Sweet Potato, Pear, Broccoli & Quinoa

Ever since I started weaning my son at 5 months, the person that I have looked to for recipes has been Annabel Karmel. Her food is all healthy, all fresh and really yummy. Here is a recipe that sounds weird but is actually super nutritious! It will get your child eating their broccoli with no fuss and I added quinoa to it for extra protein. My son loved it :) 

Photo by Annabel Karmel

Best for babies  9 -12 months and over
Makes about 4 - 5 servings
Suitable for freezing

INGREDIENTS

15g Unsalted Butter

150g chopped Leak

250g diced Sweet Potato

150g diced Butternut Squash

200g pealed and diced pear

500g water

80g chopped broccoli

100g milk

50g grated emmental cheese

1/2 cup organic white quinoa

STEPS

1. Put the Quinoa in a saucepan with 1.5 cups of water and bring to a boil. When boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pot. It should be done in about 15 minutes. You can fluff it with a fork when ready
2. Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the leak, sweet potato, pear and squash. Gently sauté over the heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the water

3. Cover with a lid. Bring to a boil and then leave to simmer for about 20 minutes until tender

4. Add the broccoli and let it simmer for about 10 minutes until soft

5. Mix in the milk and the cheese 

6. If blending for younger children, blend until the mixture is nice and smooth

7. Put the mixture into small containers with 2 tablespoons of quinoa in each 

For the original recipe by Annabel Karmel, please click HERE 

Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I have always loved Asian Chicken Lettuce wraps at restaurants but hate how fatty they actually are. (The peanut sauce by the way is LOADED with fat and calories!) Last night, I decided to make my own home-made version. After looking up many different recipes online, I made these to be low carb,  low fat, high in protein, and easy to make. The end result was PURE YUMM! 

These are great as an appetizer or a main dish with boiled corn on the side. 

Here is my step-by-step recipe:

Preparation Time: 45 mins - Yield: 6 large wraps

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE WRAPS:
- 500g Lean Minced Chicken
- 1/2 cup Quinoa
- 2 scallions (green onions)
- 2 carrots 
- 3/4 red pepper 
- 3/4 yellow pepper
- 1/2 packet enoki mushrooms
- 1 large iceberg lettuce
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger (or fresh ginger paste)
- 1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 1/2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon water

WHAT YOU NEED FOR THE  SAUCE:
- 1/4 Cup Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon sugar (you can also use Splenda)
- 1/2 Tablespoon Ginger
- 1 Teaspoon Sesame Oil 
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garlic 

What To Do:

STEP 1: Shred the carrots, thinly slice the yellow and red peppers, & green onions. Trim the bottoms of the enoki mushrooms and rinse them under water. 

STEP 2: Wash the lettuce leaves well and leave them to dry on kitchen paper

STEP 3: Cook the Quinoa. Put 1/2 cup of quinoa with 1.5 cups of water in a pan (ratio of 1:3). Cover it till it boils then reduce the heat to a simmer. Move it around with a spatula every few minutes. It will be thoroughly cooked in 10-15 minutes (when all the water is gone). Let it cool. 

STEP 4: Heat 2 Tablespoons of canola oil in a large pan. Pour in the minced meat and break it up as it cooks. Remove from the heat when all the chicken is cooked (approx. 5 mins) and put it in a coriander to drain the fat. Return to the pan. When the chicken is cool enough, further break the chicken into minced pieces. 

STEP 5: Add the red peppers, yellow peppers, shredded carrots, enoki mushrooms, & green onions to the chicken. Pour in the ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, water and hoisin sauce and cook for a few minutes. Your mix is ready when the peppers are soft. (This smells DIVINE btw!) When the mix is well cooked, cover with a lid to keep warm.

STEP 6: Make the sauce. Mix all the ingredients mentioned above. It is quite strong so only use a little for each wrap.

STEP 7: Assemble the wraps. Fill each lettuce leaf with 1  tablespoon of Quinoa, 2.5 tablespoons of the chicken mix and 1 Tablespoon of the sauce.  

*Tip: My lettuce leaves were too big and collapsed with the weight of the mix. If they collapse, use a toothpick to keep them contained. Buy smaller iceberg lettuce or even better, lettuce cups if you find them at the supermarket. 

*Optional: Add shredded almonds or peanuts to each wrap for additional crunch. 

Bon Appetit! These chicken lettuce wraps are truly DELICIOUS!