snacks & snow

First of all...what is up with the weather?! Snow on Spring Break. In the valley. Crazy. I've lived in Oregon all my life and one of the many things I love about living here is the true seasons and the moderate weather. I know it isn't like we're having blizzards or anything major, but by this time of year I'm really ready to be basking in a little more sun. :) This morning it snowed a bit and just now when I look in one direction in our back yard it is snowing and overcast and in the other direction I can see some blue sky. It's trying to be nice for us. It's been 40 all day though so thankfully no "stickies" as the boys say. Pretty much all weekend the weather has been weird. Shifting between freezing cold snow flurries, stormy wind/rain, and warm sun breaks (still freezing in the shade though).

This morning I left church feeling so refreshed. We are going through 1 Corinthians and it was on chapter 14 & spiritual gifts, particularly the gifts of prophecy and the gift of tongues. I've never really known what exactly to think of these and how to apply them to my life. The message was so good and insightful. Clarifying, really. If you are interested in hearing a great sermon on the subject, check here and click on "download sermon" in a couple of days. Actually the archives are full of good stuff if you want to listen in sooner. The Easter message was wonderful, too. Okay, now onto feeding the kids...

Here are some regular healthy snack/light meal hits at our house:

*kale chippies (great idea thanks to Amber-Rose, the kids LOVE these) - cut (or rip) kale in to chip-size pieces, mix with a little olive oil & a bit sea salt. Bake for 10 min @ 350, cool a little.

*yogurt/granola or museli - plain, organic yogurt sweetened with a mashed banana or a drizzle of agave or grade A or B maple syrup, and mixed with some bare naked granola or homemade granola (like the recipe at the bottom of this post, courtesy of Amber-Rose or this one). Museli is really healthy and yummy too. You can soak museli (or just oatmeal) in yogurt over night and top with mixed berries/bananas & chopped raw nuts for a great breakfast too. If you are feeling like going all the way, you can sprinkle some flaxmeal or mix in some powdered probiotics for immune! (The kids won't know the difference, you can get the probiotics at Whole Foods).

*ezekial bread (or other sprouted bread) with raw honey.

*fruit salad - really simple and the kids LOVE this. I usually do kiwi, banana, oranges, strawberries, apple, or some other combination. Maybe you know this, but one kiwi has all Vitamin C we need for the day! Sometimes for a treat I put some real whip cream on top and let the kids add some sprinkles.

*pita chips with hummus or sprinkled with cinnamon - I slice whole wheat pita pockets into triangles and baked for 8-10 min @ 350.

*chickpeas/garbanzo beans - rinse well and toss with a little olive oil and some seasonings such as chili powder, a little sea salt, cumin, garlic powder, etc. (about 2 c. garbanzo beans to 1-2tsp. seasonings), then bake cookie sheet @ 400 for 45-60 min, flipping every 20 min. Crunchy, yummy, portable snack.

*pita pizzas - bake pita for 8 min @ 350, spread with tomato-based sauce (I like to spread some pureed sweet potatoes on too), then let the kids top with any (sliced or diced) veggie they choose. Cade and Callum like artichoke hearts, broccoli, fresh basil, red peppers, spinach, garlic, tomatoes, etc. Then some mozzerella cheese &/or goat cheese. Then bake for 10 more minutes & slice into triangles. The kids love to "make" their own meal.

Well, the boys are awake and we are leaving for Ikea now so I have to go. I will probably think of some others and add to this list soon. These are the main ones we've been circulating lately. Also, I'll write more about our smoothies & maybe include some really healthy muffin ideas we like. Smoothies are an amazing way to get more veggies, especially greens into kids. We also like to freeze smoothie mix into popcicles. Enjoy your day, whatever the weather!

Granola (from Amber-Rose)
(all measurements approximate)
4 c rolled oats
up to 1 c each: flax seeds, dried coconut, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
1-2 c nuts (any kind)
1-2 c dried fruit (any kind - raisins, currants, blueberries, apricots)
1 c flour (any kind)(optional - makes it more chunky)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1/2-3/4 c liquid sweetener (honey, maple syrup, agave)
1/4-1/2 c olive oil

Mix dry ingredients; mix liquids separately (liquids should equal about 1 cup together). Pour liquid mixture over dry ingredients and stir well. Spread it out on a large baking sheet and bake at 300* for 20 minutes, stir, then bake another 20 minutes. Enjoy!