My children not only have the gall to want to eat breakfast, lunch AND dinner, they need snacks as well. And to top it all off, I have some strong convictions about what goes in their little bodies--we as mothers are called to look well to the way of our households which includes the health of our husbands and children, yes?
Until I read her post with snack ideas, I had fallen into a pattern of leaving my post at the sink only to stand with an open refrigerator door or open pantry to stare endlessly into the I have no idea what to make you abyss. Her words gave me just to hope and encouragement I needed to master snack time.
I started simple, and we always have at least three of these five items in our house as well as fresh fruit:
Morning Glory or Banana Muffins
Homemade Granola Bars
Yogurt & Granola
Cheese & Crackers
Pita Chips & Hummus
When I bake muffins or granola bars, I immediately freeze half so we have enough for a couple weeks. If I'm really on top of it, I have both kinds of muffins in the freezer so we have variety. I've previously posted my Morning Glory Muffin recipe and below are recipes for granola bars and banana muffins.
Banana Muffins
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (I use soft white whole wheat)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 T espresso powder (optional)
Combine above ingredients
In another bowl (I use my kitchenaid bowl for this)
6 T softened butter
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c yogurt (I use plain or but vanilla works as well)
1 1/2 c mashed bananas (I use four over-ripe and then frozen bananas)
Cream the wet ingredients.
Stir in the dry ingredients just until everything is mixed--do not over-mix. You can add chocolate chips if you'd like! Pour into muffin tins.
Bake at 375° 20-25 minutes (Makes about 1 dozen)
Voila! Yummy, moist banana muffins
And for my personal favorite: Homemade Granola Bars. Why make them, you ask? For three reasons: store bought granola bars are expensive, who really knows what goes in them, and these homemade bars are scrumptious!
Homemade Granola Bars
Mix thoroughly (I cream these together in the KitchenAid, but if your butter is soft you can do it by hand):
2/3 C softened butter (also good using coconut oil)
1/2 C honey
1/3 C brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
(Optional: if you want peanut butter granola bars, add 1/2 C peanut butter here)
Add:
1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 C rolled oats
AND any fillers (chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, coconut, etc.)
Our favorite combination is dried papaya chunk, craisin. raisin, chocolate chip, crushed cashew, toasted coconut
Press firmly into 9X13 pan. Bake at 325 for 20 mins. Let cool 10 mins and cut into bars. Wait until completely cooled before removing from pan or they will fall apart.
I intended to have a photo of the finished product but I forgot and we ate the last ones this morning. My only real tip in making the granola bars is to stick to the recipe pretty exactly. Most of the time I cook "a little of this and a little of that and oops that was a few extra tablespoons" and it works out ok. My approximating does not work for the granola bars. If the wet & dry ingredients aren't measured properly, the bars will fall apart and you'll have delicious snack crumbles instead of bars. If they are too crumbly, never fear, the result is called granola and is equally delicious served in yogurt or with milk.
There you have it--Pearl #3 Mastering the Snack Time Conundrum. And I must be honest, both of the recipes are not my own but ones I gleaned from a very wise friend who has taught me much about how to look well to the ways of my household (especially their bellies!) So we can thank her together.
Isn't she cute?
And I can assure you, that with all these baking pearls going around, she wouldn't want you to forget the most sacred pearl. And neither do I.
0 comments:
Post a Comment