Fall Applesauce

Only recently have I embraced the idea of making homemade applesauce for baby.  Maybe it's the coming of fall, maybe it's boredom of the bland store brand.  Regardless, this is my simple favorite!  The different types of apples and the addition of a peach or pear gives it a nice punch.  I do the prep before feeding baby a meal and let the simmering happen while he eats, then do the finishing-up as I set him free of the high chair.  Even in the refrigerator, it's usually still warm for the next mealtime!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice

5 large apples, of 2 or 3 different varieties

1 peach or pear

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Directions:

Peel, core, and quarter fruit

Simmer apple juice and fruit in a large pan until apples break down and are very tender (about 20 minutes)

Place in blender with cinnamon and nutmeg and blend until smooth

Perfected Sweet Potato Pancakes

I have been on the hunt for the best pancakes.  I wanted pancakes with no butter, oil, or cow's milk.  My son is picky about pancakes - he only likes them MOIST and not bready, but  I need pancakes to hold their consistency so he can eat them as finger food.  With some tweaking and substituting I have landed on this recipe!  Hope you enjoy our new favorite pancakes!

Sweet Potato Pancakes

1 cooked sweet potato, mashed

1 egg

1/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup milk*

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

Cinnamon to taste

Poke holes in sweet potato and cook in the microwave for about three minutes.  Peel and mash.  In another bowl mix the rest of the ingredients.  Don't over mix, but make sure the egg is beaten.  Add the mashed sweet potato and blend together.  Cook on a greased pan, and serve!

*Breast milk for babies of all ages, cow's milk for babies 12 months+, or rice milk for babies 8-12 months.  I would not recommend using formula, because in my experience it changes the consistency of recipes.

Good for babies 8 months+

Autumn Blast

Here is a recipe that had my baby grunting for thirds!  I love the taste of fall.  Maybe it's because my son was born in October so I have the season romanticized in my mind, or because the fall colors are just beautiful in the Midwest.  Either way, feeding fall flavors to my son makes my heart warm.

• Heat a serving of applesauce for about 20 seconds
• Mix in baby oatmeal to the consistency your baby likes
• Chop a handful of raisins into small pieces and mix them in (Wait until about 10 months old for raisins, and DO NOT HEAT THEM IN THE MICROWAVE!  I learned this the hard way.  If you want the dish warm, which I recommend, only heat the applesauce!)
• Add pumpkin pie spice.  Yum!

{Want an extra special dish?  Add pumpkin puree.  I definitely plan on doing this next time!}

Pumpkin Applesauce Oatmeal

Playing with recipes is great, but sometimes you need a sure thing when it comes to feeding your baby.  Pumpkin applesauce oatmeal is a simple thing that has never failed with my little guy.

Combine ~1/4 cup applesauce with ~3 Tbsp canned pumpkin
Microwave for about 25 seconds
Add a few shakes of cinnamon
Add oatmeal cereal to the consistency your baby likes.
Mix well, and let your baby enjoy!