Cooking For The Family: Fall Recipes

In the spirit of this Fall season (and Halloween) I asked Lauren Spurchise of Mommy and Baby Food, (one of my absolute favorite food blogs) if she’d contribute a few “Fall” recipes to us here at MommyBeta. So here’s what Lauren has shared: Grilled Chicken with Pumpkin Ragout, Pumpkin Banana Pancakes and Roasted Acorn Squash. Yum! 

I so appreciate that Lauren includes all the vitamins and any other nutritional value in her recipes. And like the title of her blog implies, the recipes are not just for babies. They’re for mommies and daddies too. She makes cooking fun and includes simple instructions so that anyone can follow along. I find that her recipes are delicious and don't take a ton of time. I know I don't have as much time as I'd like but I also really enjoy eating good food. Who doesn't? Most recently I made Lauren’s Spinach Pesto. Reese loved this pesto with pasta and Josh and I enjoyed it over baked salmon.  And it’s so much healthier (lots less cheese and olive oil) than traditional pesto.

Here are some of Lauren's Fall recipes. Visit Lauren’s blog for lots more ideas!

Grilled Chicken with Pumpkin Ragout

 I'm pretty sure I've mentioned this before, but I LOVE pumpkin. Pumpkin is a delicious and super nutritious food for you and your family. It is full of vitamin A, beta carotene, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. I dreamt up this recipe the other night, and decided to make it for dinner last night. This ragout is made with pumpkin, carrots, dates and apples so it's jam packed with essential vitamins and minerals. Add the grilled chicken and you have a delicious healthy meal for the whole family. You can puree this for babies 7+ months, or cut up into small pieces for babies that are eating finger foods.

Here's what you need: (serves 4) 

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 small to medium size pumpkin peeled and chopped into cubes (you can use butternut squash if you don't have or can't find pumpkin)
• 1 organic apple peeled and diced
• 2-3 medium to large organic carrots peeled and chopped
• 2 cups chopped dates
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tblsp chopped fresh or dried sage
• pinch of salt
• pinch of pepper
• olive oil 

Peel and chop 1 pumpkin (remove seeds) into bite size cubes. Heat 1 tbslp olive oil over medium heat in a large deep pan. Add pumpkin, apple, dates, carrots, nutmeg, cinnamon and sage. Toss to coat. Add chicken broth and cover and let simmer for 10-15 minutes. Toss every so often. Cook ragout until pumpkin is soft adding more chicken broth if needed. While pumpkin ragout is simmering, lightly season chicken with salt and pepper, and place on a grill or in a grill pan. Cook for 7-8 minutes on each side. If chicken looks like it is drying out poor a little chicken broth into grill pan. Slice cooked chicken and spoon ragout on top. Serve (or puree with a little water for babies 7+ months) enjoy!

Pumpkin Banana Pancakes

Here's a yummy pancake recipe for all you pumpkin lovers. Pumpkin is a seriously nutrient rich food for you and your little one. Pumpkins are jam packed with vitamin A beta carotene, potassium, protein, and iron. This is for babies 8+ months and Mommies and Daddies of all ages.

Here's what you need:

• 1 cup multigrain pancake mix (I use arrowhead mills)
• 1/2 tblsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 cup canned organic 100% pumpkin (do NOT get pie filling)
• 1 egg (If you use arrowhead mills pumpkin mix you don't need egg)
• 1-2 organic banana cut into tiny pieces
• 2-3 tblsp plain whole milk yogurt or 1/4 cup milk

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Heat 2 tblsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Ladle the pancake batter into the skillet. Flip when you see air bubbles starting to form in pancake. Serve and enjoy!

Roasted Acorn Squash

I made this the other night as a side dish. It's so easy, yummy, and super healthy. The next time I make it I'm going to serve butternut squash bisque or another yummy autumn soup inside it. I figured it would be like serving something in a much healthier bread bowl type thing. If you want to serve this to your little one too hold off on the salt and pepper.

Here's what you'll need: 

• 1 acorn squash
• olive oil
• cinnamon
• 1 tblsp dried sage
• 2 tblsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375F. Cut squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Brush olive oil all over squash. Probably about a tbslp on each half. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sage. Season with salt and pepper (hold off on the salt and pepper if serving to your baby). Drizzle 1 tblsp of maple syrup over each half (2 tblsp total). Roast for 45-50 minutes. Serve and enjoy!