Mums and Babies

Baby Shepherd’s Pie

Some recipes for adults can be used to feed a baby, in smaller portions and cut or mashed up small. However, many recipes should be tailored to meet the nutritional needs and palate sensitivities of the weaning baby specifically.

The following weaning recipe is for a family favourite: Shepherd’s pie, including a medley of vegetables to meet nutritional requirements and with toned down flavors to please baby’s digestive system and palate.

Baby should be old enough to have been previously introduced to milk and tomatoes before attempting this recipe

Ingredients

• Olive oil
• 1 lb ground lamb or beef
• 1 small onion, finely diced
• 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
• 1 zucchini/courgette, finely diced
• 14 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 C cauliflower florets
• 1 T butter
• 3 T milk or plain yogurt

Method
Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F
Place a large sauce pan of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook white and sweet potatoes for about ten minutes, then add the cauliflower florets and continue to cook for about 10 minutes more.
Once vegetables are soft, drain well and mash with butter, milk or yogurt and set aside.
As potatoes/cauliflower are cooking, brown ground meat in a heavy frying pan over medium high heat until it is light brown in colour. Drain fat and set aside.
Heat up the olive oil in a frying pan and gently cook onion, carrot and zucchini/courgette until they are soft, about 10 minutes on medium heat.
Stir in the canned tomatoes and juices
Add meat into vegetable mixture and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes.
Pour meat and vegetable mixture into a casserole dish or, into individual oven-proof dishes or ramekins (for easy freeze and future use), spoon mashed vegetable mixture on the top and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the top is slightly golden.
Cool well and test heat before serving Shepherd’s pie to baby.