Broccoli cheddar egg muffins

Name: Broccoli cheddar egg muffins
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 12 small muffins
Ingredients: 6 eggs; 60 ml (¼ cup) whole cow's milk; 150 g (about 1½ cups) broccoli florets; 40 g (scant ½ cup) finely grated mild cheddar; 1 tsp vegetable oil

Little baked omelettes with soft broccoli and a small amount of mild cheddar, cooked until fully set. Contains egg and milk: offer them once your baby has had egg and dairy, each on its own.

From: 9 months
Time: 35 min
Makes: 12 small muffins

Contains eggContains milk

Ingredients

6eggs
60 ml (¼ cup)whole cow's milkfine in cooking, but not as a main drink until 12 months; breast milk or formula also work (see the US and UK note)
150 g (about 1½ cups)broccoli floretsabout half a small head
40 g (scant ½ cup)finely grated mild cheddarpasteurized and full-fat; compare labels and choose a lower-salt one
1 tspvegetable oilfor the tin

Steps

1Wash your hands. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), or 160°C fan. Brush the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin with the oil, or use silicone cases. Rinse the broccoli under running water.
2Steam the broccoli for about 5 to 8 minutes, until a knife slides through the stems with no resistance. Let it cool, then chop it finely.
3Whisk the eggs and milk together in a jug, then stir in the broccoli and cheese. Don't add salt. Don't taste the raw mixture, and wash your hands after handling raw egg.
4Pour the mixture into the tin, filling each hole about two-thirds full.
5Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until puffed and set all the way through. Cut into the middle of one to check: there should be no wet or runny egg. If you use a food thermometer, the center should reach 160°F (71°C).
6Let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and lift them out. Squash a piece between your thumb and finger: it should be soft. Check they're only just warm before serving.

How to serve it by age

9 months+

Once your baby has had egg and dairy on their own without a reaction, cut a muffin into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or into finger-shaped strips to hold. Each piece should squash easily between your thumb and finger.

12 months+

Serve halves to hold and bite, or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), with soft fruit, or toast fingers once wheat has been introduced, for breakfast.

18 months+

Offer a whole muffin to hold and bite, or pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), alongside the family's breakfast or lunch. Stay with your toddler while they eat.

Where US and UK guidance differ on this recipe

United States(AAP and CDC)Your setting

The CDC says not to give cow's milk before 12 months. If you follow US advice, use breast milk or formula instead.

United Kingdom(NHS)Your setting

The NHS says cows' milk can be used in cooking or mixed with food from around 6 months, but shouldn't be given as a main drink until 1 year.

We cover US and UK guidance in detail. Elsewhere, check your national health service's advice too.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains egg, milk. Introduce one new allergen at a time, mixed into a food your baby already eats, before serving it in a dish with other new foods. Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if you notice mild signs after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Leftovers and the rest of the family

Storing it

Cool leftover muffins quickly and keep them in a covered container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or freeze them for 2 to 3 months (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen solid). Reheat from frozen or thawed, only once, until steaming hot, 165°F (74°C), then let them cool before serving. Throw away anything left in your baby's bowl. Don't leave muffins at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).

For the grown-ups

Fill your baby's muffins first, then stir chopped ham, chili or a pinch of salt and pepper into the rest of the mixture for the adults. They make a quick breakfast to grab from the fridge.