Ok, so we know increasingly that fibre, especially the prebiotic kind is the way to go for not only our kids, but for our kids-to-be too. We know that it is particularly good to consume when pregnant (click here to read the study showing lower risk of celiac in women who ate more fibre during pregnancy) and we know that prebiotic fibre is great for our gut health, something science points to having a significant bearing on not only our physical but our mental health. Click here for much more.

So, how do we get more of this in a tasty and more important child friendly way?

Toddlers (including mine) are often super fussy, so often it is about hiding these things in appealing ways.

As a non-expert cook, I am also always on the lookout for ideas that are easy and virtually idiot proof (that really is the limit of my cooking skills).

One I came across recently is Lentil Chips. Not only are they toddler friendly, but the lentils (resistant starch which passes along through the colon and allow production of anti inflammatory, gut boosting short chain fatty acids – click here for why these are so important), and also the garlic and onions are great sources of inulin based prebiotics.

Here’s how easy it is:

1. To start: you need red split lentils, tomato purée, onion, garlic, turmeric, pepper, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup and water (proportions below)

2. Soak the lentils overnight ideally (or at least for an hour), rinse them off and then combine all the ingredients together and blend.

3. Put in an ovenproof dish or baking tray that has been lined.

4. Bake at 190 degrees Celsius for 30 mins

5. Remove from the oven, let them stand for 10 mins, then cut into triangles, place onto a wire rack and bake for a further 5-15 mins.

6. Here is the key! I learned quickly that you have to watch them closely the second bake and take them out once the edges get a bit golden, too long in and they easily burn.

7. Take them out: cool and enjoy!

Ingredients list:

200g of organic split red lentils

1 tablespoon of dried Basil

2 cloves of organic garlic

1/2 an organic red onion

4 tablespoons of tomato puree

1 tablespoon of maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon of paprika

ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

180ml of filtered water

If you try them and enjoy please share your pics with us @sarahbetterbabies on instagram!

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