by Lisa | Feb 21, 2018 | Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Side Dishes, Snacks, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly)
Who loves chips like me?! Don’t be shy! As much as I love them, I know I shouldn’t eat them all the time. So instead I make these eggplant chips! Yes, you heard me- eggplant! Not only are they already round, so they look like a chip, but they crisp up nicely when baked! Yay! No more guilt! This simple eggplant recipe is wonderful to have when you are going to a potluck or a tailgate party. You know there will be those tempting chips, but now you can bring your own healthy version and a yummy smoked paprika dip too! Eggplants vary in size and you can always cut them to the correct shape and size you need for your chips. So don’t worry too much if you have a huge one from your garden or a cucumber-shaped one from the store. They will both taste delicious! I always use my food processor to slice the eggplant. It is so easy and it makes them uniform in thickness. If you don’t have a food processor just use a sharp knife and try to be as consistent as possible to get uniform thickness. After slicing lay them out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. This is where you have to be patient. Let the slices sit for at least an hour. Sometimes I leave them for several hours just because I get busy and forget about them. I like to make the smoked paprika dip at this time because it is best if it sits in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Or if...
by Dana | Aug 26, 2017 | Breakfast, Dairy Free, Gluten-Free, Healthy Foods, Healthy Kid Food Options, Recipes, Snacks, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly)
Gluten Free Granola Bars, loaded with oats, dried fruit, and walnuts with a touch of natural sweetness! Hi, Friends! Today’s recipe for granola bars is quick, delicious, and back-to-school friendly! Who doesn’t love a granola bar? This version is gluten free, loaded with dried cranberries and apricots. A touch of sweetness from honey or maple syrup, your choice! And, a slight crunch from chopped walnuts. These are sure to be your kids go-to after school snack! This recipe for apricot bars calls for oat flour. To make it, all you need to do is place your oats in a food processor and process until extremely fine, it will look just like flour! Print Gluten Free Granola Bars Prep Time 10 minutes Servings 12 bars Ingredients 2 3/4 cup rolled oats divided ½ cup dried cranberries 1/2 cup dried apricots small chop ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut ½ cup chopped walnuts 1 tsp cinnamon 1 pinch salt 1 banana mashed 2 tablespoons coconut oil melted ¼ cup almond butter 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Instructions Line a 9x9 baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper or wax paper. Set aside. Place 1 1/4 cup of the rolled oats into a food processor. Process until fine and resembles flour. Place into a large bowl. Mix the rolled oats, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, dried fruit, and walnuts in the bowl with the oat flour. In another bowl, mix the mashed banana, coconut oil, almond butter, honey (or maple syrup), and vanilla extract. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until combined. Press this mixture into the bottom...
by Kami | Mar 8, 2015 | Appetizers, Gluten-Free, Recipes, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly), Vegan
I forget it’s not normal for 3 year olds to love things like edamame and hummus. My daughter was pretending to eat with my brother-in-law and when he asked what she was eating, she shouted ‘hummus!’ Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than creating healthy recipes craved by my family. Healthy eating can be fulfilling, satisfying, and indulging. Trust me… I love food and eating way too much to torture myself with flavorless eats. Also, go ahead and snack! If you’re hungry (legitimately hungry not bored), eat away! I eat frequently throughout the day and never waste time counting calories because I choose to eat nutrition packed options like this Edamame Hummus. Deliciously flavored ground up garbanzo beans, otherwise known as hummus, is becoming more and more popular. It’s great with veggies and chips or even spread on sandwiches instead of mayo. A main ingredient for traditional hummus is tahini. It’s ground sesame seeds with consistency of peanut butter and has a similar nutty taste. I’m not a huge fan of the flavor so I make my hummus without it. I make my Basic Hummus without tahini also. Since we’re talking about ingredients, let’s talk about my obsession with garbanzo beans! They are mild in flavor, but add rockin’ nutrients and great texture. Word of caution… garbanzo beans are addicting in my Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies or my Flourless Chocolate Cookies. You’ll actually be encouraging your kids to sneak one of these cookies before dinner. Anyway, stock up on garbanzo beans. You’ll want extra on hand after you try these recipes. Crunchy and creamy...
by Kami | Mar 14, 2014 | Appetizers, Healthy Foods for Kids, Healthy Kid Food Options, Recipes, Snacks, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly)
I’ve seen lots of different variations of an apple sandwich. I love keeping it simple with juicy apples, sweet bananas, and flavorful strawberries. I’ve also seen where you can top your apple slices with peanut butter and granola, almond butter and raisins, or you can just try my way. Remember how I’m a fruit-aholic? You begin by washing your apples and fresh strawberries. Seriously… scrub those babies. I know I keep talking about it, but I seriously am in love with Fit: Fruit and Vegetable Wash. Anyways, then thinly slice your apples (I did both organic Fuji and Granny Smith). To prevent them from browning, lightly coat slices with lemon or lime juice (makes it a little tart) or pineapple juice (a sweeter option). You can use the same method for your banana slices. Top your apple slices with banana and strawberry slices. Viola! Definitely full of complimentary flavors and super easy. Print Apple Fruit Sandwiches Ingredients 1 large Fuji or Granny Smith apples washed and sliced thinly 1 banana peeled and sliced thinly 10 large strawberries washed and sliced thinly Instructions Once fruit is washed and sliced, layer beginning with apple slice, banana slices, and topped with strawberry slices. To prevent them from browning, lightly coat slices with lemon or lime juice (makes them a little tart) or pineapple juice (a sweeter option). Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serve...
by Kami | Aug 12, 2013 | Healthy Eating Tips, Healthy Foods, Healthy Substitutes, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly)
You need to eat more FAT! No, no… don’t go run to McDonald’s for a cheeseburger. Try eating these healthy fatty foods. They help fight off cancer, stabilize cholesterol levels, burn fat, enhance your bodies ability to absorb nutrients, decrease heart disease, and improve memory and ‘brain’ health. If that isn’t motivation enough, they are also mouthwatering and scrumptious. 1. Avocados Avocados are nature’s power food. They’re very low in fructose and provide close to 20 essential health-boosting nutrients. Avocados are one of the safest fruits. Most experts believe you do not need to purchase organic ones because of their thick skin which protects against pesticides. They are great for sandwiches (try mashed avocado instead of mayonnaise), smoothies, salads, soups, guacamole, dips, and toppings for about anything. 2. Coconut Milk Coconut Milk contains mostly medium chain fatty acids which are more easily burned as energy which makes it a great option for a ‘good’ fat. It almost maximizes calcium absorption. This is a great substitute for heavy whipping cream in soups, milk in oatmeal, and many other recipes. Lots of people have commented they don’t like coconut. It actually DOES NOT taste ‘coconutty’ at all. Trust me. You won’t taste the coconut. 3. Coconut Oil Coconut Oil, just like coconut milk, have lots of health benefits. It’s packed with anti-oxidants and medium-chain triglycerides which help with skin and hair care, stress relief, weight loss, immunity, digestion, diabetes management, and heart health. Instead of butter or other oils, try using coconut oil! Just like coconut milk, you WILL NOT taste the coconut. Promise. Also,...
by Kami | Jun 20, 2013 | Appetizers, Recipes, Snacks (Kid AND Inner-Kid friendly)
Print Healthy 7 Layer Dip This classic dip has become a favorite for a variety of occasions such as baby/bridal showers, Superbowl parties, a family get-together, or for just plain snacking. Ingredients 1 14 oz can of reduced fat re-fried beans READ THE INGREDIENTS! Some contain 'lard'... disgusting! 1 and 1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt 2 Tbs taco seasoning 1 large avocado diced 2 Roma tomatoes seeded and diced 1 cup shredded cheese I prefer Colby jack 1/2 bunch of green onions chopped Instructions In an 8x8x2 baking dish, spread out re-fried beans evenly on bottom to make the first layer. Next, mix plain yogurt and taco seasoning together and spread over re-fried beans to make layer two. Spread diced avocado and tomatoes over plain yogurt mixture. Lastly, sprinkle cheese and green onions on top. Recipe Notes Serve with multigrain tortilla chips. For best results, refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated when not...
