BAKED APPLES
One-half cooking apple per child, and for each half apple:
1 t. honey
1 T. orange juice
1 t. sunflower seeds or nuts
Wash apples, cut in half, and help children remove cores (using a melon baller is easiest). Place apples in a baking dish. Spread honey, juice, and nuts in center and over top. Bake in microwave on high for three to five minutes or until tender. Allow additional time for more than two apple halves. These may be baked at 500 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes, but remember to add enough water to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
Try using brown sugar, a dot of margarine, a sprinkle of cinnamon, and several raisins in centers.
BANANA SMOOTHIE
Make up your own variations using other fruits and juices.
1 small frozen banana, cut into chunks
1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1/4 cup orange juice
Put all ingredients into the blender and whirl until smooth. These are
fairly thick. Add more liquid if you want them thinner. Makes 2 servings,
each having 125 calories, 213 mg calcium, 10 mg vitamin C, 7 grams protein,
and 160 mg sodium.
BANANA ROLLS
6 bananas
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup coconut
1/4 cup rice cereal
Peel and cut bananas in quarters crosswise. Spread with peanut butter. Roll in coconut and rice cereal. Serve immediately or chill until served.
CARROT RAISIN ROUNDS
1 carrot, grated
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons plain yogurt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 slices raisin English muffins (could be toasted)
Clean carrot and shred into small pieces. Mix all ingredients except bread. Spread on English muffin halves. Serve.
CHEESY MEATBALLS
This recipe lends itself to lots of small hands helping to roll balls. You may even want to double it to have it on hand for another lunch. Children do a great job crushing the cereal in a plastic bag with a rolling pin and rolling and shaping the meatballs. (Perfectly shaped meatballs should not be the goal in this recipe!)
1 lb. hamburger, preferably lean ground
1/2 t. salt
Pepper
1 c. grated cheese, (preferably lowfat cheddar, American, or Swiss)
1 egg
1/2 c. crushed high-iron cereal (Total, Kix, Corn Bran, Product 19)
1 small can or jar of spaghetti sauce
Combine all ingredients except spaghetti sauce and mix lightly. Form into small balls and brown in pan or bake at 400 degrees until brown. Pour spaghetti sauce over meatballs. Cook slowly for 20 minutes until meatballs are done. Makes about 16 meatballs.
FRUIT JUICE POPS
1 (6 ounce) can frozen juice concentrate (100% juice)
2 cups plain yogurt
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 (5 ounce) paper cups
6 wooden sticks
1. Mix all ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Pour the mixture into six (5 ounce) paper cups (generous 1/3 cup mixture per paper cup).
3. Insert a wooden stick for a handle.
4. Cover and freeze until firm.
NOTE: To remove a pop, hold the paper cup under tap water for a few seconds.
Yield: 6 servings
Serving size: 1 fruit juice pop
Snack Suggestion: One fruit juice pop and four vanilla wafers
(A child can help measure ingredients, insert wooden sticks and arrange paper cups.)
See Healthful Snacks for Children Two to Five Years of Age for reference
