I try to keep a supply of easy to grab healthy snacks in our refrigerator. We all, adults and kids included, do better when there’s something we like to eat that we can grab quickly when we need a snack. This week, I decided to make a chocolate variation on the Carob Fudge (recipe HERE) we often make. This version has a distinct dark chocolate flavor, but still contains a healthy assortment of raw nuts and seeds.… Continue reading
snacks
Healthy Snack: Homemade Super Berry Trail Mix
My rapidly growing boys are constantly hungry and – honestly – as a nursing mama, so am I. As a result, I carry snacks in my bag wherever we go. Yes, even heading to restaurants or when we’re leaving after just finishing a meal, I always carry something (because I’ve needed snacks in just those very situations).
I try to make sure the snacks I carry with me meet two characteristics:
- I want them to be healthy.
Healthy Snack: Raw Vegetables and Guacamole
While my boys don’t always eat a ton of raw vegetables on their own, they will devour them by the handful if we have a dip to go along with them. So when I cut up and serve an assortment of raw vegetables along with a delicious dip, I know they’ll get several servings of vegetable goodness in one sitting.
Today we cut up carrots, celery, and red bell pepper and served them all with guacamole.… Continue reading
Apricot Almond Coconut Snack Bars
After the success of the Simple, No-Bake Sesame Snack Bars (recipe HERE), I decided to try a variation for the apricot-lover in my house. These were also no bake, very simple to make, healthy, and a great treat or snack.
Each time I make something like this, I try to use a variety of nuts, seeds, and fruits, as each of the various components have a different nutritional profile which, in turn, imparts to us a wider range of benefits.… Continue reading
Grain-Free Coconut Muffins
Right now, my 6-year-old is very interested in learning kitchen skills. He very sweetly told his Dad, “You know why I want to learn to cook? Because Mama is cooking all the time. And I really like to help. And I can help her a lot if I do some of the cooking.” Whatever his personal motivation was today, it’s important to me that both of my boys know how to cook and grow to be self-sufficient in the kitchen.… Continue reading
Simple, No-Bake Sesame Snack Bars
My husband works from home, and is frequently looking for a quick, healthy, snack that he can grab and bring back out to his office. He wanted something that tastes great. I wanted something that’s healthy, nourishing, and without too many sugars – natural or otherwise.
These simple bars accomplish both goals. With their light sesame taste, they reminded me of a lightly sweetened, less-intense version of halva.… Continue reading
No Bake Healthy Carob Fudge (Vegan, Paleo, GAPS)
I was recently looking for a variation on the typical fruit and nut bars we keep around for quick afternoon treats. I remembered making this recipe that I last made years ago, and decided to pull it out again to see how my boys liked it. They both loved it, and it’ll likely make its way into our regular rotation again.… Continue reading
Healthy Snack: Fruit-Sweetened Green Chocolate Smoothie
We love cold, milkshake-style smoothies on a hot afternoon. We haven’t made one all winter, and when my 6-year-old asked for one as a treat this afternoon, it sounded fantastic.
So we pulled out my on-its-last-legs high-powered blender, tossed in a bunch of ingredients, and then enjoyed our smoothies outside on the deck in the afternoon sunshine. This could also be a great breakfast smoothie, though I may add an egg or some nut butter to the mix for a bit more protein.… Continue reading
Healthy Snack: Fresh coconut (plus a tutorial)
The last time we were in the market, my boys were very excited about a pile of fresh coconuts. They were so excited, we brought one home to have as a snack.
In addition to being delicious, coconuts have many health benefits. They are full of healthy fats, lots of fiber, and contain abundant vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. They can help stabilize blood sugar, lower cholesterol, boost immunity, and assist a person in losing weight (Dansereau, 2012).… Continue reading
Healthy Snack: Turkey Avocado Roll-Ups
My 6-year-old takes a class once a week at a local art studio. The class lasts three hours, and the kids all bring a snack to eat when they take a little break part way through class. The one caveat to this snack is that the art studio is a Nut-Free Zone (neither peanuts nor tree nuts are allowed), so many of our staples can’t be eaten in that space.… Continue reading