Quinoa is one of the most popular healthy foods that babies and children can eat. You may try various quinoa recipes for toddlers to prepare and serve several delicious quinoa preparations. Quinoa can be a source of several essential nutrients and micronutrients for toddlers.
Read this post to know more about quinoa and various quick quinoa recipes to prepare quinoa dishes for your toddler.
What Is Quinoa?
Quinoa is a low allergenic edible seed that is gluten-free and contains all nine crucial amino acids necessary for your toddler’s healthy growth and development. This seed-like fruit is rich in proteins, minerals, and vitamins like Vitamin E and folate. Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy yet crunchy, and you can cook them to make many nutty delights for your toddler(1)
Quinoa is also a favorite among vegans and vegetarians, and makes a great ingredient for many recipes. Here is our collection of the top 10 quinoarecipes for toddlers:
1. Quinoa Curry
You Will Need:
- 1 onion
- One garlic clove
- ½ cup of quinoa, cooked
- Olive oil
- One tsp of fresh ginger, crushed
- ½ tsp of curry powder
- ¾ cup cannellini beans
- ¾ cup of tomatoes, chopped
How To:
- Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the onion in the oil. Sauté the onion for about two minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic and sauté for two more minutes
- Add the cannellini beans and curry powder and stir well.
- Add the cooked quinoaand tomatoes. Then lower the heat and bring it to a simmer for ten minutes.
- Mash well and serve.
2. Savoury And Sweet Vegetable Quinoa
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 2 tbsp of zucchini, diced
- One sweet potato
- One green onion
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp of dried and chopped apricots
- 1 tbsp raisins
How To:
- Soak the apricots and raisins in a bowl of warm water. Allow them to turn soft.
- Heat the olive oil in a pan.
- Add the sweet potato, onion, and zucchini and sauté untilthe onionturns golden
- Add the quinoa, apricots, and raisins and stir well before serving.
3. Quinoa And Chicken Patties
You Will Need:
- ½ sweet potato
- One garlic clove
- 1 cup of ground chicken
- 1 apple
- Oneegg yolk
- 1 onion
- ¼ cup of quinoa, cooked
- A pinch of dried thyme
How To:
- Peel the sweet potato, onion, garlic, and apple and put all of them together in one bowl.
- Add an egg yolk, the quinoa, ground chicken, and thyme to the mixture in a bowl and mix it well.
- Shape balls out of the mixture and press into ½ inch thick patties.
- 库克的馅饼烤约10分钟s on each side.
4. Apple, Beet, And Quinoa Blend
You Will Need:
- 1 peeled and diced apple
- 1 peeled and diced beetroot
- ½ cup of cooked quinoa
How To:
- Steamthe applepieces and beet cubes until they turn tender.
- Puree the beet and apple cubes in a food processor.
- Add the cooked quinoa to the puree and serve.
5. Quinoa Meatballs
You Will Need:
- ½ cup of quinoa, cooked
- ½ cup of carrot, grated
- ½ lb ground beef
- 2 tbsp applesauce
- One egg yolk, beaten
- A pinch of dried thyme
How To:
- Preheat your oven to 200 deg C (392 deg F).
- Mix the quinoa, carrot, beef, applesauce, egg yolk, and thyme together. Shape the mixture into meatballs about one inch thick with your hands.
- Bake the meatballs for about 15 minutes.
- Serve warm.
6. Quinoa Cookies
You Will Need:
- ½ cup of quinoa flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup of plain flour
- 1/3 cup of oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- ½ cup of oats
- ½ cup of chocolate chips
How To:
- Mix the quinoa flour, wheat flour, baking powder, oats, chocolate chips, and brown sugar in a one bowl.
- Mix the egg, oil, and vanilla extract in another bowl.
- Now, mix the two mixtures in a bowl.
- Roll the mixture into small balls using your hands. Place these balls onto a cookie sheet and press them into a flat cookie shape.
- Bake the cookies for about eight minutes.
- Serve them once cooled.
7. Mexican Quinoa Salad
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 cup of cooked sweetcorn kernels
- 2 cups of vegetable broth
- 1 cup of black beans, cooked
- ½ tsp of sea salt
- 3 green onions, sliced
- Some cilantro leaves, chopped
- Juice of one fresh lemon
- 2 tsp of olive oil
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- Pepper and salt to taste
How To:
- Place the cup of quinoa, the two cups of vegetable broth, and some water in a saucepan.
- Add sea salt to the mixture and bring it to a full boil. Lower the heat to simmer. Cover the saucepan and cook for about 15 minutes. As the clear grains rise, stir them with a fork and set aside to cool.
- Drain the water and place the cooked quinoa in a bowl. Add beans, pepper, cilantro, and olive oil. Then add the sweetcorn, onion slices, lemon juice, cumin, and salt. Mix all of the ingredients well and serve.
8. Quinoa And Banana Breakfast
You Will Need:
- ½ ripe banana
- ½ cup of quinoa, cooked
- ½ cup of low-fat milk or whole milk
- 1 tbsp dried and chopped apricots
How To:
- Cut the banana into small pieces using a knife.
- Combine the banana pieces and milk in a saucepan.
- Pour the quinoa and apricots to the pan and stir gently for about five to ten minutes, until it starts to thicken.
- Serve while still warm.
9. Quinoa, Walnut, And Spinach Stir-Fry
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 tsp garlic, minced
- 5 ounces of baby spinach
- 1 tsp olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup of cherry tomatoes or grapes
- 2 cups of water
- ½ cup of fresh Parmesan cheese, grated
- ½ cup of walnuts, chopped and toasted
- Basil leaves
How To:
- Place the quinoa in a bowl. Add water and mash it well. Place the mixture in a mesh strainer and drain the mixture well.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Add the quinoa and cook until it turns golden. This will take around ten minutes.
- Add the garlic. Cook and stir the mixture for about 1 minute.
- Add the salt and two cups of water and bring it to a boil. Lower the heat and leave to simmer for about fifteen minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and spinach. Cook over a medium heat for about one minute, until the tomatoes are warm and the spinach wilts.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts. Stir everything well.
- Garnish with basil leaves and serve.
10. Delicious Pecan-Quinoa Bowl
You Will Need:
- 1 cup of quinoa
- 1 tsp butter
- 1 cup of low-fat milk
- 1/3 cup of raisin or cranberries
- 1 tbsp of honey or sugar
- 1/3 cup of pecans, chopped and toasted
- 1 tsp salt
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 肉豆蔻粉1/8茶匙磨碎的
For Toppings:
- Pecans, chopped
- Honey
- Warm milk
How To:
- Place the milk in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.
- Add the quinoa, butter, and cranberries. Cover the saucepan, lower the heat, and simmer for about 15 minutes until the quinoa is tender.
- Addthe honey, cinnamon, pecans, nutmeg, and salt.
- Divide the mixture into four bowls.
- Garnish each bowl with chopped pecans, honey, and milk.
- Serve immediately.(2)
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How do I give my 1-year-old quinoa?
You may serve quinoa to babies after eight months of age in the form of porridge or puree. It can also be incorporated in the form of stews or soups. You may wash, pre-soak, cook and serve quinoa to your little ones in a mashed form (you may find more quinoa recipe ideashere).
2. Does quinoa make babies constipated?
There is no scientific data to support this view. On the contrary, experts suggest that including fiber-rich foods such as quinoa can help relieve constipation in babies (3) (4).
3. How do you soak quinoa before cooking?
Depending on the recipe you wish to prepare, you may soak quinoa for a few minutes before cooking. If you forgot to soak or are running out of time, ensure that you wash quinoa thoroughly before cooking (5).
Quinoa seeds are protein-rich, gluten-free, and contain essential amino acids that make them an ideal food to support a toddler’s growth. You can prepare quinoa in various ways appropriate to serve any time of the day. They are not only versatile but can also be used to create delicious desserts and side dishes that are perfect for toddlers. For breakfast, you can add it to banana and milk, make salads with other vegetables, or serve it for lunch or dinner as a component of meatballs, quinoa curry, or sweet and salty vegetable quinoa. Quinoa cookies are sure to be your child’s favorite. The quinoa recipes for toddlers will undoubtedly satisfy their taste buds without compromising nutrition.
Infographic: Quick And Easy Quinoa Snacks For Toddlers
藜麦是一个著名的有营养的零食蹒跚学步rs. However, getting your little one to eat healthy foods can be a tough challenge. Read this infographic to find the best child-friendly quinoa recipes for your picky toddlers. Save and share it with parents of other toddlers too!
Key Pointers
- Quinoa is a high-protein food item that is gluten-free.
- Toddlers can be fed quinoa in multiple ways, such as curries, meatballs, cookies, and combinations with vegetables for added flavor and texture.
- Quinoa recipes can be customized by adding more ingredients and spices, and they can be served as both snacks and meals.
References:
- Healthy food trends — quinoa.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000731.htm - Fall Quinoa Salad.
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000731.htm - Coping with Constipation.
https://chsciowa.org/sites/chsciowa.org/files/resource/files/constipation_and_fiber_guide.pdf - Fibre.
https://www.rch.org.au/uploadedFiles/Main/Content/nutrition/2013Fibre.pdf - Quinoa: a Nutritional Powerhouse That Can Expand Your Love of Food.
https://www.ahealthiermichigan.org/2011/06/06/quinoa-a-nutritional-powerhouse-that-can-expand-your-love-of-food/ - Quinoa, cooked.
https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/168917/nutrients - Serving Sizes for Toddlers.
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/nutrition/Pages/Serving-Sizes-for-Toddlers.aspx