Pick ‘n’ Mix Couscous Fingers

2014-10-19
  • Yield : 12 fingers
  • Prep Time : 15m
  • Cook Time : 35m
  • Ready In : 50m

Pick ‘n’ mix couscous fingers

When my son Harry was a bub he used to love finger foods and once he started to refuse being spoon fed I found myself dreaming up new and interesting hearty finger food ideas. If you aren’t keen on the fingers but like the idea, skip the baking step and add a little more homemade vegetable stock for a nicely textured pumpkin/sweet potato or carrot and leek couscous dinner for your baby.

Nutrition Note:  The orange coloured pick n mix vegetables makes this a beta-carotene rich finger food, important for vision and immunity.

DSC_8900 V2

 

 

Ingredients

  • ½ leek, finely sliced  
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ¾ cup salt reduced vegetable stock
  • 1 cup un-cooked couscous
  • 1 cup grated cheese
  • Pick ‘n’ mix options Choose at least ONE of the following:
  • 500g butternut pumpkin, cut into cubes
  • 500g sweet potato, peeled cut into cubes
  • 500g carrot, peeled or scrubbed and chopped
  • Note: (optional) roast your chosen ingredient until soft for maximum flavour.

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a square baking tin with baking paper -

Step 2

Heat the butter in a saucepan over medium-low. Add the leek and sauté for a few minutes or until soft -

Step 3

Add your pick ‘n’ mix ingredient and stir to combine. Then add the vegetable stock until it just covers the mixture. Simmer.
Once your pick ‘n’ mix ingredient has softened, remove from the heat and leave to cool. Once cool, puree until you have a semi liquid consistency -

Step 4

Return the saucepan to the stove and heat the puree mixture until boiling. Add the couscous; turn off the heat and cover. Leave to stand for 3-5 minutes until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid and is soft -

Step 5

Stir through ½ the cheese. Push the couscous mixture into the baking tin, sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake for 25-35 minutes or until the cheese is golden -

Step 6

Leave to cool completely as this is when the slice will harden. To serve, cut into fingers. -

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Recipe Comments

  1. posted by Sophie on October 21, 2014

    Could these fingers be frozen and reheated later?

      Reply
  2. posted by Kelli Castorina on October 21, 2014

    These sound great! Can they be frozen? Thanks

      Reply
  3. posted by Amy on October 22, 2014

    Love this – my girls are big into finger foods! Will these keep well if I freeze?

      Reply
  4. posted by Stacey on October 22, 2014

    Hi, Would this recipe be suitable to freeze?

      Reply
  5. posted by Em on October 22, 2014

    I just made these and they are tasty! If Mr 12 months doesn’t like them I’ll happily polish them off. I was wondering whether to store them in the fridge or just in a container in the bench? How long should they last?

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on October 23, 2014

      Hi Em, in the fridge or freeze for quick snacks!

        Reply
  6. posted by liv on October 23, 2014

    loved this! my toddler couldn’t stop eating it – apart from the fact it’s delicious he loved eating ‘fingers with his fingers’.
    just fyi – i had run out of couscous so substituted with quinoa and it still worked out great.

    thanks 🙂

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on October 23, 2014

      Great to hear it worked with the quinoa, thanks for sharing 🙂 Ax

        Reply
    • posted by Jessica on March 24, 2015

      How much quinoa did you substitute with? thanks.

        Reply
    • posted by bre on May 6, 2015

      did you cook the quinoa or keep the quinoa uncooked? Thanks!

        Reply
  7. posted by Kate on October 23, 2014

    Live this idea, can these be frozen at all?

      Reply
  8. posted by Claire on October 23, 2014

    Can I freeze these once cooled and cut?

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on October 23, 2014

      Hi, yes these are great frozen. You can defrost in the fridge and reheat in the oven, in a fry pan with a little oil or under the grill. Enjoy, Ax

        Reply
  9. posted by Kate on October 23, 2014

    These look great! How would you store them? Could you freeze them? Thanks

      Reply
  10. posted by Susie on October 23, 2014

    Hi 🙂 would these work without cheese do you think?
    Thanks!

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on November 10, 2014

      These should work OK without cheese.

        Reply
  11. posted by pqtraveller on October 24, 2014

    Hi, can’t wait to try this recipe! Do you know if I can add some sort of protein to this recipe (chicken perhaps?).

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on November 10, 2014

      I haven’t tried it but I am sure it would be fine 🙂 Ax

        Reply
  12. posted by Bex on November 2, 2014

    Made this today with roast pumpkin – half in the fridge for eating now and half in the freezer for eating later (I didn’t check the comments above but I trusted that they would freeze and reheat okay) and yummo! My better half told me that I could make them again but for the grown ups next time! Thanks for the recipe x

      Reply
  13. posted by Jayde on November 6, 2014

    These look great. Are they suitable for a nearly 9 month old starting out with finger foods?

      Reply
  14. posted by Michelle on November 7, 2014

    I made these yesterday with pumpkin and they are simply fabulous. I had to substitute spring onions for leeks as I was working with what I had in the house but they still tasted great. My 8 month old absolutely loves them. He has eaten them both warm and cold straight from the fridge. This is definitely a recipe that I look forward to repeating. An easy 5 stars!

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on November 10, 2014

      Fabulous feedback, thanks Michelle 🙂 Ax

        Reply
  15. posted by Kiah on November 19, 2014

    These are delish! My 15 month old loves them as well. Just wondering how long you think they would keep in the fridge for?

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on December 1, 2014

      A few days in the fridge a few months in the freezer? Ax

        Reply
  16. posted by Niki on November 21, 2014

    These look great, I’ve very excited to try them. Can you leave the veggies a bit chunky or do they need to be puréed? Thanks

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on December 1, 2014

      The puree is the “liquid” that helps the couscous expand, but perhaps half puree and half small chunks would be OK? Ax

        Reply
  17. posted by Kylie on December 9, 2014

    We all loved the puréed mixture (prior to adding the Couscous & cheese) with the leek & carrot the best 🙂 beautiful flavors.

      Reply
  18. posted by Niomi on January 31, 2015

    I’ve made these twice now and they taste great only both times quite mushy and unable to stay in “fingers” i do put more than 3/4 water but that’s because the water doesn’t cover the vegetables any suggestions? And can these be eaten cold once defrosted? Thank you!

      Reply
    • posted by liz on November 1, 2015

      I had the same problem. There is no way 3/4 of a cup would cover 1.5kg of chopped veggies unless they were tiny pieces.

        Reply
  19. posted by Teri on February 6, 2015

    Hi my little one is dairy and soya intolerant what can I use instead of the cheese or will it work if I just leave it out? Thanks

      Reply
  20. posted by Carla on March 10, 2015

    If my son doesn’t eat these – I certainly will!! My favourite recipe so far 🙂

      Reply
  21. posted by Tracy Roser on March 22, 2015

    These are amazing, delicious… Made them today with a mix of pumpkin and carrot and they are yummy for adults and kids

      Reply
  22. posted by Tamara on April 2, 2015

    Do these still taste good if you use water instead of stock. I’m just a bit worried about the salt content if I use stock?

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on May 6, 2015

      Water is OK, or you can make some no-added salt stock 🙂 Ax

        Reply
    • posted by Sarah on October 9, 2015

      If you are worried about the stock make your own, I use the chicken and veg from the stock as finger food, it’s so soft my little one can chew and eat it all

        Reply
  23. posted by Kellie on April 7, 2015

    This is my new fave. Freezes beautifully, I either take out and microwave until soft (30secs at a time) or take out and defrost in fridge overnight.
    The purée doesn’t need to be runny to absorb the cous-cous. Mine is always quite thick, it’s still moist enough to soften the cous-cous but it’s the right consistency to bake into a slice. Just love this. It’s like pumpkin soup in solid form! Me and my partner think it’ll go amazingly on the barbie with some haloumi!!

      Reply
  24. posted by Lauran on May 27, 2015

    Hi, just wondering if these would work without the cheese as my LO has a dairy intolerance. Thanks

      Reply
    • posted by Allie on May 28, 2015

      The cheese does help to bind but it should be OK without. Ax

        Reply
    • posted by Bronwyn on June 10, 2015

      Hi Lauran, I used goats cheese in ours as my bub is also lactose intolerant but can have goats milk etc. They worked great! And taste delish 🙂

        Reply
    • posted by Sarah on June 6, 2022

      My daughter loves these, I first made them when she was little but she still loves having a cous cous finger with dinner at 3 which is great as I know she’s at least getting some veggies in. I always do a random mix of sweet potato, pumpkin and carrot to the quantity of 500g, so they are slightly different every time and I omit the leek. I freeze most of the batch and defrost 1 as needed. A firm favourite in our house, I’m sure I’ll be making these for years to come!

        Reply
  25. posted by Melita on June 5, 2015

    Just made these with roast sweet potato and carrot and quinoa in lieu of cous cous. 8 month old and me are distroying it, so good 🙂

      Reply
  26. posted by Mary on June 9, 2015

    My twin girls are almost 11 months. Are these suitable for them?

      Reply
    • posted by Jess on June 14, 2015

      Hi Mary, these are suitable for most 11 month olds. Enjoy, Jx

        Reply
  27. posted by Bronwyn on June 10, 2015

    I just made these with a pile of different vege purees I had in the freezer, and used goats cheese as my bub is lactose intolerant. They are delicious! I would happily eat these myself!!!

      Reply
  28. posted by Aiya on July 4, 2015

    Perfect recipe for using up all of the purees and mashed veges I had in the freezer that my bub won’t eat anymore! Just out of the oven, hopefully its a winner otherwise I’ll be happy to eat it myself 🙂

      Reply
  29. posted by mariella on July 6, 2015

    Love this recipe however i don’t know why buy when ive cut it into fingers or slices it doesnt stay firm. Its consistency needs a fork or spoon to eat.so didn’t really turn out as “finger food”.

      Reply
  30. posted by Erin on August 15, 2015

    Looks great! I might use bone broth, quinoa as replacements and omit the cheese 🙂 thanks for the recipe!

      Reply
  31. posted by Keryn on October 12, 2015

    i don’t get how you can have a semi liquid consistency with 1kg of vegetable or1.5 as you state lick at least one 500g and then just use 3/4 cup. I used at least two cups with two of the mixes.

      Reply
    • posted by Ju on April 8, 2016

      If you do two veggies then use 250g of each otherwise you would have to double everything else as well

        Reply
  32. posted by Sarra on March 10, 2016

    Can this be made in a bellini intelli kitchen master?

      Reply
  33. posted by Linda on May 22, 2016

    I have been using quinoa but am unable to get them to stay in fingers. Any tips? They are so delicious and my 9 mother absolutely devours them!

      Reply
  34. posted by Lou on July 20, 2016

    What size baking tin works best?

      Reply

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