Herby Salmon Pasta for Toddlers

I do like to feed my son oily fish.  Whether or not you agree with the thoughts that omega 3 have beneficial effects on intelligence, omega 3 does have proven health benefits throughout life.  I mean it's not every day but I try to give oily fish once a week.

That said the whole fish debate isn't clear cut.  There is the risk of mercury in fish very high up the food chain (which is why shark, marlin and swordfish aren't recommended for kids), then there's the sustainability argument.  Personally I get confused about the whole whether farmed or non farmed is better but generally I go for farmed salmon and pollock for white fish (as it's both more sustainable than cod and also contains some omega 3).

So if you negotiate the health and the political it can leave you without much of an appetite but the main thing for me is it really gets my goat when I hear someone say "I don't like fish".  It's disregarding a whole food group.  It's like saying "I don't do dairy" or "cake leaves me cold".  There is so much variety in the fish world and there will be a fish you like!  Trust me!  Anyway, I don't want to raise a "I don't like fish" kind of boy.  I think I will have to vary the fish a bit more now he's growing up though.


Herby Salmon Pasta for Toddlers - serves 1


Ingredients

50g Salmon (you might find the smallest piece you can find is 100g, if so, use the leftovers to make salmon fishcakes, salmon pasta salad or fish pie)
As much pasta as your child normally eats (around 20-30g for mine)
1 dsp cream cheese
Half a tomato, finely diced
A few sprigs of different herbs; I used garlic chives, curly parsley and french parsley

Method

Cook the pasta following pack instructions.

Cook the salmon following pack instructions; quick tip, you can often buy bags of frozen salmon pieces which can be microwaved from frozen.  It always ends up a bit overcooked for my taste but when it's in a sauce it's fine and it takes away any worries about freshness.

Heat a frying pan and add a splash of water from the cooking pasta.  Put in the cream cheese and heat reasonably gently until it melts, adding more water from the pasta if needed.  Flake the salmon and add to the sauce with the tomato.  Chop up the herbs and add to the sauce then take off the heat.

Mix in the pasta and wait until it's all at a suitable temperature for your child; then serve.

Like this recipe?  Why not try the prawn pasta recipe?