Be a ‘Veggie Sneak’ with Bubble and Squeak!

We often get e mails from worried parents whose babies have started refusing their veggies.

So today’s recipe is a marvellous way to get your tot to tuck into an assortment of healthy vegetables – without even realizing he’s doing it!

So what is bubble and squeak?

Bubble and squeak is an English dish that uses up some of the leftovers from a traditional English Sunday roast. It usually contains potatoes and vegetables (normally cabbage) and is served with the remaining cold roast meat on Monday!

With a little modification, the traditional bubble and squeak recipe can be used to create a yummy and wholesome finger food for your baby.

First, you need potato…

To make bubble and squeak, you need mashed potato. Simply peel and boil white potatoes and cut into chunks, then put into boiling water and simmer until fork tender.

The best potatoes for mashing are floury varieties such as Russet, Yukon Gold, Caribe and Idaho.

Mash the potato with a little butter and milk if you wish, but

• DON’T puree it – this makes it sticky and hard to work with
• DON’T make it too thin – you will be forming it into patties and it needs to hold its shape

Interesting alternative

You may like to make your baby’s bubble and squeak with sweet potato instead of white. Sweet potato isn’t a traditional ingredient – but breaking with tradition can be fun! And, of course, sweet potatoes are healthier for your baby.

Add the veggies

If you have cooked vegetables to hand, great! Chop them very finely and stir them into the mashed potato.

You can use pretty much ANY vegetable you like – carrots, broccoli, courgette (zucchini)… whatever’s available!

If you don’t have any cooked veggies, then finely dice some fresh vegetables of your choice and saute in a little olive oil (throw in a little crushed garlic, too, if your baby likes it). Once the vegetables have softened, stir them into the mashed potato.

Make into shapes

When the mashed potato/veggie mixture is cool enough to handle, form it into shapes with your hands. These are for your baby to feed himself, so make sure the shapes are easy for him to manage – little round patties or even 1 inch wide ‘fingers’ are ideal!

The final step

Either

Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan/skillet and fry (turning once) until golden.

Or

Brush with a little olive oil and bake at 350 deg F (180 deg C) until nicely golden on top.

And there you have it – a little taste of England, full of hidden goodness!

Read more ideas for inspiring your little one to enjoy his veggies