Healthy Smash Cake

• Ingredients
• Cake:
• 1/2 cup rolled oats, ground to flour consistency
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 heaping teaspoon cinnamon
• Dash ground nutmeg
• Dash ground cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 carrot, coarsely grated carrot
• 1/2 Granny Smith Apple, coarsely grated tart apples

Frosting:

1/2 c. Whole milk, plain Greek yogurt

4 oz. cream cheese

Dash pure vanilla extract

Directions:

For the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together ground oats, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.In a separate bowl, whisk together egg, oil, and applesauce. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the apple and carrot. Pour batter into two small ramekins. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

For the frosting: While the cake is cooling, cream together yogurt, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. 

To assemble: Remove the cakes from the ramekins when cool. Turn one cake upside down place on wax/parchment paper. Spread some frosting on the top. Layer the remaining cake, right side up, on top of the frosting. Frost the outside of the cake and decorate as desired.

Commentary:

My sweet tiny turned one today! We wanted her to experience the joy of smashing a cake, but also wanted to avoid a sugar rush. Tiny also has some food allergies and has never had wheat before. In attempt to avoid an all-night party or a birthday trip to the ER, we decided to make a "cake" with no sugar and only ingredients she's had before. It was a hit! Packed with all the macronutrients her little body needs, I had no guilt letting her have it on her party day and the next morning for breakfast. It was the perfect size for her little hands and surprisingly full of flavor. I think will be making this again just for snacking!

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Veggie Cookies

These cookies are a great way to get your little one to eat their veggies. They look questionable, but I promise they'll gobble them up!

Ingredients:

3 cups oat flour (rolled oats ground to flour consistency)
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups shredded veggies (I used one zucchini and one carrot)
1 apple, cored and shredded
1 cup baby spinach
1 cup steamed vegetables (I used broccoli and green beans)
1/2 cup whole milk plain greek yogurt
2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Blend the spinach, steamed vegetables, and yogurt in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add the eggs to the veggie mixture and blend again until smooth.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Add in the shredded veggies and apple and stir until incorporated.

Drop by tablespoonful on the prepared baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes. I store these in the freezer and pull out enough for one day (my daughter eats 2 per day) each morning.

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Chicken Bacon Spaghetti Squash

This was so good! You won't even miss the pasta and heavy sauce with this dinner! Adapted from a recipe found on Buzzfeed.


Photo by Lauren Zaser from BuzzFeed

INGREDIENTS

1 large spaghetti squash1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 slices bacon
1-2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 5-ounce bag baby spinach
2 ounces soft goat cheese, crumbled (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2 . Cut about half an inch off of the top and bottom of the spaghetti squash, and discard. those pieces. Cut the squash crosswise into rings about 1-inch thick and remove the seeds. Drizzle the olive oil on the baking sheet, then spread the squash rings over it, moving them around a little so that the undersides are evenly coated with a little bit of oil. Season with salt and pepper, then flip the rings over and season again. 

3. Roast in the preheated oven until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Let it cool slightly before peeling away the skin. Use a fork to create strings of squash. Transfer to a large serving bowl.

4. While the squash is roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add the bacon slices and cook to desired doneness. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and chop into 1-inch pieces when cool enough to handle.

5. Add the chicken to the bacon grease and cook until it is no longer pink. Add the red wine vinegar to the bacon fat in the pan while stirring and scraping the caramelized bits off the skillet. After about 20 seconds, turn the heat down to low and add the maple syrup. Stir together just to combine, then add the spinach, one handful at a time, stirring after every addition.

6. Add the bacon pieces and the chicken mixture to the bowl with the spaghetti squash and toss to combine.

7. Sprinkle the goat cheese over the mixture and toss until it melts slightly, or serve on the side as a topping for those that want a dairy-free option.

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