I've become a little tired of buying expensive junk food that pretends to be healthy for my children's lunchbox snacks. So over the mid-term break, I spent a little of my time off from uni Googling some easy lunch box treats that I could make for my children.
I started by making a triple batch of muffins. I used the basic muffin mix recipe from Best Recipes and made apple and cinnamon variations. One batch of plain apple and cinnamon, one batch of apple and ginger, and one batch with the added goodness of wheatgerm and flaxseeds hidden in there. I didn't get any pictures, but next time I make a batch, I'll be sure to take some and upload them here.
These muffins are super, super simple to make. When they were cool, I wrapped each muffin individually in cling film, labeled them and put them in a container in the freezer. Each night I just grab a couple from the freezer to defrost for the next day. They may not be supremely healthy, but at least I know they are free from the additives and other nasties that hide in kids' snack foods. Plus, they're much cheaper (under $3 for a dozen, compared to $5 for a 6 pack of muesli bars - the ones that are halfway decent, anyway). And making them makes me feel like I'm a good mum :)
Next on my list are:
Afghan biscuits - they were a favourite treat when I was growing up.
Anzac slice - an easy variation on the Anzac biscuit
Peanut brownie biscuits - another favourite treat. These remind me of "camping" at the beach on our Uncle's farm during holidays when I was a child in NZ.
Peanut butter and oat slice - it looks easy and yummy.
Here's to baking up a storm for the kiddies :) This weekend we're making afghan bikkies!
I love food. LOVE LOVE LOVE! I am not a diet girl, nor am I a low-fat girl. And I was never a weight-watching girl until after I had kids, when suddenly, my body needed help from me to stay in shape. And then I started exercising rather than give up my favourite foods! I'm not much of a cook though, so this is incredibly ambitious for my culinary skills!
So here's some of the yummiest things I want to try...
Healthy Fruit Roll Ups
Carrot Bread
Easy Brownies (I've made these and they're a favourite. They're so simple, and the best thing is they use cocoa instead of chocolate... which saves me all the trouble of trying not to eat the chocolate before it goes into a recipe!)
Pie In A Jar
Chocolate Mint Brownies
Treacle Tart
5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake
The Holy Cow! Cake
Pizzookies
Gingerbread Men (would you believe I have NEVER made gingerbread men? EVER?)
Cherry Ripe Mud Cake
White Chocolate Cheesecake (my cousin actually made us one of these with her Thermomix - it had an Oreo base and was sooo yummy with her home-made (Thermomix-made) raspberry sauce! Since I probably won't be able to convince my hubby to buy me a Thermomix in this lifetime, I found a simple recipe to try instead. And yes, I will be replacing the plain crust with an oreo one!
Peanut Butter Cups
Baklava - one of my favourite treats!
Strawberry Shortcake
Chocolate Mousse Cake (I haven't posted a link to this, because I want to try my Aunty Gail's recipe. It was a must at Christmas, birthdays or any family gathering we could use as an excuse to eat it!) If she lets me :) I will post it here on my blog... when I get around to making it!
Hmmm.... and almost everything I've posted is some kind of dessert....
