30 Ways with Puree

Having gone the Baby Led Weaning route we didn’t have a big use for purees and mashed food. However with our first boy I had stocked up on a whole lot of it intending to make my own delicious organic alternatives. My mum in law also kept our freezer well stocked in lovely seasonal produce that she had lovingly stewed and sieved. So once it became apparent we didn’t have a lot of use for it I devised a number of interesting ways to dispose of our lovely purees.

1. Freeze it into iceblocks, my sons love iceblocks in the bath and puree makes excellent non drip iceblocks.

2. Instead of sugar laden jam, use fruit purees to spread on toast.

3. I love porridge with a little fruit on the side, fruit puree is a low sugar healthy alternative.

4. A lot of baked goods are high in fat, you can use fruit puree to replace oil or butter content without losing moistness or flavour. These brownies are a great example made with black beans and prune puree.

5. Replacing eggs, just as above eggs are often used to put moistness into baking. If you run out, open a jar of puree instead. This muffin recipe is healthy and delicious.

6. If you have a dehydrator, fruit puree makes an excellent fruit leather for lunch snacks.

7. Cold cuts of meat or roasts are lovely with a side of fruit.

8. Edible finger painting, a fun game that you can lick off of your fingers when finished. Sensory fun for all.

9. If you have a really yummy fruit puree you can freeze it into icecubes for smoothies

10. Mixing fruit puree with chia seeds makes a delicious and nutritious jam.

11. If your child is all about the finger food, fruit puree makes a great dipping sauce

12. We have just discovered the addictive nature of tomato sauce in this household. Mixing it 50/50 with fruit or vegetable puree (carrots is my fave) is a great way of reducing sugar and salt intake while keeping that great t-sauce flavour.

13. If you are making a soup, stew, casserole or pasta sauces then puree can really bump up the veggie content and the flavour.

14. Instead of buying fruit yoghurt pots that are mostly sugar, add a little fruit puree to natural yoghurt. Yum

15. If you have a massive stash of apple puree then you can make apple butter.

16. If you have any savoury purees they can easily be added to rice or quinoa to make a nutritious risotto.

17. When you’ve had a stressful day with the kids a fruit puree will make a lovely face masque.

18. If you have guests coming over and have nothing for dessert ,then a packet of pastry and a jar of puree will whip up to a delicious batch of Apple McGinties in less than 15 minutes. Just spread the puree on one sheet, top with another sheet, bake, and done. Voila!

19. Add to apple pies or strudels for bulk when you are low on fresh fruit.

20. Make these yummy flapjacks to put into lunch boxes instead of sugary muesli bars. (just replace puree for juice)

21. On a hot day you can use fruit puree icecubes to make this delicious food processor sorbet

22. Stacked with icecream and cream in a parfait glass a puree will become a not so naughty dessert.

23. Soak some oats, grains and dried fruit overnight with a splash of water and some puree. You will have a delicious bircher muesli for breakfast.

24. A great child friendly dessert is this tasty baked apple custard with puree instead of diced apple.

25. When you’ve had one of those days use some of those fruit icecubes to chill yourself a delicious appletini.

26. If you have a teething baby fruit pure makes an excellent and edible frozen teether.

27. On a cold and rainy day make this divine black bean soup and instead of orange juice you can use an apricot or nectarine fruit puree.

28. Make this delicious small batch fruit chutney.

29. Pancakes are my favourite breakfast, topped with fruit puree they are a little less naughty.

30. Fruit puree makes a fabulous marinade for chops or chicken bits and an excellent glaze for hams.

And if all else fails. I guess you can bathe in it?