QUINOA

The more baby food blogs/articles/books/magazines I read, the more I see about this increasingly popular "super food" for babies. This is a great additional source of protein. We've tried a couple of recipes that call for quinoa and Caeden has loved them. So... here are some I found from Homemade Baby Food Recipes. I've been using this site regularly for new recipes.



Creamy Quinoa Breakfast

1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 ripe pear, peeled, cored and diced
1 drop of vanilla
4 fl oz (1/2 cup) natural yogurt
2 oz (1/4 cup) cooked quinoa

Steam the apple and pear dice, then puree with the vanilla in a blender.
Reduce the heat and simmer gently, covered, for 5 mins.
Mix the fruit puree with the yogurt, then stir in the quinoa and serve.




Easy Quinoa and Banana Breakfast

4 oz (1/2 cup) cooked quinoa
1/2 ripe banana
4 fl oz (1/2 cup) milk - you can use breast milk, formula or whole milk

Blend the milk with the banana and pour into a small saucepan.
Add the quinoa and simmer gently for 5 to 10 mins, until thickened.
Puree if desired.

Variations: Add a little chopped dried fruit at the start of the cooking time - apricots taste great!




Pretty Pink Quinoa

1 medium beet (beetroot), peeled and diced
1 small apple, peeled and diced
4 oz (1/2 cup) cooked quinoa

Steam the beet cubes and apple until tender, then puree together in a food processor.
Stir in the cooked quinoa and serve!




Sweet and Savoury Vegetable Quinoa

This is quite a textured dish, ideal for babies who are already chewing.

8 oz (1 cup) quinoa, cooked in vegetable broth

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp diced zucchini/courgette
1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 spring onion/green onion/scallion, chopped
1 tbsp raisins
1 tbsp chopped, dried apricots

Soak the raisins and dried apricots in warm water to soften them.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan/skillet.
Saute the zucchini and sweet potato dice with the onion until golden.
Stir in the cooked quinoa, raisins and dried apricots.
Serve warm - mmm!




Easy Quinoa Curry

This recipe is ideal from around 10 months of age.

4 oz (1/2 cup) cooked quinoa

1 small onion
olive oil
1 clove garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger, crushed
6 oz (3/4 cup) cannellini beans
1/2 tsp curry powder
6 oz (3/4 cup) canned tomatoes, chopped

Heat the oil in a frying pan/skillet and saute the onion for 2 mins.
Add the garlic and ginger and saute for 2 mins more.
Stir in the cannellini beans and the curry powder.
Add the tomatoes and cooked quinoa, then lower the heat.
Simmer for 10 mins, then mash well and serve.




Chicken and Quinoa Patties

A wonderfully nutritious finger food for older babies!

8 oz (1 cup) ground chicken
1/2 sweet potato
1 medium apple
1 garlic clove
1/2 small onion
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 oz (1/4 cup) cooked quinoa
pinch dried thyme

Peel the sweet potato, apple, garlic and onion and grate them together into a bowl.
Stir in the ground chicken, beaten egg yolk, quinoa and thyme and mix thoroughly.
Divide the mixture into balls, then press with your hands into 1/2 inch thick patties.
Cook under the grill/broiler for 10 mins each side, until cooked through.

If you want to prepare some of these in advance for future use, then freeze the patties BEFORE cooking them!



Nutritious Quinoa Meatballs

Another great finger food idea!

1/2 lb lean ground beef
4 oz (1/2 cup) cooked quinoa
2 oz (1/2 cup) grated carrot
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tbsp applesauce
pinch dried thyme

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F (200 deg C).
Mix all the ingredients together and form into 1 inch meatballs with your hands.
Cook for around 15 mins, unitl the meat is done.
Serve warm, storing excess meatballs in the freezer.