fish is a great source of protein and Omega-3s (essential for brain development amongst other things). Buy the best salmon you can afford – be conscious that too much fish could be a bad thing due to things like mercury levels etc.

Giving your little one fish twice a week is the perfect amount to reap the benefits.

Inspired by the Truuuly Scrumptious Book of Organic Purees

Ingredients:

For the sauce

1 fillet of salmon (approx. 155g)

360ml whole milk

30g unsalted butter

30g plain flour

4 broccoli florets

2 tbsp of tinned sweetcorn (pref the low salt ones)

For the mash

55g mature cheddar cheese, grated

300g potatoes, peeled and diced

20g butter

40ml whole milk (or enough to make your mash smooth)

• Pop the fillet into a pan and cover with the milk, bringing it to a boil. (I took the skin off of the fillet first but you can also do this after it’s cooked). Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 10-15mins till it’s cooked through and flakes easily.
• Use a slotted spoon or what-have-you to take the cooked salmon out of the pan and reserve the milk – you’ll need it for the cheesey sauce!
• Once the salmon has cooled to the touch, make it baby-friendly and remove the skin and flake into small pieces, remove any bones.
• Make the mash – add your potatoes to a pan and heat up to boiling. Reduce to simmer  and cook for 15-20mins till they’re soft and mashable. Add the broccoli for the final 10-15mins. Once cooked, drain the water and scoop out the broccoli so that you can mash the potatoes with the butter and milk.
• Whilst the potatoes are cooking though, you can get on with the important cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a pan (I used a non-stick saucepan) on a low heat. Gradually add the flour to combine – it’ll start to bubble – and just leave to cook on this low heat for a couple of minutes.
• Remove from the heat and gradually add the reserved milk – stir constantly please as you’ll want this smooth.
• Return the pan to the heat and slowly bring it back up to boiling – continue stirring throughout as the sauce will quickly thicken. Once it’s the consistency of thick custard, take off the heat again and stir in the grated cheese.
• Chop up the broccoli and sweetcorn into little bits, then add to the cheese sauce along with the salmon.
• You can either add the mash and stir in, or blend the whole lot together (the above photo was stirred in).
• Serve up one portion and chill/freeze the rest.

Hopefully your little one will enjoy this as much as we did!