Vegan Cashew Dill Dip

 

This is a great healthy alternative to a store bought dip. It is easy to throw together and is made with fresh healthy ingredients. One recipe makes about 1 to 1 1/2 cups so you can keep some on hand in the fridge to snack on. Great with fresh veggie or pita chips.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw unroasted, unsalted cashews
• grapeseed oil (about 1/4 cup or less)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 small lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill weed
• 1 teaspoon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup cold water

Pulse cashews in the food processor. While pulsing stream in the grapeseed oil. Pulse until smooth, about 1 minute. Next dissolve the sea salt in the warm water. Pour into the food processor and pulse to combine. Now add the rest of your ingredients to the food processor and pulse to combine. You can add more water to thin the dip. Place in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving. The dip will thicken more as it chills. Use within a couple weeks or freeze.

*Recipe modified from The Healthy Cooking Coach

Peanut Butter Apple Snack

Lately it feels like all my boys want to do is snack! They are constantly coming into the kitchen saying that they're hungry. I have been getting bored with giving them the same few things to snack on, so I thought I would turn to Pinterest. I found a recipe like this by Kids Kubby. I slightly modified it based on what I had on hand. It's a quick, easy, healthy, and fun snack that the kids will love!

Ingredients:

-Apples

-Peanut butter

-Unsweetened coconut flakes

-Dark chocolate chips

-Cinnamon

Directions:

Slice the apple in thin slices as shown above. Then using a small heart shaped cookie cutter, or a pairing knife cut the core of the apple out in a heart shape on half of the slices. On the other halves I removed the core by cutting a smaller hole. Then spread the peanut butter on these halves. Top with coconut flakes and chocolate chips. Then cover each with the slices that have the heart shapes in the center. Sprinkle with cinnamon and enjoy!

This is an easy snack to mix up with your favorite ingredients. Here are some other ideas: 

Almond butter

Honey

Granola

Nutella

Oats

Yogurt

Nuts

Raisins

After School Snacks

Grape Gelatin with Blueberries

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Ham and Apple Wraps

Kids Sushi

Ants on a Log

Frozen Fruit Salad

Pita Nachos

Some wonderful after school snack ideas from Martha Stewart. You can find the full recipes by clicking on the links under each picture. I am going to make some of these for Hudson!

Popcorn

I love popcorn. And I really love popcorn from the Crazy Stir Popcorn Maker! Now I only want this kind of popcorn. My mother-in-law got me hooked and since I have gotten this Popcorn Maker many of my friends have run out to buy one. It's addicting. There is a trick though, you have to use the white popcorn kernels. So good!!!

Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

I love oatmeal cookies and these are soo good, loaded with lots of extras!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flax seed meal
• 1/4 cup wheat germ
• 2 oz. dark chocolate, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. Stir in rolled oats, flax seed meal, wheat germ, chocolate, cranberries, and walnuts (dough will be a little crumbly).

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Makes about 30 cookies.

Recipe found at BHG.com

Refreshing Summer Snack

Lemon yogurt with fresh blueberries and sliced almonds

One of my roommates in college introduced me to this yummy combination, and I have loved it ever since. It makes a great summer snack or even breakfast. ENJOY!

Healthy Snacks

Rice Pudding can be a healthy alternative
to other sweet treats, such as ice cream, and only has
about 130 calories in half a cup. You can also find it with no sugar
and made with soy milk. Add some of your favorite fresh fruit
or some cinnamon on top.

It can be hard to find a healthy snack to eat on the go.
Trail mix is a great choice, especially over a bag of chips or
some other over processed snack. Trail mix provides you with lots
of healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals. You can even make your own.

Yogurt and granola with some fresh fruit
is often what Casey and I will eat for breakfast during the week.
It is quick and healthy. However, it also makes a great snack
when you're craving something a little sweet!