Fall Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins (chocolate optional)

Chocolate isn't optional in this house for anything, but they can be optional in this muffin for the kiddos.

Pumpkin Muffins
(Adapted from the Food Network)


1 1/2 c. white wheat flour
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1/2 c. sucanant
1/4 c. applesauce
2 large eggs
15 oz. (1 can) pumpkin
1/2 c. plain yogurt
1/4 c. butter, melted
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. chocolate chips, optional

1. Whisk eggs and sugar
2. Add pumpkin, yogurt, butter, and vanilla. Stir until mixed.
3. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and powder, and salt. Stir until mixed.
(4. Optional, fold in chocolate chips)

Bake at 375 for 10-20 mins. You can make these as mini muffins for little hands (10 mins.) or full size muffins (15-20 mins.).

Note: These are deliciously moist muffins so you'll need to either eat them quickly (no problems there!) or freeze some to prevent them from spoiling.

Fall Recipe: Apple Cider Pancakes

Apple Cider Pancakes 

(I saw several recipes and adapted what
I found to come up with this)

2 cups white wheat flour
½ t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
2 eggs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup apple cider

In a small bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into a bowl of the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (not until smooth, lumps are good).

Fall Recipe: Sweet Potato Soup

Sweet Potato Soup
(Slightly adapted from: Giada De Laurentiis' Weeknights with Giada)

3 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 T. olive oil
3 large or 6 small shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
2 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
2 stems fresh rosemary
6 c. chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium)
1/2 c. (4oz.) marscarpone cheese, at room temperature
3 T. maple syrup or honey*


1. In a large stockpot, melt the butter and oil.
2. Add the shallots and garlic, season with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper. Cook 3-4 mins. until soft.
3. Add sweet potatoes, rosemary, and chicken broth, season with 1/2 t. salt and 1/4 t. pepper.
4. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer and cook 20-25 mins. until sweet potatoes are tender.
5. Turn off the heat, remove rosemary, and blend until smooth and thick.
6. Whisk in cheese and syrup until smooth.

*do not use honey if a child under the age of 1 will be eating the soup

Fall Recipes: Apple Quesadilla

Apple Quesadilla

1 Tortilla
Freshly made applesauce (or apple slices*)
Cheese, grated

1. Spread some applesauce in a thin layer on the tortilla
2. Top with shredded cheese (cheddar is recommended)
3. Heat up on a griddle, skillet, or frying pan until cheese is melted

*You can use some thin apple slices for older toddlers instead of applesauce if you want.

Fall Recipes: Banana Bread

Banana Bread
Adapted from Cooking Light's Banana Bread Recipe.

1 c. all-purpose flour plus
1 c. wheat flour
(or 2 c. white wheat flour)
3/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. sucanant (or other sugar)
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 1/2 c. mashed bananas (~3)
1/3 c. plain yogurt
1 t. vanilla

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.
3. Place sugar, applesauce, and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). 
4. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. 
5. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended.
6.  Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. 
7. Pour batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Or divide into muffin pans or mini loaf pans.
8. Bake at 350° for 1 hour (for loaf, 20-30 mins. for muffins or mini loaves - check them often until you know how long they take in your pan & oven!) or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Fall Recipes: 14 Snacks Using Apples

Apple bread

1. Applesauce
2. Apple slices and peanut butter
3. Soft-cooked apples and pears (really good with plain whole milk yogurt)
4. Oatmeal and soft-cooked apple chunks
5. Apple "sandwiches" (slices of apple with fillings inside - peanut butter, cream cheese, slices of cheese, etc. I first saw the idea here.)
6. Ants on a circle(?!) instead of ants on a log. The circle being apple, of course!
7. Apple and cheese slices
8. Apple chips
9. Apples and dips*
10. Cream cheese filled apple halves (cut an apple in half, scoop out the seeds in the middle and fill with some softened cream cheese)
11. Baked apples (I'm looking forward to trying out this recipe)
12. Apple bread*
13. Apple muffins*
14. Apple fruit salad (Apple being the star of the seasonal fruit salad. Or to make it more fun, take out the center of an apple and serve the fruit salad IN the apple. For older toddlers/kids, of course.)

As always, use discretion with the ideas - some are appropriate for babies, some for young toddlers, and some just for older toddlers.

*Apple bread and muffin recipes as well as dip ideas are coming soon!

Fall Recipes: Slow Cooker Applesauce

In a couple of weeks we're going to an orchard to pick apples and we are looking forward to all of the apple recipes we'll be making. One thing I like to do every year is make applesauce and I normally do a couple of batches in the slow cooker in addition to the stove-top to make life a bit easier!

Here are the instructions for making applesauce in your slow cooker!




 1. Wash, core, and roughly chop the apples.
*You can peel them too, but there are so many good nutrients in the skin and once you've pureed it there isn't a difference in the texture - if you want chunkier applesauce, you may notice a texture difference then. But, if you're not sure how you feel about it, add in that extra step and peel them.
2. Put apples and 1/2 c. water in the slow cooker.
3. Add cinnamon and brown sugar, if you want (this can also be done with the whole batch to taste after mashing/pureeing the applesauce, or with individual servings)
*I don't have measurements for adding these as I don't do it!
4. Cook on low 4-6 hours, until tender, stirring every once in a while (when you stir it you may notice it needs a bit more water, go ahead and add a little if needed)
5. For smooth applesauce: puree with handblender or in a food processor. For chunkier applesauce: mash with potato masher or fork.

You can then freeze, can, or just go ahead and eat it all.

Fall Recipes: Apple Chips

As fall is coming, I thought this would be a great recipe to share. The apples get nice and crunchy, you don't need any sugar... a little cinnamon is nice, if you child likes that flavor but they are good without as well.

1. Preheat oven to 200.
2. Core the apple and slice thinly (if you have a mandolin this would be a great time to use it!).
   *If you think it will take you a while to slice the apples, or if you are doing a large batch of apples prepare a bowl with water and lemon juice to stop them from browning, about 1T. lemon juice to 1 c. water works. Just make sure to shake off the excess liquid before putting them on the sheet trays 
3. Put the apple slices on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silpat.
4. Sprinkle with cinnamon (opt.)
5. Bake for about 2 hrs. (flip after 1 hr.)
   *Depending on how thick/thin you slice them it might take a bit more or less time. I'd suggest checking on them periodically, especially towards the end of the 2 hrs.

These get nice and crisp, but you could pull them out a bit earlier if you'd like them to be a bit chewy. Store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag.