An Easy, Creamy Garlic and Herb Orzo Pasta For BLW

Table of Contents

How To Make Orzo

Boil water in a saucepan and add the orzo pasta. Cook according to package instructions until very soft. Drain the orzo and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve the orzo as a finger food option for your little one to self-feed and explore different textures during mealtime.

Remember to supervise your baby at all times when introducing solid foods, including orzo, to ensure a safe and enjoyable eating experience.

What Is Orzo Pasta?

Greek orzo, the small pasta, is a perfect introduction to the world of solid food for babies. Its petite size and soft texture make it ideal for their developing palates and tiny mouths. This versatile pasta can be cooked to a smooth consistency, making it easier for little ones to handle and digest.

Simple pasta can be served in a variety of healthy ways, whether in a creamy vegetable puree or in a simple tomato sauce. Packed with carbohydrates, orzo provides energy to fuel their growing bodies. Introducing orzo to babies not only exposes them to new textures and flavours but also encourages them to explore different culinary experiences.

The Nutrition Facts Of Garlic For BLW?

Garlic, although perhaps not an immediate choice for baby's delicate taste buds, offers a whole host of health benefits that are worth incorporating into their diet. This pungent bulb is known for its immune-boosting properties, which can be especially beneficial for infants as they build their defences against illnesses.

Garlic also contains natural antiviral and antibacterial compounds, helping to fight off common infections. While introducing garlic to a baby's diet, it's crucial to start with small amounts and gradually increase as they become accustomed to the flavour.

Including garlic in pureed vegetables or mixing it with other baby-friendly ingredients such as this recipe it can add a nutritional punch to their meals and possibly expand their palate for new and exciting flavours as they grow.

Can My Baby Eat Cream Cheese?

Absolutely! Orzo with cheese can be a delicious and nutritious addition to your baby's diet when following the baby-led weaning approach at 6 months old. It offers a smooth and creamy texture that is appealing to babies and can be easily spread on soft fruits or crackers, making it a convenient option for little hands to pick up and explore.

However, it's important to ensure that the cream cheese is made from pasteurised milk to eliminate the risk of harmful bacteria. Always consult with your health visitor before introducing new foods to your baby's diet, especially if there are concerns about allergies or dietary restrictions.

Quick Prep Time Meals For BLW

As a parent practicing Baby-Led Weaning (BLW), finding quick prep time meals is a game-changer. BLW encourages babies to self-feed and explore various textures and flavours from the very start of their solid food journey. Quick prep time meals allow busy parents to provide nutritious and diverse options for their little ones without spending hours in the kitchen.

With time being a precious commodity, having access to easy-to-prepare BLW meals ensures that babies can enjoy a wide range of healthy foods, while parents can balance the demands of everyday life. Additionally, quick prep time meals for BLW promote independence and confidence in little eaters as they discover and interact with different foods at their own pace.

I love how quick and easy this recipe is, it is one of those recipes whereby you can just put it together really quickly when you’re in a hurry!

If you didn’t want to or have time to make the broccoli sauce, the orzo recipe and cream cheese alone make for a yummy main dish, perfect for summer weeknight dinners.

I love this orzo recipe! This works so well especially if you are trying to get your little ones to eat more veggies in their diet! It works as a delicious side dish too!

Ingredient information

Orzo - I have used orzo but you can use penne, rigatoni or even tagliatelle.

Garlic and herb cream cheese - This makes the perfect base for the cheesy orzo. Perfect for a great lunch. Or it is perfect in a sandwich such as a grilled cheese.

Black pepper - I use black pepper to season and not salt.

Broccoli florets - Great for weaning and great to add to most dishes as a simple side dish or as part for sauce.

Garlic granules - you can use fresh garlic cloves if you would like, you will need 1 close of garlic grated instead of garlic granules.

Onion granules - I like that this is a quick add instead of an onion to make a quick sauce. You could add in some spring onions (green onions) as an alternative.

Mixed herbs - Dried basil or oregano will Work really well.

Serving suggestion

I love that I have created a delicious broccoli sauce to go with the pasta, other great veggies to serve with this pasta dish are, cooked fresh asparagus with fresh lemon juice and a touch of lemon zest, green beans, cherry tomatoes, carrots and cucumber, all baby led weaning friendly!

Storage instructions

One of the best things is the orzo pasta can be kept in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

The orzo can be kept in the freezer in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

To defrost the the orzo pasta, make sure that you leave the pasta in the fridge overnight to fully defrost.

If you wanted to reheat the orzo, you can heat on the hob for 5-10 minutes, you may need to add a splash of hot water to the pasta to loosen the sauce.

Once the pasta has been defrosted, you will not be able to reheat or refreeze.

Equipment used to help with this recipe

I have used these saucepans for a while now and I love them. They are the best non-stick cookware sets! I love to portion meals for my son in small airtight containers and store in the freezer and then bring out when it is needed.

Recipe | Garlic & Herb Orzo

Ingredients

Makes 2 Portions

• 100g orzo pasta

• 4 tablespoons garlic and herb cream cheese

• A grind of black pepper

• 4 broccoli florets, cooked

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic granules (or powder)

• 1 teaspoon onion granules

• 1 teaspoon mixed herbs

Instructions

• Start by boiling the orzo pasta for this orzo pasta recipe in a medium saucepan on a medium-high heat in boiling water as per the packet instructions. This is usually about 15-20 minutes. (you could add into the boiling water a zero salt vegetable stock cube (vegetable broth) or a zero salt chicken stock cube (chicken broth) for extra flavour).

• For the broccoli sauce, Boil the broccoli florets until soft, usually around 10-15 minutes, and pop into a blender. for a couple of minutes, until smooth.

• Add to the blender the garlic, onion, herbs and a bit of the reserved cooking liquid from the broccoli cooking water.

• Blitz until smooth, and set aside.

• Once the pasta has cooked, drain if necessary, and add in the cream cheese and stir. If you need to add a splash of hot water to make a thinner sauce you can.

• Serve the creamy cheese pasta on a plate drizzled or served alongside the broccoli sauce.

Hope you and your family enjoy!

Recipe notes

If you wanted to make this recipe vegan, you could use a vegan cream cheese with garlic granules and fresh herbs. The broccoli sauce recipe is already vegan, so no changes need to be made there.

You could add in fresh herbs herbs you to the garlic and herb cream cheese such as fresh thyme, fresh Italian parsley, fresh basil leaf, fresh parsley.

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