Babyfood: Raspberry & Quinoa Breakfast Bites

These breakfast bites are a quick breakfast that can be batch cooked in the weekend to use on busy weekdays. Quinoa is a lovely grain for babies as it is nutrient dense with protein, fibre, magnesium, iron, and folate. Adding the summer flavour of raspberry adds a summer “yum” factor to the recipe. If you don’t have quinoa in the house, you can substitute quinoa with rolled oats.

Ingredients

½ cup cooked quinoa

1 ripe banana

10-12 fresh (or frozen) raspberries

2 tsp chia seeds

¼ tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Grease and line a small tin tray (around 15-20 cm by 15-20 cm)
3. Cook ½ cup quinoa with 1 cup of water for 10-12 mins until soft.
4. While quinoa is cooking, mash the banana and raspberries together with vanilla extract.
5. Mix chia seeds into the mashed banana and raspberries and leave until chia seeds go soft (about 5-7 mins)
6. Mix the quinoa with the mashed banana mixture and then spoon into the tin tray. Spread out evenly.
7. Cook in the oven for 30 mins or until golden brown.
8. Leave to cool in the pan and then cut into small hand-sized finger lengths.
9. Can be kept in the fridge for 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Jennifer Douglas is a registered dietitian with over 18 years of experience working with families as an expert on baby and child nutrition. Jenny runs clinics in Dunedin or sees families online to help manage food allergies/intolerances, reflux, gut problems, growth issues, fussy eating, and mealtime battles with simple and practical advice so that your family can eat well. For more information head to jumpstartnutrition.co.nz or Facebook: Facebook.com/JenniferDouglasDietitian and @jumpstart_kids_nutrition_nz on Instagram.