My publishing network is currently running a make ahead meals feature (shown at the top here), and it got me thinking about some make ahead snacks.  As quick as some snacks are to make, sometimes you don't even have 5 minutes to put it all together.  These parfait shakers can be made beforehand, stuck in the fridge, and mixed up when the kids get home from school.  Perfect for when you're just walking in the door and need a snack right that minute.

Why are these shakers?  When you're read to eat them, simply shake like crazy to blend and meld the flavors.  Yup, this is a snack that's also an activity for hyperactive kiddos.  You want to wait til right before eating to mix otherwise the granola will get soggy.  Aside from the joy of shaking the heck out of your mason jar you also are helping break up the fruit and mix the honey for a really well flavored yogurt treat.

Any softer fruit, like peaches and berries, work really well for this since they'll break apart in the shaking process.  Peaches were in my co-op basket this week, so that's what I used but they're also great with ripe strawberries.

You can also use regular yogurt as opposed to Greek, I just like the extra creaminess and higher protein content of Greek yogurt.  Greek yogurt is strained so that excess liquid is removed, which results in a thick, high protein snack.  In fact 1 cup of a good quality Greek yogurt (I buy Fage) has 23g of protein, while regular yogurt has 11-13g.  That will result in a snack that will satisfy hungry kids for longer.  The only caveat is that you do need to check the protein content of the Greek yogurt before you buy it, some are labeled Greek yogurt but have the same amount as protein as regular yogurt.

Enjoy!

Yogurt parfait shakers
Prep time: 5 minutes
Makes: 1 parfait

6 oz mason jars with lid (or another small sealing container)
4 oz plain Greek yogurt
1/2 tablespoon honey
1 oz sliced and halved peaches
2 tablespoons granola

Add yogurt to mason jar, then tap down smartly on the counter.  Add honey and repeat tapping.  Add peaches and press down with your fingertips slightly.  Add granola, and again tap, making sure that contents are packed compactly.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.  Just prior to serving shake up for a minute or two jars to mix contents.

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Have you ever tried coconut oil in recipes?  A lot of people use this unprocessed fat as an alternative to butter, and it's actually a pretty tasty substitute.  It's got a texture similar to shortening, but it's actually not hydrogenated (if you buy the virgin coconut oil form) and has some interesting health benefits.

- Coconut oil is high in saturated fats, like butter.  Traditionally saturated fats have been called the bad fats, but like most nutritional news this bad fat mantra is an oversimplification.  In the case of coconut oil the majority of these fats are medium chain fatty triglycerides, which don't raise serum cholesterol levels and have heart healthy effects, like olive oil. 
- One of the medium chains fats in coconut oil is lauric acid, which has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties when       metabolized by the body.  This can help support immune system function and is good news for those of us with kiddos in daycare.
- Recently there's been research showing that coconut oil actually boosts metabolism, despite it's high fat content.
- Due to it's anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties, coconut oil is thought to be good for the digestive system as it repairs damage to the lining of the gut.  In addition it helps with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins and minerals like calcium, which is great news for kids with growing bones.

So why not try out this healthy fat with something equally good for the family, like whole grain blueberry muffins.  The essence of coconut in them from the coconut oil makes them even more delicious, so much so that your kids won't miss the butter.  Enjoy!

Blueberry muffins
Prep time: 10 minutes
Makes: 1 dozen

1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup flax meal (or an additional egg if you don't have flax)
3/4 cup milk
1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 cup melted coconut oil
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup blueberries
unsweetened shredded coconut for topping (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix together flour, salt, baking powder and flax meal.  Make a well in the center, then set aside.

In a separate bowl combine the rest of the ingredients, except for the blueberries.  Pour into a well in your dry ingredients.  Add blueberries and stir until just combined, ~ 10 strokes.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter and sprinkle with coconut, if using.  Bake for 20 minutes in a lightly greased muffin tin.  Cool 5-10 minutes before serving.

I'm on a "just because it's green doesn't mean it tastes bad" campaign with my kids.  So I decided to use my daughter's weakness, carbs, as one of my weapons.

Did you know you don't have to cook oatmeal to rehydrate it?  You can also eat it after soaking it with juice and the effect is really tasty.  You end up with a sweetened oatmeal that is really easy to make and can be a snack anytime.  And at first my green-despising kids were dubious, but after one bite they were sold.

I used Naked Juice Green Machine to soak my oats.  There are a variety of other green juices out there, and you can also use just about any juice if you can't find a green type.  I like the green effect and Green Machine has an almost smoothie like consistency, which makes for a creamier oatmeal.

To rehydrate let the oats soak for at least 15 minutes, or even overnight.  Enjoy!

Green oatmeal

Makes: 1 serving

1/4 cup quick rolled oats
Green Machine juice

Add oats to a small bowl.  Add enough green machine to cover the oats.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 15 minutes, then serve.

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I am a caffeine-crazy Momma.  That happens when you have two kids, work, and  have a husband that works and is in Grad School.  So I have to hit up a coffee shop every few days, and 9 times out of 10 I have the kiddos in tow.  To keep them placated while I sip my latte, I usually get them a scone from our favorite shop.  I go for the scone because it has fruit- so it's good for you, right?  I'm not totally sure about that, but this rendition is.

I've had two apples in the fruit bowl that got pretty beat up by a mischievous almost-two year old, so I figured they would only be good for baking.  After all, no one wants to bite into a bruised apple, not even that mischievous kiddo that gave them those bruises while practicing his baseball moves.

What I like about this recipe is that it is full of fiber-rich whole grains and it has the added goodness of apples and dates.  I love sweetening just about everything with dates.  These also have a little honey, which I love for both it's taste and it's health benefits.  Just make sure to buy local or buy from natural food stores; box stores sell filtered honey that is lacking in the properties that make it good for you and has questionable origins.

You have the potential to add omegas to these scones by substituting half of your butter with an equal amounts of ground flax.  That will replace bad fats (saturated fats) with good fats (omega-3 fatty acids).  But if you don't have ground flax you can just use the full amount of butter.

Regardless these are really tasty and your kids won't even know that they are healthy too.  Enjoy!

Apple date scones
Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Makes: 8 large scones

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold butter, chopped into small cubes (or substitute 1/4 cup butter with 1/4 cup flax)
3/4 cups diced unpeeled apple
2/3 cups chopped pitted dates
1 egg
1/4 cup milk (cow, soy or almond OK)
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla
Extra milk for brushing.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then lightly grease the paper.

In a large mixing bowl combine flour, oats, baking powder and salt.  With a pastry blender or two forks, cut in butter until mixture is in coarse, pea-sized crumbles.  Stir in the apples and dates.

In a separate bowl mix together egg, milk, honey, molasses and vanilla. Pour into your dry mixture, and stir until just combined. 

Pour mixture onto the parchment paper and pat into an 8 inch circle.  With a serrated knife cut into 8 wedges.  Brush the top with a little milk.  Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 20 minutes.  Let cool completely, then serve.

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