A couple of weeks ago, we brought you the first of our Tasty Meals series – the Red Lentil & White Bean Stew. But being a series, we couldn’t quite stop there, could we? The variety of recipes you can try out with your baby is more expansive than can be believed sometimes, which can sometimes actually make it harder when deciding what to make. That’s why we’re here with another collaboration to help you out with even more ideas.
Today we’re bringing you another amazing recipe created by nutritionist Leah Hackney (Instagram: @kids.nutritionist). ABC Oatmeal is not just simple and quick – it’s packed with flavour and nutrition and even has a few options to help you customise it the way you like (chia seed fans, rejoice!). In fact, this recipe is tasty enough to use for breakfast or dessert – how great is that?
ABC Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1 cup pea milk, soy milk or cow’s milk
1 cup apple sauce
½ medium carrot finely grated (approx. 1/2 cup)
1 cup quick oats
⅓ cup wheat bran flakes*
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Combine milk and finely grated carrot in a saucepan on the stove and cook on low-medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes and bring to a low boil/simmer.
- Add quick oats, wheat bran, apple sauce and cinnamon to the milk and carrot mixture. Reduce heat to low and continue to cook while you stir.
Optional: Add one tablespoon of chia seeds or two tablespoons of oat-based fortified baby cereal.
- Stir until the oats have absorbed the liquid and become soft. If you prefer thinner oatmeal, add 1-2 tablespoons of water or more apple sauce until it reaches your desired consistency.
- Allow to cool and enjoy with your little one!
*Note: If you do not have wheat bran flakes, you can use bran buds, any unsweetened bran flake cereal, or ground flaxseed and blend it in a food processor or blender. Then add to the oatmeal in Step 2 for additional iron and fibre. Be mindful of finding cereals or bran replacements with no added honey and low or no refined sugars.
Servings: Makes approximately three cups of oatmeal.
Suitable from: 6 months+ as long as the allergens dairy and wheat have been introduced.
Storage: Can be kept in the refrigerator in the Haakaa Sealed Glass Storage Jars for up to three days or stored in the freezer in the Haakaa Easy-Freeze Tray for up to three months.
How to offer:
- Responsive spoon-feeding, where baby leans in to take a bite and eat.
- Offer pre-loaded Haakaa spoons for baby to eat/explore.
- Let them explore with their hands and get messy.
Keep in mind that the amount babies eat will vary, so start small with 1-2 tablespoons of food and advance as you learn your baby's hunger/fullness cues.
Nutrition information:
Per 4 ounce (120 ml) Haakaa Glass Storage Jar:
Calories: 110
Total fat: 2.5 g
Sodium: 25 mg
Carbohydrates: 19 g
Dietary fibre: 4 g
Sugar (naturally occurring in fruit): 7 g
Added sugars: 0 g
Protein: 3.5 g
Calcium: 67 mg
Iron: ∼1.5 mg
Potassium: 140 mg
Vitamin A: 680 mcg RAE
Vitamin C: 0.5 mg