I LOVE this simple recipe! It’s a perfect early recipe for those who are using traditional weaning methods and a really great way to start exploring spices in baby’s foods too. Cumin is a nice gentle spice and it’s actually one we use a lot at home with the kids.
This is a great “next steps” recipe for baby, after you’ve started with single veggies and are starting to move on. The butterbeans add a good source of protein and iron too, which is important early on in the weaning journey.
I used butter beans for this recipe as they go well with this dish, but if you don’t have any, just substitute for another type of tinned beans (just check that your beans are tinned in water, not salt). You could also make a bigger batch and freezer the rest into portions for another day. Always helpful when you’re short on time!
If you’re baby led weaning you can simply roll this recipe into little balls and bake in the oven, I’ve done that throughout my book How to Wean Your Baby to give those babies who just love feeding themselves this option. Alternatively, spread it on some toast!
Here’s how to do it…
Ingredients
- ½ a sweet potato
- Small handful of tinned butter beans (around 12)
- Tiny pinch of cumin
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200 ºC
- Bake the sweet potato for around 30-40 minutes. Scrape the potato insides out when done and mash with a fork.
- Heat the butter beans slightly on a pan or in water (or microwave for a few seconds. Heating just allows you to pop them out of their shells more easily, as tinned beans are already cooked!) and then pop them out of their skins. Then mash with a fork.
- Mix the mashed butterbean insides and a pinch of cumin with the sweet potato mash and serve!
This mashed potato recipe is great served on its own or goes well paired with meat, fish or tofu fingers with and a side of steamed veggies.
If you’re after more sweet potato recipe inspo check out these Sweet Potato & Chickpea Patties, my Sweet Potato Falafels and these Mummy & Me – Mexican Stuffed Potatoes.
For more recipes, my book How To Wean Your Baby has 40+ recipes along with a 30-day step-by-step guide to weaning.
Charlotte’s Book