Strawberry Fruit Leather
Makes about 6-10
fruit leather strips

Are your kids big fans of fruit roll-ups? If so, they’ll love this homemade version. With only two ingredients, it’s simple to make and healthy to eat. 
 

• 16 oz fresh strawberries, cleaned and hulled

• Agave or honey to taste (about 2 Tbs)

 
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Puree the strawberries in a blender until smooth, then taste and add agave or honey, as needed. Blend a little bit more to make sure it is well combined. (If you would like to remove small seeds, pour blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer.) Pour blended mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread in an even coat (roughly 1/8th-inch thick).
 
Bake for 2-3 hours or until the fruit leather is firm to the touch. Remove from the oven and let cool for about an hour. Gently peel the fruit leather from the baking mat and place smooth side down on parchment paper.
 
Cut the edges so they are straight, then cut into strips and roll up the strips. Store in an airtight container.

Note: Get creative: Use your favorite fruit or a mix of fruits.
 
The fruit leather will keep up to a month in an airtight container.

Fruit & Seed Bars
Makes 20 bars

 

Do you spend oodles of money buying granola and/or nutritional bars for your kids each year? Save some cash and create them yourself. Bonus: You can also control the ingredients to make sure they’re healthy and not loaded with empty calories, artificial colors and flavors. 

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• 1 cup old fashioned oats

• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds (also known as pepitas)

• 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

• 2 tablespoons flax seeds

• 1 cup dried fruit (blueberries, raisins, currants, cranberries and/or cherries)

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1/2 cup sunflower butter (or use almond butter or peanut butter)

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, pulse the first 6 ingredients until finely chopped. (It’s ok if there are a few coarsely chopped pieces.)

 

Add the honey and sunflower and pulse until starting to combine. Pour the mixture into a 9 x 9 inch pan that has been greased, then line with parchment and press down into the pan until completely even.

 

Bake for 25 minutes. Let the bars completely cool before cutting with a serrated knife into bars. Serve.

 

Note: If you want to freeze them, first cool then place in Ziploc bags, label and freeze. Defrost to room temperature and enjoy.

No-bake frozen yogurt berry granola treats

Makes 12

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So easy to make, your budding chef will love making - and eating! - these colorful and tasty treats.

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• 4 Tbs peanut butter
• 4 Tbs honey
• 2 cups granola
• 2 1/2 cups Greek yogurt, any flavor
• 1/2 cup berries or dark chocolate chunks for garnish
• Mint for garnish, optional

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Heat peanut butter and honey in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until melted. Pour into a medium sized bowl and stir to combine with granola.

 

Divide mixture evenly into 12 lined muffin cups. Press firmly to the bottom. Top each cup with yogurt, divided evenly.

 

Garnish with toppings of choice. Cover tightly with foil and freeze for at least two hours. Keep frozen and thaw for a few minutes before eating.

 

Recipe adapted from Tasty.com

Balls of energy

Makes 15-20 balls

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These delicious no-bake Energy Balls are all loaded with whole grains, fiber and protein to keep your kids powered up and energized. For a quick, on-the-go portable snack, make ahead big batches of these little balls of energy, then freeze and pop them out for snacks as needed.

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Here's how to make them. (Get ideas for ingredients below.) 

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly in a medium bowl. (If the mixture seems too wet, add a bit more oats. If it’s too dry, add a bit more nut butter. It should resemble a somewhat sticky dough that holds together when lightly squeezed.)

Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes (to help make the balls easier to roll later on).

Roll into balls and serve.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Or freeze until ready to eat.

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Trail Mix Energy Balls

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats*

• 2 Tbs chia seeds, flaxseeds or hemp seeds

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter of choice) 1/3 cup honey

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 3 Tbs mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

• 3 Tbs chopped peanuts (or other nut of choice)

• 2 Tbs raisins

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Energy Balls

• 1 cup rolled oats*

• 1/4 cup almond butter (or cashew butter)

• 1/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup raisins

• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

• 1/4 cup finely crushed toasted coconut flakes

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• dash of salt

• 1/2 tsp vanilla, optional

 

Cherry Chocolate Almond Energy Balls

• 1 cup rolled oats*

• 1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut or seed butter of choice)

• 1/2 cup dried cherries

• 1/4 cup ground flaxseed

• 1/3 cup chia seeds

• 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

• 1/3 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1 tsp vanilla

 

White Chocolate Cranberry Energy Balls

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats*

• 2 Tbs chia seeds, flaxseeds or hemp seeds

• 1/2 cup almond butter (or any nut or seed butter of choice)

• 1/3 cup honey

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/4 cup dried cranberries

• 1/4 cup white chocolate chips

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*Or use a blend of 1/2 old fashioned oats and 1/2 quick cooking oats