Orange, peach, mango smoothie

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

Remember that flavor of orange, peach, mango juice? I was obsessed with it in college until I mixed it with vodka one too many times. But since that was 20 years ago (UGH), I decided to give it another try. Can confirm: still delicious.

Take me to the smoothie!

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

This smoothie, like a lot of the smoothies on this site, started its life as a baby puree, but transitioned to a drink as my kids got older. I used to add carrots, but they’re a lot of work if you’re trying to make this more liquid-y, so I would just add some store-bought carrot juice if you want to go that route.

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

This one is great as a smoothie or a juice, but I also love freezing it as popsicles or turning it into a fantastic sorbet (I use this method from Zoe Francois).

Orange, peach, mango smoothie | Me & The Moose. #Meandthemoose #Orange #Peach #Mango #puree #popsicles

Orange, Peach, Mango smoothie

Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 2 smoothies

1 orange, squeezed
1 cup mango, fresh or frozen
2 large ripe peaches, 3-4 small ripe peaches, or 1 cup frozen
1/2 cup carrot juice (optional)

Combine the fruit in a blender and blend until totally smooth. If using frozen fruit, thaw it in the microwave for a few seconds before blending. Pass the mixture through a fine mesh sieve if desired for a smoother texture.

This puree is also delicious with 1 Tbsp of melted coconut oil thrown in for a bit of extra fat.

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut yogurt smoothie

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut milk puree | Me & The Moose. Cherries, strawberries, basil, and coconut yogurt combine in this smoothie that is equally delicious for babies, toddlers, and grownups. #meandthemoose #babyfood #toddlerfood #summer #cherry #strawberry #basil #coconut #smoothie

Roasting fruit is a fantastic way to make it taste super sweet AND save it from the garbage if it’s a little past its prime. Here, we’ve combined that syrupy goodness with fresh basil and coconut yogurt for a unique and TASTY smoothie.

Take me to the recipe!

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut milk puree | Me & The Moose. Cherries, strawberries, basil, and coconut yogurt combine in this smoothie that is equally delicious for babies, toddlers, and grownups. #meandthemoose #babyfood #toddlerfood #summer #cherry #strawberry #basil #coconut #smoothie

Okay, okay. I know it’s a little much to roast fresh fruit in the summer, but I promise that it’s worth it! The fruit gets SO SWEET that it tastes like candy, which is an excellent way to get kids to eat it.

It's also incredibly forgiving and versatile. Want to use only berries or only cherries? Do it. Want to use vegan coconut yogurt? Absolutely!. Want to freeze them as popsicles? Freeze away! Want to swap in frozen fruit because it’s cheaper or it’s winter? One hundred percent fine.

However, you CAN NOT use dried basil in place of fresh. You could skip the basil, but really, it's the star of the show.

View fullsize

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut milk puree | Me & The Moose. Cherries, strawberries, basil, and coconut yogurt combine in this smoothie that is equally delicious for babies, toddlers, and grownups. #meandthemoose #babyfood #toddlerfood #summer #cherry #strawberry #basil #coconut #smoothie

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut milk puree | Me & The Moose. Cherries, strawberries, basil, and coconut yogurt combine in this smoothie that is equally delicious for babies, toddlers, and grownups. #meandthemoose #babyfood #toddlerfood #summer #cherry #strawberry #basil #coconut #smoothie

Cherry, strawberry, basil, and coconut yogurt smoothie

Time: (30-35 minutes, mostly active)
Yield: 1 cup roasted fruit puree; 2 smoothies

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, quartered (2 cups of whole berries if using frozen)
1 heaping cup cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen)
10 oz coconut yogurt, cow’s milk or vegan (2 small cartons or 1 1/3 cups)
1/2 cup water, added a little bit at a time
6-8 large fresh basil leaves

Pre-heat the oven to 350. Place the fresh or frozen strawberries and cherries on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20-30 minutes. Check frequently to avoid scorching. Roast until the fruit is very mushy and its liquid has released and become syrupy.

Once your berries are roasted, dump everything into the blender and blend until smooth.

Kid-friendly Pesto

Basic pesto is so easy and elevates any dish, even for toddlers and littles. #meandthemoose #pesto #pasta

Basic pesto sauce is so easy! It lasts forever in the fridge, freezes beautifully and makes everything from soup to sandwiches to pizza taste that much better.

Take me to the pesto!

Really pack that cup of basil for this kid-friend, quick pasta sauce. #meandthemoose #pestorecipe #pesto #easyrecipe

Pesto is simply the best-o, no? I hate myself for writing that.

But seriously, I LOVE pesto. While I’m not the best gardener (though I’m working on it!), basil has always thrived in our yard, so we’re on a constant pesto rotation during the summer and early fall.

And since kid palettes don’t always love the strong flavor of raw garlic, I quickly roast some to make it sweeter and milder. (Check out my reel for a wee tutorial.) That way, you can use a tiny bit of raw garlic and as much roasted garlic and roasted garlic oil as you like for a really complex and layered garlic flavor that littles and bigs will both enjoy.

Added bonus: This pesto is dairy optional!

Kid-friendly pesto

This pesto uses roasted garlic and roasted garlic oil to make it a little easier on a kid’s developing palette and to create a complex garlic flavor for grownups to enjoy.

Kid-friendly pesto

This pesto uses roasted garlic and roasted garlic oil to make it easier on a kid’s developing palette and makes a complex garlic flavor for the grownups as well.

Kid-friendly Pesto

Time: 30 minutes, mostly active
Yield: about 1/2-3/4 cup of pesto (enough for about 1/2-2/3 a 1lb box of pasta)

1 cup tightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 large roasted garlic cloves (or more)
1 very small raw garlic clove
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp roasted garlic oil (or more)
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup toasted almonds, walnuts, or cashews (walnuts our my preference)
1/2 tsp sea salt (to taste)
Optional: up to 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

To roast the garlic: Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees. Smash the garlic cloves (chop in half if they're extra large). Don’t worry about the skins- they’ll come right off after cooking. Place in an oven-proof bowl or container (I usually use a small glass Ball Jar on a cookie sheet in case of spillage), and fill with oil just until it covers the garlic completely. Place the uncovered container in the oven and roast until lots of tiny bubbles are popping aggressively around the cloves, about 6-8 minutes, depending on your oven. Check the garlic frequently (like, every two minutes) to prevent overcooking. Let stand for about 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle.

While the garlic is roasting, toast the nuts. Feel free to throw them into the oven with the garlic, but again, keep a close eye to prevent burning. Our oven usually does the job in about 4 minutes. 

Place the basil, roasted garlic cloves, raw garlic clove, toasted nuts, lemon juice, and cheese (if using) in a blender or food processor. In a slow stream, add plain olive oil and roasted garlic oil while blending (if using a tiny food processor without a window in the top, just add the oils and whizz everything together). Taste for seasoning and add salt. Blend again.

Freezer tip: I love to freeze pesto in covered ice cube trays.