Mushroom and Chickpea Stroganoff For Babies & Toddlers

I first created this dish when I was on the lookout for more mushroom meals to add at home. I found that mushroom stroganoff came up quite a lot, however, it was not something I would see people offering to babies and toddlers and so I thought, “why not”! Also Ada is SUCH a fan of mushrooms, so anything I can do to build meals around a well-loved veg is a win!

I decided to add chickpeas into this recipe to make it a good source of plant-based protein and iron and I also omitted any salt or stock (although I’ve included Marmite which does contain a little added salt, but quite a small amount, especially when spread across portions). See my blog on salt for babies if you’re unsure on this, but small amounts of marmite (especially as it’s so nutrient-rich) are OK for babies.

The serving here is ideal as a small portion for me and a portion for Raffy and Ada. If you’re making it for more people, simply try doubling the recipe and freezing so you have a meal for you and baby/toddler another day. The portions will vary a lot depending on how much your little one eats, what age and stage they are at weaning-wise and also how much you eat as an adult too. If you’re unsure about portion sizes check out my blog on “Portion Sizes For Babies” and keep an eye out for a factsheet coming on this topic very soon!

I also like the fact that this can be served with rice (2-5 tablespoons of cooked rice for a 1-4 year old), pasta or potatoes too, which is good for adding variety to a childs diet. I also love this on toast and have another butterbean mushroom recipe in my book How to Wean Your Baby that is perfect on garlicy toast!

So, here it is, my Mushroom and Chickpea Stroganoff Recipe for babies and toddlers.

Ingredients: (serves around 2-3 portions)

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 – 1 ½ tablespoon of paprika
250g of chestnut mushrooms
125mls of recently boiled water
1 heaped teaspoon of marmite
½ a tin of chickpeas
3 tablespoons of yogurt or dairy alternative

Method:

Heat the oil in a pan for a few minutes and then add the onion.
Fry the onion until it’s nicely browned and then add the paprika and the garlic, stir well.
Add the mushrooms and continue to stir until the ingredients have blended well (for around 5 minutes).
Add the recently boiled water and the marmite and cook for 5-10 minutes until most of the water has boiled off add the chickpeas for a couple of minutes at the very end.
Remove from the heat once it’s nice and thick and add your yogurt – stir well to avoid seperation.
Serve a large spoonful or two to baby along with 2-5 tablespoons of rice (age dependent).
Save the rest for yourself or as a meal for baby at a later date (or both).