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Sweet Baking Puree

Most of you know that I have been making an effort to reach a truce with my youngest daughter regarding her eating fruits and veggies because she really does not like the texture and this has been a life long thing ever since she had to go on a low residue diet as a child due to some health issues. What I have found is she will eat almost anything I serve her if she does not see chunks of veggies in it. I can puree to my heart’s delight and as long as things are smooth, she will eat it no problem.

This of course is fine for sauces and soups, rice, pasta and even stews, but when it comes to baked goods, most of what she likes is sweet. My Aromatic Veggie Puree is perfect for savory dishes, but simply unacceptable in sweet things, so I thought I would do a little experimenting and see if there was a way to get veggies into the baked goods and the sweet things! What I found is that you can, but if you are going to be baking, you need to have some fruits or veggies in the mix that are not going to shed all their moisture, and will remain a bit bulky. The key ingredient, I found was to use a few dried fruits, and the best one I discovered was a good old prune! Prune puree has been used as a fat substitute for quite a few years and though I do not want to substitute good healthy fats in my baking, I like the consistency it added to the puree and I also liked the idea of getting some high fiber prunes into my baking!

Sweet Baking Puree

Makes 2 cups (I usually make much more in each batch)

2 Carrots, peeled and cut into chunks

1 Large sweet apple, washed and quartered with peel on (you may remove the core if you like, I leave mine in)

1 Small zucchini or yellow squash washed and sliced in half and then diced in large pieces

2 Large prunes, pitted (optional but really makes the recipe)

1 Cup filtered water

Wash and trim all veggies and fruit and cut into chunks and layer into the Vitamix or other high powered blender in the order listed. Add water to fill to 1/2 the level of the veggies. Pulse on low until all veggies are liquified. If you have trouble, add more water until the mixture mixes freely. When everything is incorporated, blend on high for 1 minute or less to make a uniform consistency like smooth apple sauce.

Portion out 1/2 cup servings into Ziploc bags and freeze if not using in a day or two to bake muffins or cookies. You can use this mixture to replace 1/2 cup of any other liquid in your recipe, such as milk, water or liquid oil. It can also be stirred into oatmeal, pie or tart filling to add some veggie nutrients for picky eaters.

Frankly, my kids have no clue that I put this puree in my Oatmeal muffins, all they know is that the muffins and moist and delicious! So, if you have a picky eater of any age, why not add in a little puree for your own peace of mind and their health as well!

This recipe is a part of the Hearth and Soul Hop-volume 50.

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