Coming up with quick and easy vegan weaning recipes for babies can be somewhat of a challenge. Especially if when you have little time to spare!
As a registered dietitian, I have an obvious interest in the foods I eat. I geek out the nutrients they contain and love to put together meals that look as delicious as they taste.
But as a busy mama, I try to keep time spent in the kitchen to a minimum, whenever possible.
And one thing that’s helped me save time is to cook only one meal for the whole family — baby included — ideally in 20 minutes or less from start to finish.
In this article, I share my 3 favorite vegan weaning recipes for babies. They ultra quick, easy to make, each require 5 ingredients or less and best of all, they’re both adult and baby-approved.
Improvisational cooking for quicker vegan meals
In the video above, you’ll discover three of the vegan baby weaning recipes I consistently rely on to make nutrient-rich meals, great for the whole family, when I’m strapped for time.
But although I have written them down in recipe-format for the purposes of this article, I have to admit I don’t generally like to follow recipes.
Why I’m not a fan of following recipes
As I mention in the video, the reason I’m not generally a big fan of following recipes is because I find the whole process too time-consuming.
Between having to first find a suitable recipe, then shop for the ingredients and follow it step-by-step — I end up spending way more time in the kitchen than I want to.
That’s why I prefer to improvise in the kitchen. Plus, I find it more fun too! If you feel the same way, feel free to substitute the ingredients I use for your favorite alternatives, or simply for those you have on hand.
How to successfully cook delicious vegan meals without a recipe
I find that the key to success when it comes to cooking without a recipe is to keep your kitchen, refrigerator and pantry stocked with the right ingredients.
Then, it’s simply a matter of making the right combinations of foods and seasonings to satisfy your tastebuds and offer your body all the nutrients it needs.
In case you want to give improv cooking a try too, feel free to download a copy of the weekly vegan grocery list I personally rely on down below.
It’s absolutely free and should give you a good idea of the most useful ingredients to keep on hand.
For more time-saving meal prep ideas, check out these tips from some of my fellow plant-based dietitians.
My family’s favorite vegan baby food recipes
With no further ado, you’ll find three of my family’s favorite vegan meals below.
I’ve outlined a few possible substitutions both in the video and recipe write-ups below, in case you don’t have these exact ingredients on hand.
You may also need to adjust the amount of seasonings based on your and your baby’s taste buds – hence why I have left seasonings completely optional and haven’t specified amounts for them.
Very berry oats
For 2 portions
- 1/2 cup (70 grams) dry oats
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) fortified plant milk of your choice
- 2 tbsp (10 grams) ground flaxseeds, almonds, chia or hemp seeds
- 2 tbsp (6 grams) unsweetened ground coconut
- 1 cup (250 grams) frozen berries
Preparation steps:
Mix all ingredients together and microwave each portion for 60-90 seconds. Feel free to replace the ground coconut and seeds with whole nuts and coconut flakes to add more texture to the adult portions.
Let’s go bananas pancakes
For 4 portions
- 1 cup (120 grams) whole wheat flour (or substitute for the whole grain flour of your choice)
- 1 tbsp (5 grams) chia seeds
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 grams) baking powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) fortified plant milk
- 2 sliced bananas (substitutable for corn, beans or your favorite fruit)
Preparation steps:
Combine the dry ingredients. Give them a good mix, then add the plant milk and bananas. Mix only as much as needed to combine the ingredients but avoid over-mixing, as this will create very tough-textured pancakes.
Cook in a slightly oiled cast-iron pan or non-stick pan for a few minutes on each side or until slightly brown and easy to flip.
Eat as is or add your choice of toppings.
My family favorites are peanut butter, pear or apple butter, coconut yoghurt, and berries for sweet pancakes or hummus, avocado, mashed black beans and cherry tomatoes for savory ones.
Cut pancakes into lengthwise easy-to-grab pieces for your baby and serve with coconut yoghurt or hummus and tomatoes or fresh soft fruit.
Jacket of all trades potatoes
For 2 portions
- 2 medium (± 9.3 oz, 260 grams) english or sweet potatoes
- 1/2 medium avocado (3.6 oz, 100 grams) avocado, diced
- 2 cups (76 grams) raw beet greens, de-stemmed and diced
- 1/2 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cube
- 14 oz (400 grams) canned white beans in unsweetened tomato sauce (can also buy canned beans and tomato sauce separately if cannot find unsweetened version)
- Optional: seasonings of choice such as dried chilli peppers, tamari sauce, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, etc.
Preparation steps:
Prick potato with a for or knife several times and microwave uncovered for 5-7 minutes or until you can easily stick a fork into the flesh.
Over medium heat, cook the beet greens’ stems with a splash of water and vegetable bouillon cube for 5 minutes.
Then add the rest of the leaves and cook for another 3 minutes. Season to taste, remembering to set aside a portion for your baby before adding any salt or sugar.
Warm canned beans in tomato sauce. Then, assemble adult meal by slicing potato lengthwise, mash a bit using a fork and top with beans, avocado and beet greens.
For baby, remove potato skin and slice lengthwise into easy-to-grab pieces. Serve with side of beet greens and slightly mashed white beans in tomato sauce.
This is optional, but you can sprinkle some extra chia, hemp or flaxseeds on your baby’s plate to further boost this meal’s iron content.
To sum it up
So there have it. Three of my favorite quick and tasty vegan meals perfect both for adults or to use as weaning recipes for your baby.
What are your family favorites? I’d love it if you shared them with me (and other readers) in the comments below!