It’s sometimes a challenge to get my boys interested in breakfast, but this easy no flip omelet is something they always get excited about. And I’m always excited when they can take over the cooking!
kid approved
Time to scare up some healthy Halloween treats!
Next week is Halloween and that means next week is jam packed with school parties. The trick? Trying to sneak in some healthy Halloween treats!
I think the idea of sneaking in healthy Halloween food in “costume” is pretty hysterical, but sometimes that’s all it takes! It doesn’t get much easier than jack-o-lantern clementines, or ghost cheese sticks. And this year I added a couple of new “food costumes”. Trick or treat? Let the kids decide!
Sssssscary healthy Halloween treats!
scary celery snake
chocolate Halloween hummus
A great way to counteract all of the sugar during Halloween is by sneaking in some fiber that will help slow the sugar absorption. This celery snake was a cinch to put together and the celery provides some soluble fiber. My kids also loved this hauntingly healthy Halloween hummus which also provides some fiber from the chickpeas. They kept mistakenly calling it chocolate pudding – which did make me think that maybe they haven’t tried too much actual chocolate pudding – but I decided not to correct them.
A couple of other costume winners in the healthy Halloween treat category are:
I’d love to hear about any tricks you have for sneaking in some healthy food at Halloween!
Healthy Halloween celery snake
An easy way to include fruits and veggies at your Halloween party!
Ingredients
- 1 celery stick adjust for however long you'd like to make the snake
- grapes
- cream cheese
- 1 clementine
- 1 red grape for the eyes
- toothpicks
Instructions
-
cut a piece of celery pieces into sections that are about the same length as your toothpicks.
-
cut the end of each section at an angle so they can fit together in an "s" shape
-
if you want your celery sticks to sit easily on a platter you can cut a thin strip off the bottom of each one to create a flat resting surface
-
skewer 3 to 4 grapes on a toothpick.
-
Smear cream cheese on top of each celery section and place the grapes on top (the cream cheese will help the grapes to stay in place).
-
Make a forked tongue out of extra celery and attach it to a clementine with a toothpick.
-
Cut the two thin celery sections off the end of a celery stalk and attach a red grape cut in half to the end of each one. Connect to the top of the clementine with a toothpick.
-
Add a small piece of celery to the grape eyeballs.
Chocolate Hummus Recipe
Satisfy your sweet tooth in 5 minutes with this easy and delicious chocolate snack that's actually healthy!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 15.5 ounce can chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 Tbs maple syrup
- 4 Tbs water
- 1 Tbs tahini optional
- 1 Tbs coconut oil optional
Instructions
-
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
-
Optional: If you love the flavor of chocolate and coconut you'll love this hummus try blending in a melted tablespoon of coconut oil. Just don't refrigerate this type of hummus because the oil will harden!
Optional: Just like in traditional hummus you can add tahini. I've made it both ways and while the tahini didn't really add any sesame flavor, it did deepen the flavor a bit so that it tasted to me a little like coffee.
Healthy breakfast on the go for picky eaters
When you’re running late for school and your kids still haven’t eaten here’s a great healthy breakfast on the go! Perfect for picky eaters who are constantly moving.
This is also one of my tips for getting picky eaters to eat: make it fun and just throw the food at them – literally.
A snow sundae – on the first day of Spring ?!
If life gives you lemons make lemonade.
And if Spring gives you snow….make a sundae!
A pure, natural treat with just fresh snow, strawberries and maple syrup.
So easy, the kids can do it themselves.
Wednesday is Split Day! (Banana, that is)
I know Wednesday is better known as “hump day”, but because it splits the week in half we’ve unofficially named it “Split Day” in our house. Of course, this special day comes with a special snack: Banana Splits! These may not be exactly what comes to mind when you think of banana splits, but they are delicious, healthy, easy to make, and easy to eat! Perfect for a hungry after school crew!
Just cut a strip out of the top of the banana, fill with peanut butter and top with chopped strawberries, and mini chocolate chips -or any toppings you like! If you want to make these ahead of time just brush some canned pineapple juice on the banana to keep it from browning. I like pineapple juice better than lemon because it doesn’t affect the taste as much. You can also fill a small spray bottle with the juice and just spritz the banana.
Enjoy!
Pavlova for your lov-a this Valentine’s Day!
Melt in your mouth perfection! This pavlova recipe has it all: sweet, crunchy, chewy, creamy and fruity. Given to me by a friend from New Zealand, it’s an authentic dish that’s a delicious change from your typical dessert.
This is the recipe that finally changed me from a chocolate-only dessert lover. Before I was introduced to this pavlova recipe if I made a dessert with -gasp! – sugar, it’s a pretty good bet that it would be made with chocolate. Why risk disappointment when we so rarely have something sweet? That all changed when a friend from New Zealand introduced me to this authentic New Zealand recipe. In fact, I love it so much that I made it for Christmas this year and my husband’s birthday. And my chocolate loving kids even chose this over a chocolate cake at our holiday party, asking for the “cake with the cucumbers on top.” Fortunately, there are no cucumbers, but there are kiwi and strawberries – a little healthy fruit to go with all the sugar. 🙂
Although the recipe isn’t hard, you do need to use superfine sugar (find it at gourmet food markets, kitchen stores, and online at amazon.com), and be sure to bake it low and slow (around 225 degrees for 90 minutes). Somehow it magically bakes into a “cake” with a crisp outer layer and a soft, gooey inside.
If you’re looking for a change from the traditional chocolate this year this beautiful pavlova recipe is sure to impress your Valentine! Enjoy!
