I love Autumn cooking, I love all the squash and pumpkin recipes and warming soups and stews that we can start to cook again once the weather starts getting cooler. I thought I would list some of my favourite foods that I cook for my little ones and that are brilliant for baby led weaning as well.
Roast butternut squash soup.
Butternut squash is a favourite with children as it has a sweet taste to it and this soup is scrumptious and it can be easily frozen which is great for busier days when you dont have time to cook.
1 butternut squash
1 sweet potato
1 onion
1 chicken stock cube (can be substituted for vegetable)
2 cloves of garlic
2 desert spoons of paprika
Peel the squash and the sweet potato and pop them in a roasting tin with a little salt and pepper and then roast for half an hour on a high heat until they are soft.
Chop the onion and garlic and lightly saut in a pan until pale. Add the roasted veg, paprika and stock cube and then pop water in to cover. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. Once everything is soft, blend until smooth.
This is such a simple dish but it is healthy and delicious and the perfect meal to come back to after a walk in the fallen leaves. For baby led weaning cut up some soft bread and dip it into the cool soup and let them enjoy. They will be orange by the end of the meal so make sure they are wearing a messy apron from Funky Giraffe!
Celeriac mash.
Celeriac has got to be the ugliest vegetable but it is wonderfully good for you as it is a good source of fibre, and nutrients such as B vitamins and magnesium, and also very tasty! I love topping cottage pie with celeriac mash as it adds another depth of flavour but its also good on its own.
To cook just peel and boil with a little salt and you can mix it with potato for a more filling meal if you wanted. For a great comfort food its lovely sprinkled with grated cheese and a meal your little ones will love!
Apples.
Tis definitely the season for apples and in the UK we have such a fantastic variety of them and there are so many ways to enjoy them. One of my family favourites is apple and cinnamon porridge for breakfast. This is a great start to the day as it keeps you full and is also another way of sneaking another 5 a day in to your little ones diet.
You can prepare the apples in advance and keep in a sealed container in the fridge.
6 large apples (coxs are perfect for this)
Spoonful of cinnamon
Peel and chop the apples and pop them in a saucepan. Put enough water in to cover the bottom of the pan but not too much to cover the apple. You want them about half covered with water. Bring to the boil and then simmer, stirring regularly to make sure they dont burn. If they start sticking then add a little more water. Cook until soft and mush and then add the cinnamon.
Add this to porridge, pancakes or just let your kids eat it with a spoon. You wont need to add any sugar to it as the apples are already sweet.
I would love to hear some of your favourite autumn recipes, feel free to comment on our Facebook wall or send me an email!
