Family Cooking Class: Summer Coolers!

Summer means the kids are home from school and hungry. Summer brings hot days that call for cool snacks. At Verdant Community Wellness Center, Sound Dietitians shared recipes that can get your kids in the kitchen and keep the whole family cool! Together with parents and children, we made easy and tasty summer snacks. Check them out!

Frozen Banana Pops

The Frozen Banana Pops were a hit! These frozen snacks are just as fun to make as they are to eat. Each child rolled their frozen banana in yogurt and the toppings of their choice... chocolate chips, shredded coconut, chia seeds... any topping will do! See the recipe below. 

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Ingredients:

• Ripe bananas
• Greek Yogurt (plain or flavored)
• Possible Toppings:
• Granola or muesli
• Cereal: brown-rice krispies, cheerios, etc
• Freeze dried berries – chopped
• Shredded Coconut
• Dark Chocolate mini chips
• Chopped nuts
• Popsicle sticks –  or skip the sticks and make bite-sized frozen banana pops for eating with fingers
  

Directions:

• Peel ripe bananas and cut them in half.
• Insert popsicle stick into widest end one inch or more.
• Dip bananas in a large yogurt container or roll bananas in yogurt in a shallow bowl.
• Decorate with your favorite toppings.
• Place on a cookie sheet lined with waxed or parchment paper.
• Freeze for at least 1 hour.
• Transfer to a container or freezer baggie.
  

Homemade Ice Pops  (recipes below for 12 pops; see zipzicles for more recipes online)

These pops are easy to make. You can truly get creative with different flavors. Its berry season! Give the berry-mint pop a try. Homemade ice pops are a great way to give the kids a cool summer snack packed with more fruit and less sugar than the store bought varieties

Watermelon-Strawberry-Lime
 4 cups cubes watermelon
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries; tops removed
Zest and juice from 1 large lime or 2 small limes
2 T Agave or Honey (optional)

Cocoa-Banana
 3 ripe bananas (fresh or frozen)
2 cups coconut water
2 T Agave or Honey
3 T cocoa powder

 Berry -Mint
5 cups fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
2 T Agave or Honey
1.5 cups water

Honeydew Cucumber
 4-5 cups Honeydew cubes (1 large honeydew)
1 whole cucumber
¼ cup fresh lime juice (~2 limes)

Infused Water & Ice Cube Ideas:

During the summer it is especially important to stay hydrated. Infused water is a great way to give water a kick. I find mint water especially refreshing. Cucumber cubes are another refreshing and cool idea. Perhaps your kids would enjoy strawberry infused ice cubes or even cherry infused water. Choose a family favorite and get hydrated!

Use ice cube trays and muffin tins to freeze fruits, herbs and vegetables for flavoring water.
 
Herbs: basil, mint, rosemary, lavendar, edible flower petals
Fruits: berries, apples, citrus, cranberries, stone fruits, kiwi
Vegetables: cucumber, peppers, jicama

Homemade Pineapple Coconut "Ice Cream" {Dairy Free}

Dairy free, no sugar added ice cream. This was truly a popular recipe with our families. Feel free to try different fruits. The banana and coconut milk give the ice cream the smooth and solid consistency. If you decide to use the pineapple chunks, I advise that you use a food processor. The blender tends to take more time. Also, try adding frozen mango or berries for different flavors. We made the recipe below. I topped mine off with mini dark chocolate chips and chia seeds. It was amazing!

Ingredients:
2 cups – pineapple chunks, frozen
1 medium – banana, frozen
1/2 cup – coconut milk

Optional Toppings:
Chia or Flax Seeds
Chopped Nuts
Berries
Dark Chocolate Chips

Directions:
Place frozen pineapple chunks, banana, and coconut milk in a food processor. Pulse until ingredients begin to combine. Blend until smooth and creamy. Serve immediately as soft serve "ice cream", or freeze 20-30 minutes for a more firm texture.

Adapted from superhealthykids.com.

Summer Smoothies
 
Smoothies are fast and delicious. Kids love them and parents can easily get some nutrients and fiber into those little bellies. Adding Greek yogurt or kefir to your smoothie is a simple way to add probiotics for the health of your gut. Greek yogurt also adds a great source of protein to smoothies. Nut butters, like peanut butter or almond butter, can also add protein. Seeds, like flax seed or chia seed, add fiber and healthy fats. Fruit is always a delicious addition, but be sure to try adding some veggies too! Spinach is an easy vegetable to add. Spinach is usually a subtle taste in a smoothie, but be sure to blend well. There are so many ways to make a delicious summer smoothie. Try something new, and give one of our recipes below a try.

Bananarama – 2 bananas, 1 cup vanilla low fat Greek yogurt, splash of milk or water, 2 tbsp nut butter or ground flax seed (2 servings)

Berrylicious – 1 cup mixed berries, 1 banana, ½ cup greek yogurt, ¼ cup fruit juice or water, 1 tbsp ground flax seed or chia seed (2 servings)

Melon Heaven – 2 cups cubed honey dew, 1 medium apple (cored), ¼ cup water, 1 tablespoon honey, 2 tbsp almond butter (2 servings)

Tropical Surprise – 1 banana, 2 kiwis (leave skin on for extra fiber), ½ cup coconut greek yogurt or kefir, ½ cup orange juice (2 servings)

Green Monster – 1 banana, 1 cup kale or spinach, 2 kiwis (skin on), 1 cup yogurt or kefir (2 servings)
 
PB & Chocolate Swirl – 1 cup vanilla Greek yogurt, 1 banana, 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp chocolate syrup, splash milk (2 servings)

Come and join us at the next food demo or cooking class. Visit http://verdanthealth.org/ to find a class that fits your schedule. Our Dietitians teach a variety of classes for you and your family. We love to share healthy, fun, and easy recipes for all to enjoy!        

 ~ Amanda