Festive Roasted Vegetable Mash (V)
Christmas is just around the corner and I have some cracking recipes for you to treat your little ones to this season. So keep an eye on my blog over the next month where I'll be publishing festive recipes with a twist in the run up to Christmas. And here's one of my most popular recipes - Festive Roasted Vegetable Mash suitable for babies 7 months and up. Loaded with traditional Christmas flavours for baby – apples, rosemary, carrots and parsnips with a hint of Indian spices. SuperFoods included – olive oil, garlic, carrot, parsnip SuperSpices included – black pepper, cumin
Roasting vegetables are a fabulous way to maintain flavour and nutrients so you can be rest assured your little one will reap the health benefits of this meal. The vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) from the carrots, and cumin, both help to support the development of a strong and healthy immune system.
Makes 1-2 servings. Total preparation and cooking time: 25-30mins. Suitable for freezing.
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp. olive oil
- ¼ tsp. minced garlic
- Pinch of ground black pepper
- Pinch of cumin
- 1 x carrot – sliced (diagonally) into 1cm pieces
- 1 x parsnip – sliced (diagonally) into 1cm pieces
- 1 x sprig of rosemary
- Pure apple juice
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 220C/ 425F/ gas mark 7.
Add the olive oil, garlic, black pepper and cumin into a bowl and mix. Then add the vegetables to the bowl and use your hands to mix the vegetables to coat them with the seasoning.
Lay the vegetables flat on top of a foil-covered baking tray and add 2 small branches of rosemary (broken off the sprig), on either side of the tray for a light flavour whilst roasting.
Place the baking tray on the middle shelf of the oven and roast for 20-25mins until tender. Ensure you turn over the vegetables half way and when you do, take in that gorgeous waft of Christmas coming out of the oven.
Note: the amount of time the vegetables take to roast depends on their thickness i.e. chunkier vegetables will take longer, equally thin cut vegetables will be quicker.
Once tender, remove from the oven and take out the rosemary branches. Mash or puree as necessary and use as much apple juice as required to loosen the mash. Serve to baby warm.
