Mum of three, expert in baby-led weaning, and creator of popular lifestyle app – Baby Led Weaning Cookbook App – Natalie Peall shares three recipes from her new cookbook Tiny Tastebuds.

Apple, Pear and cinnamon mini muffins (main image)

My kids love making these ‘throw-it-all-in’ mini muffins with me. They watch, fascinated, as the ingredients whizz up, before miraculously turning into delicious little cakes before their very eyes. Ideal for stocking up your freezer stash with minimal effort.

Makes 24 portions | Prep + cook time: 20 mins

Ingredients

– 1 apple, peeled and roughly diced
– 1 pear, peeled and roughly diced
– 2 medium eggs
– 80ml (23⁄4fl oz/1/3 cup) whole (full-fat) milk
– 80ml (23⁄4fl oz/1/3 cup) maple syrup or fruit purée1
– 80g (61⁄2oz/11⁄2 cups) self-raising (self-rising) flour
– Oats, for sprinkling (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas mark 6, and grease a 24-hole mini-muffin tray or line with muffin cases. Put all of the ingredients, except the oats, into a food processor and blend to create a smooth batter. Divide the mixture evenly between your prepared mini-muffin cups, sprinkle with oats (if using) and place in the oven for 15 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean. Serve once cooled.

Allergy swaps: For a dairy allergy, swap the milk for soya, oat, coconut, breast or formula milk. For an egg allergy, swap the eggs for 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed stirred into 6 tablespoons water. For a gluten intolerance, swap the flour for a gluten-free variety.

One-Pan Cod Curry

Discover the delight of a 20-minute fish curry – the ultimate solution for hectic days when you crave a nourishing meal for your little one without a lot of hassle or washing up. This is a luscious, velvety and heartwarming dish, perfect for a family dinner. For grown-ups, a small pinch of salt really elevates the dish.

Makes 4 portions | Prep + cook time: 20 mins 

Discover the delight of a 20-minute fish curry – the ultimate solution for hectic days when you crave a nourishing meal for your little one without a lot of hassle or washing up. This is a luscious, velvety and heartwarming dish, perfect for a family dinner. For grown-ups, a small pinch of salt really elevates the dish.

Ingredients 

– 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 3 yellow (bell) peppers, deseeded and very thinly sliced 
– 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 x 400ml (14oz)tins of coconut milk 
– 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste (see Note) 
– 1 tablespoon tomato puree (paste) 
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional) 
– Pinch of ground black pepper 
– 4 x 125g cod fillets sliced Full-fat natural yoghurt,to serve 

Directions
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a high heat. Add the peppers and garlic and fry for 5 minutes until softened. Add the remaining ingredients, except the yoghurt, to the saucepan and stir gently to combine. Lower the heat to medium and let the dish simmer gently for 10 minutes, or until the cod is cooked through and starting to flake. Once cooked, test the spiciness of the dish and stir as much yoghurt as needed into each portion as you serve (see Note).

Allergy swaps: For a dairy allergy, swap the yoghurt for a soya, coconut or oat alternative.

Note: The spice and salt levels of Thai red curry pastes can vary between brands. You may not need to add yoghurt, or you may need to add several tablespoons. Some babies love spice – experiment, and test your baby’s reaction. This curry is great served with rice – for babies, I recommend stirring the rice into the curry to make it thicker, so it’s easier to grip.

Berry oat yoghurt cups

Indulge in these clever yoghurt-filled oat cups that are packed with goodness! Oats offer a wealth of nutrition, with their abundance of vitamins, minerals, and fibre, while yoghurt brings essential proteins and calcium, aiding your baby’s growth.

Makes 12 portions | Prep + cook time: 20 mins

Indulge in these clever yoghurt-filled oat cups that are packed with goodness! Oats offer a wealth of nutrition, with their abundance of vitamins, minerals and fibre, while yoghurt brings essential proteins and calcium, aiding your baby’s growth.

Ingredients

– 180g (6½oz/2 cups) oats 1 x 100g (3½oz/scant ½ cup) berry fruit puree pouch or Pink Puree Cubes 
– 2 tablespoons maple syrup (optional) 
– 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
– 12 tablespoons full-fat natural yoghurt 
– 75g (2¾oz/½ cup) mixed berries, finely chopped

Directions
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/ Gas mark 6, and grease a 12-hole muffin tray or line with muffin cases. Pour the oats, fruit puree, maple syrup (if using) and cinnamon into a bowl and stir well to combine. Add 1 heaped tablespoon of the mix into each muffin cup, using your thumb to press and pack the oat mixture into the sides and base of each cup.

Place the muffin tray into the oven to bake for 12-15 minutes until golden. Alternatively, air-fry at 160°C/325° F for 12 minutes. Once cooked, allow the cups to cool before carefully removing them from the tray. The longer you leave the cups to cool and firm up, the easier it will be to remove them. Fill each cup with a tablespoon of yoghurt and top with a sprinkling of chopped berries. If you plan to freeze the cups, do so before adding the yoghurt and fruit topping.

Allergy swaps: For a dairy allergy, swap the yoghurt for a soya, coconut or oat alternative. For a gluten intolerance, use gluten-free oats.  

Tiny Tastebuds by Natalie Peall. Published by Greenfinch (An imprint of Quercus) £20.