Jacket Potatoes are a classic in the British household – they’re quick to cook and easily enjoyed by all the family. In this recipe, we’re taking a Mexican twist on a super easy meal suitable for the whole family.
This dish uses a sweet potato rather than the standard white one. Both sweet potatoes and standard potatoes are healthy options and it’s good to vary up which types you have. Sweet potatoes contain a little bit more vitamin A, vitamin C and fibre than standard potatoes – but remember, eating the skin of the potato gives you even more!
This meal is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans!
The recipe is vegetarian BUT some ingredients can be substituted to transform it to a dairy-free recipe too! I’ve written before about raising vegan and vegetarian babies, so be sure to check that out if you have any questions about raising vegetarian/vegan children. You could also add any meat or fish if you wanted as well.
One important thing when creating vegetarian recipes for babies and toddlers is to always think about replacing nutrients that would otherwise have come from fish or meat. For example, this dish uses black beans, which are a good source of protein and also contribute to iron, folate, magnesium and zinc intakes – all nutrients which you would likely get from animal products too. Additionally, in this recipe, the avocado provides plenty of calories, healthy fats and other vitamins and minerals!
For more on a balanced diet for children, do check out my blog.
Mexican Stuffed Potatoes
This recipe is SO easy and quick to make, but will definitely impress your little hungry monsters. This meal is ideally suitable for 12 months+ but it will depend on your baby’s stage of weaning and the recipe can be chopped or mashed for younger children, as needed (see some modification tips below) .
What You’ll Need
Ingredients- serves 2 – baby and parent
- Two Sweet Potatoes – ideally one larger for an adult and one smaller for Baby (for young babies you can remove the skin and offer as a mash)
- One Avocado
- 1/2 Red Onion (only use small amounts for young babies)
- 12 Cherry Tomatoes (or 2 big ones!)
- 10g of fresh coriander
- 1 Lime
- 50g Sour Cream (or coconut cream as a vegan substitute)
- 50g of grated Mozzarella (or a vegan substitute)
- 200g black beans
Let’s Get Started
- Pierce the sweet potatoes and microwave for 10 minutes on full heat. Alternatively, you could leave them on a medium heat for 4 hours in a slow cooker if you want to prep ahead ready for dinner time!
- Once the potatoes have pinged, time to bake. Place them on an oven proof tray and pop in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 200c/gas mark 6.
- Whilst the potatoes are baking, it’s time to prep the filling. Firstly, chop your red onion finely and separate into two bowls. I’d recommend only using a small amount of onion in baby’s food though – Raffy definitely wasn’t a fan so do adapt the recipe as needed. !
- Time to chop the tomatoes finely. Cut them as small or as chunky as you and baby like and then add them to one of the bowls and mix the ingredients nicely.
- Next, it’s time for the guacamole. Cut your avocado in half and scoop the insides into the other bowl. Using the back of a fork, mash the avocado with the red onion.
- Finely chop your coriander and add to the avocado mix – combine well.
- Slice the lime in two – squeeze one half into the tomato mix and the other half in your avocado mix. You now have your salsa and guacamole!
- Your potatoes should be ready by now. Take them out of the oven and CAREFULLY scoop out the insides into another bowl (they’ll still be very hot!). Add the cheese and sour cream (or alternative) to the sweet potato and mix well. You can also add a little paprika here too if you’d like a little more spice, be mindful to only add small amounts to baby’s food – especially if they haven’t tried it before. Fill the skins back up with the filling and bake for a further 8-10 minutes.
- Last but not least, time to prepare the beans. Simply pop them in a bowl straight from the can and microwave for just two minutes or cook in a little water on the hob for around 10 minutes. If baby isn’t quite used to the texture of beans yet, you can simply add the beans to a little bit of hot water and then blend to make a paste.
- Once the potatoes have baked again, they’re ready to top with your delicious sides. Add the salsa, guacamole and beans on top in any way you like.
- And serve! Perfect as finger food or with a knife and fork. Full of nutrients, colours, textures and a whole lot of tastiness.
- Enjoy!
Remember to cool slightly, so it’s not too hot for those little tongues. And most importantly, enjoy! A healthy, nutritious meal for all the family.
This recipe was written by Emma Green, Registered Dietitian, of Emmasfoodstories