"Nummy, Nummy!"

"Is it yummy, Mae?"
"Nummy, Nummy!" replies Mae as she gobbles up more monkey munch.

What she doesn't realize is that under that confectioners' sugar is whole grain corn cereal and reduced sugar/sodium natural peanut butter packed with protein and fiber. Of course monkey munch is more of a dessert than a mid morning snack, but it's better than chocolate air-filled animal crackers from a box. I reserve those kind of snacks for on the go or desperate mornings when I can't prepare anything for her myself. Mae isn't the only one who needs healthy, filling snacks and meals. The whole family needs them, and I have decided to go on a hunt for better snacks to keep on hand in our house. I've had enough cereal bars, granola bars and yogurt in a tube to last a while. While nursing Nate and keeping up with Mae during the day it's easy for me to grab for an empty calorie snack to give me energy for another hour. That snack is also giving me extra calories that are doing nothing but adding to my waistline. I need protein, energy, whole snacks that will keep me going for a while. Nursing an 8 month old and keeping up with two year old demands is all the more reason for Mommy to get a good snack time too! I tried slim fast shakes and snack bars, but that got old fast since I was still having to buy and prepare food for the rest of the family although it did keep my energy level up and hunger level down. Mae doesn't eat very much most days and doesn't eat in excess to what she needs so I try to make every bite count with recipes made with whole wheat, whole grain, disguised purred veggies and fruit wherever I can fit it in (sweet potato biscuits and pumpkin pancakes/waffles are always accepted). I've even cut back on serving bread with dinner since that's all Mae will eat if it's available. If I do make a dinner roll, it's usually a healthier version of a yeast roll covered in butter. Anyway, enough of an introduction and explanation. Here are a few ideas from friends, other websites, magazines and my own inspirations.

Snowmen Snacks: Three slices of banana, pretzel arms and mouth, raisin buttons, chocolate chip eyes. For a more substancial snack I add wheat ritz crackers and simply jif peanut butter under the banana slice.



Monkey Munch:
RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 cups dried bananas
1 cup each dried papaya and dried mango
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (a tasty substitute for bugs!)
1. Combine ingredients and enjoy!

OR (for a sweeter/dessert version):

Monkey Munch:
9 cup Chex
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Put cereal in large bowl. Melt chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
Pour over Chex cereal, put into a large plastic bag with powdered sugar and shake well to coat.
Spread mixture evenly on wax paper and allow to cool.


Along with the monkey munch chex mix version I had tons of leftover cereal so I put together a morning mix for myself and stored it in individual portioned snack bags (placed where the granola and cereal bars are usually found). Here's the link to that recipe:

http://www.chex.com/Recipes/RecipeView.aspx?RecipeId=42419&CategoryId=340


I'm also going to revisit Jello Jigglers and serve with pretzels on the side.

Mae loves to dip so I'm planning to make more fruit dip:
1 jar marshmallow cream
1 container fruit-flavored spreadable cream cheese (strawberry or raspberry)

1. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the jar of marshmallow cream and entire container of cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.

2. Refrigerate for about an hour. Serve with fresh fruit.

For Jon and I, I'm going to put together a veggie dip (ranch dressing with salsa) for fresh veggies laid out in the fridge in snack sized baggies. We'll try this fresh snack with Mae, but she's never had raw veggies before and I'm not sure she's ready just yet.

I found a recipe on FamilyFun.com that I'll try for a pick-me-up for myself: http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50410

One last recipe I found was also on Family fun for a healthier, heartier version of Oatmeal Cookies:

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
4 very ripe bananas
1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup raisins
1. Slice and dice the bananas into a bowl: you should have about 1-1/2 cups of banana. Stir in the applesauce, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla. In a larger bowl, mix together the oatmeal, flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. Add the fruit mixture to the dry ingredients; stir until blended and set aside for 5 minutes.

2. Spray four cookie sheets with vegetable cooking spray. Drop the cookie batter on the sheets by rounded teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

"California Pizza"
whole wheat english muffins
chunky veggie tomato sauce (or top with sweet cherry tomatoes, sweet peppers, green pepper, roasted red pepper, baby bella mushrooms, or any other veggie on hand)
top with Italian cheeses (made from 2% milk)

Bake in the oven or toaster oven at 350 until cheese melts, can also be put under broiler until cheese melts for a softer crust.


Other tricks that work to get Mae to eat healthier food are:

Let her help in the kitchen as much as possible and just grin and bear the messier, more time consuming meal preparation process. She's learning life skills, math and science skills, learning to follow directions and more importantly bonding with Mommy.

Make food interesting by cutting sandwiches into shapes, being creative with presentation, and introducing one new recipe/food every week.

Try new things myself even if I've tried it before and I know it's not my favorite. Just smile and say "Yummy, yummy!" Model good eating habits myself (this goes for exercise, prayer and bible study/devotional/quiet times too).

This summer I'm going to scour the farmer's market and local strawberry and blueberry farms for fruits to make parfaits, smoothies, and fresh fruit Popsicles. With probably a pie, cobbler and homemade ice cream on the list too!


Watermelon is always a fun and yummy way to stay hydrated while playing outside in the summer!






I'm always on the lookout for healthy, tasty recipes to serve to my family. I've got my list to try over the next few weeks so we'll see how it goes and if it passes the "Nummy, Nummy!" test!

Mae enjoying an ice cream cone for dessert after dinner...in her tutu no less!