Little Veggie Eats: Easy Weaning Recipes for All the Family to Enjoy

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We’re not as DH is not vegetarian and he felt he wanted her to have some meat in her diet and I didn’t really feel strongly enough about it to insist otherwise. However she has only had very small amounts on a couple of occasions and doesn’t really seem a fan and husband isn’t bothered enough to actually shop/ cook separately so I think we’ll end up with her eating mostly if not entirely vegetarian. A. Mum-of-three Rachel Boyett, author of Little Veggie Eats, says: "Cooking meals for all the family to eat is the easiest way to get the whole family eating healthy food. It saves you cooking twice, and it helps to signal to your baby that this is the food to eat. Rather than cooking traditional 'baby food', instead offer normal food that's baby friendly. Sauté the mushrooms in a saucepan with oil or butter. Add the chopped vegetables, basil if used, and an egg or 3. Milk in your scrambled egg? It's your choice. You could even add some leftover cream to make an indulgent vegetarian egg dish. Heat a frying pan greased with a very small quantity of oil, until a drop of the batter starts sizzling. Lower the heat and fry large spoonfuls of the batter until they begin to brown, then turn them to cook the other side. Heat 4 tbs of the oil in the pan. Stir fry the onion, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, vegetarian sausages and mushrooms. When nicely browning, stir in the smoked paprika, cooking a minute more. Remove to a different pan, using a slotted spoon, and keep warm.

Peanut butter makes a great addition to curry (you need to put it in with the oil, before adding water so it goes smooth, not lumpy) After cooking your pasta, drain it and add the vegetables, a ready-made pasta sauce or, for something even healthier, a tin of chopped tomatoes heated with fried garlic, salt, pepper and chilli (if you’re feeling spicy). 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. Now add the kidney beans to the stew and season to taste, then arrange the dumplings on top. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, until the dumplings are light and fluffy. Serve as soon as possible.If pumpkin seeds float your boat, it is easier and more economical to roast larger quantities of them, in an oven if possible. Add salt or your spice preference before roasting. Add the cauliflower and sweet potato, along with the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric and curry powder, and cook for Heat a frying pan on a medium heat (no oil) and sprinkle enough pumpkin seeds into it to cover the surface of the toast as densely as you want. Lightly roast them for a couple of minutes and lower the heat as they start to brown. If this doesn’t appeal, an omelette is another great budget meal for all the family. For omelette, don’t stir your egg mix, just fill with anything from cheese to mushrooms to mint (use plenty of mint for a taste sensation).

Mother of three and lifetime vegetarian, Rachel Boyett was keen to only cook one meal when weaning her first baby, so began to create easy, nutritious recipes that all the family can enjoy. 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.

Serve with quinoa, rice or a flatbread, a squeeze of lime and a spoonful of yoghurt. Add salt and fresh chilli to adult portions. 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. Adapted from a recipe in "Vegetarian Suppers” by Jane Suthering, by Glynnis Chapman. ... and don’t forget to experiment