I have to say the fruits of Spring are more exciting to my family than the veggies of Spring but some great spring vegetables are starting to appear now, so I was inspired to create this roasted fennel and carrot dish.
We’re a Fall/Winter veggie family here and prefer the hearty and warming tastes offered in these seasons. That does not mean we discount the vegetable bounty of the Spring however! Many of these Spring veggies make great additions to dishes that you may already be serving to your baby. Spring onions for example make a great introduction to more flavorful tastes when you add them to baby’s meals. Fennel and leeks are also great veggies to tickle the taste buds; try roasting them with carrots.
Ingredients:
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 bunch of carrots (about 5 or 6)
- olive oil
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Trim, peel and cut carrots into chunks
Cut the “stalks” of the fennel down to the bulb then trim off the top & bottom of the bulb. Be sure and save the stalks and add them to a homemade broth, soup or stock recipe at a later time.
Remove the center “core” area of the bulb. Chop the fennel bulb into large chunks or dices.
Lightly oil a medium sized roasting pan and add the carrots and fennel. Give them a quick mix and pop them into the oven. Bake for approximately 20 minutes then remove and cover with foil. Pop the pan back into the oven and bake for another 20 minutes or so. Carrots and fennel are cooked when they are fork tender and the fennel has become a little translucent.
Once cooked, serve as a side dish warm. You can mash a bit for babies who like texture and self-feeding or you can puree it. If you are going to puree it, please let cool for 10 minutes prior to pureeing. You can add water to make it thinner or even use some chicken broth.
Here are some great ideas for vegetables to look for in markets this Spring and some notes on what age you can begin to introduce each of these to your baby.
