Next time you have leftovers, try my chocolate quinoa brownies
The baby Irishman is growing like a weed and weaning is in full swing! I am not sure how much he is actually eating as I seem to find an awful lot in his hair and ears at bath time. Also, Arloe (the very happy puppy) is getting somewhat round, so I suspect it’s not as much as I think.
Still, Atticus is happily tasting, squeezing, sharing and throwing his food, which is exactly what we want at this stage.
I know we ask bigger children not to play with their food, but as a baby this is so important.
Letting them explore different textures, flavours and scents is so good for their development and to foster a happy curiosity around food in general.
Should we let them throw their food? Well it is one way that they are able to communicate that they are done.
However, if you are not OK with projectile carrots, then you can gentle discourage any launching of unwanted vegetables.
When the girls were little, I did purée all the way. It worked fine until we started working in bits of chicken and meat, when they rebelled against the texture.
They eventually turned into two little carnivores, but it was tricky to balance their meals for a while.
These days, baby-led weaning is on the scene and despite how scary it looks, babies have a spectacular time enjoying much larger pieces of food, such as strips of steak and whole florets of broccoli.
Of course, they are not chewing them completely, or swallowing everything, but it’s amazing how well they are able to navigate them.
By combining purée with these larger pieces, babies have a much better exposure to texture from a young age.
This tends to help prevent fussy eating at a later age — or so the theory goes. Right now, this little leprechaun will eat anything. Long may it continue!
So far his favourite meal has been baby Bolognese mixed in with some peas and quinoa.
The quinoa was a hit by itself, too, which makes for a very happy house. The girls love it, so it’s helpful to have it as a staple on the menu.
Recently, I’ve started making a little extra so that we can make these quinoa brownies too with the leftovers.
This is such a great recipe for when you need a gluten or flour-free option. These are dairy-free, too, so handy for allergies all round.
Next time you have leftovers, give these a try. They are so delicious!
Chocolate quinoa brownies
Blender mix: (All ingredients at room temp.)
⅓ cup unsweetened plant based milk
4 large eggs
1 tsp real vanilla extract
2 cups soaked/rinsed, cooked and cooled quinoa
¾ cup avocado oil
Dry mix:
1 cup sucanat (or brown sugar if you can’t find sucanat)
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life which are GMO, dairy and gluten free)
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Method: (preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8x8 baking tin, rectangular would work fine too.)
1, Soak the quinoa for 2 hours ideally. Then rinse and cook the quinoa until tender. I tend to boil it in lots of water like pasta. Drain well. Allow to cool.
2, Put all blender ingredients in the blender. Blend into a rich and smooth consistency. The smoother the better!
3, Whisk the dry ingredients together well in a large bowl.
4. Add the contents of the blender to the bowl and use a hand whisk to combine (makes the mix light!)
5, Pour the batter into the baking tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 45 mins (mine was still moist in the middle at this stage.)
6, Allow to cool for a few minutes. Can be served warm.
• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns BA Hons, Dip ION, BNTA is a fully qualified Nutritional Therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in Britain. Join Catherine on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nutrifitandnaturalnutritionbermuda or instagram @naturalbda