RECIPES: Snacks
Kids function much better with a healthy diet. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about how to make your kid’s school and camp snacks healthier. After school / camp is an important snacking time as well.
Imagine if your kids could prepare their own healthy snacks! Some basic healthy snack guidelines include low sugar, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and home-made items. Healthy food is not as complicated as some people believe. Just eat REAL food; nothing packaged, processed or refined! Here are a few snack ideas to consider:
-
Homemade, nut-free granola with fruit and yogurt
-
Cut up veggie sticks with spinach hummus or guacamole for dipping
-
Pumpkinseed butter and apple butter cracker sandwiches
-
Brown rice chips with Baba Ghanoush or hummus
-
Air popped popcorn add 2 TBSP organic butter and sprinkle with Nutritional Yeast
-
Apple “sandwiches”- Almond butter and banana slices on whole grain toast
-
Homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
-
Fruit Kabobs
-
Mini cucumbers
-
Homemade banana bread
-
Homemade granola bars or “dream bars”
-
Fruit smoothies

Guacamole
1 avocado (mashed)
1 tomato (chopped)
½ red onion (chopped)
Sea salt and pepper (to taste)
Juice of ¼ lemon
Mix all ingredients together and eat with brown rice chips or tortilla chips, or as a topping for tacos or fajitas.

Apple “Sandwiches”
1-2 apples cut into rings
Nut or seed butter
Dark chocolate chips
Spread nut or seed butter on one apple ring and place chocolate chips on top of butter.
Top with a second apple ring to make a “sandwich.”
Homemade Pita Chips
Whole grain pita
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
Sprinkle of Nutritional Yeast
Preheat oven to 325
Split pita into two rounds and brush both sides with olive oil
Place both rounds back together and slice into 8ths
On a parchment lined baking sheet re-open triangles and lay open faced (olive oil side up) on sheet
Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and nutritional yeast if desired
Bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crispy
Enjoy with your favorite dips!


Organic Corn or Whole Wheat Tortilla Pizzas
Organic Whole wheat or corn tortillas
1 tbsp mild salsa per tortilla
Handful of grated cheese per tortilla
Assemble tortillas and place on a baking sheet
Bake 350°F until cheese is melted
Broil for 1 minute to finish

Fruit Kabobs
An assortment of fruit cut into bite sized cubes (melon, pineapple, strawberry, grapes, banana etc.)
Organic, probiotic yogurt, Granola.
Wash and cut fruit a spear fruit on skewers, alternating types of fruit evenly
Drizzle yogurt on top
Coat in granola
Plain Hummus
1 16 oz can of organic chickpeas or garbanzo beans
1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
2 cloves garlic, crushed (I omit, just as delicious)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can.
Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor.
Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas.
Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.
Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.
Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well.
Garnish with parsley (optional).
Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or veggie sticks, or cover and refrigerate.


Beet or Kale Hummus
1½ cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 15-ounce cans)
1-2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp. tahini (optional)
Juice from half a lemon
4 tbsp. olive oil (more if needed for smooth blending)
1 handful of kale leaves OR 1 small beet, grated
Salt to taste
Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Baba Ghanouj
1 eggplant, cubed and baked
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini (optional)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Blend all ingredients together in blender or food processor.

Baked Kale Chips
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon melted virgin coconut oil
1 teaspoon nutritional yeastor
Any additional spices you like
Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C)
Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper.
With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems (save in freezer for smoothies later on) and tear into bite size pieces.
Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner.
Drizzle kale with melted coconut oil and sprinkle with nutritional yeast.
Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.