Beans and Chips

We just tried a spur of the moment combination for snack today, and liked it quite a lot.

1 can Black Beans *, rinsed (or 1 1/2-2 cups cooked with a dash of salt)

1 Tbs Olive Oil

2 tsp Parsley **

Corn Chips

Heat the beans in microwave until warm, then stir in the oil and parsley (or add before heating if you wish). Scoop and eat with chips.

Serve with cherry tomatoes, sliced peppers, carrot sticks, cucumber slices, pickles, or whatever else sounds good and is on hand.

*You can use any type of bean. It doesn't have to be black. My kids also like Great Northern, Kidney, Small Red, and Chickpeas.

** Other spice options could be Italian, Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Thyme, Dill, whatever suits your fancy.

Chocolate Mice

I can't really call this a "snack", but my kids love to make them, and they're pretty easy. Actually, the hardest part is by far finding maraschino cherries with stems. So, here's what you do:

Per mouse you will need:

1 marachino cherry with a stem

1 Hershey's Kiss

2 chocolate chips

melted dipping chocolate (almond bark)

First, dry the cherries off on a paper towel, unwrap the kisses, have the chocolate chips ready, and line a pan with waxed paper. Then melt the almond bark in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. (Be sure to stir, or the chocolate can burn.)

Pick up a cherry by the stem (it's tail), and dip it in the chocolate to coat. Scrape off any extra and place on the waxed paper with the "tail" off to one side. Place the kiss, flat side, against the cherry opposite the stem. The place the ears (chocolate chips), point side toward the cherry at the top of the kiss. Cool and enjoy.

Fish Sticks

We like to have fish sticks, or fillets, or whatever for snacks with veggies now and then, especially in the cold months when a hot meal is enjoyed. I'll put these in the oven while I'm working with Bailey and Blake before snack time. Then we get to eat them nice and hot with tartar sauce or catsup along with our carrots, cucumber, broccoli, or celery.

All Dried Up Snack

I got a dehydrator recently, and I've since discovered some snacks that my kids really like. The best part about these is that you can eat them on the road, take them on field trips, or just have them lying around for whenever you want them.


Dehydrated Vegetables

Cut up any vegetable you want into bite size pieces, slices, etc., blanch, and dehydrate until leathery to crisp. Add sea salt if you like, though I don't find it necessary. My kids love these snacks, and they get a tun of nutrients with them as well. Their favorites are tomatoes, eggplant, summer squash, carrots, and zucchini.



Fruit Leather

Blend up any fruit to an applesauce consistency and pour onto oiled fruit leather sheets in the dehydrator. Dry until leathery. Dust with corn starch, and cut into pieces to store. We often just buy plain applesauce from the store and add things like berries, bananas, kiwis, peaches, plums, etc. Not surprisingly, my kids love them.



Beef Jerky

When I see those really good sales of ground beef, I like to make jerky.

Original
1 pound ground meat
4 Tbs soy sauce
4 Tbs worschesire sauce
1 Tbs tomatoe sauce
1 Tbs Gingeroot
1/4 tsp black pepper
and 2 cloves garlic.

Teriyaki
1 pound ground meat
1 cup teryaki sauce
1 tsp minced garlic

Mix ingredients together for the flavor you want, then press though a jerky press onto the dehydrator racks to dry. You can also marinade thin slices of meat in these for 4-6 hours then drain and dehydrate.

Quesdaillas

A good ol' standby that we like to use.

Tortillas (we typically use corn, but any will do)
Cheese (sharp chedar is really good, so is the Mexican blend)
Salsa

Between two tortillas, put a handful of shredded cheese, then microwave until cheese is melted. Cool a bit, then cut into eight wedges. Serve with salsa.

Egg Food Yum!

During that time where I am stuck in the kitchen, available for any questions my kids have for me during school, I often boil up a few dozen eggs, shell them, and put them in the fridge for eating whenever. I used to leave them in the fridge with their shells still on, but not only were they harder to shell as the days went on, but also I had to dye them to keep my youngest from grabbing and breaking the wrong eggs. Oops.

So, I often have shelled boiled eggs on hand, which make for some easy, quick snacks.


Egg Sandwiches (or eggs on toast, or eggs on crackers)

Take the egg(s), mash them in a bowl using the prongs of a fork, mix in some mayonnaise and mustard to taste, maybe some relish or pepper, and spread on bread (or toast, or crackers).


Deviled Eggs

They aren't such a big deal if they are already pealed.

6 hard boiled eggs
1/4 cup mayonaise
1 tsp Vinegar
1 tsp mustard
salt and pepper to taste
paprika and/or parsley if desired

Cut eggs in half length wise and put the yolks into a small bowl. Add the mayo, vinegar and mustard to the yolks and mash up with a fork, mixing well. Add salt and pepper to taste, then stuff egg whites with mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and/or parsley if desired.



Hard Boiled Eggs

Well, that goes without saying. :)

Graham Crackers and Milk

One of the old standbys:

Graham Crackers
Milk
Fruit (we like bananas)

Pretty self explanatory I think.

Refried Beans

Another snack we enjoy:

Canned Refried Beans
Salsa
Shredded Cheese
Chips

Mix the refried beans and salsa in a bowl and microwave to warm. Add cheese and stir. Scoop with chips and enjoy.

Apples and Peanut Butter

Here is another favorite snack.

Apples/pears/peaches/bananas cut up
Peanut butter
Plain yogurt-optional

If using the yogurt, mix 1 part yogurt to 2 parts peanut butter. Dip your fruit in the peanut butter (o double dipping) and enjoy.

Hummus Without Tahini

My kids like hummus a lot. Serve it with Pita bread, crackers, or toast and add in some veggies or fruit to balance. It's really quick, and because you don't use Tahini in these recipes (which incedentally, my kids don't like), it can be quite inexpensive as well.

I got the first recipe from Allrecipies.com. I can't remember where I got the other two from.

Hummus Without Tahini

1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained, liquid reserved *
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

In a blender or food processor combine garbanzo beans, garlic, cumin, salt and olive oil. Blend on low speed, gradually adding reserved bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved.


Garlic Hummus

1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, liquid reserved *
2 Tbs roasted garlic **
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp dried oregano, crushed
1/2 tsp salt

In a blender or food processor combine ingredient. Blend on low spead, gradually adding reserve bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved.


Sun-dried Tomato Hummus (I like this one warm)

1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained, liquid reserved *
3 Tbs sun-dried tomatoes in oil
3 Tbs roasted garlic **
2 tsp dried parsley, crushed
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt

In a blender or food processor combine ingredient. Blend on low spead, gradually adding reserve bean liquid, until desired consistency is achieved.


* 1 3/4 cups cooked chickpeas can be used instead. Use water instead of reserved liquid. (Be aware the salt content will be lower this way.)

** You can microwave fresh garlic for 30-60 seconds to create a quick roasted effect.

Snack Time

I thought it might be fun to write out a few of the snacks that we have during school. I find that it gives my kids the extra energy they need to focus on their school work, and it keeps them from asking when lunch is.

Anyway, here is one of our favorites:

Tuna and Crackers

Canned tuna fish (white chunk or albacore is fine)

Ranch dressing (we use light)

Crackers (we like the Ritz Vegetable ones)

Vegetable(s) for the side (i.e. baby carrots, celery, slices cucumber etc.)

Mix the ranch into the tuna to taste and spoon some onto a cracker. Enjoy with your veggies.