Cherry Rice Pudding - Scrumptiously sugar free & great for weaning!

"Whether you're looking for recipes for weaning or cooking with toddlers, this is an all year round favourite in our house. On hot summer days you can enjoy it cold, and heat it up for the cooler months. This scrumptious recipe has no added sugar and is naturally sweetened with cherries and coconuts."

Some of the fondest memories I have with my mother and grandmother are of us in the kitchen, learning family recipes, secret ingredients and how I will never forget the smells that came out of our oven!!

Sensory Experience

We are a boutique fashion label creating mum and daughter matching outfits, and we want to show you how baking with kids, and also cooking with kids can be fun and a great sensory experience for them. 

This recipe for kids is perfect if you are looking for something they can get involved in but is also quick, easy and creates minimal mess. 
  
Let them feel, taste and smell the ingredients as they add each one together. Explain how the rice soaks up all the liquids and show them the mixture during the cooking process, so they can see how it gradually becomes a pudding texture. 
Weaning Rice Pudding Recipe. Cooking with kids. Cooking with toddlers. Easy Rice Pudding Recipe. Cherry Rice Pudding Recipe.
  
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Dairy free, vegetarian, vegan, lactose free and free from nasties

This weaning recipe is centred around pudding rice. What is pudding rice? It's a short grained rice that contains starch, for a lovely sticky finish and gives it that creamy soft rice pudding. 
  
If you can't find pudding rice or another basic short-grained rice, you can use arborio rice, which is used to make risotto or sushi rice, both give a soft creamy finish.
  
We use Oatly oat milk instead of cow's milk in our house, because we find it easier to digest while also providing the same amount of calcium. There are other reasons why we have substituted oat milk for cow's milk - PETA highlights a few of these*.
 
This recipe is suitable for vegans, vegetarians and is naturally lactose free.
 

Weaning recipes & when to introduce to cooking for kids

The NHS state that babies from 6 months can have rice and fruit**. You can change remove the cherries all together if you want to start with a flavour that is plain, or alternate the fruits. This recipe adds the cherries while cooking but you can mash in some fresh banana or berries to introduce new flavours. 
  
This recipe for kids is perfect those kids that want to get involved but have a little attention span. All ingredients are added into just 1 saucepan and stirred together. It means they get to handle the food but your kitchen remains clean. 
  
We hope you enjoy this weaning recipe and cooking with your kids!!
 
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TIPS FOR COOKING WITH TODDLERS:

- Let them feel each ingredient separately and explain what each one is
- Let them pour ingredients in together (step 1)
- Let them see how it all starts to comes together during the cooking process, and how it transforms from rice and liquids to pudding texture

General Rules:
- Always have something on hand for them to play with. It will save lots of mess and frustration. E.g. measuring spoons, measuring jugs. 
- I measure my ingredients before hand. I find Maeve enjoys the mixing parts most and gets bored (and therefore destructive) if she isn't getting involved.
- Please always take care when your kids are in the kitchen. We are only providing advice from a mum's point of view and you should never leave children around sharp objects or unattended. 

 

Cooking with Kids. Baking with Kids. Cooking with Toddlers. Baking with Toddlers.  Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking with Kids. Baking with Kids. Cooking with Toddlers. Baking with Toddlers. Mum and Daughter Matching Dresses. Me and Maeve Grace Cooking time: 30 minutes

Cooking with Kids. Baking with Kids. Cooking with Toddlers. Baking with Toddlers. Mum and Daughter Matching Dresses. Me and Maeve Grace Serves: Makes between 4 - 6 small servings

Cooking with Kids. Baking with Kids. Cooking with Toddlers. Baking with Toddlers. Mum and Daughter Matching Dresses. Me and Maeve Grace Great for: Kids aged 6 months and over**

   

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1/2 cup of pudding rice (or risotto rice if you can't find pudding rice)
  • 450ml oat milk (we like Oatly)
  • 100ml coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/4 vanilla pod)
  • 100g cherries (carefully pitted and finely chopped)

 

METHOD:

1. Place all ingredients together in a saucepan (heavy bottomed or wide as the mixture tends to boil and overflow) and mix together. 

2. Bring to the boil then reduce to an extremely low simmer. Check on every 5 minutes to make sure it doesn't over flow and to give it a stir. 

3. After 20 - 25 minutes add in the chopped cherries and stir through. 

4. Once all the milk is absorbed and the rice is cooked through, around 30 minutes, take off the heat. 

5. Serve warm or see notes below for freezing

 

Freezing notes 

It's best frozen in individual airtight containers. To defrost, leave out at room temperature and reheat gently in the microwave or saucepan. If it's dry add a little milk and stir through.

 

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We love to see and hear from all our mother daughter baking duos - tag us on Instagram @maeve.and.me to be featured with your creations!!

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*  12 reasons to stop drinking cows milk - PETA
** What to feed your baby - NHS

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