Are you struggling to get your toddler to eat healthy food?
Baby food expert and creator of Mimi’s Bowl Miriam Cooper has teamed up with Aveeno Baby to come up with the quick recipes that will have your little one wanting more
We all know that mealtimes can be a struggle with little people but Miriam Cooper says there are some simple food hacks that will have your kids finally finishing their plate.
Miriam says: "Encouraging toddlers to eat well starts with getting them involved in what they are eating. Take your little one with you to the shops and choose fruits and vegetables together.
"It is a fun activity and starts a whole conversation about what goes into different meals. Visually encourage them to 'eat the rainbow' this is the easiest way of ensuring variety and nutrition in their diets. You also want to support independent eating, so I recommend foods that are easy for them to grip onto such as finger foods."
Here are some fun easy ideas to get even the fussiest of toddlers eating:
1) Rainbow Fruit Kebabs ~ chunks of fruit prepped in bowls (ensure everything is cut and prepared in safe size pieces, to avoid choking hazards i.e. grapes should be cut in half). Then thread the fruit pieces onto a chopstick (as a nice blunt edge)
2) Homemade veggie crisps ~ an easy way of increasing your toddler’s vegetable intake. Thinly slice root vegetables, toss in olive oil and roast in the oven until crisp. Then drain on kitchen paper and serve. These are also really useful for when you are out and about as a snack.
3) My tuna dip is made from pulsing x1 tin of tuna, drained weight 120g, 50-60g full fat cheese cheese (2 tablespoons approx) and 1/2 lemon, juice in a blender. (you don’t want the mix to be too smooth, just pulse a few times). Add a grind of black pepper and a sprinkle of chopped chives (optional). Serve on toast sticks, or with some breadsticks.
4) Overnight baby oats. For this recipe, you will need:
20g normal porridge oats, gluten free
130ml milk, or your usual milk, dairy/ or non-dairy
1/2 tablespoon of natural yogurt, dairy or non-diary
1/2 apple, cored, peeled and grated
80g fresh blueberries
To cook: ⇒ Take a bowl and combine the oats, milk, yogurt and grated apple together. Soak overnight for 12 hours+.
⇒ In the morning take a saucepan and add the soaked oat mixture. Cook on a low heat for 4-5 minutes, or until the oats are completely soft, piping hot and cooked through. Set aside to cool.
⇒ To make the blueberry compote, take the fresh blueberries and add to a pan with a tablespoon of water. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the blueberries are bursting, then blend until smooth.
⇒ Serve the warm oats, with some of the blueberry compote and topped with fresh berries for added sweetness
Watch Mimi's video on how to make the perfect overnight baby oats with AVEENO® Baby:
5) Kale Pesto Fusilli. This recipe is a goodie for bigger kids, it needs to be mixed through hot pasta, with a little bit of the cooking water, to be really delicious (it doesn't work on cold pasta, or served cold). Throwing the pesto through hot pasta also helps break it down. Raw kale can cause bloating, so I suggest an equal mix of kale and basil and I wouldn't serve this to small children, as it might be hard to digest. You will need:
25g kale, washed
25g basil
50g Parmesan
50g pine nuts (not suitable for nut allergies)
1/2 small garlic clove
Olive oil, to loosen into a consistency you like
Prep the kale and pick through removing any stems, you just want the leaves
Blend with the other ingredients and loosen with good quality olive oil until you have the consistency you like. Add a few spoons to just cooked, and hot pasta, loosen with a little bit of the pasta cooking water and serve
You can store for a couple of days with a layer of oil over the top, in an airtight container
6) Homemade Salmon & Parmesan Crust Fish Fingers - another great freezer standby, that can be baked straight in the oven. I like to use salmon and I add a little Parmesan into the breadcrumb crust (this is optional) as it makes the fish fingers extra crispy.
You'll need: 360g organic fish fillets, skin removed and pin-boned (3-4 fillets depending on size)
90g wholemeal bread
30g Parmesan
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-2 free range eggs
freshly ground black pepper
Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C
Prep the fish: cut the fish fillets into 30g fish fingers, here I am using salmon
To make the assembly line:
Blitz the bread, Parmesan & olive oil in blender, then spread the breadcrumb mix out on a large tray
Take a second tray and crack the eggs into it, lightly beat and add x2 grinds of black pepper
To make the fish fingers, take a piece of fish:
Coat in the egg mix
Coat in the breadcrumb mix
Set aside and repeat the process with each piece of fish.
If freezing: take a lined tray and line up the fish fingers (so they aren't touching), wrap the tray tightly in cling film. Place in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or solid to touch. Then take the semi-frozen fish fingers and place them in a zip lock bag, label and date. (This method means they don't freeze in one big lump, but remain separate).
If cooking straight away: place the fish on a lined baking tray and cook in the oven for 15-20 mins until cooked through (5-10 minds longer from frozen)
Remove, drain on kitchen paper and serve
7) Beef & Tomato Ragu - a great source of iron, you can adapt this recipe: sometimes I serve with pasta and a little grated cheese. I also serve it with rice, add some kidney beans and top with a little natural yogurt. Both versions are delicious. Make the sauce ahead and then heat up, for a quick and filling lunch.
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil, or butter
1 onion, peeled and diced
2 carrots, washed, peeled and diced
1 garlic clove, peeled and whole
500g lean mince beef (I use mince with 5% or 10% fat, organic and ideally grass fed beef - buy the best quality you can get)
680g tomato passata, (a standard bottle is 680g - 690g)
200ml water
Method: Take a large ceramic pot and add butter/ or oil, then the chopped onion and carrot; gently saute until softened for 10 minutes. Add garlic clove whole, cook for 2 minutes, you remove this at the end to cooking. Next add the mince, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula as you stir. You want the mince to colour but not brown, to avoid toughening the meat. Finally, add the tomato passata and water. Bring up to a gentle boil and then lower heat to a simmer for 1.5 – 2.5 hours. Stirring occasionally. The sauce should reduce, thicken and intensify in flavour.
From 12 months onwards this minced ragu should be a good texture for your little one (before then you can blitz until you have a smooth sauce).
WATCH: Eamonn and Ruth reveal This Morning secrets you need to know!
READ MORE:
- Poached Chicken and Spring Vegetables
Ingredients
250g organic chicken breast, cut into strips (approx. 50g approx. per strip)
350ml no added salt vegetable stock
200g butternut squash, trimmed and diced
150g courgette (1 small courgette), trimmed and diced
50g fresh Spring peas (small handful), shelled
Method: ⇒ Wash and prep all the vegetables, as per the above.
⇒ Take a pot and add the vegetable stock, then add the raw chicken pieces and butternut squash. Bring up to a boil, lower the heat and then simmer gently for 15 minutes. Next add the courgette and spring peas and cook for a further 5 minutes.
⇒ Once the chicken is cooked, the butternut squash is tender, and the green vegetables are cooked through remove from the heat. Cool and serve.
Check out: pretty girl names and their meanings
129 pretty girl names and their beautiful meanings! - SLIDER
1 of 25pretty girl names
2 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with A
AbigailMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Abigail means to 'Give Joy'AcaciaMeaning : With Greek origin, Acacia means 'Guileless' and 'Honorable'AimeeMeaning: A beloved friend in French!AlexandriaMeaning : With Greek origin, Alexandria is a feminine version of Alexander, which means 'Defender of Men'AmberMeaning : With English origin, Amber is a jewelled name, from the yellowish resin used in jewellery makingAmeliaMeaning : With a blend of origins, Amelia means 'Industrious' and 'Striving' and is often associated with 'defender'AmélieMeaning : With French origin, Amelie means 'Hard working'AngelinaMeaning: With Greek origin, Angelina means 'Messenger' and 'Angel'AoifeMeaning : With Irish origin, Aoife is a tribute to 'the greatest woman warrior in the world'AprilMeaning: With English origin, April means 'Opening buds of spring', a traditionally seasonal nameArabellaMeaning: With Latin origin, Arabella means 'Yielding to prayer'AriaMeaning: With Hebrew origin, Aria means 'Air' but is derived from Ariel, which means 'Lion of God'AspenMeaning: With English origin, Aspen comes from a popular tree in the West that has heart shaped leaves that quiver in the lightest breezeAthenaMeaning: With Greek origin, Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfareAubreyMeaning: With a French and German origin, Aubrey means 'Fair Ruler of the Little People'AurelieMeaning: With French origin, Aurelie means 'Sun'AuroraMeaning: With a Latin meaning of 'Dawn', Aurora was the Roman goddess of the morningAutumnMeaning : A seasonal nameAvaMeaning : With German origin, Ava means 'Bird' and is the Hebrew form of EveAveryMeaning : Originally an English surname that was derived from a French version of Alfred, very means 'Counsel'AzaleaMeaning : With Greek origin, Azalea means 'Dry' and is representative of a flower
3 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with B
BelleMeaning : With French origin, Belle is short for Isabella and means 'Beautiful'BridgetteMeaning : With French origin, Bridgette means 'Strength' and is associated with the mythological Celtic goddess of fire and poetryBlossomMeaning : With English origin, Blossom means 'Fresh'
4 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with D
DahliaMeaning: 'Dweller in the valley'DaisyMeaning : Derived from the flower, Daisy comes from the Old English word dægeseage, meaning 'Day's eye'DakotaMeaning : Dakota is representative of the two US states and means 'Friend'DelilahMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Delilah means 'Delicate'DawnMeaning : With English origin, Dawn means 'Aurora' and represents the appearance of daybreak
5 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with E
EdenMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Eden means 'Delight'ElizaMeaning : With Greek origin, Eliza means 'Oath of God' or 'God is Satisfaction'EllaMeaning : Short for Eleanor and Ellen, Ella means 'Light' and 'Beautiful fairy woman'ElodieMeaning : With French origin, Elodie means 'Foreign riches'EloraMeaning : Inspired by the city in Ontario, Elora is a variant of Elenora and LauraEvaMeaning : With Latin origin, Eva means 'Life' and 'Living one'
6 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with F
FernMeaning : With English origin, Fern is representative of a green plant that loves shadeFionnualaMeaning : With Irish origin, Fionnuala comes from Irish mythology and means 'White shoulder'FloraMeaning : With Latin origin, Flora means 'Flower'FlorenceMeaning : With Latin origin, Florence comes from the French name Florentia and means 'Blossoming'
7 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with G
GardeniaMeaning : With English origin, Gardenia means 'The flower'GenevieveMeaning : With German origin, Genevieve means 'Famous bearer' and 'Of the race of women'GeorgiaMeaning: 'Farmer' and 'Worker of the earth'GiselleMeaning: With French origin, Giselle means 'Hostage' and 'Pledge' and is thought to have originated as a nickname for a child given as a pledge to a foreign courtGraceMeaning: With English origin, Grace means 'God's favour'
8 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with H
HazelMeaning : With English origin, Hazel comes from the nut-bearing shrubHeatherMeaning : With English origin, Heather is a flowering evergreen often found in ScotlandHelenMeaning : With Greek origin, Helen means 'Shining light'HollyMeaning : Taken from the Holly tree, whose sharp leaves come from the Old English word holegn, which means 'to prick'HyacinthMeaning : With Greek origin, Hyacinth is a flower that sprouted from the blood of Hyacinthus who was accidently killed by Apollo
9 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with I
IrelandMeaning : A destination name. Ireland evolved from the word Eriu, a Gaelic goddess who was the goddess of sovereigntyIsabellaMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Isabella means 'Devoted to God'IslaMeaning : With Scottish origin, Isla is the name of two Scottish rivers and also the name of an island just off the west coastIvoryMeaning : With English origin, Ivory means 'Pure'IvyMeaning : With English origin, Ivy means 'Faithfulness' and derives from the plant
10 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with J
JadeMeaning: With Spanish origin, Jade means 'Stone of the colic' as it was believed that the green stone could cure colic in babies if placed on their stomachsJanuaryMeaning : Aside from just being a month of the year, January means 'Month of the wolf' and 'God of the doorway'JasmineMeaning : With Persian origin, Jasmine comes from the English word for the climbing plant with fragrant flowersJaylaMeaning : With African-American origin, Jayla means 'One who is special'JosephineMeaning : With French origin, Josephine means 'May Jehovah'JulietteMeaning : With Italian origin, Juliette literally means 'An Italian'JuneMeaning : With Latin origin, June means 'Young' and is known as the bridal month in modern times
11 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with K
KatherineMeaning : With Latin origin, Katherine means 'Pure' and 'Clear'KensingtonMeaning : With English origin, Kensington means 'The town of Cynsige's people' and is also a district within West London's Royal Borough, known as Britain's richest streetKieraMeaning : With Irish origin, Kiera means 'Little dark one' and was originally bestowed upon those babies born with dark hair or a dark complexion
12 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with C
CarmelMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Carmel means 'Garden' and is a mountain mentioned in the Old TestamentCelineMeaning : With French origin. Celine means 'Sky' or 'Heaven'CharlotteMeaning : With French origin, Charlotte means 'Free man' or 'Petite'ClaraMeaning : With Latin origin, Clara means 'Clear, Bright and Famous'CloverMeaning: 'Lucky'ColetteMeaning : With French origin, Colette means 'Victorious'
13 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with L
LaylaMeaning: With Arabic origin, Layla means 'Night' and is the object of romantic poems that was written by the 7th century poet QaysLilaMeaning: 'Dark beauty'LilacMeaning: With English origin, Lilac means 'Flowering pale purple shrub'LillianMeaning : With Latin origin, Lillian means 'Pure' and is representative of the flowerLilyMeaning : With English origin, Lily means 'Pure' and is the symbol of innocence, purity and beautyLondonMeaning : Representative of the city, which is derived from LondiniumLottieMeaning : With French origin, Lottie means 'Tiny' and 'Feminine'LotusMeaning : With Egyptian origin, Lotus comes from the Lotus flowerLuluMeaning : With Latin origin, Lulu means 'Famous warrior'LunaMeaning : With Latin origin, Luna means 'Moon'
14 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with M
MarilynMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Marilyn means 'Wished-for child' and 'Rebellion'MarnieMeaning : With several origins, namely Hebrew and Latin, Marnie means 'Rejoice' and 'Of the sea'MathildeMeaning : Originating from two German words 'Maht' and 'Hild', meaning 'Strength' and 'Battle', making Mathilde have a meaning of 'Mighty in battle'MayMeaning : Representative of the month, May is also a name for the hawthorn flower
15 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with N
NoraMeaning : With Latin origin, Nora means 'Honour' and 'Reputation'NessaMeaning 'Ambitious' and 'Fierce'
16 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with O
OakleyMeaning : With English origin, Oakley means 'Clearing of oak tree', 'Meadow' and 'Clear field'OdetteMeaning : With German and French origin, Odette means 'Wealth'OliviaMeaning : With Latin origin. Olivia is derived from the word 'Olive' and was first used with this spelling by William Shakespear in his comedy 'Twelfth Night'OpalMeaning : Coming from the precious gemstone, Opal means 'Jewel'
17 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with P
ParisMeaning : With Greek origin, Paris originates from Greek mythology where Paris, the Prince of Troy had a love affair that caused the Trojan warPearlMeaning: 'Precious'PenelopeMeaning : With Greek origin, Penelope means 'Bobbin'PoppyMeaning : With English origin. Poppy is from the popular flowerPrimroseMeaning : With Latin origin, Primrose means 'First Rose'PromiseMeaning : With French origin, Promise comes from the Old French "promesse," which translates to 'Guarantee' and 'Assurance'
18 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with Q
QuinnMeaning : With Irish origin, Quinn means 'Wisdom', 'Reason' and 'Intelligence'
19 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with R
RayneMeaning : With multiple meanings across the languages, Rayne means 'Queen' in French and English and 'Mighty' in Scandinavian. It has been disputed that it has a Jewish origin also, meaning that Rayne means 'Song'Rome-MarieMeaning : As this name is split, it's meanings differ, but when brought together means 'Strength' and 'Power'RomilyMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Romily means 'God's beloved one' and is also representative of a French destinationRoseMeaning : With German origin, Rose is representative of the flowerRosemaryMeaning : With Latin origin, Rosemary means 'Dew of the sea'RubyMeaning : With Latin origin, Ruby is taken from the red gemstoneRuthMeaning : With Hebrew origin, Ruth means 'Companion' and 'Vision of beauty'
20 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with S
SaffronMeaning : With English origin, Saffron comes from both the spice and the flower it comes fromSaharaMeaning : Aside from being the desert in North Africa, Sahara means 'Dawn'SavannahMeaning : With English origin, Savannah means 'From the open plain'ScarlettMeaning : With English origin, Scarlett means 'Red' or represents those who wear the scarlet cloth.SicilyMeaning : With English origin, Sicily is representative of the city in ItalySophieMeaning : With Greek origin, Sophie means 'Wisdom'SummerMeaning : With English origin, Summer is representative of the season and the carefree attitude that it bringsSydneyMeaning : With English origin, Sydney means 'Wide Island'
21 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with T
TinsleyMeaning : With English origin, Tinsley represents a place in South Yorkshire
22 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with U
UchennaMeaning: 'God's will'UdeleMeaning: 'Prosperous one'UlaniMeaning: 'Light hearted'
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23 of 25Uchenna Meaning: ‘God’s will’ Udele Meaning: ‘Prosperous one’ Ulani Meaning: ‘Light hearted’
ValentinaMeaning: With Latin origin, Valentina means 'Strong' and 'Healthy'VeniceMeaning: Representative of the Italian cityVictoriaMeaning : With Latin origin, Victoria means 'Victory' and 'Conquer'ViennaMeaning : With German origin. Vienna means 'White' and 'Fair'ViolaMeaning : The English meaning for Viola is 'Violet'VioletMeaning : From the Old French violette, a diminutive form of viole, which is derived from the Latin viola
24 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with W
WillaMeaning : A female form of WilliamWillowMeaning : With English origin, Willow means 'Slender' and 'Graceful'WinterMeaning : Representatie of the coldest season of the year, Winter also means 'Bringing of Renewal'.
25 of 25Pretty girls names beginning with X, Y and Z
XanaMeaning: 'Golden haired'YarinaMeaning: 'Peaceful'YeiMeaning: 'Flourishing'ZahleeMeaning: 'Princess'ZahraMeaning: 'Flower'
During the introduction of new foods parents may begin to notice skin irritation due to allergens, that’s why Miriam partnered with AVEENO® Baby to create these recipes to show parents how to create simple, easy and delicious meals for babies with sensitive skin to reduce the worry of irritation. For more info, please click here****.
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