The classic chilli con carne is something the whole family can enjoy, even your weaning baby! Hearty and flavoursome, this recipe can be spiced up or down to suit your needs.
Don't let the 'chilli' in the name put you off; I advise adding chilli powder as a first taste and then moving onto chillies when you think your child is ready to accept it a little spicier. You will be surprised just how much children love spices!
This chilli con carne recipe is also one of my favourite recipes to batch cook. I like to portion mine into adult and child size portions, that way I know I have defrosted exactly what I need.
Makes: 8 adult portions
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 kg (35 oz) minced beef
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp chilli flakes
230ml (1 cup) beef stock
4 tbsp tomato puree
2 x 400g (14 oz) tin kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 x 400g (14 oz) tin chopped tomatoes
Shredded cheddar cheese, to serve
Handful of coriander, chopped, to serve
Method
Method
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Heat oil in a medium pan or the removable insert from your slow cooker. Add onion, garlic, cumin and coriander and cook until onion is translucent, 3-4 minutes.
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Add mince and paprika and cook, stirring and breaking up meat, until brown. Transfer to slow cooker.
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Add beef stock, tomato puree, kidney beans, chopped tomatoes, chilli flakes and oregano and stir to combine.
- Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours. Serve with rice or warmed tortillas and top with sour cream, cheese and coriander.
Serving suggestions: Rice, some crusty bread or over a jacket potato. Better still, let your child decide on the accompaniment. My kids love jacket potatoes so they can fill themselves and make sure to add some cheese.
Further tips
- I like to use kidney beans that are in water rather then salt. I use Epicure but there are others available on the market.
- For batch cooking, it is best to use a processor to chop your vegetables. It saves so much time and for kids who are not big fans of large chunks of onions it works a treat. Be sure to chop your vegetables first and then pulse until the vegetables are chopped making sure it does not turn to mush. Peppers do not work as well so make sure to chop as much as you can before you place it in the processor and again pulse a few times.
Weaning and Storage
6-7 months (2oz) - Smooth and slightly thicker puree, no lumps
7-8 months (3oz) - Thicker puree with increased texture
8-9 months (4oz) - Minced and mashed with soft lumps.
9-12 months (6oz) - Minced and finely chopped.
Our award winning Starter Weaning Set set has all the pots you need to batch cook, portion and safely store food for your weaning baby.
At Mummy Cooks, we have a wealth of advice on feeding your family. We cover everything from meal prep and slow cooker recipes to moving baby on to family foods and preparing food safely. So whether you're looking for quick and easy meal ideas or want to learn more about healthy eating, we've got you covered - Feeding the Family Advice page
