The Best Baba Ghanoush for Babies (and Toddlers!)
Whoever said vegetables had to be served whole and in a portion just big enough to validate whatever snack you served them prior to lunch or dinner? Not you (or I), anyway. Options: you’re going to need and want every veggie form and function out there to get until your child tolerates eating crunchy raw vegetables (e.g., the pre-cut carrot sticks, cukes, baby peppers that will be lifesavers in the later toddler years).
Here, then, an obvious one: baba ghanoush. It’s creamy and unctuous; your child has no idea there is a whole purple vegetable hiding in it. To make sure of that, we take a cue from Turkish cuisine for this version: add a little mayo. It adds an extra layer of smoothness that makes it more like ranch dressing to him/her–they may even want to use other vegetables to dip into it!
- 1 large eggplant
- Tahini (recommended, but can sub with yogurt)
- Minced or powdered garlic
- Mayo
- Lemon
- Sumac and/or zaatar
- Preheat your oven to 425. While the oven warms, cut thin incisions length-wise all around the eggplant. When the oven is fully heated, place the eggplant directly onto a rack and put a tray or pan on the rack below to catch any release of moisture; cook for 45-60 minutes.
- Remove eggplant from heat and place in a colander or strainer, allowing it to cool. When the eggplant is cool, squeeze out excess water and return to colander, allowing the eggplant to continue to extrude remaining moisture for another 15-20 minutes. Peel away the skin and place the ivory colored and squishy strands of the interior into the jar of your food processor or blender.
- Add to the blender a very large scoop of tahini or yogurt, one scoop of mayonnaise, a large shake of garlic powder or small scoop of minced garlic, a small drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper each, and your seasoning(s) of choice (if using). Blend until smooth.
- When ready to serve, squeeze lemon over the top of your child’s serving and blend.
Brad (the Dad) is the founder and Chief Recipe Officer of New Dad's Kitchen. His own cooking/feeding journey started humbly during his son's infancy, preparing and managing his son's bottle intake in order to support his wife; it has since blossomed into a full-on passion to feed his child and family delicious and healthy meals that can satisfy both a toddler and his very tired parents.
