Spinach banana pancakes

Name: Spinach banana pancakes
Total time: 25 min
Yield: About 10 small pancakes
Ingredients: 1 large handful (about 40 g / 1½ oz) fresh baby spinach; 1 ripe banana; 1 egg; 5 tbsp (about 40 g) plain (all-purpose) wheat flour; 1–3 tbsp breast milk, formula or water; 1 tsp vegetable oil

Soft green pancakes made from ripe banana, egg, flour and cooked spinach blended smooth, with no sugar or salt. Contains egg and wheat: offer them once your baby has had each on its own.

From: 6 months
Time: 25 min
Makes: About 10 small pancakes

Contains eggContains wheat

Ingredients

1 large handful (about 40 g / 1½ oz)fresh baby spinachor 2 cubes of frozen chopped spinach
1ripe bananayellow with brown speckles, so it mashes easily
1egg
5 tbsp (about 40 g)plain (all-purpose) wheat flour
1–3 tbspbreast milk, formula or wateronly if the batter is too thick
1 tspvegetable oilfor the pan

Steps

1Wash your hands. Rinse the spinach well under running water, and rinse the banana, even though you'll peel it.
2Put the spinach in a pan with 1 tbsp of water, cover and cook over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, until fully wilted (cook frozen spinach until it's steaming hot all the way through). Let it cool, then squeeze out as much water as you can.
3Blend the spinach, banana, egg and flour until completely smooth and green, with no leaves or strands left. Add a little breast milk, formula or water only if the batter is too thick to pour. Don't add sugar, honey, syrup or salt. The batter contains raw egg and raw flour, so don't let your baby taste or lick it, and wash your hands after handling it.
4Heat the oil in a nonstick pan over medium-low heat. Add tablespoons of batter, spreading each into a pancake about 8 cm (3 in) across.
5Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the underside is set and lightly golden, then flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. They're done when the middle is set all the way through, with no wet batter: tear one open to check. Egg dishes should reach 160°F (71°C).
6Let them cool on a plate for a few minutes, then cut them for your baby's stage and check the temperature before serving.

How to serve it by age

6 months+

Offer only after egg and wheat have each been introduced on their own. Cut each pancake into strips about the size of an adult finger, roughly 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in). Each strip should squash easily between your thumb and finger.

9 months+

Cut into pieces no bigger than about 1 cm (just under ½ inch) for pincer-grasp practice, or keep serving strips.

12 months+

Cut into narrow strips or bite-sized pieces about 1 cm (just under ½ inch), topped with mashed fruit, or plain yogurt once dairy has been introduced on its own, instead of syrup or honey.

If your baby reacts

This recipe contains egg, wheat. 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

Cooked pancakes keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge, or 2 to 3 months in the freezer (freeze them in a single layer, then pack them together once frozen). Reheat 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 pancakes at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F (32°C).