Apple Pie, for Breakfast

When I was little, my mom made applesauce for us. We ate it as a snack, at lunch or as a side option at dinner.  My mom is a dietitian and has been for over 30 years. I never appreciated her healthier-than-average packed lunches or cleaner versions of famous fat-filled recipes.  I was the kid at the cafeteria table, eager to trade her bag of carrots or her whole wheat turkey sandwich for a fruit roll-up and a capris sun.

After growing up and growing out, (if you know what I mean) I began to seek out my mother’s food and recipe opinions more often. Mott’s in a cup is great and all…but nothing beats the taste and feeling of fresh warm apples off your Momma’s stove.

Now and days, I appreciate homemade anything.  I know where the food is coming from, and I know what’s going in it! The cleaner and healthier I eat, the better.

Back to the apples…

While I was living in Gainesville, I nannied for three wonderfully adorable human beings. As adorable as they were, they were toddlers who were not keen on eating. Their mother and I had the glorious challenge breakfast time. I experienced mornings where I cooked two, three different dishes, just so they would have something in their tummies before school. It is difficult not to fall into the temptation of giving kids junk when they refuse to eat the healthy stuff.

We most always keep apples in our home as a quick fruit option.  Apples are cheap, versatile, and available almost all year round. They are also handy for cleaning your teeth after that caesar salad you had for lunch.

One morning, as I was rummaging through the fridge to find the girls some breakfast, I noticed a bag of apples.

Kids like apples, right? An apple is a fruit, right? Fruit is good for breakfast. I’m cooking my mom’s apples, I thought. Okay, let’s start with that.

I used to love these as a kid, plus they’re nutritious and quick to make on a weekday morning.  You can always make these ahead of time and serve the next day. Eat them cold or heat them up in a microwave for 30 seconds to a minute.

Protein.  Kids need protein to avoid the before-lunch crash.

The girls’ mom always kept vanilla greek yogurt on hand. I decided to add that to the apples, to make it creamier and more flavorful, hoping this would appeal to the three.

I sprinkled graham cracker crumbs to top off this mountain of warm, vanilla-infused goodness. I mean, because, why not.

And there you go. Breakfast on a Monday.

When the girls came to the kitchen, I gave each of them a cup of my “Apple Pie”.

They tried it, with a cautious look on their faces. They lifted the spoon and placed it in their mouth. One bite down. Another look down, and another spoonful, eaten. Second bite down. I felt accomplished.

Before I knew it, all girls had finished their “Apple Pie” and were asking for more.  I was relieved! Also because it meant I only needed to make one thing that morning.

It was so easy and I had so much success with this, that I decided I wanted to share this with the digital yum community!

Like I said, you can always make this ahead of time. Feel free to play around with different toppings, like bananas, dark chocolate chips, coconut, or nuts! Dairy Free vanilla yogurt options are also available. Take this recipe and tailor it to your child’s liking!

Apple Pie for Breakfast

4 large apples

2 tsp cinnamon 

1 tbsp sweetener of your choice (I used raw cane sugar from Trader Joes) 

2 cups Vanilla Greek Yogurt

Graham Crackers, to top 

1. Remove apple peel with a peeler (optional-can choose to keep on if the child is old enough to eat fruit skins) 
2. Remove core and cut apples into small cubes 
3. Fill a saucepan with 2 cups water, and place over medium-high heat.
4. Add apples, cinnamon, and sweetener to saucepan.  
5. Stir ingredients and bring up to a boil
6. Once apples have begun to boil, turn heat down to low and cover.
7. Let simmer for 15 minutes, or until the desired level of softness has been achieved.
8. Place graham crackers in a sandwich bag. Be sure bag is sealed, and begin breaking into small crumbs, for topping.
9. Carefully remove the lid (be careful of the steam)using a fork to pierce through the apples to test for softness.
10. Once apples are cooked, use a slotted spoon to scoop them out.
11. Top apples with greek yogurt and graham cracker crumbs.

Voila!  Yummy homemade Apple Pie for breakfast. Even better, it’s a healthy alternative that can be changed for any type of diet!

If you’re vegan, a vanilla cashew yogurt or almond yogurt is an alternative choice to regular greek yogurt.

You can also choose sweeteners such as raw cane sugar, stevia, agave or honey (ask your pediatrician how old your child should be before introducing honey into their diet).

Every time I make this, I always forget how healthy it is! It literally tastes like a warm, gooey, buttery slice of Grannie’s Apple Pie with a giant scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top. But it can be made in such a way, you can even eat it for breakfast, without having to grab the box of Poptarts or Toaster Strudels (oh man, I would trade anyone for a toaster strudel back in the day).

I want to thank my mom for always keeping our family’s health in mind, teaching us what it means to live a healthy lifestyle and to make the right choices. Also, for inspiration for this recipe and giving me a peace of mind when it comes to handling little kiddos.