5 Easy Weaning Recipes by Annabel Karmel

In celebration of British weaning week, we have five exclusive vegetarian weaning recipes from Annabel Karmel.

Using eggs and other easily found ingredients, each recipe has been specially designed to help make meal times extra special during COVID-19.

Egg Brunch Muffins

Makes: 8

Suitable for: 7+ months

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 6 small new potatoes, diced

• 4 British Lion eggs

• 3 tbsp milk

• ½ red pepper, deseeded and finely diced

• 50g frozen peas

• 2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped

• 50g Cheddar cheese, grated

• 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half

• For best results use a 12-hole silicone muffin tray

Method

1. Preheat the oven 180˚C Fan / 400˚ F / Gas 6.

2. Cook the potatoes in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool and dice.

3. Beat the eggs and milk together in a bowl. Add the diced potatoes, red pepper, peas, Cheddar cheese, tomatoes and basil. Mix together.

4. Spoon the mixture into 8 muffin holes. Bake for around 20 minutes until well risen, golden brown and set in the middle.

5. Leave to cool slightly before removing from the muffin trays. Now pack them into their lunchboxes (that goes for grown-ups too!)

Dip Dip Chickpea & Carrot Pancakes

Serves: 2 (makes 6)

Suitable for: 8+ months

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 30g chickpeas

• 30g carrot, peeled and grated

• 2 tbsp basil, chopped

• 20g Parmesan cheese, grated

• 30g self-raising flour

• 50ml milk

• 1 British Lion egg

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

Dippy Egg:

• 2 British Lion eggs at room temperature

Method

1. Put the chickpeas into a processor and whiz until finely chopped.

2. Add the carrot, basil, parmesan, flour, milk and egg. Whiz again until smooth and pour into a bowl.

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add heaped spoonfuls of the mixture and fry for 2-3 minutes each side. You will make about 6 small pancakes. Set aside.

4. Bring a pan of water up to the boil. Add the eggs and boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes so that they are cooked but runny.

5. Remove, place in egg cups and carefully slice the tops off. Slice the pancakes into strips and serve next to the eggs for dunking. and dip in.

Omelette Pinwheels

Serves: 4

Suitable for: 10+ months

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp sunflower oil

• 4 British Lion eggs

• 2 tbsp milk

Filling:

• 3 heaped tbsp cream cheese

• 75g broccoli florets

• 6 cherry tomatoes, chopped

• 50g grated Cheddar cheese

• 9 paper straws, cut in half (to make 18)

Method

1. Beat the eggs and milk together in a jug.

2. Heat the oil in an omelette pan measuring about 20-23cm wide.

3. Pour in 1/3 of the eggs. Swirl around the pan to make an even layer.

4. Cook for 2 minutes until set underneath. Flip over and cook for one minute on the other side. Transfer to a plate.

5. Repeat to make two more then leave to cool.

6. Steam the broccoli for 6 minutes until just cooked. Cool, then finely chop.

7. Put the omelettes flat on a board and spread the cream cheese over the omelettes. Top with the chopped broccoli, tomatoes and Cheddar cheese.

8. Roll-up to make a log shape and then slice each log into 5 to 6 pieces to make snail-like pinwheels.

9. To serve, push each pinwheel onto a straw – kids eat with their eyes and will love this.

Dippy Eggs with Sweet Potato Soldiers

Serves: 2 

Suitable for: 8+ months

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato scrubbed and cut into thick batons

• 2 tbsp oil

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• 2 tbsp finely grated Parmesan cheese

Dippy Egg:

• 2 British Lion eggs at room temperature

Method

1. Preheat the oven 180˚C Fan / 400˚ F / Gas 6.

2. Place the sweet potato batons on a baking tray. Add the oil and cornflour and toss together. Roast for 20 minutes, turning them over after 15 minutes.

3. Add the Parmesan and put them back in the oven for 3 to 4 minutes until the cheese has melted. Then set them aside.

4. Bring a pan of water up to the boil. Add the eggs and boil rapidly for 3-4 minutes so that they are cooked but runny.

5. Remove the eggs, place in egg cups and carefully slice the tops off. Serve with your cheesy veg soldiers for some serious dipping.

Little Chick Scrambled Egg

Serves: 1

Suitable for: 7+ months

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

• Small knob of butter

• 2 British Lion eggs, lightly beaten

• 8 slices of cucumber, cut in half

• ½ red pepper, deseeded – use to cut out the crown, beak and feet

• 1 Olive, 2 thin slices 

Method

1. Beat the eggs in a small bowl. Add the butter and microwave on high for 30 seconds.

2. Remove and stir, then cook for a further 20 seconds.

3. Remove and scramble the lightly cooked eggs with a fork.

4. Spoon onto a plate to make the body of the chick.

5. Add the sliced cucumber for the eyes, wings and grass

6. Add the olive eyeballs and red pepper shapes for the crown, beak and feet. Serve.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has changed its advice on eggs, confirming they are now safe to be eaten runny, and even raw, by vulnerable groups including infants, children and pregnant women as long as they are British Lion.