If you need some baby-led weaning inspiration, Annabel Karmel’s latest book should serve you well. We’ve chosen three finger food recipes from Finger Foods for Babies & Toddlers to serve up to your little one.
Banana, Apple and Sultana Pancakes
I’m a fan of all kinds of pancakes – they are quick, super versatile, and you can add a multitude of nutritious ingredients. Packed with protein thanks to the Greek yogurt, flip a batch of these to fuel your baby and the whole family!
Ingredients:
1 egg, beaten
100g self-raising flour
75ml whole milk
150g Greek yogurt
1 overripe banana, mashed
1 small apple, peeled and grated
50g sultanas
Sunflower oil, for cooking
Measure the egg, flour, milk, yogurt, banana, and apple into a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the sultanas.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add tablespoons of the mixture and fry over a medium heat for 2–3 minutes on both sides, until lightly golden and cooked through.
Allow the pancakes to cool fully, then freeze any leftover pancakes between sheets of greaseproof paper in a rigid freezer container.
It’s important to chop the sultanas for babies under the age of two as they can be a choking hazard.
Energy Balls – three ways
Suitable from 18 months
My power-packed porridge oat energy balls provide a slow release of energy to fuel busy days of play. Here are three tasty ways to serve them; from a healthy take on carrot cake that Peter Rabbit would be proud of, to power-packed snap, crackle, and peanut butter pops!
Apricot and coconut energy balls – Makes 12 balls
100g soft pitted dates, chopped
6 tbsp boiling water
75g soft dried apricots, chopped
40g pecan nuts, chopped
100g porridge oats
25g desiccated coconut
4 tbsp sunflower oil
Put the dates and boiling water into a heatproof bowl and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Put the date mixture into a food processor and blend untilsmooth. Add the remaining ingredients and whizz until the mixture comes together.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into small balls.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in a plastic freezer container for 2–3 months. When needed, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Carrot cake energy balls – makes 16 balls
100g (31⁄2oz) soft pitted dates, chopped
6 tbsp boiling water
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1 apple, peeled and grated
100g (31⁄2oz) porridge oats
40g (11⁄2oz) desiccated coconut, plus extra for coating
50g (13⁄4oz) raisins
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄2 tsp mixed spice
3 tbsp sunflower oil
Put the dates and boiling water into a heatproof bowl and allow to stand for 5 minutes.
Put the date mixture into a food processor and whizz until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and whizz again until finely chopped and the mixture comes together.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into small balls. Spread the coconut out on a plate, then roll the balls in the coconut to coat. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in a plastic freezer container for 2–3 months.
When needed, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Peanut butter and cranberry energy balls – makes 12 balls
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
125g (41⁄2oz) porridge oats
50g (13⁄4oz) dried cranberries, chopped
25g (scant 1oz) desiccated coconut
15g (1⁄2oz) toasted rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Put all the ingredients into a food processor and whizz until finely chopped and the mixture has come together.
Using your hands, shape the mixture into 12 small balls.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze in a plastic freezer container for 2–3 months. When needed, thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.
Cottage Pie Bites – makes 15 bites
Suitable from 7 months
Say hello to my tasty twist on the classic cottage pie – easy for pint-sized tots to manage yet jam-packed with all the comforting flavours of a traditional pie.
Ingredients:
2 tsp sunflower oil, plus extra for frying
1 small onion, finely chopped
80g carrot, peeled and finely diced
175g lean minced beef
1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme
2 tsp tomato purée
A few drops of Worcestershire sauce (optional)
150g cold mashed potatoes
25g Parmesan, finely grated
1 egg yolk
25g panko breadcrumbs
Heat the 2 teaspoons sunflower oil in a frying pan. Add the onion and carrot and fry over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes.
Add the beef and fry until browned. Add the thyme and tomato purée and cook for 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
Add the Worcestershire sauce, cold mashed potatoes, Parmesan, and egg yolk to the meat. Mix well, then using your hands, shape the mixture into 15 small log shapes. Roll in the panko breadcrumbs.
Heat a little oil in a large frying pan. Add the bites and fry on all sides until golden. Allow to cool a little before serving.
To freeze, allow to cool fully, then arrange on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment and freeze for 2–3 hours until solid. Once frozen, pack into a plastic freezer container or a sealed freezer bag. When needed, thaw in the fridge overnight.
Whether you’re starting your baby-led weaning journey or looking to expand your toddler’s menu, Annabel Karmel’s Finger Foods for Babies and Toddlers offers everything you need to make mealtimes successful, nutritious, and stress-free.
Book Cover Image: © Anthony Duncan
Finger Foods by Annabel Karmel is out 6 February (DK)
