5 special “finger food” recipe ideas to introduce baby to DME

Coral lentil galette: a DME recipe for the whole family

The coral lentil pancakes, it’s good for the whole family! Rich in fiber and vegetable protein, this legume also contains minerals (iron, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and vitamin B) and antioxidants. It is a very easy food for parents to prepare and for toddlers to eat as part of the DME.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 8 pancakes :

• 100 grams of red lentils (preferably organic)
• 60 grams of flour
• shallot or onion
• olive oil
• spices to vary the flavors (mild curry, paprika or even cumin will go perfectly with these pancakes), sesame seeds or aromatic herbs (thyme, rosemary or coriander for example)

Preparation :

1. Cook the lentils in 250 ml of water according to the packet instructions). Meanwhile, sauté the chopped onion in oil and add it to the lentils after removing the excess water.
2. Add flour and spices. Mix everything well to obtain a compact paste. Form patties with your hands. You can add flour if necessary.
3. Cook them in a non-stick pan with a little olive oil for a few minutes on each side. The patties should remain tender inside.

Baked falafels, suitable for the DME

Prepared with chickpeas, the falafels are delicious and can be enjoyed even with small hands. These exotic flavors will delight the taste buds of baby and the whole family. Rich in fiber, vegetable protein and minerals, chickpeas are very nutritious. They can perfectly replace meat from time to time for a vegetarian meal.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients for 16 falafels:

• 400 grams of cooked or canned chickpeas
• 1 onion
• cilantro
• 1 teaspoon of cumin
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• a little olive oil

Preparation :

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Chop the onion. Put all the ingredients in a robot and mix. The dough should be thick and sticky.
2. Form balls with your hands and place them on a baking sheet covered with a sheet of baking paper. Lightly brush the falafels with olive oil and cook for 20 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. You can serve them with vegetables or a yogurt-based sauce in which you can add a tablespoon of lemon, half a clove of pressed garlic and a little dried mint.

Oven-roasted vegetables: finger food par excellence!

The oven roasted vegetables are a great classic of food diversification led by the child. It’s simple: it works with any vegetable and can be varied with the seasons. You will be able to add color to baby’s plate: orange with carrots, sweet potato and pumpkin; white with parsnip; green with broccoli and zucchini; and even purple with beets.

Vegetables are essential to our diet since they provide us with a plethora of vitamins, copper and even potassium… You can eat them without moderation!

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes (depending on vegetables)

Ingredients :

• seasonal vegetables (ideally)
• a little olive oil
• a pinch of curry (or any other spice according to your taste)
• a pinch of Provencal herbs.

Preparation :

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C.
2. Peel the vegetables and cut the sticks.
3. Decorate them with olive oil, spices and aromatic herbs and cook in the oven for 30 minutes.

All you have to do is taste them with a little meat.

Sweet potato waffles: the DME recipe for gourmets

Who doesn’t love waffles raise your hand! Gourmet, melting and slightly crispy, they can be eaten sweet or savory. As part of the DME, we like to offer them to babies in savory version, with delicious vegetables.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients for 8 waffles:

• 300g sweet potatoes
• 80 grams of flour
• 2 eggs
• A tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 teaspoon yeast
• spices (cumin or curry for example)

Preparation :

1. Start by washing, peeling and chopping the sweet potatoes. Then steam them for about 20 minutes (or 25 minutes steamed) before mashing them.
2. Mix the mashed sweet potatoes with all the ingredients to obtain a smooth paste.
3. Heat the batter in the hot, oiled waffle iron. Baby can enjoy his waffle as soon as it is lukewarm. They will be even better served with fresh (and pasteurized) cheese and mashed avocado.
4. You can also alternate the sweet potato with zucchini, carrots or even spinach.

Mini vegetable flans: a simple finger food recipe to make in DME

Last easy-to-prepare recipe as part of child-led diversification: mini vegetable flans. Baby’s little fingers will love fiddling with (and certainly crumbles) them. You can vary the vegetables according to the seasons. In winter, we recommend broccoli, rich in vitamin K and vitamin C. But you can also add carrots or zucchini.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients :

• between 150 and 200 grams of vegetables of your choice (leftovers, for example)
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• ½ sachet of yeast
• A tablespoon of oil

Preparation

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C. Start by mixing the eggs and the flour, then the yeast and the oil. Then add the vegetables that you have washed, peel and cut into small pieces or grate if they are not leftovers.
2. You can add spices (curry or cumin according to your taste), aromatic herbs (basil, coriander, thyme or rosemary depending on the vegetables chosen) and small pieces of cheese (goat cheese or grated gruyère for example).
3. Prepare your buttered and floured muffin cups (unless you are using silicone moulds). Pour the batter into the molds and bake for 20 minutes at 180°C. It’s ready!

All of these recipes (apart from the roasted vegetables) keep very well in the freezer. Do not hesitate to prepare a larger quantity and save them for later.

All you have to do is introduce your baby to these tasty special “finger food” recipes as part of the DME. All are an excellent way to discover vegetables and vary the pleasures!