We created our Plant-Rich Meals with flexibility in mind: as your baby's appetite and skills grow, our meals are ready to adapt. Once the meal is cooked, start with easy textures by puréeing or mashing, then switch to finger food when your little one is ready. 

And as they continue to grow—through toddlerhood and beyond—that's when you can really get creative! Add spices or seasonings, pair with a protein of choice, or use as the base of a recipe to get more plants into their diet.

That said, here are 3 ways to transform our Butternut Squash & Quinoa Meal into more satiating recipes for bigger appetites. All recipes created for Once Upon a Farm by Ashley Walterhouse of Fit Mitten Kitchen.

Pancakes

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon flaxseed meal + 1.5 tablespoons water, mixed (flax egg)
• 1 Once Upon a Farm Butternut Squash & Quinoa Meal
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup milk of choice

Directions

1. Make flax “egg” by combining flaxseed meal with water; set aside for 3 minutes.
2. Cook meal according to package instructions; set aside to cool once fully cooked.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, milk, vanilla and flax egg; whisk until smooth and set batter aside until meal is fully cooked.
4. Preheat griddle to medium heat and add butter to skillet as needed.
5. Fold in cooked meal into pancake batter. Drop about 2 tablespoons of batter onto the preheated skillet and cook on one side for 3–4 minutes, or until edges start to bubble. Flip pancakes and cook on other side for another 2–3 minutes.
6. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Blended Baked Oats

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 Once Upon a Farm Butternut Squash & Quinoa Meal
• ½ cup rolled oats
• ¼ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (or cow’s milk)
• 1 large egg
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Directions

1. Cook meal according to package instructions then set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease two 6-ounce ramekins and set on small baking sheet; set aside.
3. In a small blender cup add rolled oats, milk, egg, vanilla, baking powder, and cooked meal. Blend until smooth.
4. Add blended oatmeal batter into greased ramekin and bake for 22–26 minutes, or until inserted toothpick in center comes out clean.
5. Serve with warmed coconut butter for a naturally sweet topping.

Steel Cut Oatmeal

Serves 2

Ingredients

• ½ cup steel cut oats
• 1 cups water
• ¼ cup milk of choice
• 1 Once Upon a Farm Butternut Squash & Quinoa Meal

Directions

1. Cook meal according to package instructions then set aside.
2. Add milk and water to a small saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil then add in steel cut oats. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cooked meal; cook for another 15–20 minutes, until steel cut oats are creamy and thick.
3. Tip: cook longer for thicker, softer oats. You can always add a little milk after to thin as desired.