Annabel Karmel’s Bite-Size Favourites

Bite-Size Pieces Of Yumminess By Annabel Karmel

Mini bites and balls are ideal if you are looking to incorporate baby-led weaning into your baby’s routine as they are just perfect for little fingers! They’re also great for livening up lunchboxes or for healthy snacking on the go, these bite-size recipes from leading children’s cookery author Annabel Karmel are sure to keep kids interested whilst packing in lots of essential goodness. Plus, they are fantastic for batch-cooking and freezing in readiness for those busy days.

If you’re in need of more finger-food inspiration or simply looking for new family meals to help liven up your mealtimes, Annabel Karmel’s new Baby-Led Weaning Recipe Book is out now and filled with 120 quick, easy and nutritious recipes, essential advice and tips to let your baby take the lead. Visit www.annabelkarmel.com for more information.

Prep: 25 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Makes: 20 balls

Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

• 75 g/3 oz quinoa
• 1 sweet potato
• 85 g/3½ oz fresh white breadcrumbs
• 175 g/6 oz skinless, boneless salmon fillet, sliced
• 40 g/1½ oz spinach, roughly chopped
• 30 g/1 oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 5 spring onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• Sunflower oil for frying
• A little salt and pepper (for babies over 12 months old)

Dill Sauce

• 2 teaspoons sunflower oil
• 1 large leek, trimmed and finely chopped
• ½ teaspoon white wine vinegar
• 4 teaspoons plain flour
• 300 ml/10 fl oz unsalted or weak fish stock
• 100 ml/4 fl oz milk
• ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 20 g/¾ oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 50 ml/2 fl oz single cream
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped dill

Method

1. Cook the quinoa in a pan of lightly salted boiling water for 15 minutes until tender. Drain, rinse, then leave to drain in a sieve for about 10 minutes.
2. Prick the sweet potato with a fork and cook it in the microwave for 7–10 minutes or bake at 200°C/400°F/ Gas 6 for 45 minutes. Once cool, remove the skin.
3. To make the dill sauce, sauté the leek in the oil for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in the vinegar and cook for 30 seconds, then stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the fish stock, milk and mustard and cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan until melted then add the cream, lemon juice and dill.
4. Blitz the sweet potato in a food processor with the quinoa, breadcrumbs, salmon, spinach, Parmesan, spring onions, fish sauce and chilli sauce, and some seasoning (if using), until finely chopped.
5. Shape the mixture into 20 equal-sized balls. Lightly coat the balls in the flour. Heat a little oil in a frying pan and fry the balls in batches for 5–6 minutes until golden and cooked through. Serve with the dill sauce.

Read more: A Chat With Foodie Queen Annabel Karmel

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Makes: 15 veggie balls

Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

• 1 large white potato (about 440 g/15 oz)
• 40g / 1½oz dried or Panko breadcrumbs
• 50g / 2oz carrot, grated
• 4 spring onions, chopped
• 50g / 2oz brown mushrooms, chopped
• 40g / 1½oz grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce
• 1–2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil

Method

1. Prick the potato and bake it in the microwave for 7–10 minutes until soft. Leave to cool, then cut it in half and scoop out the flesh – you will need 250 g/9 oz potato.
2. Put the cool potato and remaining ingredients (except the flour and the oil) in the bowl of a food processor and blitz until chopped. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper (if using) and shape it into 15 equal-sized balls.
3. Place the flour in a bowl and lightly coat the balls in flour. Transfer them to plate and chill for 15 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan until hot. Fry the balls for about 2 minutes until golden all over and heated through. Serve with cucumber sticks and halved cherry tomatoes, or a mayonnaise dip with sweet chilli sauce.

Prep time: 20 minutes (excluding chill time)

Cook time: 5 minutes

Makes: 30 balls

Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

• 200g / 7oz pitted dates
• 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 40g / 1½oz desiccated coconut
• 3 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 125g / 4½oz porridge oats
• 40g / 1½oz raisins
• 20g /¾oz pecans, very finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 20g /¾oz Rice Krispies
• A pinch of salt (for babies over 12 months old)

Method

1. Put the dates in a saucepan with 100 ml/4 fl oz boiling water. Cover with a lid, bring to the boil and simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside for 5 minutes.
2. Transfer the soaked date mixture to a blender or food processor and blitz until smooth (or blend in a bowl using a stick blender).
3. Place the peanut butter and date mixture in a saucepan and melt over a low heat until smooth. Remove from the heat and add the remaining ingredients to the pan. Mix well, then shape into 30 equal-sized little balls. Place the balls on a plate and chill for 1 hour before eating.
4. The balls will keep in the fridge, stored in an airtight container, for up to 5 days.

Read more: How To Make Easy Raw Vegan No-Bake Cookies

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Makes: 25 balls (about 5 child portions)

Suitable for freezing

Ingredients

• 50 g/2 oz trimmed kale
• 100 g/4 oz fresh breadcrumbs
• 500 g/1 lb 1 oz skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped
• 100 g/4 oz carrots, peeled and grated
• 1½ teaspoons grated fresh root ginger
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilli sauce
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (for babies over 12 months)
• 4 tablespoons plain flour
• 3 tablespoons rapeseed,
• Sunflower or light olive oil

Method

1. Cook the kale in a pan of boiling water for 4 minutes, then drain and refresh under cold running water. Squeeze out the water and finely chop the kale.
2. Place the chicken thighs in the bowl of a food processor with the breadcrumbs and blitz until roughly chopped (you don’t want it too fine).
3. Transfer to a bowl, add the chopped kale and the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Shape the mixture into 25 equal-sized balls.

Place the flour on a large plate and roll each ball in the flour. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry the balls for 8–10 minutes (in 2–3 batches) until golden and cooked through.

Read more: Breakfasts For Champions: Getting the School Day Started Right