They kinda look like chicken fingers only they’re way better for you. I started making these for Paige when she was about 7 months old. I had a fridge full of sweet potato puree and it turned out the kid didn’t want to be spoon-fed. Go figure. So I put on my thinking cap and came up with this fun finger food.

Ingredients

• 1 medium sweet potato, washed and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger (use more if you have an adventuresome eater)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon curry powder (use more if you want the curry flavour to really shine)
• 1 can unsalted chickpeas, drained and rinsed (I like Eden Organic; their can linings are PBA-free)
• Approx. 1 cup your choice of: unsalted whole wheat breadcrumbs, ground oatmeal or baby cereal. I use whatever I have handy

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. Steam sweet potato rounds until they pierce easily with a fork. Let cool then slip skins off. Conserve water from steaming.
3. While sweet potato is steaming, heat olive oil over medium heat and sauté onion, carrots, ginger and garlic with curry powder. Remove from heat once mixture is soft and onions are translucent.
4. Add chickpeas, sweet potato and onion mixture to food processor. Process until the mixture looks like a thick hummus — you may have to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. If the mixture is too thick to puree, add sweet potato water, a few tablespoons at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
5. Transfer puree to a mixing bowl and start by adding a ½ cup breadcrumbs, ground oatmeal or baby cereal. Stir to combine – you want the texture to allow you to form the mixture into 1 inch-long ‘fingers’. Add more crumbs/oats/cereal, a little at a time, until you reach the desired consistency — it all depends on the thickness of your puree.
6. With your hands, roll mixture into 1 inch-long ‘fingers’. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheets and bake in oven for 15 – 20 minutes or until the tops of the fingers turn a light golden brown.
7. Let cool then serve!

These little numbers have a lot going for them. They’re high in protein, fiber, iron and vitamin A. I like to serve them with steamed broccoli for a boost of vitamin C. If you make them with breadcrumbs and up the spices, they’re something the whole family can enjoy.

These guys freeze super well and are great for lunch, dinner or snacking.