Go Bananas

Sugar highs suck, especially when your kid has one. They are crazy, bouncing off the walls, doing exactly what you say NOT to, driving you nuts. Then they crash and throw a fit at the smallest thing from their shoes being the wrong color to the direction the wind's blowing. Anytime you try to pick them up they limp noodle to the ground scream crying like you beat them. Totally worth that pack of chocolate chip cookies right? Remember that term from earlier? Moderation.

I was very fortunate to grow up with a mother that didn't even allow sugary cereal (which she appropriately calls sugar bombs). Did I miss it? Limp noodle it in the grocery store because I couldn't have it? Nope, because I didn't know any better. As I got jr. high/ high school age and started to realize what junk food was I would eat a snickers or buy a soda here and there but it never really appealed to me. To this day I don't drink soda and I probably have her to thank for that. We all have her to thank for this recipe that I have tweaked a little...

Prep time is about 5 min, you can make enough for a couple weeks or just that day~ I suggest a couple weeks so the "sugar bombs" don't slip in while your short on time. This yields 4 'cookies':

1 Organic banana
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp ground allspice

See below for variations and age appropriate alterations. This is what I prepare for Olive (15 months)

 


















Mash banana with a fork in a bowl until...well it's mushy.
Add spices and mix well
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
drop spoonfuls of banana mixture onto paper to the desired cookie size (make sure it is a size they can get a grip on.)
place cookie sheet on a flat surface in the freezer for 2-3 hours.
The ones you don't use right away after frozen place in a freezer bag and back in the freezer.

These are perfect for teething babes, toddlers learning temperatures, kids after school, summer time treats and especially new moms trying to cut the baby weight!

Age alterations:
Depending on the size of solid food you feed your baby, that should be the size of the largest banana pieces in the mash. So I would guess 6-9 months put the banana in the blender until smooth. From 10+ months you can get by with a fork. Regardless of what is written here you are responsible for knowing what your baby can handle and feed them accordingly.

Recipe variations:

• Add a half tsp vanilla extract
• Add nuts (if appropriate) 
• Mini peanut butter or chocolate chips (older/age appropriate kids)
• Put a Popsicle stick in them prior to freezing for a 'banana pop' (age appropriate only)
• Spread an even layer inside a cookie cutter to make fun shapes
• There is endless other fruit to puree and add as well, your imagination is the limit.