Need a New Toddler Breakfast Recipe? Pumpkin Toast is the answer
Is there anything pumpkin can't do? Beyond being nutritious (iron, Vitamin A, potassium) and naturally sweet, the puree-like texture of the canned stuff makes it an extraordinarily useful add-on and asset to so many child and adult staples: think smoothies, curries (link), and treats (links). You can add breakfast to that list, too: with a little bit of time and virtually no effort, you can turn pumpkin and a few other ingredients you probably already having lying around into a substantive and substantial meal. Once you have this one, there's nothing you can't do--for breakfast, anyway.
(Note: the proportions for this recipe are intended to create enough toast to serve 3-4 people immediately + have enough pumpkin mix for at least two more meals. See Notes section for storage tips.)
Ingredients
Instructions
Prep
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Drop two scoops of cottage cheese (~4oz) into a blender or food processor and blend until yogurt- or marshmallow fluff-smooth, roughly 30 seconds. (Note: you may need to scrape down the sides of the blender once or twice during the process in order to mix everything.)
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Toast your bread slices on Medium-Low until brown and slightly crisp at center. Spread cheese over toast.
Cook
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Add pumpkin, maple syrup, apple juice, pumpkin spice, and a generous squirt of lemon juice into a small pot; stir to blend. Heat at Medium High until the contents of the pot start bubbling, then reduce temperature to Medium Low, simmering uncovered for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally.
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Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes.
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Spread cottage cheese mixture on top of the toast first, followed by the pumpkin mixture over the top of the cottage cheese.
Serve
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Top with additional sprinkles of black sesame seeds and/or cinnamon, if using. Slice up the toast into the sizes your child prefers.
Adapt
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Cottage cheese is used here because of it's high protein content; yogurt or cream cheese can easily be subbed in its place. You can also enhance your own toast with nuts (pepitas highly recommended), seeds (i.e. chia), or even a bit of spice--in fact, you can hit all three by drizzling salsa macha all over it.
Note
Because you're cooking down a whole can of pumpkin, you're going to have a lot of material--multiple meals/toasts of material. If stored in a tight/sealed container, it will last for a week in the fridge; you can also freeze and it will last 4-6 months. When reheating, add a small bit of butter and a drizzle of maple syrup to enhance its texture.
