Sweet Potato Chocolate Milk

What kid doesn't love chocolate milk? Sweet potato puree nearly disappears in the sweet treat. Trust me, our little lady is a chocolate milk connoisseur and doesn't detect it whatsoever.

Yields: Approx 7 oz

Ingredients:

6 oz chocolate milk (we like Silk PureAlmond Dark Chocolate Almond Milk, but it's just as good with the dairy version)

1 oz cooked sweet potato puree

Directions:

Blend chocolate milk and defrosted sweet potato puree for 30 seconds with a hand blender to fully incorporate the puree with the milk.

Filling Sweet Potato Bars

 Ok, these are really sweet potato, banana, apple, spinach bars - Don't tell my kids!

These tasty little treats are yummy for all, but I made them especially for our 10 month old. He wants to feed himself, and of course the purees just won't do for that! I went with grated apple because it seems to hold things together a little better. This is a bit denser than a cake. I imagine a cream cheese frosting would be amazing on these. Makes a great "feed yourself" food for the older infant. My picky eater daughter also loves them. 





Ingredients:
1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 mashed banana
1 cup grated apple
3 oz pureed spinach (3 oz is approximately 1/3c + 1tbs) (can substitute or kale, or collard greens)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2) Grease pan with butter or cooking spray
3) In a medium bowl, combine flour,sugar,baking powder,allspice,salt.
4) In a large bowl, combine potatoes,melted butter bananas,eggs, blend well.
5) Gently toss grated apples in flour mixture
6) Add to flour mixture to wet ingredients and gently stir

7) Pour into pan. I used a glass 8" square baking dish. Cooking times will vary based on cooking dish!
8) Bake at 400 for 30 mins and test doneness. To test doneness, pierce in middle with fork or knife, it should come out clean. Continue baking until cake appears firm in the middle, is slightly golden on top, and passes the "doneness" test! Cooking times will vary.
* This should be done, but it will set more as it cools. Let cool to room temperature. (I know it smells delicious, but wait for it to rest!) I make small rectangles and store it in the refrigerator. They seem to get even a little denser after settling over night. A great breakfast for younguns.

White Sapote & Peanut Butter Sandwich

White sapotes are gem I'd never even heard of, but was thankfully introduced to them by Squeeze Play Organics. The variety we enjoy are deliciously ripe and sweet when they slightly give to pressure. Skin more yellowish vs green is also an indicator of ripeness. The flesh is creamy with almost a avocado-like texture, but the taste is quite different. Almost like a mild, creamy peach, in my opinion. Look out for medium sized and larger white seeds, don't eat 'em! Also, we don't eat the skin either.

Our now 10 month old loves just eating the flesh plain. I scoop it out with a baby spoon. White sapotes make a very easy and portable baby food, he loves it. My three year-old is much more skeptical of new things. She did try eating just the fruit, but that was a no-go. What worked instead was a white sapote & peanut butter sandwich. Wow was it delicious!

Ingredients:
-Bread
-One White Sapote
-Peanut or Almond butter

Directions:
1) Rinse of skin of white sapote
2) Scoop out flesh into a small bowl
3) Mash with a fork
4) Spread white sapote on one side of bread, and nut butter on the other

Pea Tendrils

What on earth to do with pea tendrils in your CSA box or pea shoots in your home garden for that matter? Who knew these little shoots were packed with nutrients and delicious?! I didn't even know they were edible!

So what can you expect from pea tendrils and this recipe?
A refreshing and savory taste of early spring. Pea tendrils are the tender shoots of young pea plants and are edible. They have a delicate almost spinachy flavor. This is a delicious way to harvest these young plants and make a beautiful side dish.

Ingredients:
1 bunch pea tendrils (when bunched together I the stalks make about a half dollar size)
2 teaspoons garlic greens or 3 minced garlic cloves
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ lemon, juice of
salt

Directions:
1) Gently clean pea tendrils by wiping them with a slightly damp paper towel.
2) Cut off the woody end of the pea tendrils, about one inch of the thick end.
3) Heat oil in frying pan over medium high heat.
4) Add pea tendrils, garlic, lemon juice, and salt
5) Cook approximately 4 minutes, until pea tendrils are just wilted and still vibrantly green.6Remove from pan immediately to avoid overcooking.