Kiddie snacks time!

So my baby boy Gabriel is notorious for turning his nose up at all things "kid normal" food-wise ;) meaning no chicken nuggets, fries, pretzels, chips, cookies/cakes, etc., etc. so I even have to look for veggie & fruit snacks to make for him. Here are some great ones, that perhaps ALL children will love. Adapted from two different Sesame Street Books, "Silly Snacks" & "Yummy Cookies" .

Banana Cookies for Gabriel (pictured)
1 cup + 2 TBsp a-p flour (wheat flour would work just fine!)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter 
2 ripe, mashed bananas
1/4 cup apple cider
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Sift together (over medium bowl) flour, baking soda & salt. Beat the butter until creamy & add bananas, beat until mixed smoothly together. Add cider, egg, & vanilla until mixed in. Slowly add the flour mixture & blend together.


Drop dough 2" apart (I use a melon baller) onto cookie sheet (I use parchment paper.) Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes or until "set".  Remove from heat & cool on a cookie rack. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

These are sooo good, they taste like banana bread in a cookie! The consistency is more like a bread than a cookie too. It just has that cookie shape that kids love! The hubby & I kept snatching these. YUM.

Tickle Stix
1 lb. watermelon
6 oz plain or vanilla yogurt
2 tsp honey
zest & juice of 1 lime or lemon


Cut the watermelon into "fries" (sticks). Mix the yogurt, honey & citrus for a dip.


Eggplant "fries"
1 egg
1 TBSp water
1 small eggplant
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs- Note: you can use any type here... wheat, panko, white... add your own Italian spices or herbs de Provence, etc. 
Olive Oil cooking spray
Marinara sauce (for dipping, optional ;) )


Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Mix egg & water in a shallow dish/bowl. Place seasoned bread crumbs in another shallow dish/bowl. Use your judgment with the eggplant on peeling or not, depending on the type/season/toughness/preference, etc. Cut the raw eggplant into "fry" stix. Dip the eggplant stix in the egg mix then in the bread crumb mix completely. Lay out on the foil on the baking sheet with room in between. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until eggplant is tender & lightly browned. Serve with marinara.


Broccoli Trees in Haystax
1 small broccoli crown- break into little florets
2 TBSp water
1 cup a-p flour (wheat may be ok, haven't tried it)
1 cup whole grain cornmeal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 cup low-fat milk (I use whatever we have & if for Gabriel, whole milk)
2 eggs (@ room temperature)
1/4 cup butter (@ room temperature)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Line muffin tins with baking cups (12 cups). Steam the broccoli until crisp & tender. (I use my steamer but can do it in the microwave.) Mix together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder & salt in a large bowl. In another (medium-sized) bowl, stir together the milk, eggs & (room temperature) butter. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just moistened. Spoon 1 TBSp of the batter into each muffin tin (I use my melon baller). Nestle a floret of broccoli into the middle of batter in the tin, then top each with another tablespoon (at least) of batter until each tin is 3/4 full. Bake 15 minutes @ 400 degrees or until a toothpick, inserted into one of the "haystax" comes out clean. Cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack.