Biscotti
Instead of the infant cereal, these can also be made with oats, ground in the food processor to a coarse flour.
Ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat, all-purpose, barley or oat flour1 cup dry infant rice or oat cereal1 very ripe banana, mashed until smooth
2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
Preheat oven to 375˚F.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and cereal. In a small bowl, stir together the banana, oil and about 2 Tbsp. water; add to the dry ingredients and stir until you have a soft dough, adding a bit more water or flour as needed until the dough comes together and is not too sticky. (It will depend largely on the size of the banana, and how juicy it is.)
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/4-inch thick and cut into smooth shapes (circles or sticks, without pointy edges – squish them a bit with your fingers). Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Cool completely and store extras in an airtight container.
Cinnamon Rice Teething Waffles
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup cooked brown rice or barley, cooled
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1 1/4 cups milk or water
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Add the rice, eggs, oil and milk and stir just until blended.
Preheat your waffle iron, spray it with nonstick spray and cook the batter a ladle full at a time, spread over the griddle (it will be thicker than typical waffle batter), until firm and pale golden. (Since they don’t contain sugar, they won’t turn as dark golden as traditional waffles.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool and break into quarters or cut into strips.
Makes about 20 wedges. Store in a tightly covered container or freeze.
Homemade Apple Chips
Ingredients:
2 large apples, preferably organic
Preheat oven to 200˚F.
Thinly slice apples crosswise about 1/8-inch thick with a sharp knife. Arrange apple slices in a single layer on two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets.
Optional: sprinkle a bit of sugar and cinnamon evenly over apple slices.
Bake in the top and bottom third of the oven until apples are tough and leathery to dry and crisp, however you prefer, about 1 – 2 hours. Remove from oven and let the chips cool completely before transferring to a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Makes about 2 cups apple chips.
Baby Biscotti
Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, melted, or canola or olive oil
1 jar pureed fruit or vegetable (try sweet potato) or large mashed ripe banana
2 large eggs
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2-1 cup oats
1 tsp. baking powder
pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, beat butter, puree and eggs until smooth. Add the flour, oats, baking powder and salt and stir until almost combined; add any additions you want and stir just until blended. If it seems dry, use your hands to complete the mixing as the dough comes together. If it’s too sticky (this will depend on the puree you use), add more flour until you have a soft, stiff dough.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Divide in half and shape each piece into an 8” long log. Place the logs 2”–3” apart on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, and flatten each into a rectangle that is about 3” wide.
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until firm and starting to crack on top. Transfer the logs to a wire rack to cool for a bit and reduce the oven temperature to 275°F.
When they’re cool enough to handle (they tend to crumble when they’re still hot), place the logs on a cutting board, trim the ends and cut each log diagonally into 1/2”–3/4” slices with a serrated knife. Place the slices upright on the cookie sheet, spacing them about 1/2” apart so that there’s room for the air to circulate between them, and return to the oven for 30 minutes. If you like, turn the heat off and leave the biscotti inside the oven until it cools down to make them even harder. Makes about 2 dozen biscotti.
"Milkbone" Teething Biscuits
Ingredients:
2 cups whole wheat flour, plus extra, for rolling
1/4 cup skim milk powder (optional)
1/2 cup water, milk or apple juice
1/4 cup canola or other mild vegetable oil
1 large egg
Preheat oven to 350° F.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour and skim milk powder. In a small bowl whisk together the water, oil and egg; add to the dry ingredients and stir until well blended.
Gently knead the dough a few times on a lightly floured surface, and then roll it out 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick. Cut into desired shapes, in sizes suitable for your baby (ensure there are no sharp corners), with a cookie cutter or knife. Transfer to an ungreased cookie sheet and prick each a few times with a fork.
Bake for about 20 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of the cookies, until pale golden and firm. Turn the oven off but leave them inside for a few hours to harden as they cool.
Makes 2-3 dozen cookies, depending on their size. Store in a tightly sealed container.
