Not vegetarian but would like to introduce some veg protein meals - couple of questions please

[sedgiebaby]

I'd like to introduce some more vegetable protein for 8.5 month dd who is on 3 meals a day now, I can't afford organic meat but probably can afford organic grains and pulses.

I'm a little ignorant on the subject and wondering if beans/lentils might be a bit windy and difficult to digest at first? Also, any nice easy recipes or ideas you are using to ensure sufficient protein for your dc's please? Thanks in advance

This book is good.It's got a lot about nutrition and also has recipes for family meals and how to adapt for babies and toddlers.

DS (3.5) is veggie. He was eating beans and pulses right from weaning. He had lots of lentil or bean stews when he was tiny as they were good for mashing. Daal and mildy spiced chickpea curries were good too. When he was about a year old I started giving him baked beans (I was a bit PFB about processed food before then) which is still one of his favourite foods.

He never had any problems digesting anything, although the pulses did (and still do!) make him quite windy but as a vegetarian myself for 18 years, I am well used to the effects of pulses!

This is the book that I used a lot when weaning.

I've never worried too much about protein. DS has always loved all kinds of pulses, eggs, nuts and tofu as well as all dairy products so it's never been an issue really.

DH is veggie and we eat a veggie diet at home, though DD and I have the occasional sardine sandwich and she eats meat at her childminders. Dal, rice and yoghurt was the first meal I ever served her and probably still her favourite. She also loves fairly mild black bean chilli - this recipe has lots of ingredients but it makes loads, tastes amazing and freezes well, you might want to reduce the chilli for your little one too, and you can substitute smoked paprika if you can't find chipotle.

We haven't noticed any particular problems with wind.

DD loves cheese and eggs as well as beans, lentils and tofu. I work on the assumption that so long as she gets offered plenty of all of these each week she will probably get a reasonable diet. I don't fret about balancing stuff each day.