Kiddo/Adult Recipe: Baked Zucchini Sticks

Are you ready for the easiest little recipe ever? This is a side dish/snack our whole family loves, but one that Henry especially enjoys thanks to my Mom, who originally introduced it to us!  These baked zucchini sticks take 5-10 minutes to prepare, 25 minutes or so to bake, and one second to eat! But really, Henry scarfs these things down. You can also make a healthy dip to use with them, or eat them on their own.

Here's what you need:

Zucchini
2 egg whites (for a vegan option try using non-dairy milk to bread)
Panko bread crumbs (here are the kind we use - click through to see their GF options also)



Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350. Peel the zucchini and cut into small strips, about the size of a french fry. You can make them thinner to get more of a crispy strip, or thicker for a juicier one.



2. Dip each slice into egg white, then cover with bread crumbs. If you're feeling adventurous, feel free to add some spice to the bread crumbs too!



3. Place the strips on a baking sheet (I prefer to use parchment paper for easy clean up) and bake for about 25 minutes at 350. Your cooking time may vary, but just look for the edges of the strips to get slightly brown and crispy looking.



4. Enjoy!

 
See more of my Kiddo/Adult meal and snack ideas here.

Recipe: Apricot Coconut Almond Bars

I saw this recipe in my my favorite magazine, Whole Living, and knew I had to try it. I've been trying to make 1-2 new recipes every week to add to my arsenal of kiddo/adult friendly fare (see last week's quiche here), and I loved the idea of making my own bars. I also love the idea of having something somewhat healthy yet still sweet to grab rather than a processed granola bar or cereal bar for Henry.

If you end up making these, let me know what you think. I just enjoyed a square with a cup of tea and it was delicious!




You'll need:

1 1/2 cups dried apricots
1/2 cup raw almonds (I used ones that were pre-sliced)
2 Tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut, toasted
Coarse salt
1/2 oz dark chocolate, melted (this is optional- if I did it again I would omit the chocolate)
parchment paper
9-by-5-inch loaf pan

Directions:

1. Pulse apricots, almonds, coconut, and a pinch of salt in a food processor until finely ground.







2. Line your loaf pan with parchment, leaving an inch overhand on all sides. Transfer mix to pan and press firmly to form a rectangle.




3. Drizzle with chocolate and sprinkle with some coconut. Use parchment overhang to remove from pan.




4. Transfer to the refrigerator and leave until firm, about 15 minutes or so. Slice into 6 bars, and then into 12 square pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.





Per serving (1 square): 88 cals; 4g fat (1g sat fat); 0 mg chol, 12g carbs; 28 mg sodium; 2g protein; 2g fiber.

Enjoy!

Make Your Own...Frozen Yogurt Dots!

I saw these cute little frozen yogurt dots all over Pinterest and on various websites this week and knew I had to try them. Henry is a huge fan of yogurt so I was sure they would go over well. Plus, they're incredibly easy to make.

All you need:

a cookie sheet (or wax paper)
yogurt
plastic baggie
a freezer

Ready for the easiest directions ever? I almost feel silly typing them out because the photos are self-explanatory but maybe this will help someone out there! ha. Here you go:

1. Put the yogurt in the plastic baggie.
2. Cut a small hole in one corner of the bag.
3. Squeeze little dots onto your cookie sheet or wax paper.
4. Freeze for about an hour.
5. Enjoy with your little one!





These were a huge hit with Henry which was great because I always buy the Happy Baby Yogurt Melts from Target, but they run about $4 a pop. And really, he goes through them way too quickly to justify spending that much on one bag of snacks! I got an entire cookie sheet full of drops from just one small yogurt container, and I'd much rather have him enjoy straight yogurt than freeze-dried ones in a package. And like I said, Henry loved them!

Let me know if you try these out, and if your kiddo likes them too! And if you don't have a little one, let me know if you liked them- a child is only optional. :) Happy yogurt-dotting. xo