Life with a baby can be hectic at best, but lunch with a baby may be one of the most hectic parts of the day! I realized recently that during our busy schedule, juggling work and naptimes and errands, I’ve been skipping lunches lately (or worse, choosing terribly unhealthy options on-the-go). My friends at Peapod asked me to come with some easy lunch recipes that both mom and baby can enjoy, and it felt like the perfect time to try something new for our lunch routine!
I love the popularity of grain and salad bowls that have popped up on lunch menus everywhere recently, and decided to take that concept and highlight some ingredients that I love and that work for my toothless-7-month-old-foodie! I started by roasting some butternut squash, chickpeas, and red onion in flavorful spices and with some lemon juice and olive oil, reserving a bit of the squash and chickpea mixture without the spices or onions for a kid-friendly snack.
After all of the veggies were roasted and full of flavor, I tossed mine with a bit of couscous for a grain in the bowl, mixed greens for some colorful crunch, and drizzled the whole thing with a bit more olive oil and lemon juice. It was simple, fresh, and really versatile. You can serve it hot or cold, with a bit of naan on the side for scooping up the couscous and veggies, and even mix in other toppings like marinated olives or some fresh scallions.
For Jane’s kid-friendly portion, I served up the cooled chickpeas and butternut squash bite-sized pieces, a scoop of the couscous, and bits of a piece of naan (which is her favorite!). She gobbled up the whole thing, plucking out the sweet bits of squash and mashing the soft, flavorful chickpeas. She also loved the texture of her couscous (warning: you may need to vacuum after kids get into the couscous!). The best part? It was a healthy meal that we could both enjoy! Get the full recipe below:
- 4 Cups of Butternut Squash
- 2 Cups of Chickpeas
- ½ Red Onion
- 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil, plus extra for garnish
- Juice of one lemon, plus extra for garnish
- 1.5 Tsp Garam Masala
- 1.5 Tsp Curry Powder
- Salt and Pepper
- Mixed Greens
- Couscous
- Naan
- Cube butternut squash into ½ inch pieces.
- In a small bowl, combine garam masala, curry powder, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
- Reserve 1 cup of squash and ½ cup of chickpeas on a separate baking sheet.
- Combine remaining butternut squash with chickpeas and sliced red onions on a baking sheet and toss with spiced oil mixture.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes, remove and let cool slightly.
- Toss butternut squash, chickpeas, and onions with greens and couscous.
- Dress the bowl with fresh lemon juice and drizzle olive oil over the top, serve with warm naan.
- Serve reserved squash, chickpeas, and couscous with naan for children.
SHOP THE POST
Please note: This post was created in partnership with Peapod. All opinions, images, and content are my own.
