I absolutely love this fresh and delicious prawnzo! It’s taken from my book The Ultimate Weaning and Toddler Cookbook and is one of my favourites.
It’s a great one for after school when everyone’s hungry and you want to get something on the tabl
e quickly. The orzo, tomatoes, green beans and prawns make it a lovely balanced little meal, and the squeeze of lemon at the end gives it a really fresh flavour.You can easily swap the prawns for tofu if you’d like to make it plant-based, and it’s a good recipe for using up whatever veggies you have in the fridge too.
For younger babies, finely chop the vegetables and prawns so they’re easier to manage. For toddlers and older children, you can leave everything a little chunkier.
Serves: 1 adult and 2 babies/toddlers, with leftovers
Ingredients
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
- 150g cherry tomatoes, quartered
- 150g orzo
- 180g frozen peeled prawns, finely chopped, or 180g tofu
- Handful of green beans (around 60g), fresh or frozen, thinly sliced or chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a medium lidded saucepan over a medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a few minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring everything together.
- Add the orzo, 350ml water and the prawns and give everything a good stir. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add the green beans, stir to combine, pop the lid on and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring again. If you’re using tofu instead of prawns, crumble it in at this point and stir through until warmed.
- Finish with a good squeeze of lemon before serving.
Texture tips for different ages
Younger babies: Finely chop the vegetables and prawns and make sure everything is soft and easy to manage.
Toddlers and older children: You can leave the vegetables and prawns a little chunkier to add more texture.
Storage
Cool any leftovers to room temperature within 2 hours, then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Alternatively, freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, or until completely tha
wed, and reheat until piping hot. Allow it to cool to a suitable temperature before serving to little ones.For more quick and easy meals, take a look at my seven 15 minute meals – quick, balanced and kid friendly.