Tag: Snack

Snack

No Bake Flapjack

This no bake flapjack is super quick and easy to make. I’ve found it a great way to get some nutrition and calories into my toddler. She isn’t very good at eating breakfast and then gets hangry mid morning, so these flapjacks hit the spot for her. She prefers pumpkin seeds to sunflower so I use those but any mix of seeds would work, obviously chop them up if you are using them for younger children.

They are high in fat and have protein from the seeds and peanut butter. They are very low sugar, I have made these without adding any sugar but I think they taste a bit better with 1 tbsp honey in, however you could put more in to taste. The honey also helps them to stick together a bit better.

These flapjacks would work well as a post workout snack too, however they don’t travel very well as they need to be kept cool so I wouldn’t advise taking them out on a day trip.

They can be made vegan my swapping the honey for maple syrup and gluten-free by using gluten-free oats.

Ingredients for no bake flapjack:

  • 175g oats
  • 30g raisins
  • 25g seeds
  • 100g smooth peanut butter (use natural 100% nuts)
  • 60g coconut oil
  • 1tbsp honey

Method:

  1. Line an 8ā€x8ā€ tin with parchment paper
  2. Melt the coconut oil and peanut butter in a pan
  3. Mix the oats, raisins and seeds together in a large bowl
  4. Pour over the peanut butter mixture, stir well
  5. Place the mixture into the tin and press down firmly
  6. Place in the freezer for about 1 hour to set
  7. Remove, slice and store in the fridge

What are your favourite recipes for a hangry toddler? If you enjoy this recipe, pop a comment below and check out my other snack recipes here

Snack

Flapjack Made with Only Fruit for Sweetness!

This delicious no added sugar flapjack came about whilst I was trying to find snacks to feed my toddler. I wanted something that could also be eaten at breakfast. As she is going through a phase of only wanting to eat fruit for breakfast and then having a meltdown because she is so hungry!

These flapjacks are vegan and can be made with gluten-free oats if required.

I use dates to add sweetness, fibre and a number of different vitamins and minerals to these flapjacks. Dates have a low glycemic Index (GI), so some studies suggest that they can help to stabilise blood sugar levels.

Whilst coconut oil is high in saturated fat it is solid at room temperature. This helps to bind the flapjack ingredients together instead of using syrup. It also adds a bit of extra sweetness and flavour. I consciously didn’t want these to be low fat as I want them to help fill my daughter up.

I have used rhubarb and orange compote as they go together really well and rhubarb is currently in season. As we come into apple season you can simply replace the rhubarb compote with stewed apples.

Flapjack Ingredients:

  • 100g coconut oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 12 dates
  • 280g oats
  • 200g rhubarb and orange compote

Method:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 180Ā°C
  2. Make a rhubarb and orange compote, here is a recipe if you need it
  3. Chop the dates in a blender until they are finely chopped
  4. Gently melt the heat the coconut oil until it is just melted
  5. In a bowl combine the coconut oil, dates, vanilla essence and oats until well mixed
  6. Place half of the mixture into a small baking tray, pressing it down firmly
  7. Put the rhubarb compote on top and spread evenly
  8. Cover the rhubarb with the remaining oat mixture and press down firmly
  9. Bake for 25 minutes. Leave to cool and then slice

If you enjoyed this recipe then why not check out my other healthy snack recipes here

Snack

Roasted Cashew Nuts

Over the last couple of weeks, Iā€™ve found myself reaching for chocolate and crisps in an evening as Iā€™ve been so tired from looking after a toddler 24/7. Iā€™m doing a lot more yoga and walking than I have for a long time so I donā€™t feel guilty for eating these things. However, I do feel like Iā€™m now ready for some healthier options so this week Iā€™ve made home roasted cashew nuts.

They hit the salty and the sweet craving whilst the cashew nuts are packed full of iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, phosphorus, and manganese, you just need to make sure you donā€™t eat all of them in one go as they do contain 2tbsp of maple syrup!

I have made these with a mixture of cashew nuts and peanuts before which worked well, so I imagine they would work well with most combinations of nuts if you wanted to mix it up a bit. You can also play around with the flavour combinations too, I find that cinnamon works well.

Ingredients for Roasted Cashew Nuts:

  • 250g raw cashew nuts
  • 2tbsp maple syrup
  • 2tbsp low salt soya sauce or tamari
  • 1/2tsp Chinese 5 spice

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180Ā°C/gas 4
  2. Mix the maple syrup, soya sauce and Chinese 5 spice together in a bowl
  3. Add to cashew nuts and stir until coated
  4. Place the cashews in a single layer on a lined baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, stir half way through
  5. Remove them when they start to turn brown, the nuts will be soft but will harden when they cool
  6. Allow the nuts to cool, and then break up and store in an airtight container

I’d love to hear how you get on with this recipe, so pop a comment below. If you’d like more healthy snack ideas the check out my other snack recipes

Snack

Pumpkin and Apple Slices

These pumpkin and apple slices are a great way to get extra veg in to your childā€™s (and your own) diet.

Since becoming a mum Iā€™ve been exploring ways to get more veg into children without them realising itā€™s there! Iā€™m fortunate that my little girl is very good at eating healthily, however Iā€™m very conscious that this might not last forever. So whilst Iā€™m making the most of it, Iā€™m also including hidden veg so when the day comes when she gets more fussy I hopefully have a head start. So far these pumpkin and apple slices have been going down a treat, she loves them!

Iā€™m also a big advocate for not giving children unnecessary sugar and whilst Iā€™ve gone as far as keeping my daughter completely added sugar-free for 2 years, I donā€™t expect everyone else to. Whilst keeping her diet sugar-free I donā€™t want her to feel like she is missing out, so I often make her sugar-free cakes.

Now that she is getting older, I am starting to relax my take on sugar because I donā€™t want her to grow up thinking that she needs to restrict certain foods and in turn create a child who secretly binges. So, these pumpkin and apple slices are a great next step as they only have 2 tablespoons of maple syrup in the whole cake.

Recipe adaptations

These pumpkin and apple slices are dairy-free and made without any added fat and can easily be made vegan by replacing the egg with 1 small mashed banana. If you donā€™t have access to pumpkin, then they work equally well with butternut squash instead.

Nutrients

Pumpkins are good to keep your heart healthy, keep your cholesterol down and keep your vision tiptop. They are packed full of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin A and C, antioxidants and potassium.

Ingredients:

  • 170g grated raw pumpkin
  • 1 egg
  • 120g apple sauce (I leave the skin on, remove the core, chop and stew apples with a bit of water)
  • 2tbsp maple syrup
  • 115g self raising flour
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • 1tsp mixed spice
  • 60g coconut
  • 60g raisins

Method:

  1. Heat the oven to Gas mark 5/190degrees
  2. Grease a 7ā€ square tin, I use a silicone one so it doesnā€™t need greasing
  3. Whisk the apple and honey together in a food mixer.
  4. Add the remaining ingredients and mix well
  5. Spoon into the tin and bake for 40mins

If you liked this recipe why not check out more of my healthy toddler snacks

Snack

Vegan Fruit Scones

These vegan fruit scones are super quick and easy to make. Until recently Iā€™d never made scones, and then inspired by a holiday in Scotland I decided to make cheese scones for my toddler. When they came out of the oven they looked and smelled delicious, however, I was unable to eat them due to being lactose intolerant so I decided to play around and came up with these vegan fruit scones.

I tested them on my baby yoga class and at my mini retreat and they went down a treat! I served them with my heathy chia jam and some coconut cream. To make the coconut cream I simply got a can of coconut milk, placed it in the fridge for a couple of hours and then scooped the thick cream off the top of the milk.

These vegan fruit scones have no added sugar they are simply sweetened by the dried fruit and you can use whatever dried fruit you have, raisins, sultanas and apricots work well. This makes them a great snack for toddlers too.

Ingredients for Vegan Fruit Scones:

Makes 14 mini scones

  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 40g melted coconut oil
  • 140ml almond milk
  • 50g dried fruit

Method:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7
  2. Line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper
  3. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl
  4. Melt the coconut oil and add to the flour
  5. Use a spoon to mix the coconut oil into the flour until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs
  6. Add the dried fruit and stir well
  7. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in a little bit of the milk
  8. Using your hands fold in the milk, keep adding the milk and folding until you have a dough, the dough will be slightly wet
  9. Place the dough on a chopping board or clean surface that has been dusted with flour
  10. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes
  11. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 2cm thick
  12. Using a biscuit cutter cut the dough into scones
  13. Place the cut dough onto the baking trays, leaving enough space between the scones for them to expand
  14. If you have any dough edges left you can knead them again, roll them out and cut more scones
  15. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes
  16. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy

If youā€™ve enjoyed this recipe why not check out my other vegan recipes?

Snack

Cheese Scones

Until recently Iā€™d never made cheese scones, or any scones for that matter. However, after a holiday in Scotland where cheese scones seemed to be sold in every cafĆ© I thought Iā€™d give them a go as they make a great snack for toddlers.

I was surprised by how easy they are to make and how little time they take to cook! Iā€™m really looking forward to my daughter helping me make them when she is a tiny bit older.

I took the cheese scones to my baby yoga class and the mums and babies loved them! The texture is great for little ones to be able to hold without them breaking apart too much.

This recipe works best if you use butter at room temperature so that it is easier to mix into the flour

Ingredients for Cheese Scones:

Makes 14 mini scones

  • 225g self-raising flour
  • 1tsp baking powder
  • 50g unsalted butter
  • 150ml milk
  • 75g grated cheese

Method:

  1. Pre heat the oven to 220C/gas mark 7
  2. Line 2 baking trays with grease proof paper
  3. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl
  4. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour
  5. Use your hands to rub the butter into the flour until it has the consistency of fine breadcrumbs
  6. Grate the cheese and add it to the flour and butter, stirring well
  7. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture and pour in a little bit of the milk
  8. Using your hands fold in the milk, keep adding the milk and folding until you have a dough
  9. Place the dough on a chopping board or clean surface that has been dusted with flour
  10. Knead the dough for a couple of minutes
  11. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin until it is about 2cm thick
  12. Using a biscuit cutter cut the dough into scones
  13. Place the cut dough onto the baking trays, leaving enough space between the scones for them to expand
  14. If you have any dough edges left you can knead them again, roll them out and cut more scones
  15. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes
  16. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy

The cheese scones looked so good that I couldnā€™t resit playing around with the recipe to come up with a sugar-free fruit scone that was also dairy-free so that I could eat them! You can find the recipe here

Snack

Delicious Banana Bread

I love this delicious banana bread, it is great when I feel like I want a piece of cake but not a sugar high. It’s also great for toddlers too!

Due to my M.E. I’m very sensitive to sugar so when I eat something sugary I get a real high followed by a crash that makes me need to sleep.

This delicious banana bread is great as it is free for refined sugar, and the wholemeal flour provides slow release carbs alongside the walnuts which provide both protein and omega 3.

The original recipe came from The Baby-Led Weaning Cookbook by Gill Rapley and I amended it slightly to make it dairy-free.

I first started making this recipe as my little girl would eat any vegetable, fruit, carbohydrate and even lentils that you put in front of her but she wasn’t keen on protein other than yoghurt and cheese. This recipe was a great way for me to get her to eat some egg and walnuts.

Ingredients for the Banana Bread:

Makes 12 mini loaves or one big one

  • 100g whole meal self-raising flour
  • Ā½ tsp ground mixed spice
  • 40g melted coconut oil
  • 50g raisins
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 50g walnuts
  • 1 egg

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4
  2. Line a loaf tin or mini tins with grease proof paper. I like to use silicone mini loaf tins as they don’t need to be lined
  3. Sift the flour and spices into a bowl
  4. Melt the coconut oil in a pan and add it to the flour, stir well
  5. Stir in the raisins
  6. In a hand blender blitz up the walnuts until they look a bit like bread crumbs
  7. In a separate bowl mash the bananas, stir in the egg, until well combined and then add the walnuts
  8. Fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients
  9. Spoon into the tin/s and bake, big loaf for 45 mins, small loaves 20 mins or until a skewer comes out clean
  10. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy

Store in an airtight container or the banana bread can be frozen. If you are making a large loaf slice it before placing it into the freezer.

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe then why not check out more of my toddler friendly snacks I’d love to hear how you get on, so add a photo and comment below.

Snack

Classic Houmous Recipe

I love houmous, I think I could eat it until it came out of my ears! This houmous recipe is quick and easy to make and is super versatile. It can be made with different beans or you can add spices to change the flavour.

I have to confess I don’t tend to make houmous very often, I usually buy it, I’m not organised enough to remember to make it in advance! It is a great snack to have in the fridge for all the family. My little girl loves it so when I need a quick snack for her I grab it out of the fridge and give it to her with some breadsticks. I aim is to get more organised and make houmous more often as the shop bought brands are quite high in salt.

Variations

I’ve played around a lot with houmous recipes to try and get a consistency and taste that I like. I have found the best way to get a smooth consistency is to add a splash of water, especially as personally I prefer it not to be too oily. I’ve recently experimented with cooking the garlic first so that it isn’t as bitter as raw garlic and this works really well.

The garlic can be roasted in the oven but if the oven isn’t on then I find the easiest way to do it is in a pan. Leave the garlic cloves whole and crush them with the skin on. Place them in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil and toss them regularly until they are soft. Remove the skin and then add to the food processor.

Most of my clients don’t have tahini in their homes and if they do it often goes off before they have had a chance to use it. Therefore this version of houmous uses toasted sesame oil instead.

Houmous Ingredients:

  • 1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
  • 2 gloves of garlic
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (or 1 tbsp of tahini)
  • 1 small handful of parsley
  • splash of water

Method:

  1. Roast the garlic in a little olive oil, either in the oven or in a pan (as above)
  2. Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until well combined
  3. Add more water if the consistency isn’t smooth enough for your liking

If you’ve enjoyed this recipe then why not check out more of my healthy snack ideas

Snack

Chocolate Fudge Drops

I created this recipe for healthy chocolate fudge drops as I frequently get asked for ideas to help people with sugar cravings. More often than not sugar cravings in the evening are due to habits that we have formed. This can be due to a number of things from feeling like we deserve a treat after a stressful day to not eating enough and still being hungry.

As a result, these delicious chocolate fudge drops are packed full of protein and healthy fats to give you an energy boost and a sweet treat in one go.

I’m happy for my toddler to eat them too as they have no added sugar. They are quick and easy to make and don’t require any baking! Making them perfect to make whilst keeping an eye on my toddler!

Not only are they tasty they are fantastic if you are breastfeeding to keep your energy levels up or in the early days of long nights with your baby!

Ingredients for Chocolate Fudge Drops:

Makes 20 (depending on size)

  • 9 Medjool dates
  • 3 tbsp Coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 tbsp cashew butter
  • 2 tbsp cacao

Method:

  1. Put the dates into a small hand mixer and blend until they are finely chopped
  2. Melt the coconut oil, then leave to cool a little bit
  3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the blender and mix until combined
  4. Roll the mixture in to small balls and place on a lined baking tray
  5. Refrigerate for an hour to allow the balls to set

Variation:

I like to mix these up a bit and a great way to do this is to make with peanut butter instead. Simply add an extra tbsp of coconut milk and replace the cashew butter with peanut butter.

I’d love to hear how you get on with this recipe so leave a comment below. Alternatively click here for more of my healthy treats.

Vegan Chocolate Fudge Drops, packed full of protein with no added sugar
Snack

Avocado Chocolate Brownie – Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free!

These avocado chocolate brownies are always a winner! They are packed full of vitamins and minerals and are gluten-free and dairy-free. The brownies do contain maple syrup so try to avoid going all out and eating the whole tray in one go!

Ingredients:

Makes 9 (depending on size)

  • 1 avocado
  • 50g coconut oil (melted)
  • 120ml maple syrup
  • 1tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 35g coconut flour
  • 110g cacao
  • 1 tsp bicarb
  • 50g pecan nuts

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 175C
  2. Whisk avocado until smooth
  3. Add the egg and whisk until well combined
  4. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract and egg
  5. Combine the coconut flour, cacao and bicarb in a bowl and stir well
  6. Gradually add the flour mixture into the blender with the avocado mixture until well combined
  7. Roughly chop the nuts and stir into the batter
  8. Place in a lined tin and bake for 30 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean
  9. Leave to cool and then cut into 9 squares