Homemade fruit sauce… One of my go-to snack options for the kiddos! You’ll often find my freezer PILED high with little pots of it and for good reason. It’s super easy to make, it keeps well, it defrosts quickly, and it’s a healthful addition to lunches and snacks. Low on fresh fruits and veggies? Pull out some fruit sauce! Produce on its last legs? Turn it into fruit sauce!
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You can make fruit sauce with all kinds of different fruits, but apples and pears are my go-to ‘base’ fruits. Both are grown right here in the Okanagan and since both store pretty well, I can pretty much find locally grown varieties year round. That and when cooked and blended, they both have a good texture for fruit sauce. I add all kinds of other things to our fruit sauces, but I almost always start with apples and / or pears first.
I get so many questions about how to make fruit sauce at home and it really couldn’t be easier… No recipe required!
Here’s what we do… First, wash all of our apples and pears. Sometimes I soak them in a water and vinegar solution for a few minutes beforehand and sometimes I don’t, but I always run them under clean water and kind of rub them to help remove any residue that might be on them.
Once your apples and pears are clean, you’re ready to make your fruit sauce! I like to make big batches, but it doesn’t really matter how many apples and pears you have… Just use what you have on hand.
Okay, onto the pot… I really like using a thick-bottom pot like my Lodge cast iron dutch oven for fruit sauce because it means I can basically forget about it for an hour, but if you don’t have one – no worries. You’ll just maybe want to check in on your fruit now and then to make sure it doesn’t burn / stick to the bottom.
Alright, here it is… Remove the cores from all of your apples and pears, toss the fruit into your pot, add a tiny bit of water (for this giant pot full of fruit I add 1/4 cup of water – for a smaller pot I might only add a tablespoon or two), cover it, and turn your element onto the very lowest setting. Every stove is slightly different of course so you’ll definitely want to be more attentive on your first go, but we leave a big pot of fruit covered on low without touching it for about 45 minutes to an hour usually. A smaller pot of fruit will need less time of course.
When we come back at the 45 minute / hour mark, the fruit is soft all the way through. You basically want to be able to mash it with a fork and have it fall apart on you.
After our fruit has had a chance to cool, we transfer it, along with any liquid it’s produced, into our Vitamix blender and process it using the smoothie setting (50 seconds).
If your blender is having a hard time at any point, feel free to add little bits of water at a time to help it out. The goal is to have it turn out completely smooth, so don’t be afraid to run it for more than 45 seconds if needed either.
When you’re done, you should have a perfectly smooth fruit sauce that can be transferred into mini mason jars and put into the fridge or freezer for storage. (Just be sure to leave some space at the top of the jar if you plan on freezing yours.)
Plain apple and / or pear sauce is absolutely delicious all on its own, but we often mix in other fruits and veggies too! Grae and Sam love the different flavours and it’s a nice way to switch things up too. If we have fresh fruit outside of apples and pears that need to be used up, we’ll use that, but our go-to add-ins are largely frozen fruit (strawberries, mango, blueberries, or mixed berries) or fresh spinach.
When using almost any add-in, fresh or frozen, we add it to the pot of apples and pears and cook everything together. The one exception? Spinach. (Or other greens – I think kale would probably work great too.) With spinach, we always add it raw to the blender of cooked fruit and then blend. I like doing it this way because I feel like once you cook spinach it has a taste, but you can blend it into almost anything when fresh and it doesn’t change the flavour at all. (You can check out our hulk sauce recipe here – it’s a favourite of ours and includes spinach AND chia seeds!)
So a quick recap…
– wash and core apples and pears
– put them in a pot
– save spinach and kale, add any other fruits or veggies to the pot (berries, mango, even carrot!)
– add a little bit of water (1 tablespoon to 1/4 cup)
– cook covered on very low heat until fruit/veggies are fork soft
– allow cooked fruit/veggies to cool
– transfer the cooked fruit/veggies to a blender (including any liquid in the pot)
– add fresh spinach or kale if desired
– blend until completely smooth
– transfer into small jars for storage
These will keep in the fridge for about a week and for ages in the freezer. To defrost them, I simply take them out of the freezer and let them defrost on their own either on the counter at room temp or in the refrigerator (depending on how much time I have). You can also pop them into your kiddo’s lunch bag frozen and come lunchtime, the sauce will be thawed and ready to eat! Bonus? It serves as an ice pack in the meantime.
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I’ve been making these fun and easy apple sandwiches for Miss G for a long time now (we didn’t follow the usual no nuts until the age of 2 rule) and they’ve always been a total hit. And because we load ours up with all kinds of healthful fillings, they make a perfect breakfast or even lunch!
You certainly don’t need all of these things, but since we almost always have them all on hand and Miss G enjoys the variety, we usually go for it. In today’s lineup was peanut butter, almond butter, and a pink lady apple, plus unsweetened coconut, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, old-fashioned oats, sunflower seeds, and hemp hearts. Also needed is a sharp knife and small cookie cutter of some sort (though you can do without if needed).
Apple sandwiches are really so simple to throw together that I’m sure instructions aren’t needed, but this is how we normally make ours… First off, I slice them up quite thinly. We usually get 8 or 9 slices (not including the 2 end pieces) per apple. Then we separate them into two piles – one where the seeds have to be cut out, and the other where there really aren’t any seeds at all.
Next, we use our small heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut the centres out of the seedy slices. You can use an apple corer or a sharp knife to the trick too. These pieces will become the sandwich tops.
On to the bottoms! Since these really don’t have any seeds, there’s no cookie cutter needed. Just slather them with your favourite nut butter…
And have your munchkin sprinkle them with the toppings of his or her choice. 
Then pop the tops on and you’ve got a yummy snack or meal ready for your little one (or you!) to gobble up!
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with 
Breakfast // Ezekiel cinnamon raisin toast with all-natural peanut butter. Berries. Chinese pear slices. Satsuma slices.
Breakfast // Crispy brown rice cereal with chia seeds, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and almond milk.
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with strawberry slices, almond slices, and chia seeds.
Lunch // Wholewheat couscous with steamed asparagus, edamame, baby green peas, feta, and herbs.
Lunch // Grilled chicken, spinach, and brie on wholewheat flax seed bread. Green grapes. Red pepper slices.
Lunch {for 2 on the go} // Homemade carrot zucchini muffins. Almond butter, oat, hemp heart, and chia multi-grain roll-up. Baby cucumbers. Avocado. Orange pepper slices. Seedy crackers. Apple slices. Grapes. Mango. Mixed raw nuts.
Lunch // Quick Gracen-made pizza (all-natural apple chardonnay chicken sausage, orange pepper pieces, asparagus chunks, and grilled onions).
Lunch // Mixed brown rice bowl with grilled corn, onions, peppers, black beans, fresh avocado, fresh mozzarella, and sour cream.
Lunch // Baby potatoes, asparagus, snap peas, cucumbers, green onions, and chickpeas in plain yogurt and dill.
Dinner // Mexican black bean salad. Asian noodle salad. Edamame salad.
Dinner // Sweet potato hash, asparagus chunks, grilled onions, spinach, and all-natural herb and garlic chicken sausage with a dollop of sour cream.
Dinner // Grilled coconut chicken. Avocado chunks. Rocket and harvest grains salad. Strawberries.
Dinner // Wholewheat roasted veggie calzone.
Dinner // Wholewheat spaghetti with ground turkey and tomato basil spinach sauce. Roasted beets.
Dinner // Grilled chicken. Warm beet salad. Warm baby potato salad.
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with 
Breakfast // Scrambled eggs. Fruit salad. 
Breakfast // Hot oatmeal with almond milk, fresh blueberries, and chia seeds.
Breakfast // Wholewheat sourdough french toast with all-natural peanut butter. Plain organic yogurt for dipping.
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with 
Breakfast // Scrambled basil parmesan eggs. Sweet potato hash. Pink lady slices.
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt with fresh mango, unsweetened coconut, and chia seeds.
Snack // 
Snack // 
Lunch {on the go} // Steamed beets. Cottage cheese. Blackberries. Satsuma slices. Pistachios and cashews. Yellow pepper slices. Baby carrots. Unsweetened banana slices. Organic yogurt-covered raisins (the queen of all treats in our house!)
Lunch // 
Lunch {on the go} // Avocado. Banana coins. Seedy crackers with sharp cheddar. Cashews. Apple sandwiches filled with almond butter, oats, and chia. Baby carrots. Broccoli florets.
Lunch // Wholewheat pita pockets filled with almond butter, banana slices, and chia seeds.
Lunch {on the go} // Strawberries. Blackberries. Starfruit. Mini wholewheat flatbread. Seedy crackers. Avocado. Miniature 
Dinner // 
Dinner // Coconut encrusted chicken. Roasted sweet potato. Roasted Brussels sprouts. Steamed beets.
Dinner // Ravioli soup with fresh parmesan. Roasted broccoli.
Dinner // Roasted sweet potato, cauliflower, beets, and carrots with pan-fried onions and all-natural apple chardonnay chicken sausage.
Dinner // Baked potato. Barbecued chicken and veggie skewers. Green salad.
Dinner // Baked spinach pasta and cheese with turkey and green peas.
Dinner // Chicken and bean ‘soft tacos’ with sautéed peppers, cheddar, avocado, and black beans on the side. Sour cream and green salsa for dipping.
Dinner // 
Another week, another 
Breakfast // Scrambled organic egg with fresh parmesan and basil rolled in a wholewheat flatbread. Strawberry slices and black grapes.
Breakfast // Yogurt parfait made with homemade granola, organic plain yogurt, fresh strawberries, blackberries, and raspberries, and a tiny drizzle of pure maple syrup.
Breakfast // 
Breakfast // Wholewheat bagel with all-natural cream cheese and hemp hearts. Strawberry quarters and blackberries.
Breakfast // Wholewheat rye toast with all-natural cream cheese and avocado slices. Fresh pear.
Breakfast // Organic oatmeal topped with strawberry slices, freshly whipped cream (unsweetened), and chia seeds.
Snack // 
Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Banana berry muffin. Dill havarti slices. Raw almonds and kamut puffs. Seedy cranberry breakfast bar. Cucumber slices. Carrot sticks. Edamame beans. Alphabet pretzels.
Lunch // Wholewheat couscous with avocado, red and orange peppers, black beans, red onions, olive oil, and freshly squeezed lime.
Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Banana berry muffin. 
Lunch // Tuna and avocado in mini wholewheat pitas. Red pepper slices. Baby carrots. Cucumber slices.
Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Pear chunks. Strawberry halves. Kiwi slices. Mixed nuts. 
Lunch {and snacks on the go} // Apple slices. Strawberry halves. Red grapes. Red pear. ‘Gracen mix’. Orange pepper slices. Edamame beans. Chickpeas. Watermelon strawberry fruit chews. Avocado, hemp hearts, and all-natural cream cheese rolled in a wholewheat tortilla.
Dinner // Turkey zucchini spinach meatloaf. Pesto tortelini with fresh parmesan, spinach, garlic, and olive oil.
Dinner // Quinoa ‘mac n’ cheese’ with broccoli, red peppers, and leeks. 
Dinner // 
Dinner // Wholewheat fusili with zucchini turkey tomato sauce and fresh parmesan.
Dinner // Veggie soup with harvest grains and chickpeas. Avocado and all-natural cream cheese in an Ezekiel wrap.
Dinner // Squash and ricotta-filled pasta with 
Whew! It’s been a while… A very long while since our last 
Breakfast // Cinnamon french toast made with wholewheat shepherd’s bread, stewed blueberries, and chia. Orange slices.
Breakfast // Coconut chia pudding with strawberry slices and raw sliced almonds.
Breakfast // Oatmeal with raw sliced almonds, chia, hemp hearts, and frozen blueberries. Orange pepper slices.
Breakfast // Organic brown rice cereal with sliced almonds, hemp hearts, loads of cinnamon (she’s obsessed!), and almond milk.
Breakfast // Toasted squarely bread, colby cheese, and a scrambled egg. 
Breakfast // Plain organic yogurt, 
Breakfast // Old-fashioned oats with granny smith apples, almond butter, and cinnamon.
Breakfast // Star-shpaed scrambled organic egg. All-natural peanut butter and old-fashioned oat banana bites.
Green smoothie // Banana, old-fashioned oats, all-natural peanut butter, coconut milk, vanilla, and spinach.
Green smoothie (though not actually green) // Banana, apple, avocado, kale, frozen blueberries, frozen raspberries, chia, and water.
Smoothie // Banana, pear, apple, frozen blueberries, steamed beets, chia seeds, and water.
Snack // 
Snack // 
Snacks & Lunch {on the go} // Baby carrots. Orange chunks. 
Lunch {on the go} // Mixed fruit. 
Lunch // Tuna and avocado on wholewheat rye. Baby carrots.
Lunch // Red lentil pasta and cheese. Baby peas and corn with dill.
Lunch // Grilled all-natural peanut butter and no-sugar-added jam sandwich (an oddly delicious favourite from my childhood).
Lunch // Curried tuna apple salad on a wholewheat croissant. Strawberry chunks. Grapes.
Lunch {on the go} // Red pepper slices. Cucumber slices. Grapes. Strawberries. Avocado. Edamame crackers with organic cheddar.
Dinner // Personal turkey meatloaf. Mashed potatoes. Roasted carrots. Roasted Brussels sprouts.
Dinner // Homemade chicken tenders. Steamed carrots and snap peas with fresh herbs. Roasted baby potatoes. Homemade honey mustard sauce.
Dinner // Wholewheat fusilli with fresh spinach and all-natural chicken sausage in a clear sauce.
Dinner // Harvest grains, edamame, steamed carrots and snap peas with grilled prawns.
Dinner // 
Dinner // Wholewheat couscous. Mini 
Dinner // Spinach tortellini with carrots, broccoli, edamame, onions, and fresh parmesan.
Dinner // 
Dinner // White bean chicken chili with colby jack, avocado, and fresh cilantro.
Ever since our recent 
Fruit lends itself to creating a rainbow so well that I could have easily made the entire thing just from one food group, but I decided to try and include at least a little bit of protein, dairy, and veg too. I ended up with strawberry chunks, all-natural sharp cheddar cubes, low-sodium chickpeas, edamame beans, fresh blueberries, and banana coins for the clouds (sorry indigo and violet – skipped you this time!)
The chickpeas were scooped up by my hungry little monkey before I had a chance to assemble the rainbow, so they were replaced with chunks of yellow pepper (just as well – she loves those too). Using a small plate and following its arc made shaping the rainbow really easy.
And you should have seen the eyes on my little rainbow loving girl when I set the plate down in front of her… She loved it so much that we had a great brainstorming session about all of the foods that could be used to create a rainbow snack (and she of course had way more ideas than I did). 
After eight hours, we had a lovely sheet of fruit leather.
One of the few ready-made packaged foods I buy now and then is organic all-fruit fruit leather strips. They’re a very special treat for Miss G and I don’t feel horrible about letting her have one once and a while (as long as her teeth are brushed extra well that day), but I’ve always known that I should probably be making them at home instead. Recently, our local grocery store stopped restocking their organic fruit leather supply (I think they’re getting rid of the current stock and then no longer carrying them) and they were down to just two lonely strips on our last visit. It was the perfect push I needed to try making my own. 
Today I asked Gracen if she’d like to try making some fruit leather of our own, and she responded enthusiastically with, “Sure! Purple ones.” so I decided we’d try a berry variety first. Since we don’t really buy many berries when they’re out of season, we went with what we had in the freezer – strawberries, raspberries, and wild blueberries. Plus an apple and half a lemon for texture and a little kick.
As we were prepping the fruit, which really only consists of peeling and coring the apple, we decided to add a banana in the mix for sweetness.
With all of the ingredients ready to go, Gracen popped them into a large pot…
Then squeezed the lemon on top…
And added a little bit of water.
Then we popped the mixture on the stove to stew over medium heat for a while.
About a half hour later, this is what we had.
We let it cool for a little bit and then dumped it in the food processor to puree for a bit.
With our mixture nice and smooth, we lined a baking sheet with parchment paper…
And poured our berry mixture on top.
Using a spatula, we spread the mixture out to cover the entire base of the pan (on our next attempt, I’d spend a little more time getting it as evenly as possible) and put the pan in the oven on the lowest temperature.
Eight and a half hours later (yes – it takes a long time!) this is what we had.
We carefully peeled off the parchment paper…
And then I used kitchen scissors to cut it into strips.
A little parchment paper and baking twine later, we had our own homemade {and healthy!} version of a Fruit Roll-Up. ☺
Gather the ingredients. 
Place the pecans on a baking sheet and pop them into the oven to toast for about 10 minutes.
In the meantime, put some of the oats into a blender or food processor and turn them into oat flour.
Pour the oat flour into a large mixing bowl.
Add your regular old-fashioned oats.
Then the ground flax and hemp hearts…
Plus the salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Give all of the dry ingredients a good stir.
Next, pour in the pure maple syrup.
Coax the coconut oil into coming out of its bowl…
Add the honey…
And vanilla.
Stir the sticky mixture well.
At this point, it’ll be crumbly and sticky all at once and you’ll wonder how on earth it’ll ever become cookies. Don’t fret.
By now, your roasting pecans will smell lovely and will be ready to come out of the oven.
Allow them to cool a moment and pop them into a blender or food processor, pulsing them just a handful of times to create small bits.
Then add them to your cookie mixture.
Next up, the add-ins. Dump in your raisins…
Plus the sunflower seeds and almond slices…
And stir everything up really well.
Now for the tricky part… With a bowl of warm water nearby, wet you hands, scoop out a heaping tablespoon of cookie dough, and shape into a ball, pressing firmly. Repeat for the remainder of the dough, rewetting your hands every couple of cookies. 
And take them out approximately 10 – 13 minutes later, when the outsides are golden and crispy, but the centre is still very soft to the touch. Let the cookies cool completely before removing from the pan.
Serve with a glass of cold milk, or if you prefer ‘the Gracen special’, with a small bowl of plain yogurt (she plops the cookie in, then smashes it into the yogurt with her spoon – I think they remind her of granola ☺).
Only I would try to amp up the nutritional value of bananas… Haha! I kid. (Kinda.) The truth is, Miss G has been on a 
Here’s the ingredient lineup… Bananas (ripe, but not overripe), roasted ground flax seed, and cinnamon. 
Start off by peeling the bananas and making sure all of the white stringy things are removed.
Chop them into coins (maybe about a half inch thick?) and set them aside.
Next, pour some roasted ground flax seed into a container with a lid (or a zip close bag).
Enthusiastically dump some cinnamon in too.
Put the lid on the container and give it a little shake.
Place the lid on the container again and shake until all of the banana coins are well coated.
Next, place the coated banana pieces onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Place the tray in the freezer for at least an hour.
Serve them frozen to your excited toddler and watch them disappear. (Without a word of a lie, Gracen gobbled up our entire batch – and that was after a full meal!)