COCONUT AND CARDAMOM RICE PUDDING (image above)

PREP: 3 minutes prep
COOK: 30 minutes (20 minutes if you use white rice)
SERVES: 2 adults and a baby
Ideal first food

Rice pudding, for me, is the ultimate comfort food. This version is made with coconut milk so it is dairy-free but just as creamy and delicious as regular rice pudding. I’ve also made it with a mix of brown rice and quinoa to up the protein and fibre content. It tastes great on its own, but to make it even more decadent you could add some berry compote, apple sauce or mango chia jam.

INGREDIENTS
1 x 400ml can of coconut milk
6 tbsp brown rice, rinsed well
3 tbsp whole quinoa
1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1. Put all the ingredients into a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
2. Turn down to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes until the coconut milk is mostly absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
3. Spoon into bowls and serve warm (wearing PJs for maximum comfort!).
4. Add some toppings if you like or a squeeze of maple syrup for the adults.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
If you don’t like coconut milk you can make this with any regular milk of your choice. It won’t be as naturally sweet so you will almost certainly want to add a topping.

MEXICAN BOWL

PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 25 minutes
MAKES: 1 adult and 1 baby
Best for 8 months+

Black beans and guacamole are a delicious combination in this easy and quick Buddha bowl. If your baby has mastered their pincer grasp you can leave the beans whole, otherwise gently mash them first.

INGREDIENTS
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into cubes or batons
1 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp quinoa
½ x 400g can of cooked black or kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ a cucumber, cut into batons
½ cup/70g sweetcorn kernels (canned or frozen, drained and defrosted, if needed)
Juice of ½ a lime
Small handful of coriander, roughly chopped

OPTIONAL TOPPINGS FOR ADULT PORTION
Small fresh chilli, chopped
Salt

GUACAMOLE
1 avocado
¼ tsp garlic granules or powder
Juice of ½ a lime
3 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
Few sprigs of coriander, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan/400˚F.
2. Put the sweet potatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with the olive oil and roast for 25 minutes until they are cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to the packet instructions and then set aside.
4. To make the guacamole, mash the avocado with the garlic and lime juice. Add the tomatoes then stir them into the avocado mixture along with the coriander.
5. Assemble the bowls with the quinoa, a generous serving of the guacamole, the beans and all the veggies.
6. Squeeze over the lime juice and sprinkle with a few bits of coriander.
Add the chilli and salt to your bowl, if you like.

MAGIC CURRY

PREP: 15 minutes
COOK: 30 minutes
SERVES: 2 adults and 2 smalls
Ideal first food

Magic curry got its name because it was the first curry my son ever ate. It’s a perfect introduction to curry – a slightly sweet sauce with warm spices running through. This is a very easy store-cupboard curry and it freezes well so it’s ideal to make up a batch on a rainy afternoon to add to your freezer stash.

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 cm fresh ginger, grated
¼ head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
½ sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1cm cubes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 x 400g can coconut milk
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
Yoghurt, lemon or lime juice, chilli flakes and salt, to serve (optional)

1. Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan on a low heat until melted and then add the mustard seeds.
2. When you hear the mustard seeds start to pop, add the onion. Cook the onion for about 10 minutes until soft.
3. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for two minutes.
4. Add the cauliflower and sweet potato, along with the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and curry powder, and cook for a few more minutes.
5. Then add the chickpeas, coconut milk and tomatoes.
6. Cook the curry for about 25 minutes until the vegetables are cooked.
7. For young and spoon-fed babies, gently mash or blend their portion. Once your baby’s pincer grasp is developed you can leave the curry with more texture for them to pick up chickpeas, vegetables etc.
8. Serve with quinoa, rice or a flatbread, a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of yoghurt.
9. Add salt and fresh chilli to adult portions.

SUBSTITUTIONS:
I’ve written the recipe using cauliflower and sweet potato but you can replace these with any other vegetables you like. You can also add some greens towards the end of cooking; spinach and/or peas are both delicious, and they only take 5 minutes to cook.

By Rachel Boyett, photography by Tania Dolvers, available from 12 March 2020, Penguin, £14.99;

littleveggieeats.com

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