Savory Cheese and Seed Cookies

Aren't savory cookies just crackers? Well, no, not really. These little guys still  have the texture and appearance of cookies so I think the name is pretty spot on. These cookies are an adaptation of a recipe from Healthy Lunchboxes for Kids. These are a great snack for everyone in our house. I like to eat a couple with a serving of fruit.

Ingredients

- 1 cup grated cheddar
- Scant 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (this flour ground from soft white wheat, rather than hard wheat) or substitute all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp hulled pumpkin seeds
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup crispy brown rice breakfast cereal (use white rice cereal if that's what you have)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
3. Put cheese and butter in a medium mixing bowl and cream together. Add in the flour, baking powder and seeds.
4. Put rice cereal in a plastic zippered bag and break up with a rolling pin. (This is an awesome kid job!) Add to flour mixture and mix everything together, using your hands.
5. Squeeze into small balls the size of cherry tomatoes, roll between your palms, then flatten between your hands. Place on baking sheet and flatten a little more with a fork.
6. Bake 10-14 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack. Once fully cool store in an airtight container or freeze.

Makes about 18 cookies

Honey-Curry Dip

It's no secret that kids (and most adults!) like food better that they are able to dip into a tasty sauce. This is a super quick, tangy and slightly sweet dip that works beautifullly with veggies or homemade chicken nuggets for anyone over the age of one. Practically guaranteed to singlehandedly increase vegetable consumption!

Honey-Curry Dip

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (you can use regular but it'll be thin)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (or Veganaise)
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tbsp honey

Gently whisk all ingredients in a small bowl. Enjoy!


* makes 1/2 cup
* will keep covered tightly in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Strawberries in Ginger Cream

I work Saturdays, a fact that would be a major downer except that where I work just happens to also be the site of one of the best farmer's markets in the city that day. 


Last Saturday, I didn't mean to buy anything, we had our CSA box coming and we didn't really need anything, but I just couldn't help myself when I was walking through and caught the strongest whiff of strawberries imaginable that stopped me dead in my tracks. Most supermarket frankenberries shipped from California look beautiful but have almost no smell, even with your nose pressed right up on them. These fresh local strawberries by contrast smelled of sweet fields still kissed by the sun. They were irresistible and I bought two pints.

After eating them straight up, this recipe is my second favorite way to enjoy strawberries. Due to the strawberries and honey, this tasty little number is suitable for babies over age 1. 

Strawberries in Ginger Cream

- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 2/3 cup plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp good quality honey
- 1-2 tbsp very finely chopped crystallized ginger


Mix all of the above ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide into individual serving bowls and enjoy!


Serves 4.

Peachy Keen Creamsicles

It's been a really cool and insanely rainy Spring around here and I couldn't be looking foward more to the arrival of Summer. Because we don't really have the funds to go on a proper vacation this year, we're going to spend the Summer making an effort to explore our own city and surrounding area. While it's natural to be curious about new places, I think its easy to fall into ruts and routines about what's familiar. I'm actually really looking forward to pretending to be a tourist in our own town.

Now that Summer is officially just around the corner (YAY!), it's time to whip up some nice cool treats. Commercial popsicles, creamsicles, and ice pops are full of artificial colors and flavors and since its just so darned easy to make your own, why bother going to the store? This is really a great treat or dessert for the whole family.

These can also be made appropriate for munchkin's under age one and vegans by substituting agave syrup for the honey and using unsweetened rice milk instead of cow's milk.

Peachy Keen Creamsicles

- 1 cup peach slices, fresh or frozen
- 1/4 orange juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup milk

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Divide mixture into 6 ice pop molds (depending on the size of your mold, you may have a little left over -- that's just a little smoothie for the person doing the blending). Freeze overnight.

To unmold, just dip into a cup of warm water for a few seconds to loosen and enjoy!

* makes 6 creamsicles

Snack Stations

This is an idea from Real Simple for creating snack stations to make grabbing snacks for your kids a snap. I'm contemplating preparing stations like this to streamline snack time...that is if I can get my organizational act together. I'm trying to decide what I would include in my snack stations, as some of the choices below wouldn't be my choices. 


So far, I would definitely include: 


- mixed dried fruit
- a healthy savory cracker
- a healthy sweet cracker or cookie
- hummus or homemade yogurt ranch dressing
- peanut butter
- cut up raw or lightly steamed veg
- cut up fresh fruit


Please share you ideas of what would you would add as a must-have to keep on hand for quick snack prep? 

Whole Grain Honey Sesame Cookies

I've been feeling stressed because our dog sustained a head injury and cost us a fortune in vet bills and when I'm stressed, cooking and baking help me to relax. I find it relaxing to not have to think too about anything for a little while besides what I'm doing with my hands and getting into a rhythm of washing, chopping, rolling, stirring... Plus, there's always a little thrill of accomplishment when things work out well.  

These cookies are one of things that I made recently and they were a big hit with my son. These uber-healthy cookies are adapted from the granola muncher's classic, Diet for a Small Planet. Full of whole grains, healthy fat, calcium, and fibre these are cookies that you don't have to feel guilty about eating or feeding them to your little ones. 

Whole Grain Honey Sesame Cookies

- 1/2 cup honey 
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup milk (cow, almond, coconut -- your choice)
- 1 1/4 cup oats, ground to a flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
- 1/2 cup dried currants (or chopped raisins)


Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. In a dry skillet, toast sesame seeds over med-low heat stirring regularly until lightly toasted and nutty smelling. Meanwhile, grind the oats into a flour using either a coffee grinder or a food processor. 

In a large bowl, blend together the honey, coconut oil, and egg. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Dough should be quite stiff.


Drop batter in approximately 1 tbsp size amounts onto a greased baking sheet. Flatten each gob of batter with moist fingers and bake in your preheated oven for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through. Let cool on a wire rack before storing in an airtight container. 


*TIP: measure the oil first and add to bowl and then use the same measuring cup to measure the honey -- it will slide right out into the bowl.


* Will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container or freeze for one month.

North African Snack Bites

I'm always trying to find new snack ideas and recipes to keep snack-time interesting. I adapted this recipe from on on Food.com. Not only is this snack full of energy, ultra easy and involves no cooking, but it's also a fun recipe to get young kids helping you out in the kitchen. They can press the 'on' button to make the food processor whiz and then help roll the mixture into balls and swirl them in the toppings. These snack bites are suitable for everyone in your family over the age of 1 and I would be shocked if they didn't disappear quickly into even the pickiest munchkin!




















North African Snack Bites

- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or sunflower butter)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 cup wheat germ, toasted
- 1/2 cup powdered milk (I used whole milk, but skim would be fine) 
- 1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted


In a dry skillet, toast the wheat germ over med-low heat until golden and fragrant, stirring frequently. Remove once done to the bowl of a food processor, then add the sesame seeds to the skillet and toast similarly. When toasted, remove to a plate. 


Add peanut (or sunflower butter) to food processor bowl, along with the honey and powdered milk. Whiz until well combined. 


Place the shredded coconut on another plate. 


Form the peanut mixture into balls and roll in the topping, either both or separately, your call.


Transfer to an airtight container lined in waxed paper and chill in the fridge. They will keep for up to 4 days. 

 

Recipe Shout Out: Baked Vegetable Samosas

These Baked Vegetable Samosas from Simply Life use ready-made wonton wrappers so they are so quick to make and the fragrance of the filling makes it difficult to wait until you stuff the wrappers before digging in! I followed the recipe exactly except to cut out the chili in order to make them toddler friendly. I have also had great success with freezing these. Just freeze uncooked samosas in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a large freezer bag. There's no need to defrost before baking, just add approximately 2 minutes to the baking time. Hope you enjoy these as much as we did! Follow this link over at Simply Life for this tasty samosa recipe.

Herbed Mushroom Sandwich Spread

Happy belated Mother's Day! We went away to visit my parents and spent much of Monday afternoon sitting in a rural hospital waiting room since Luc had a terrible ear infection -- other than that it was a good weekend out of the city!  This is the second ear infection in two months so I really hope that he isn't one of those kids that constantly have them...fingers crossed.

Onto more delicious topics, this spread is really yummy. It tastes like concentrated homemade Cream of Mushroom soup. However good it tastes, I could not make this recipe look anything other than gross in a picture and so this is a picture of Luc's lunch that featured this spread. He gets a kick out of eating shapes he knows so anything shaped like a star, heart, ball, or circle goes down well these days. Also delicious served with crackers or crispbreads, both for munchkins and adults. Suitable for babies from 8 months, just cut bread spread with this mixture into a tiny dice once baby shows interest in finger foods.

Herbed Mushroom Sandwich Spread

- 1 1/2 cups sliced white button mushrooms

- 2 shallots, diced
- 1 tbsp butter

- 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

- 1/4 cup softened cream cheese

In a large skillet, melt the butter over med-low heat. When bubbling slightly, add the mushrooms and diced shallots and cook, stirring occassionally, until both are softened, about 8 minutes. Stir in chopped parsley.

Let mushroom mixture cool while the cream cheese is softening.


Whiz mushroom mixture with cream cheese in a food processor until fully combined and creamy.

*will keep in the fridge for 1 week

Whole Wheat Soft Italian Bread Sticks

This is a bread stick recipe that I adapted from one that I found at Food.com (recipe #104628) to make significantly healthier. These are now more nutritious, quicker to make and still flavorful. As I posted before, I LOVE my bread machine, which incidentally I got for free by redeeming Air Miles! These bread sticks are great for the whole family to round out a supper or as a snack by themselves or with a dipping sauce. We've dipped these both in Luc's Favorite Tomato Sauce as well as Catherine from Weelicious' Ranch Dip with yummy results.These homemade bread sticks are appropriate for children over 8 months.

Whole Wheat Soft Italian Bread Sticks

- 1 1/3 cup water, lukewarm
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tbsp gluten*
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tbsp raw cane sugar (or white sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp Parmesan or grana padano, grated
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
 
Add ingredients to the bread pan of your bread machine in the order listed, making a well in the dry ingredients before adding the yeast. 

Select the 'dough' setting.

When the cycle is complete, remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Divide each half into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 5-6" rope.

Place 2" apart on greased cookie sheets, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes until doubled (for this part, I preheat my oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes to warm in and let them rise in there). 

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown. 


* Makes 24 bread sticks
* Gluten (aka vital wheat gluten) helps the dough to rise. Can be purchased at health food stores, well-stocked grocery stores, and some bulk stores. 
* Freezes well.You can either freeze after baking, or you can freeze the dough after you remove it from the bread machine and upon thawing, just continue with the recipe. I usually freeze half the dough ball to bake later.

Savory Corn and Cheese Mini Muffins

In my return to work I have realized that it is less tiring being at work than being at home with Luc! Apparently he behaves well at day care and is 'helpful'. I need to find out what their magic is. In the short time it took me to whip these muffins together he managed to eat half a crayon, eat half a dog biscuit, pull the cat's tail, throw a tantrum and defeat the child safety lock on the dining room sideboard....all while I was in the same room and in a span of about 20 minutes. 
 
Oh well...at least the muffins are mighty tasty! I've made them before but made a couple changes this time around and now they are even better. Perfect as a snack, breakfast, or served on the side with soup, these are great at home or in a packed lunch. I adapted this recipe from Top 100 Finger Foods: 100 Recipes for a Healthy, Happy Child.Suitable for munchkins 10 months and up.

Savory Corn and Cheese Mini Muffins

- 3/4 cup drained canned corn or thawed frozen
- 2 green onions, roughly chopped
- 1/4 plain yogurt
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp corn meal
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/8 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Add corn and green onions to a good processor or blender and whiz until chopped. Add yogurt, butter, maple syrup and egg and whiz again to combine.

Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Add yogurt mixture to dry ingredient and stir until just combined. Stir in the grated cheese to the mixture. 

Spoon batter into a mini muffin pan, adding about 3/4 tbsp to each cup (the picture shows the muffins with a paper liner, but having tried both, I would suggest just using a greased muffin tin without liners as the muffins stick awfully to the paper).

Bake for 12-15 minutes until risen, golden, and firm to the touch. Cool in the pan.

* Makes 10-12 mini muffins
* These keep well in an airtight bag in the freezer for up to 3 months

Blueberry Banana Mini-Muffins

These are the tastiest mini-muffins I've made so far that are healthy enough that I feel comfortable sharing with Luc. They make a great and portable snack (for moms and dads too) or can be part of breakfast, just add a side of fruit salad and some milk. These muffins are suitable for toddlers over age one. I adapted these from a recipe in the Baby and Toddler Cookbook.

Blueberry Banana Mini-Muffins

- 1 1/3 cups whole wheat flour
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 lg eggs
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup ripe blueberries (fresh or frozen, I use frozen this time of year)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.


In a separate medium-size bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until pureed. Add the eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Blend together. Stir into flour mix until combined. 


Gently fold in the blueberries. Line your mini muffin pan with liners and spoon enough mixture to come flush to the top of your liners. Bake in preheated oven 20-25 minutes or until risen, golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack. 


Makes 36 mini-muffins


* Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to one month.

Recipe Shout Out: Ranch Dip

I made this fabulous and healthier ranch dip from Catherine over at Weelicious using my homemade yogurt. It was easy and delicious and steamed carrot sticks and green beans were gobbled up with this dip. Check it out here!

Carrot and Fruit Bread Fingers

I adapted this recipe from the Organic Baby & Toddler Cookbook that I reviewed here to make it both healthier and more successful. The result is a really tasty quick breakfast or snack that's perfect for toddlers over age one or to tuck in a lunch box for school-aged munchkins (or to snack on yourself). 

Carrot and Fruit Bread Fingers

- 1/4 cup butter, softened

- 1/3 cup honey

- 1 egg, beaten

- 3/4 cup carrots, grated

- 2 bananas, mashed

- 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

- 2 tsp baking powder

- 1/2 cup raisins, dried currants, or dried cranberries

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 tsp grated orange zest

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Cream the butter and honey together in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the egg. Mix in the carrots, bananas, flour, and baking powder. Add dried fruit and zest. 

Turn the mixture into an 8" square cake pan and level the surface with the back of your spoon. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean when you still it in the middle and the top is golden brown, bout 30 minutes. 

Let cool in the pan. Cut into bars and serve or keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container (not in the fridge). 

Makes 12 bars

Birchermuesli

Birchermuesli, which is a Swiss breakfast with raw oatmeal and fruit, has to be one of my favorites. I used to work beside a place that had it for takeout in the mornings, and I used to buy it several times a week. What a waste of money when it's so easy to make at home. This is a super healthy meal or snack--in fact it was originally devised by a Swiss Doctor as part of his recommended wellness regime. The possibilities for variations are endless. My favorite is basic like this but you can always add dried fruits, nuts, substitute pear for the apple or add spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Enjoy! (Because of honey, this is suitable for anyone over age 1, you could make it using another sweetener, but it won't taste quite like Birchermuesli).

Birchermuesli

- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 apple, skin on, grated or minced
- 2/3 cup blueberries, fresh or thawed frozen
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp honey, or to taste

Mix the oats with the water and allow to sit for at least 12 hours in the refrigerator (please note that you can't skip this step). 

Just before serving, add apple, bluberries, yogurt, and honey. Mix well and serve. 


* makes 3 adult-sized servings


* can be refrigerated after mixing but it's best if it's eaten the same day (I sometimes will eat the leftovers as a before bed snack).

Maple Syrup Roasted Chickpeas

I wasn't sure about posting this recipe, as to my adult taste buds, these are missing something and I was going to work a little more on this recipe. However, Luc decided that they are a hit and ate an astonishing amount of them, which since he hasn't been too interested in food lately, is a definite seal of approval. And tasting them again...maybe he's right. Sometimes keeping things straightforward is best, especially with toddlers going through a picky phase.

Maple Syrup Roasted Chickpeas

-1 can chickpeas
-1 tbsp melted coconut oil (expeller pressed, not virgin), or canola oil
-3 tbsp maple syrup (dark, Grade B is best as it's more flavorful)
-1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Drain, rinse, and pat the chickpeas dry. 
 
Mix oil, syrup and cinnamon in a bowl and toss with the chickpeas. Line a baking sheet with foil and spread the chickpeas in one layer. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and making sure they don't burn.

Honeyed Blueberry Yogurt

This isn't much of a recipe, just something that I used to eat as a snack a lot when I was pregnant and that Luc now likes. It makes for a healthy and tasty snack, breakfast, or dessert. You can use either fresh or frozen blueberries for this concoction. I used frozen today, which is why the whole thing is so purple. Because of the honey and the nuts, this recipe is only suitable for babies over one year. If you worry that the berries might pose a choking hazard for your little one, if you are using frozen berries, they are easy to mash into the yogurt with a fork once they thaw.

  
Honeyed Blueberry Yogurt 

- 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt (or use plain and add a dash of vanilla extract)
- 1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
- honey, to taste (you will need a little more with frozen as they tend to be    
 more sour)
- small palmful chopped almonds (if you have a little extra time, toasting the almonds makes it extra  yummy)

Mix yogurt, blueberries, and honey well in a bowl. Sprinkled with almonds. Enjoy! 

Will keep in the refrigerator a couple days minus the almonds (as long as it hasn't been eaten from as saliva breaks down the yogurt).

Variation: Substitute apricot preserves for some or all of the honey. 

Sunshine Smoothie

This is another oatmeal smoothie recipe that I've adapted from the Frugal Foodie Cookbook. I've been trying to incorporate cantaloupe into Luc and mine's diet (my husband however hates melons) since I learned that they are apparently another superfood. This fruit has concentrated levels of beta-carotene, folic acid, fiber, vitamin C, and potassium as well as some B vitamins and is antioxidant rich. This smoothie makes me think of summer...that lovely season where snowsuits don't have to be wrangled onto little squirming bodies. 

  
Sunshine Smoothie

- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats, ground into a fine powder in a coffee grinder or food processor
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 cup cantaloupe, diced
- 1/2 cup ice

Throw everything in the blender and blend until smooth and yummy. If it is a little too thick, thin with a little water or pineapple juice. Sweeten to taste if needed. 

Makes two largish smoothies

* p.s. Luc started cry after he finished his smoothie this morning because it was all gone!

Tofu, Peanut Butter, and Banana Spread

This easy no-cook, super healthy spread is soooo delicious! I used really soft silken tofu because that's what I had, but if you could find a semi-soft silken tofu that would work better, so that it wouldn't be quite so runny for a spread. I rolled some up in a whole wheat tortilla for Luc today and it was quite a mess, but was eaten in record time! This would also make a great dip for waffle strips, a topping for pancakes, or a pudding on its own (I ate some as a pudding). Due to the inclusion of peanut butter and honey, this spread is suitable for babies over 1 year. It will turn a little darker in the fridge, but it will still taste just the same.

   
Tofu, Peanut Butter, and Banana Spread

- 1/2 package soft (or semi-soft)tofu
- 1 banana
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 1/2 tbsp peanut butter (unsalted)
- 2 tsp lemon juice


Puree in a blender or food processor until ingredients are fully incorporated and it is nice and smooth.

Makes about 1 cup

Luc's New Favourite Snack: Pomegranate Seeds

For some reason I had never thought of giving Luc pomegranate seeds. But, a couple weeks ago we were in a store that was giving away fruit samples on small plates and since he was getting a little fussy I grabbed one for Luc. He INHALED all the pomegranate seeds that were on the plate. Sure, they're a bit of a pain to seed, but it's like unveiling rubies, they are so beautiful. Super healthy, great for fine motor skill practice and makes an alternative to raisins.