3-Ingredient Strawberry Beet Fruit Leather

 A healthy twist on a lunch box staple from many of our childhood's, 3-Ingredient Strawberry Beet Fruit Leather is surprisingly simple to make, super delicious, and 100% naturally sweetened. Since it is packed full of fruits and veggie goodness, this is one wonderfully nourishing treat you can feel good about having in the house!

Do you remember Fruit By The Foot?

If any of your childhood spilled into the 90's like mine did, I'm betting you do. For many people, it was kind of a lunch box staple that has many fond and sticky memories attached to it. While my parents never made the measuring tape's worth of dried fruit a regular thing in our house, I do have a foggy memory or two of rolling Fruit By The Foot out in into my mouth and finding it so stinking fun...and so delicious.

Of course, now as a mom....I can kind of see why my parents didn't make Fruit By The Foot a frequent flyer in my house. BECAUSE THERE IS BASICALLY NO FRUIT IN IT! For real, guys. For something that has the word "fruit" in the title, you kind of would think fruit would be the first ingredient...or at least the second.....but it neither! Go check out  a box of Fruit By The Foot, your will see that the list of ingredients looks something like this:

Sugar, Maltodextrin, Corn Syrup, Pear Puree Concentrate, Palm Oil. Contains 2% or less of: Carrageenan, Citric Acid, Monoglycerides, Sodium Citrate, Acetylated Monoglycerides, Malic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Locust Bean Gum, Potassium Citrate, Natural Flavor, Red 40.

Boo! Hiss! Yuck! No thanks. 

However, I can still make this fun, interactive and delicious lunch box staple a regular thing for my daughter.....only it will actually contain FRUIT! And...brace yourselves guys....VEGGIES! Yep, I have veggie-loaded my own DIY, 100% natural Fruit By The Foot! Let's meet 3-Ingredient Strawberry Beet Fruit Leather!

The thing about fruit leather that I wish I had know forever ago is that it IS NOT HARD TO MAKE! It does take time, but you don't even need a fancy dehydrator to make it happen! Just a blender, a baking sheet, a silicone mat, an oven and a really patient child. Thats it!

And if the simplicity of this recipe (in its ingredients and its methodology) doesn't win you over, then the taste is sure to! Store-bought, chemical-riddled fruit treats don't have anything on the delicious sweetness nature gives these strips of fruit leather! 

Are you ready? Awesome! Let's go dry out some fruit!

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3-Ingredient Strawberry Beet Fruit Leather
by April-5-2018
 A healthy twist on a lunch box staple from many of our childhood's, 3-Ingredient Strawberry Beet Fruit Leather is surprisingly simple to make, super delicious, naturally sweetened. Since it is packed full of fruits and veggie goodness, this is one wonderfully nourishing treat you can feel good about having in the house!
Ingredients
  • 10 ounces strawberries (fresh or defrosted frozen)
  • 1/2 small cooked and peeled beet
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
Instructions
In a food processor or blender, combine all ingredients. Puree until completely smooth and set aside.Position your oven racks in the bottom and top thirds of your oven and heat to 170°F.Line two large baking sheets with silicone baking mats. If you do not have baking mats, you can use lightly greased parchment paper, but I didn't find it to work as well as baking mats.Pour 1/2 of the fruit/veggie puree into the center of each lined baking sheet. Using a spatula, spread the puree thinly over the baking sheet. It is important to spread it as evenly as possible to make sure that the fruit dehydrates at an even rate. Place baking sheets into the oven and cook until the fruit looks dry and is firm to the touch. Usually 4-5 hours depending on how thin the puree is spread. Once the fruit is leathery yet tacky to the touch, turn off the oven and allow the fruit leather to cool down to room temperature IN the oven. Once cool, top the fruit leather with a sheet of parchment paper and flip baking sheet over onto the counter. Carefully and slowly lift the fruit leather off of the baking mat. Roll the fruit leather in the parchment paper. Using kitchen sheers, cut the fruit leather into about 1 inch segments. Secure with string if preferred. Store in an air-tight container in fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: about 12 rolls
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