baby food

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Lemon Herb Fishcakes: The Smart Baby Cookbook – Lauren Cheney

SmartBabyCookbook_cover_SML

Smart Baby Cookbook by Lauren Cheney (Murdoch Books RRP $24.99)

 

Lemon Herb Fish Cakes with Avocado Citrus Sauce

 

Making time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Makes 15 patties

 

 

“Not your average fish patties, these lemon herb salmon cakes will have the fussiest of eaters lining up for more. The citrus sauce adds a silky flavour punch and bite-sized patties are perfect for little mouths.” p136.

 

1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped

415 g (15 oz) tinned pink salmon

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

1 tablespoon lemon zest

2 spring onions (scallions), finely chopped

60 g (2½ oz/1 cup) wholemeal fresh breadcrumbs (GF if desired)

2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet gherkins or pickles

1 large egg, whisked

Olive oil, for cooking

 

Avocado Citrus Sauce

260 g (9¼ oz/1 cup) Greek-style yoghurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ avocado, mashed

1 teaspoon garlic powder

 

Boil the sweet potato in a saucepan of water until tender. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the avocado citrus sauce ingredients in a bowl and keep in the fridge.

Drain the salmon and mash with a fork in a large bowl. Add the parsley, lemon zest, spring onions, cold mashed sweet potato, breadcrumbs, gherkins and egg. Mix everything together. Form the mixture into small round bite-size patties.

Heat some olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Place the salmon patties in the pan and cook for 2–4 minutes on each side until they are heated through and have a golden crust.

 

For Baby:

Serve as finger food with avocado citrus sauce for dipping.

 

All Grown Up:

Season with salt and pepper and serve with avocado citrus sauce and a green salad.

 

Smart Tip

Dill aids digestion and offers anti-inflammatory and antiviral properties.

 

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Post Script: The Smart Baby Cookbook – Lauren Cheney

 

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The Smart Baby Cookbook

Boost your baby’s immunity and brain development

Lauren Cheney

Murdoch Books

ISBN: 9781760631741

 

Description:

A doctor-approved and parent-tested cookbook for increasing your infant’s immunity and brain development.

 

A blueprint for your child’s nutrition and brain health

 

Doctor-approved and parent-tested, the Smart Baby Cookbook helps you give your young one a head-start for a healthy life, beginning with the best first foods, through to finger foods and family meals.

 

Including:

The science behind ‘SMART’ foods and their effects on immunity and brain function

Meal planners organised by baby’s age and stages of development, plus advice for starting solids

Easy-to-make family favourite recipes designed for maximum nutrition

Budget-friendly recipes with minimal prep and no separate cooking required

 

When chef Lauren Cheney’s baby was born with a rare immunity disorder, she threw herself into researching the best foods that could help him thrive. Drawing on advice from child health experts, she developed recipes for nutrient-packed everyday meals. Now with this empowering guide, her advice and recipes are available for families everywhere, helping to nourish the bodies and brains of the little ones we love.

 

**Lauren is launching a Smart Baby food range with a national supermarket chain.

 

My View:

The world of science and nutrition is constantly being updated and I am pleased to find this cookbook is a sensible, easy to follow narrative with recipes that have been created and tested by a real mother (and chef) for her own child –  what more could you ask for?

 

 

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Yellow Peach Crunch: Baby Pip Eats – Amie Harper

Baby Pip Eats

Recipes and Images from Baby Pip Eats by Amie Harper (Murdoch Books) available in all bookshops and online.

YELLOW PEACH CRUNCH

Y IS FOR YELLOW PEACH

 

eat me from: 7–8 months (once chewing developed)
Source of: DIETARY FIBRE, VITAMIN A & C

Serves: 1 BABY AND 2 ADULTS FOR BREAKFAST

 

Steam 3 halved and de-stoned yellow peaches in a steamer for 5 minutes or until soft. Remove the peaches from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Place a peach half into each bowl, top with natural yoghurt and muesli (granola), then top with
another peach half and more yoghurt and muesli. Serve and enjoy immediately.

 

Yellow Peach Crunch

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Chicken Soup: Baby Pip Eats – Amie Harper

Baby Pip Eats

 Recipes and Images from Baby Pip Eats by Amie Harper (Murdoch Books) available in all bookshops and online.

CHICKEN SOUP

C IS FOR CHICKEN

 

eat me from: 7–8 months (once chewing developed)
Source of: iron & Zinc
Serves: 1 baby & family of 4

 

Heat a non-stick sauté pan over medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil or butter. Add 1 washed and chopped leek (pale part only) and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until soft. Add 2 diced carrots, 2 diced celery sticks and 2 tsp chopped thyme. Cook for a further 3 minutes. Add 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) chopped chicken thigh fillets and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 1.5 litres (52 fl oz/6 cups) water or chicken stock (homemade stock is best as it’s less salty, or use a reduced-salt one) and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1–1½ hours. Alternatively you can transfer the mixture to a slow cooker after the stock has been added and cook for 4 hours on the fast setting or 6–8 hours on the slow setting. Remove the chicken from the soup and shred into small pieces. Return the chicken to the soup, stir through, then serve with bread and mashed pumpkin for dipping.

 

Chicken Soup

Try: You can use diced skinless chicken breast fillets instead of thighs; they don’t take as long to cook, so reduce the simmering time to 30 minutes (or until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are soft). I don’t recommend using breast meat if you’re cooking this in a slow cooker, though, as the meat tends to dry out.

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Pumpkin Risotto – Baby Pip Eats – Amie Harper

Baby Pip Eats

 Recipes and Images from Baby Pip Eats by Amie Harper (Murdoch Books) available in all bookshops and online.

Pumpkin Risotto

J is for jap pumpkin

 

eat me from: 7–8 months (once chewing developed)

Source of: beta carotene, iron, vitamin c & Potassium

Serves: 1 baby & family of 4

 

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add 1 diced brown onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add 275 g (9¾ oz/1¼ cups) arborio rice and stir gently for 1 minute. Add 1 litre (35 fl oz/4 cups) chicken stock (homemade is best as it’s less salty, or use a reduced-salt one) and 200 g (7 oz) peeled and chopped jap (kent) pumpkin (squash). Cook, stirring regularly, for 20 minutes or until the rice is al dente and the pumpkin is soft. Remove from the heat and stir through 25 g (1 oz/¼ cup) finely grated parmesan. Serve and enjoy immediately.

 

Try: Substitute butternut squash if jap is unavailable. It has a sweeter flavour
(similar to a mix between pumpkin and sweet potato) that your baby will love.

 

Pumpkin Risotto

 

** my hint –  substitute vegetable stock if you prefer.**