broccoli

Here's an easy-to-chew, delicious recipe for younger toddlers and babies just starting to eat real people food.

MaMaLaLa369 made these Chicken Sausages for her 1-year-old daughter, Lexi, the other night. Both baby and mama thought they were scrumptious!

It's a relief because MaMaLaLa369 has been trying to find a variety of "squishy" foods that Lexi will eat. She's an extremely picky little girl and only has a few teeth. MaMaLaLa369 has to mush up everything -- even peas and corn out of their skins first -- and she's desperate for some alternatives.

This easy recipe lets you sneak in four of the things babies and toddlers need: protein, carbs, vegetables and dairy -- with no squashing required! Make this one with your leftover mashed potatoes and broccoli.

mashed potato

Chicken Sausages

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 20 mins.

You'll need:

1 cup mashed potatoes

1 cup (1/2 pound) ground chicken

1/2 cup grated mild cheddar cheese

1/3 cup broccoli florets (boiled till soft and finely chopped)

2 tbs. Italian breadcrumbs

Make it:

1. Combine chicken, potatoes, cheese, broccoli, and breadcrumbs in a bowl. Mix with fork.

2. Form mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and then smush into patties (any shape will work). Place on ungreased baking pan.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Makes 18-20. Freeze and reheat as needed.

Tip: "This turned out great!" MaMaLaLa369 says. "This was Lexi's first time trying ground chicken and she did very well. It was a very squishy mixture, but the breadcrumbs make it a bit easier to handle. I used mashed potatoes that weren't too stiff. Next time I might make a batch mixed with mashed carrots!"

Check back next Thursday for another great recipe. Got a favorite toddler friendly meal or snack of your own to share? Let me know about it and I may feature it here.


Past Toddler Meals:

Easy Quesadillas

Barbecue Cups

Healthy Ketchup

Cinnamon Raisin Roll-Ups