Baby and toddler recipes
🍚 Rice and peas with roasted squash
A Caribbean family favourite of rice cooked with kidney beans, coconut milk, thyme and allspice, served with sweet roasted squash. Beans give iron and protein; serve with mango or pepper for vitamin C.
Makes 4 baby portions plus 2 adult portions
Ingredients
- 200g Basmati rice (rinsed)
- 1 x 400g tin Kidney beans (no added salt, drained and rinsed)
- 200ml Coconut milk
- 2 Spring onion (sliced)
- 1 clove Garlic (crushed)
- 3 sprigs Thyme
- a pinch Allspice
- 1/2 Butternut squash (peeled and cut into wedges)
- 1 tbsp Olive oil
- 250ml Water
- 1/2 Mango (sliced, to serve)
Method
- Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan) and roast the squash wedges in the oil for 30 minutes until very soft.
- Put the rice, beans, coconut milk, water, spring onion, garlic, thyme and allspice in a pan.
- Bring to the boil, cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 15 to 18 minutes until the liquid is absorbed.
- Leave covered for 5 minutes, then fluff and remove the thyme stalks.
- Mash baby's rice and peas so the beans are broken down and serve with the squash and mango.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months mash the rice and beans together and serve the squash as soft fingers. From 9 months squash each bean and press rice into small balls. Toddlers can have it as is with beans halved.
For the rest of the family
Add a whole Scotch bonnet to the pot for adults if cooking separately, and season with salt.
Storing and reheating
Rice needs extra care: cool within an hour, keep in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat only once until steaming hot. Roasted squash keeps 2 days in the fridge and freezes well.
Weaning with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Are the peas in rice and peas actually beans?
Yes. In Jamaica, kidney beans or gungo peas are called peas. Kidney beans make it iron rich and filling.
Can I freeze rice and peas?
It is safest to freeze rice within an hour of cooking and reheat once only. Many families find it easiest to cook it fresh.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).