Snack Ideas for Leftover Baby Food
Fruit and Vegetable Purees Make Healthy Finger Food Ingredients
Oct 13, 2009
The question of what to do with leftovers is a common one, even more so in a recession. Once a baby moves from purees to table food, they rarely look back, leaving cupboards and freezers full of baby bites. While some families donate leftover food to crisis centers and food pantries, others use the purees in recipes the entire family enjoys.
Fruit Purees for Finger Foods
Purees of strawberries, bananas, apricots, apples, blueberries and mangoes are colorful and sweet. On their own, these fruits make tasty spreads and dipping sauces for finger foods such as fruit slices, bagels, toast, pancakes and crackers. For a thicker, creamier spread, combine four ounces of pureed fruit with a 16-ounce container of plain cream cheese or vanilla yogurt.
Snacks that Call for Vegetable Purees
Packed with vitamins, veggie purees of spinach, avocados, sweet potatoes and artichokes make flavorful dips. Add four ounces of blended veggies to 16 ounces of sour cream for a dip that goes great with hard and soft breads and meats such as chicken fingers. For enhanced flavor, add some cilantro or a teaspoon of dill or chili powder.
Baking with Baby Food
Pureed fruit has long been a “secret ingredient” used by chefs to make super moist cakes and muffins. Some bakers eliminate water from their recipes and use baby food instead. In cake mixes and brownies, for example, substitute an equal amount of applesauce for water. In recipes that call for butter, consider substituting half of the butter with a sweet pureed fruit.
Want to bake a healthy, flavorful snack with leftover baby food that will satisfy the entire family? Try this Monkey Bars recipe by Missy Chase Lapine, aka the Sneaky Chef. Perfect for small hands, these bars are packed with whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Lapine also suggests them as a low-sugar alternative to birthday cake.
Sneaky Chef Monkey Bars
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup sweet potato baby food (stage 1 or 2) OR 1/4 cup Sneaky Chef Orange Puree
- 1/4 cup carrot baby food (stage 1 or 2) OR 1/4 cup Sneaky Chef Orange Puree
- 2 large bananas, mashed with the back of a fork (about 1 cup)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
- 3/4 cup Sneaky Chef Flour Blend
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Optional: 1/2 cup white-chocolate chips, melted in the microwave
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- Butter or spray only the bottom, not the sides, of an 11-by 7-inch or a 9-inch-square baking pan. Lightly dust with flour.
- In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, sugar and salt. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool a bit.
- Once cool, whisk in the baby foods or Orange Puree, bananas, vanilla and egg yolks.
- Add the oats and Flour Blend, and mix until just combined.
- Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 37 to 39 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting into approximately 3-inch bars.
- If desired, dust with powdered sugar when cool, or drizzle melted white chocolate in a striped pattern across the tops of the bars. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator, covered tightly.
This recipe was reprinted with permission from Missy Chase Lapine. For more free recipes, visit TheSneakyChef.com.
Related Articles:
Baby Food as a Secret Ingredient: Chefs, Parents Disguise Nutrition in Children's Dishes
Baby Food Not Just for Infants: Adults Enjoy Pureed Foods in Recipes, Diets
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