Three Snacks to Make

Can we talk about snacks? I don’t know about the state of things at your house, but at our house, if we are home all day, the snacking is constant.

So. Since I’m running dangerously low on string cheese here are three snacks we are making and my kids are eating. At least for now. E has in the last week decided that he no longer likes dried apricots… or almonds… or oranges… or any vegetable other than carrots.

Bonus: the two muffin recipes also double as a semi-respectable breakfast.

Banana Chia Muffins

(adapted from More From Macrina’s Banana Cupcakes), makes 2 dozen muffins

Ingredients:

4 ripe bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups and 4 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)

1 cup and 4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons chia seeds*

*if you are attempting to hide chia seeds from picky kids start with 1T and work up to 3T in successive batches - they look conveniently like the brown specs that are normally in banana bread.

To make:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, and line muffin tins with liners or grease with cooking spray or butter..

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy 5-8 minutes.

Add bananas, sour cream, eggs and vanilla extract.

Mix together dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt) and add to the batter.  

Mix in chia seeds.  

Fill muffin liners 3/4 of the way up.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. 

Pumpkin Muffins

(adapted from Macrina Bakery & Cafe Cookbook,) makes 3 dozen muffins.

Ingredients:

1 cup canola oil

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 cups canned pumpkin

4 eggs

3 1/2 cups flour

2t baking powder

2t baking soda

1 1/2t cinnamon

1 1/2 t salt

3/4 cup buttermilk (or sour milk made from milk and vinegar)

To make:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line muffin tins with liners or grease with cooking spray or butter.

Using a mixer, combine the oil and sugars. Mix for 4-5 minutes. Add the pumpkin and then the eggs.

In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon).

Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture and the buttermilk to the batter in the mixer.

Fill muffin liners 3/4 of the way up.  Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. 

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Energy Balls

(I especially like these are so adaptable - you can sub in almond butter or agave syrup or leave out the flax or double the chocolate chips) These are also pretty doable if you want your kids to do the measuring and mixing too.

Worth mentioning: this doesn’t qualify as a recipe but if I make popcorn, my kids will eat it.