Plant-Based Baby Friendly Halloween Recipes

Halloween is almost here…

This time of year reminds me of my childhood when I used to trick or treat with my brother & sister in our home made outfits (love the 90's)! We’d end the night with comforting foods like a large jacket potato filled with hot chilli and a slice of Parkin (a dark and spicy cake from Yorkshire eaten around Halloween time).

Although my children are still very young, I have enjoyed introducing a few touches of Halloween into their lives. I find my little ones love the change in activities, dressing up and the general imagination of it all, even as a toddler and baby.

I love to mix up the food we eat so we make the best of our local, seasonal produce, as well as making up fun recipes for different holidays. Halloween is no different! So today I am sharing three recipes my little ones and I have been enjoying over the past couple of weeks. 

• Vampire Beetroot Soup with Star Croutons
• Green Swamp Chia Pudding
• Stuffed baby pumpkins

All of the recipes are suitable for babies who are complementary feeding (above 6 months) and as always completely plant-based. I hope you enjoy these spooky recipes as much as we do.

I love all the beautiful colours of autumn vegetables

Vampire Beetroot Soup with Star Croutons

This soup is packed full of vitamins and minerals as well as essential fat for energy. It is a well balanced lunch for your baby and also a perfect addition to Halloween with it’s vibrant vampire red colour. Your baby will enjoy exploring the colour and new flavour too. When blended well this soup is velvety smooth in texture too.

Suitable from 6+ months old

Preparation time
55 mins for the soup (you can do other things while the beetroots cook)

15 mins for the croutons

Soup storage
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen in individual portions for 1 month

Serve this with…

Home made star croutons or bread sticks for little hands to dip and a spoon for practicing cutlery skills.

Soup ingredients

500g raw beetroot, peeled
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
3 celery stalks, washed and chopped
3 carrots, washed and chopped
750ml beetroot water from boiling the beets plus a low salt vegetable stock cube
200ml tinned coconut milk
2 tspn apple cider vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper
4 tspn pumpkin seeds, chopped finely to serve

Method

Place the beetroot in a large pan of boiling water and simmer for 30-40 minutes until soft. Remove the beetroot from the pan and reserve the cooking water. Chop the beetroot.

Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots and cook for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the stock & coconut milk. Bring to the boil and then reduce the heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Add the beetroot.

Blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Add the apple cider vinegar and coconut milk and blend again.

Serve and swirl with additional coconut milk  & sprinkle over the pumpkin seeds & star croutons if you like.

Whilst the beetroot is boiling you can make these spooky star croutons to add another touch of Halloween to your baby’s meal. I’m sure the whole family will enjoy them too.

Crouton ingredients

2 – 3 slices of bread
Olive oil
Turmeric
Spirulina
Black sesame seeds or chia seeds

Star shaped cutter or shape of your choice

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.

Using the star cutter, cut out as many shapes from the slices of bread as you can or require.

Sprinkle the bread shapes with olive oil and dip the stars in a selection of the toppings to give them a spooky coloured finish.

Place on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes until the stars are crispy.

For young babies place the stars into the soup which will help soften them for easy eating.

Green Swamp Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is very often a hit in my home with my baby & toddler. My eldest daughter likes hers warming slightly which is actually yummy! This pudding is well received during teething too, when my little one often refuses many of the normal food she enjoys. This is a great recipe to prepare this the night before for easy breakfasts or snacks throughout the day. Halloween seemed like the perfect moment to add some spirulina to the pudding, which is super nutritious and gives it the perfect green tinge for a swamp effect.

Suitable from 6+ months old

Preparation time

5 minutes plus overnight soaking

Storage
This would keep for 2-3 days in the fridge

Preparation time

5 minutes plus overnight soaking

Storage
This would keep for 2-3 days in the fridge

Ingrdients

5 Tbsps Chia seeds

200 mls coconut milk (full fat)

200 mls plant-based milk (unsweetened & avoid rice milk for babies)

1 Tspn spirulina powder

Fruit to serve - I used persimmon & pomegranate

Method 

Mix the chia seeds, coconut milk and plant milk in a bowl, cover and allow to soak in the fridge overnight (or shake in a a large mason jar).

When you check the next morning if the chia seeds are in clumps add a little more plant milk and stir to loosen.

When you are ready to serve stir through the spirulina (add more if you want a deeper swamp colour).

Serve with…
Chopped fruit cut to baby led weaning safe shapes or smaller than chickpea size to prevent risk of choking.

Nutrition
Chia seeds provide omega fats & protein. Spirulina has a number of benefits including vitamins such as A, C, and B vitamins plus minerals such as calcium, magnesium and zinc. The coconut milk helps with added fat essential for your baby’s energy intake and additional fruit provides even more vitamins, minerals and fibre.

Stuffed baby pumpkins

These roasted mini pumpkins can be served whole for your baby to explore the textures with your hands. It might sound a little messy but exploring different shapes and textures is how your baby learns about their food. I have kept the flavours in this recipe quite simple as my baby is teething and she is enjoying simple and easy to eat food at the moment. These are great for the whole family too.

Suitable from 6+ months old

Preparation
40 minutes + 10

Storage
These will keep in the fridge for 1-2 days

Nutrition
Pumpkins are full of antioxidants and vitamins to boost your baby’s development. Grains & beans are super sources of carbohydrates, protein, fibre and fat. Spinach is a good source of iron too.

Ingredients

Mini pumpkins/squashes, 1 per person (this recipe suits 4)
Cooked mixed rice & grains packet (use these for speed) or boil your own selection of rice and grains according to the packet instructions.
2 sun dried tomatoes, chopped finely
Small handful pine kernels
Half cup of black beans
Handful spinach, chopped finely

Method

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C.

Cut off the top each pumpkin, scoop out the seeds. Place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes or until the flesh of the pumpkin is soft. If the pumpkin skin starts to brown cover with foil and continue cooking. This prevents the skin from blackening. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 

When you are ready to serve heat the mixed grains. Pour in to a bowl and add in the sun dried tomatoes, pine kernels, spinach & black beans. Stir well.

Spoon some mixture in to each pumpkin and top loosely with the lid to give it a Halloween feel.

When I served this to my infant I used a spoon to loosed the pumpkin from the skin by slotting the spoon down the side of the pumpkin and running my spoon around the flesh.

Happy Halloween!!