#FEEDING Just add an egg!

Older babies and toddlers can enjoy these meals with you. Eggs are nutritious, quick to prepare and delicious.

WHIP IT UP

Make an enriched vanilla milkshake by beating the following ingredients together: 500ml of whatever milk your baby drinks, 1 raw pasteurised egg, 5ml vanilla extract, pinch of sugar.

TIP Don’t let your tot see you add the egg, as the yuck factor might put them off.

WOW, MAMA!

Make your own fresh pasta with two eggs and a cup of flour. Roll the dough out very thinly, and cut into strips.

HUMPTY DUMPTY

Decorate a boiled egg by drawing a face, crown and striped shorts and suspenders on it. Show your child how to chop the head off with a knife before eating it with toast fingers.

NOTE FROM THE EDITOR This is the stuff that memories are made of. My mom did this with me!

OLD FAVOURITE

Egg sandwiches are alway on trend! For a perfect hard-boiled egg: Start with room temperature eggs. Place in a saucepan, and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and put the lid on the pot. Wait for 12 minutes, and then rinse the eggs under cold water. Peel and mash up with a bit of mayo. For adults add salt and pepper. Make a sandwich with the egg filling.

SAVOURY PANCAKES

Make your usual pancake recipe ,but instead of cinnamon and sugar, spread the pancakes with crème fraîche and then a bit of steamed salmon and some hardboiled egg slices. Squeeze a little lemon juice over, roll up and enjoy!

SHORT-CUT PIE

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Smear a muffin tin with butter. Roll out some ready-made pastry to a thickness of 5mm. Cut out four large circles to line the muffin holes. Sprinkle a little finely chopped chicken and mushroom in the hollow. Break an egg on top. For the adults, sprinkle with salt and paprika. Bake for about 10 minutes until the white is solid.

VEGGIE BOATS

Ingredients: 2 large red bell peppers, 4 eggs, a cup of chopped mushrooms, a cup of cooked broccoli florets ,and salt and pepper for the adults. Preheat the oven to 180°C. The bell peppers are your boats. Cut them in half and hollow out. Arrange on a baking sheet, or prop up in a muffin tin if they fall over. Mix the other ingredients in a large bowl. Divide this mixture between the four red boats, and bake for half an hour.

EASY SHAKSHUKA

In a large suacepan, sauté a chopped onion and red bell pepper in a little butter. Add a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of paprika and a some garlic and stir through for another 2 minutes. Add a 410g can of chopped, peeled tomatoes and a 410g can of baked beans ,and mix well. Heat through until bubbling. Use the back of a soup ladle to make hollows in the mix and carefully break an egg into each. Put a lid on, lower the heat, and give it about 10 to 15 minutes for the egg to cook. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve. NOTE This one might be a little acidic for a baby, so keep the portion small.

LEFTOVER MAGIC

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Beat 5 eggs and a cup of cream together, and add about 80g of grated cheese. Sauté two sliced leeks in a little butter in an overproof pan. Add 80 g of frozen peas and stir through. Add 1 cup of leftover cooked pasta and stir through. Add 3t of dried Italian herbs. Remove from the heat. Pour the egg into the pan, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, and cut into thick slices to enjoy as finger food. ●