Homemade Fruit Snacks

This recipe appeared in the Hinton Voice's February 7th Edition. 

[A common favourite for kids and adults alike, fruit snacks are one of those foods that you’ll likely find in most households at one time or another.  Making homemade fruit snacks is so unbelievably easy; as soon as you finish reading this recipe you’re going to wonder why you haven’t tried making them sooner.  When I first made these fruit snacks I was half expecting something sticky and slightly firmer than jello – instead I was pleasantly surprised that what I ended up with closely resembled store bought fruit snacks.  They are even better in fact because not only can you use healthier ingredients, the possible flavour combinations far surpass the usual five possibilities.  

I remember as a kid I almost always had fruit snacks in my lunch. I would tear into the package hoping the contents were mostly made up of the orange or grape varieties.  I wasn’t a huge fan of the yellow or green kinds, mostly due to their intense artificial flavours.  This worked out well for whichever friend I sat with for lunch that day, since most of my friends weren’t quite as picky as I was.  Needless to say with five or six fruit snacks in a package, my chances of having to share a couple were pretty high. 

Fast forward to present day and I’ve gotten a lot better at sharing (and less picky depending on who you ask).  I’m still not a huge fan of yellow or green fruit snacks because I still think they bear no resemblance to real fruit.   No problem though as now I can make all my favourite fruit snack flavours at home.  Since I already have the heart shaped cutter and all, I might even make some more wild raspberry ones next week as a Valentine’s Day treat for my special someone.]

Tip:  For homemade jello, use 1 package gelatin and 2 cups of your favorite fruit juice.  For sweeter jello, add up to 1/3 cup sugar.

Ingredients

- 1 (3 oz) package gelatin, any flavour

- 2 (.25 oz) envelopes of unflavoured gelatin

- 1/3 cup water or fruit juice

or

- 2-3 (.25 oz) envelopes of unflavoured gelatin (2 for soft, 3 for firm)

- 1/3 cup of your favourite fruit juice

  

Directions

Place water or juice in a small saucepan and sprinkle gelatin overtop – let sit for 2-3 minutes to soften gelatin.   Heat over medium heat and stir until gelatin is completely dissolve (about 3-5 minutes).  Pour into molds and allow to set for about a half hour.   You can speed up the setting process by placing your mold in the fridge. 

If you don’t have a mold, pour into a small (preferably ceramic or glass) pan and let set.  Once set, remove from pan and cut into shapes using a cookie cutter or sharp knife.

- Nutritional Info (1/2 recipe using fruit juice) -

Calories - 36   Fat - 0    Carbs – 7     Protein - 3   Fibre – 1

Enjoy!

Homemade Cheese "Goldfish" Crackers

This recipe marks my second newspaper feature with The Hinton Voice.  You can view past newspaper features here.

A big thanks to my friend Ashlee for letting me use her Canon to take these photo's (I may or may not have bribed her with a fresh batch of goldfish crackers). I am currently in the research phase of purchasing a new camera, and it's great being able to test drive a few models before making my decision.  Thanks again Ashlee!  :)

[You're in luck!  You get a two-for the price of one deal today!  Not only will you be able to make delicious cheese crackers, you will also be able to make simple homemade cookie cutters.

The cutters are incredibly easy and inexpensive - simply cut a clean pop can into strips and bend into the shape of your choosing (be wary of sharp edges).  I used a small piece of clear tape to seal the edges and hold the cutter in place. 

I've always wanted to make homemade crackers, but I've always been a little intimidated by the thought.  It seemed like a tedious, daunting task that only Martha Stewart would have time for.  I couldn't have been more wrong.  These cheese crackers are so simple - the dough only takes a few minutes to prepare.  This is the perfect rainy day activity to embark on with the children in your life.  I'll be babysitting my friend's daughter this weekend and I know that this recipe is going to be on our agenda.

This recipe makes quite a few crackers  - I managed to make more than 350 with my most recent batch.  I wouldn't recommend halving the recipe - just because they get eaten very quickly!  I've made these crackers several times now and not a single batch has made it to see a second day.]

Ingredients
- 8 oz (weighed) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 cup flour, plus more for dusting
- 1/2 tsp salt (optional
- 4 tbsp cold butter, in small pieces
- 2 tbsp ice cold water

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place cheese, flour, and salt in food processor and pulse until combined.  Add butter and pusle until blended.  Add ice-cold water and pusle for a few seconds until a ball forms.  Chill dough in fridge for 15 minutes.

Place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/8 inch thick. The dough must be thin, but don't worry, it will puff out nicely just like the store-bought variety.

Cut dough with a homemade goldfish cutter, or your favourite cookie cutter.  Icing tips also work quite well.

Place shapes on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes.  They are ready when the bottoms are light golden brown.

Enjoy! 

- Nutritional Info (per 10 crackers) -

Calories - 49   Fat - 4    Carbs - 2     Protein - 2    Fibre - 0

No-Bake Granola Balls

So I was perusing Pinterest one night (story of my life!), when I came across these No-Bake Energy Balls brought to you by Smashed Peas and Carrots.  Within 10 minutes of seeing the post, I was already making them with what I already had in my kitchen.  The recipe below is not exactly the same (I used hemp seeds instead of flax for more protein, and omitted the chocolate chips, simply drizzling chocolate on some of them), but that's the great thing about this recipe!  It's easily adaptable to what you already have at home/what you are feeling like that day.  Needless to say, these did not last very long in my house!  A mere two days later and I was back in my kitchen making another batch (double this time!).  As Maggie from Smashed Peas and Carrots says "Good thing they are easy to make, another batch is never too far away". 

Ingredients

- 1 cup uncooked oatmeal (I like wild oats)

- 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)

- 1/3 cup liquid honey

- 1 cup coconut flakes

- 1/2 cup hemp seed (or flax)

- 1 bar (1 oz.) Baker's* dark chocolate (optional)

* You could try using chocolate chips instead, but I find that Baker's chocolate tends to hold up a bit better (i.e. not as sticky when it dries). 

Directions

Combine all ingredients and mix well.  Let mixture rest in fridge for about 1/2 hour (this will help them stay together when you roll them). 

Roll into tbsp sized balls.  

Melt chocolate in microwave safe bowl and transfer to a sandwich bag.  Snip a small tip off the corner of the sandwich bag and drizzle away! 

  Let balls set in fridge for another 1/2 hour before serving. 

Or try pressing them into a granola bar mold for an awesome granola bar!  

Enjoy! 

- Nutritional Info (1 ball) -

Calories - 93  Fat - 5    Carbs - 10     Protein - 3   Fibre - 2

Heidy's Cranberry & Blueberry Oatmeal Cookies

Picture by Heidy Valdes

First off I would like to start by saying Happy Birthday Heidy!  In honour of her special day, I would like to share with you all one of her original recipes. 

Heidy is one of those friends that you consider family.  She is one of the most genuine people I have ever met, and I am really glad that she is apart of my life.  When she asked me if I wanted to use her recipe for my blog, I jumped at the chance!    One thing I really like about Heidy's cooking style is that even in something like cookies, she is sure to throw some healthy ingredients into the mix (i.e. rolled oats, cinnamon, honey, dried berries).  

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup raw, natural sugar or brown sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/3 cup dried blueberries
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.

In a medium sized bowl combine rolled oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cranberries, and blueberries, set aside. 

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy; beat in egg until blended.  Add vanilla and honey (if honey is thick melt first); mix well.  Add dry ingredients and mix until blended.

Shape into 1.5 inch (4 cm) balls and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet about 2 inches (5 cm) apart.  Flatten with floured fork tines. 

Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. 

Makes about 2 1/5 dozen.

Enjoy! 

Picture by Heidy Valdes

 Picture by Heidy Valdes

Picture by Heidy Valdes

Banana Bread

The addition of yogurt to the batter makes for a rich, moist banana bread. 

Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup raw sugar (or granulated)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup mashed, ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9x3x5 inch loaf pan; set aside.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined.  Add bananas, yogurt, and vanilla; mix to combine.  Stir in nuts, and pour into a prepared pan.

Bake until a cake tester inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour, 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Kale Chips

I've always wanted to try kale chips, so when I saw bunches for sale at my local farmers market, I jumped at the chance to try it.   I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Generally when any type of leafy vegetable gets warm, it wilts.  I was pleasantly surprised when the kale did in fact crisp up in the oven almost immediately.  While these don't hold a candle to starch based chips, they were a good snack to fulfill my craving for something crunchy/salty.

Ingredients

- 1 bunch kale

- 1 tsp olive oil*

- sprinkle of course salt

* the olive oil amount depends entirely on how big your bunch of kale is.  I coat it as little as possible - just enough so it doesn't stick to the pan and so crisps up nicely. 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash kale and pat dry.  Break kale leafs into bite sized pieces.  Toss with olive oil and salt, then spread kale out in a single layer onto a baking sheet (I like to line mine with parchment paper first but it's not necessary).

Bake in pre-heated oven for approximately 10-15 minutes until kale is crispy and edges are slightly brown.  I usually check it once about half way through and move around the pieces to ensure they cook evenly. 

Enjoy!

Tzatziki

My husband and I made this recipe together this weekend and liked it so much we ate it two nights in a row!  It goes great either with pita chips, or as a sauce for another one of our favourites, chicken souvlaki. 

Ingredients

- 1 cucumber
- 1 cup plain greek yogurt
- 4 tbsp fresh dill
- 5 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp olive oil

Directions

Peel cucumber and cut into quarters.  Cut each piece into quarters again, and run through a food processor.

Strain cucumber mixture through a cheesecloth until only pulp remains.   It is important to strain as much juice as absolute possible out of the cucumber to ensure the tzatziki is the right consistency.

Put pulp back in food processor.

Add yogurt to food processor and blend.  Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.

Transfer to a bowl or jar and let rest in fridge for at least an hour before serving. 

Enjoy!

Nutritional Info [1 tbsp]

Calories - 15   Fat - 1    Carbs - 1     Protein - 1     Iron - 0    Fibre - 0

Raspberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 cups flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 2-3 tablespoons wild oats
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup milk
• 1 3/4 cups raspberries

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter a muffin tin (medium), and set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg, egg yolks, and vanilla; mix until well combined.

Alternate adding reserved flour mixture and milk to bowl, beginning and ending with flour.


Gently fold in raspberries by hand.

Divide batter evenly among muffin tins; sprinkle generously with sugar and wild oats.

Bake until light golden, about 30-35 minutes.

Cool in pan 15 minutes.

Remove from pan; transfer to wire rack, and let cool completely.

Almond Butter Banana Smoothie

This recipe is any peanut butter lover's dream.  The ingredients compliment each other nicely and the flavors come together to make for a wonderful smoothie. 

Ingredients

• 1 small banana
• 2 tbsp almond butter (or your choice of peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt
• 1/4 cup greek (or plain) yogurt
• 4 oz unsweetened almond milk

Directions

Blend ingredients together to make one smoothie. 

Nutritional Info (entire recipe)

Calories - 450    Fat - 26   Carbs - 52    Protein - 11     Iron - 3    Fibre - 5 

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

I absolutely love the flavour of pumpkin, and it doesn't have to be fall for me to use in my baking.  These muffins are wonderful any time of the year, and these disappear very quickly in our house.  The yogurt makes for a very light and fluffy muffin.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil, plus more for pan
• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups white flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice (1 tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tbsp ground ginger, 1/4 tbsp ground nutmeg, 1/4 tbsp ground allspice or cloves)
• 2 cups pumpkin puree
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup turbinado (coarse) sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 cups shelled unsalted pumpkin seeds

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush 24 muffin tins with oil, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk flours, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda; set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk oil, pumpkin puree, yogurt, eggs, and 1 cup sugar to combine; add 1 cup pumpkin seeds and reserved dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened (be sure to not over mix).

Divide evenly and spoon batter into muffin tins; sprinkle tops with remaining pumpkin seeds and sugar.

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes in pan.

Enjoy!

Nutritional Info

Calories - 188   Fat - 10     Carbs -  22    Protein -  4    Iron - 8    Fibre - 1 

English Scones (or Biscuits)

In honor of the Royal wedding, I decided to make some traditional English scones with clotted cream and jam.  Yum! 

Ingredients

• 2 cups white flour
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 1.5 tbsp brown sugar
• 5 tbsp butter
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup heavy cream (whipping cream)

Directions

Preheat oven to 425ºF.

Sift the dry ingredients together and cut in the butter with a butter knife (or pastry cutter if you have one).

Beat eggs until frothy, then mix them with the whipping cream. Add this liquid mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring as little as possible.  

For scones:

Pat the dough into a pie shaped piece (again handling the dough as little as possible) and put in a greased and floured circular cake pan. Once in place, cut the dough like you would a pie (into 8 separate pieces) so they can be pulled apart when baked.

For biscuits:

Separate the dough into 9-10 pieces and place on a greased baking pan.

Bake for preheated oven for approx. 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

If you want to get fancy, you could also cut the dough with a biscuit cutter (a mason jar works great).

Top with your favorite jam and some clotted cream.  Clotted cream isn't very common here, but I was able to find it in my grocery store in the dairy isle next to the old fashioned whipping cream.



If clotted cream isn't your thing, they are also delicous served with butter and jam.

Enjoy! 

Nutritional Info (1/9 recipe)

Calories - 228    Fat - 15     Carbs -  21    Protein -  5    Iron - 10    Fibre - 1

Homemade Granola

I love granola, but it's so expensive to purchase pre-made. I thought I would try a homemade version and am I ever glad I did!  This recipe is very versatile, as long as you have a base of oats you can mix pretty much any other dry ingredient to make it to your liking.  If you like dried fruit in your granola, be sure to add it to the mixture only after the granola is finished baking. 

Ingredients

• 2 cups oats (rolled, wild, etc.)
• 1 cup sliced almonds (or any other nut)
• 3/4 cup dehydrated coconut chips (or shredded coconut)
• 50 g shelled hemp seeds (or any other seed)
• 50 g wheat germ
• 1/3 cup organic maple syrup 
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the dry ingredients a medium sized bowl.  Next, combine maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla.  Pour over dry mixture.  Combine with hands (trust me, hands is the best way to go here).

Spread mixture evenly onto cookie sheet.

Bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Be sure to stir every 10 minutes to prevent clumps and so the granola cooks evenly throughout.

Store in airtight container or zipper baggies for up to 2 weeks.

Nutritional Info [1/12 recipe (50 g)] 

Calories - 217   Fat - 16    Carbs - 15     Protein - 6     Iron - 11    Fibre - 3

Strawberry Yogurt Parfait

 

This breakfast tastes like dessert.  It's awesome for a quick breakfast you can take with you.  If you pack this in your lunch and like your granola crunchy, assemble all ingredients except granola; instead placing granola in zip lock bag and add right before eating. 

Ingredients:
- 3-4 medium strawberries (or any other type of fruit)
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1/4 cup granola
- 1 tbsp organic maple syrup

Directions:
Spoon yogurt into dish.  Slice strawberries on top of yogurt.  Sprinkle granola on top.  Drizzle with maple syrup.

- Nutritional Info (entire recipe - i.e one parfait) -

Calories - 257    Fat - 12     Carbs - 34     Protein - 8     Iron - 7    Fibre - 4

Pina Colada Popsicles

Pina Colada's are one of my favourite alcoholic beverages.  This recipe can be used for the beverage as well, just add a few shots of white rum and you'll be good to go!  :)

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pineapple

1/2 cup coconut milk (fresh is best, but you can used canned)

2 tbsp sugar (I use evaporated organic cane juice)

1/2 cup almond milk

Blend ingredients (a magic bullet works awesome for this).   Pour into 4 of your favourite popsicle molds, freeze until set (a few hours) and enjoy! 

- Nutritional Info (per popsicle) -

Calories - 93    Fat - 4     Carbs - 15     Protein - 1     Iron - 2    Fibre - 1