The orange-fleshed rutabaga is a fantastic source of beta-carotene (which your little one uses to make vitamin A) and is also rich in vitamin C and minerals. These yummy roasted rutabaga cubes make a fab finger food and a nutritious treat for baby led weaning.
We’ve always been huge fans of the rutabaga as a food for babies, although we’re more used to calling it a ‘swede’ (as it’s known in the UK and other parts of the world).
Whatever you like to call it, the rutabaga is a nutritious root vegetable which you can cook rather like a potato, but which has a distinctive ‘earthiness’. One method of preparing it as a finger food is to simply dice it and steam it until tender. The dice will have a ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ texture that’s extremely easy for baby to mash with his gums.
Another option, though, is to make roasted rutabaga cubes for your little one.
Roasting the cubes really brings out and intensifies the natural sweetness of the veggie, producing a flavour that our babies have enjoyed very much. It also gives the cubes a ‘skin’, but leaves them lovely and mushy on the inside. We actually find that the ‘skin’ makes the cubes easier for baby to pick up!
In order to successfully roast rutabaga (or any veggies) for your baby, here are five golden rules to follow:
- Make sure the cubes are all the same size. This means they’ll all cook in the same time – no little black pieces whilst others are still underdone!
- Use a shallow pan or baking sheet. This allows the hot air in your oven to circulate freely.
- Don’t try to cram too many cubes into one pan – there should be space between them. Again, this allows for air circulation. If the air cannot circulate, steam will build up in the pan – effectively steaming the cubes instead of roasting them and altering their flavour.
- Keep the oven at around 350 deg F, no hotter. We find that this slower cooking gives a greater intensification of flavour and a sweeter result.
- Shake the pan several times throughout the cooking process to turn the pieces and cook them evenly.
To Make Roasted Rutabaga Cubes For Baby You Will Need…
1/2 small rutabaga/swede – peeled and diced
extra virgin olive oil
seasoning of choice
Simply toss the rutabaga dice in a bowl with olive oil until all the pieces are coated. You can then cook them just as they are, or mix with a seasoning that your baby enjoys. Try crushed garlic, chopped fresh herbs, cinnamon, cumin, or – one of our little one’s favourites – ground coriander!
Spread evenly in a shallow baking tray.
Roast at 350 deg (170 deg C) for 45 mins to one hour, until tender. Cool and serve.
Although any leftovers may be frozen, the texture is never quite the same when they are reheated, so we recommend cooking just as many dice as you need (and eating the leftovers yourself :))