When I started to transition Willow to finger foods, I realized quickly that I overestimated how much puréed food she would need. I had bags and bags leftover! Fruit, veggies, and proteins. The fruit and veggies were pretty easy to use up, because I would simply add them to her smoothies. As for the proteins (beans and lentils), I figured I’d give fritters/savory pancakes a try. They ended up working out, so I wanted to share here for inspiration if you are in the same boat.
These recipes are pretty laid back (read: I did not measure out anything). I sort of played around with the batters until they looked right. That’s only because I used whatever was left in my freezer… not really any measurements involved. But I’ll include a rough estimate of what I believe was used. Also – if you have different purées to work with, I am sure that is fine! And if you are just making these from scratch because you think your little one will enjoy, then that is also great. But anyways, here we go.
White Bean + Basil Pancakes
You will need:
- 1/2 cup white bean purée
- 1 tbs ground flaxseed
- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 fresh basil leaves, chopped up (or you can use dried basil if you don’t have fresh)
- Dash of Italian seasoning and rosemary
- Water (if necessary) for consistency – it should be like pancake batter
To make:
- Add all ingredients (except water) to a large bowl and mix until well combined. Add water if you deem necessary – the consistency should be like pancake batter. I just added about a tbs at a time until I was happy with it.
- Over medium heat, warm up your pan/skillet and prepare with non-stick spray.
- Once hot, add a small dollop of batter (as many as you can fit on your skillet comfortably) and wait until it begins to bubble. Flip, and give it another 2-4 minutes.
- Serve warm (I break into pieces for Willow for now) or store in fridge/freezer for later.
Lentil + Veggie Fritters
You will need:
- 1/2 cup lentil purée
- 1/4 cup sweet potato purée
- 1 small carrot, grated
- 2 tbs grated onion
- 1 tbs ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup almond flour (add more if batter is too wet – should be moldable)
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- Dash of paprika
To make:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Add all ingredients to a bowl and mix well. Add more or less almond flour to get the right consistency… it should be a bit wet, but still moldable.
- Line a baking sheet with a non-stick mat or use foil and prepare with non-stick spray. Use your hands to shape small patties and line sheet up.
- Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes on one side – turn over – then bake another 15 minutes. They should be golden brown and slightly crisp on the edges.
- Serve warm (I break into pieces for Willow for now) or store in fridge/freezer for later.
Have a great day, friends. xo bianca
