My Favorite, Most Delicious, Apple Pie*

Ok, for pie purists, this may cause balking and huffing in opposition.  But for everyone else, this version of apple pie is phenomenal and far superior to traditional apple pie in my opinion.  Oh, and for added kicks, it also happens to be gluten free, grain free, refined sugar free, and it is easily made vegan as well if you so desire.  This is not a recipe that's "really good for being gluten free" type of deal.  It's pretty much the best pie recipe ever, gluten free or not.  More bonus: the crust is actually made up of only 4 ingredients: dates, shredded coconut, walnuts, and sea salt and is hands down, the easiest crust you will ever make.

And the filling is just apples, butter (coconut oil is easily sub'd), cinnamon, and lemon.  While it manages just fine as a regular pie, I recommend considering serving this in mason jars or small ramekins as "personal pies".  Not only are they super cute but they also hold up well.  And, since this is a feeding blog that is geared towards feeding your family (children) small mason jar pies are just the bees knees for little ones and whatever you don't eat is easily saved by screwing on a lid.

So much goodness in a pie! As you can see here, I even left all the skin on the apples for added fiber and nutrients.


Personal Apple Pies
aka:  Gluten free, refined sugar free, possibly vegan if you want, yet still amazingly delicious, Personal Apple Pies

Makes 6

Crust:  I use this recipe but I rarely follow it exactly and even without measuring anything, it always seems to turn out perfectly.  I just watch for the consistency to be right (crumbly but starting to get sticky and clump together).
6 small mason jars or small ramekins
1/2 cup pitted dates (about 10-12 dates)
1 cup walnuts
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut 
1/2 tsp of sea salt (1/4 tsp might be enough for some people, but I like my desserts salty-sweet)

Toss all 4 ingredients in a food processor and turn on for ~1 minute.  Turn off, scrape down the sides with a spatula or spoon, then turn back on, pulsing on and off for about 1 minute until everything finely diced and the mixture is starting to stick together in small clumps.  You can also check it by squeezing it between your fingers.  It should easily stick together in a ball that doesn't fall apart very easily.  If it doesn't easily stick together when pinched between your fingers, add a few more dates and keep pulsing in the food processor for another 20-30 seconds.  If it seems like a goopy mess, add some more walnuts and pulse a bit more.  Once it's ready, separate into the 6 ramekins/mason jars and pat down against the bottom and sides of each one, forming a "crust."  It should easily stay in place even along the walls of the jar.  If it does not, you need more dates.  Once done, place all 6 jars/ramekins in the refrigerator while you make the apple pie filling. 

Apple pie filling:
4-5 medium to large apples (I like apples with a tart flavor, like granny smith or fugi)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp butter or coconut oil, or ghee
juice from 1/2 of a lemon

Core and chop the apples into small pieces (~1/2 inch cubes).  I suggest you don't peel the apples, as the peel adds in a good amount of fiber and nutrients.  However, some people hate the texture of the peel in the pie.  I seriously don't even notice it.  Throw the apples into a heavy bottom pot and add in the butter, cinnamon, and lemon juice.  Place on stove and cook on medium-low heat for about 20-30 minutes, or until completely tender. Stir periodically and turn the heat to low if needed to avoid scorching the apples. 

Once the filling is done, let it cool for about 20-30 minutes then spoon into the mason jar crusts.  Put back in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  I suggest taking them out of the oven 30 minutes prior to serving, and warming them by pre-heating the oven to 325 degrees and putting all the jars on a cookie sheet then placing them in the oven for about 5 minutes.  Once warm, serve with a small scoop of ice cream on top!

Easy and Healthy Banana Coconut Polka Dot Crepes- Gluten and sugar freefamily breakfasts with a toddler

Ok, sugar free is a bit of a misnomer, because these do have fruit which of course is sugar, but otherwise, there is no refined sugar in these. Best part though- they are delicious and very easy to make. Second best part, my daughter loved them as much as I did. Third best part, a homemade crepe sounds even fancier than a pancake and actually my day is already off to a more refined start (in my head. In reality, I'm still in pj's with no make up and my Birdie just peed on the kitchen floor).  Forth best part, these have sesame, flax, and chia seeds in them which make them "polka dotted" but also even more healthy.

Banana Coconut Polka Dot Crepes

Made 3 large Crepes

(Gluten free, refined sugar free. Recipe adapted from Super Nutrition for Babies)

Ingredients

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 mashed banana
1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup +2 Tbsp arrowroot starch
1/4 tsp. chia seeds
1/2 tsp. black sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. flax seeds

Butter for pan

Instructions

Mix eggs vanilla cinnamon and banana and a medium bowl. Add arrowroot and mix to form batter. Heat a small pan over low heat melting butter. Continue to heat butter until it begins to brown, about 2 to 4 minutes. Once butter browns for in just enough batter to cover the bottom of the pan. Tilt and turn pan so batter coats the  pan creating a flat crepe. Let cook ~1 minute until edges easily lift. Flip the crepe and cook for another minute then remove from heat, top with whatever delicious topping you want and serve.  Add a bit more butter to pan between each crepe.

Topping ideas:

Berries

Peaches or nectarines
Homemade Ricotta

Bananas and chopped walnuts

Applesauce

Peanut butter or any other nut/seed butter

Family Breakfast Ideas: Greek Yogurt Pancakes

These pancakes are really really fabulous.  I'm not a pancakes eater usually but I love these and so does Birdie (18 months) and my husband.  Win, win, win.  (As I was typing that, the second "win" turned into "wine" which is exactly what I want right now on this lovely Friday afternoon.  But, back to pancakes!)

My sister turned me on to this recipe from this blog: http://www.everydaybelle.com/greek-yogurt-pancakes/ .  This blogger keeps it very simple- just 4 ingredients.  She also has lovely pictures of the pancakes and a video of how she makes them if you're interested.  In the video she uses peach flavored yogurt and suggests adding sugar if using plain yogurt but I never add sugar and always use plain yogurt and I think they are delicious like that (though certainly not very sweet).  I usually serve fruit or applesauce on top and that adds enough sweet for me.

We made them her way at first- just the 4 ingredients- and they really are just prefect.  But then I decided to health them up a bit and by adding flax seeds, chia seeds, and sesame seeds.  I think it makes them even better personally.  Also, I have totally played around with the amounts of yogurt and egg and flour (not on purpose but mainly because I go to make these gems and turns out I am down to only 1 egg or running low on yogurt, etc.) and the pancakes still seem to turn out fine.  So, don't worry if you play around with the ingredient volumes a bit.  Here is the way I usually make these:

Greek Yogurt Pancakes (Based on this recipe from http://www.everydaybelle.com/greek-yogurt-pancakes/)  Serves 2 adults and a child for breakfast with some left-overs.  Serve with sautéed bananas or fresh fruit or applesauce or anything else you like!

10oz plain greek yogurt
2 eggs
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-2 tsp flax seeds
1-2 tsp black sesame seeds

1-2 tsp chia seeds

Mix yogurt and egg together in a medium sized bowl.  Mix flour, baking soda, flax, and sesame seeds in another bowl.  Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to combine.  Batter will be thick and sometimes kind of almost foamy from the baking soda I think...don't worry about that.  Spoon a large dollup onto a hot buttered skillet (medium-high heat) and cook until you start to see small bubbles/holes in the batter, usually 1-2 minutes  Flip it and cook the other side until golden brown.  Serve warm with any topping you'd like.  Our favorite is sautéed bananas and blueberries. Chopped strawberries are fabulous too as is a little applesauce.

UPDATE 5.9.14

I used 1 cup of trader joes gluten free flour instead of the regular all purpose flour and they turned out just as fabulous as the original! 

These pancakes are well liked and happily consumed by this messy haired, messy sleeved, messy faced, back pack obsessed lady. 

Why babies throw food on the ground...and what to do about it!

You make a delicious looking meal, you sit down to eat it with your lovely baby, and splat!  She throws half-or all- of it on the floor.  This is a very frustrating but common issue (especially with 10-18 month olds). 

There are really a few reasons babies/toddlers throw food: 

1. They are just experimenting with gravity and cause/effect- "It's so fun to watch food fall and see what happens when it hit the floor." 

2. They are interested in the response it elicits from you- "Yay!  Mama gasped then jumped up!" or "Wow, I got a bunch of new stuff when I did that!" 

3. They are not hungry/are done with the meal- "I'm bored and full, I don't want this food in front of me anymore." 

4. They don't like that food- "Maybe if I throw this stuff on the flood, I'll get the crackers I wanted." 

5. They are frustrated about something to do with the food- "This is just too hard to eat" or "I can't figure out how to pick this up." 

Sometimes it's a combo of a few of these reasons. For all of these scenarios, the initial response will be the same: a firm redirection "food stays on the table" or a simple "no."  However, the secondary response kind of depends on why the child is doing it.

I

f it's #1 or 2, I suggest saying the "no" or the line about food staying on the table, then ignore. If they throw the food again, I'd ask if they are "all done" and let them know you won't allow them to do that: "if you throw food again you're all done." If they throw again, meal ends. You can also have them help you clean it up at that point but you must be firm on meal being all done. No snacks after, no bottle or cup of milk right after, no walking around with food in their hands- just done.  

If it's more like #3 or 4, I'd still go through the routine I just mentioned but I'd also do a few other things. 
- consider how often you're providing snacks throughout the day and possibly cut back, especially right around mealtimes. We tend to over-snack our kids and often that decreases their hunger motivation at mealtimes. Some kids do fine eating every 2-3 hours, some eat best when fed every 3-4 hours.  

-consider offering the cup of water or milk at the end of the meal so your child isn't filling up on the liquids then throwing the food 

-start with less food on the plate/tray so they don't have lots of extra to throw. It's probably better for them to ask for more than have an abundance to toss around. 

-if you suspect they are throwing because they don't like the food, remind them that "this is what we are eating at this meal and there are no other options. 

If it continues, stop the meal, clear the food, and don't offer any other foods until the next meal. You want to help them understand that they can't order up new foods from you by throwing what you already offered them on the floor.  

 If it's more likely #5, start with the "no" line, then see if your babe just needs help. Sometimes my daughter pushes the food off the table when she's frustrated that she can't easily pick it up or she keeps spilling it or it's too resistive for her to chew. In all of those instances, if I help her pick it up to feed herself or I break the food up a bit or dip the resistive food in a sauce to soften it, often that's all it takes for her to continue happily eating.

Remember, the more fuss you make over it, generally the more power it gives the behavior. The behavior will pass sooner than you think!

Veggieful Shepherd's Pie: Family Meal Ideas

Veggie-ful Shepherd's Pie

I hate having to cook dinner after work.  I know I am not alone in this sentiment (I'm pretty sure I just heard a collective "amen, sister.")  So any make-ahead-and-quickly-reheat or one-pan-meal ideas make me happy.  Because of this, and despite the fact that it's still summer and I should be making only raw salads, I decided to make Shepherd's pie.  And it was delicious.  This dish was identified by my sister, who came to eat with us, as the "best Shepherd's pie" she's ever had.  On top of that, all three kiddos ate it (3 year old, 1 year old, 18 month old) and it was loaded with veggies.

I found this recipe from Pink of Perfection and I modified it a bit.  First off, I grabbed all the veggies left in my refrigerator in order to healthy the dish up a bit.  So for me that was bell pepper, zucchini, broccoli, onion, and mushrooms.  The quantities on these veggies is definitely open to wiggle room but I'll give you an estimation of what I used just so you have an idea.  I really think the extra veggies helped elevate this recipe. 

Veggie-ful Shepherd's Pie

Serves ~6 depending on appetites and if you serve it with sides

Ingredients:

For the mashed potatoes:

3 cloves garlic (smashed but whole)

1.5 lbs yukon gold potatoes (skin on cut up into ~2 inch chunks)

2 tbsp butter

For the meat & veggie filling:

1-2 tbsp. butter (cut up into small chunks, and possibly a bit more as you cook)

1/2 a yellow onion (cut into thin slices)

~8 smallish crimini mushrooms

~3/4 of a bell pepper (I used several small colorful ones but still it was at most about 3/4 of a regular large bell pepper)

1/2 of a zucchini

1 medium head of broccoli

2 cloves garlic (diced)

1 lb of grassfed, sustainably raised, antibiotic free ground beef

1 tsp coarse kosher salt

1/2 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. cayanne 

1 tbsp. flour

1.5 tsp. of tomato paste

1 cup stock (I used a homemade beef stock but the original recipe calls for chicken so you can use that or veggie I'm sure, if that's what you have)

1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese (I like Dubliner)

Directions:

Put potatoes and garlic cloves in a large pot and add water to cover.  Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low simmer and cook for an additional 25-30 minutes.  When potatoes are soft, turn off heat, strain the water, remove garlic (or just leave it if you like things garlicy) and return to stove.  Let rest for ~5 minutes then add butter, salt.  Coarsely mash potatoes to desired consistency and set aside. 

Heat some of the butter in skillet or heavy bottom saute pan then toss in onions.  Cook on medium-low heat until carmelized.  Remove from pan and put carmelized onion into a bowl and then saute mushrooms in same pan, adding more butter if needed.  Once cooked, remove from pan, add to bowl of onions, then throw rest of veggies into pan (I cooked the zucchini, bell pepper, and broccoli all together.  I am not 100% sure why I decided to cook the onion and mushrooms separately and then the rest of the veggies together, but for some reason I thought the broc/zuc/peppers would be fine in a bunch, and I think it worked out fine.)  Again, add more butter if needed and cook for ~5 minutes with a lid on the pot to help steam the veggies.  Once tender, remove from pan, add to bowl of mushrooms and onions.  Keep pan on med-low heat.

Add diced garlic and saute for ~1 minute until fragrant then add ground beef, salt, oregano, cumin, and cayanne to pan.  Cook until meat is no longer pink (I think ~8 minutes) then pour out excess fat from pan.  Put pan back on stove, add flour to meat and mix in well.  Then add tomato paste, mix in well and cook for another minute or 2.  Finally, add stock and put the sauteed veggies from earlier back in pan.  Simmer for ~3 minutes to reduce the sauce a bit.  

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees and then assemble Shepherd's pie: layer meat/veggie mixture in bottom of 9x13 baking dish then spoon mashed potatoes on top, using spoon to smooth them into a flat layer.  once it looks lovely, sprinkle the cheddar on top and then pop it in the oven for ~20-30 minutes until golden brown on top.  Or if you are not eating it until that evening or the next night, don't preheat oven :) let the assembled pie cool, cover with a lid or foil, and store in fridge until ready to cook.

I served this with a very simple green salad.  

Also, the leftovers keep fabulously, taste even better the next day, and make perfect toddler lunches.  (I believe I heard an "hallelujah!" that time.)