Storable Snacks - dehydrating fruit and making granola bars

This has been a wonderful summer and looks as though we are heading into a beautiful fall! Each season brings so much to offer and to look forward to. Yay, it’s exciting!! At our house, we have transitioned back into the swing of school schedules, dance and soccer practices, music lessons and earlier bed times. Our days fly by!! I’m sure you can all relate this to your own schedules. Thankfully, I have found ways for us to save time and money using local and online resources. A little digging can go a long way. :)

Each morning I make lunches for my kids to have at school. I’m one of those “mean moms” who wants her kids to have a healthy, clean lunch and balanced snack. Mean, right? These lunches also need to fit within the guidelines for food allergies we’ve been tackling. But, like I said, a little digging can go a long way in finding healthy, alternatives to replace store bought, over processed items-that although still good and convenient, I find myself saving for emergency meltdown situations.

So, luckily I was asked to theme my newsletter around healthy storable snacks. How do you like that for timing? I’m not an expert in any way, but this is what works for us and if it works for you too then that’s GREAT!!


This season we have taken advantage of fruit and vegetable harvests and enjoyed trying lots of new projects and recipes. Usually I do several batches of canned fruit, but we still have so many jars that I didn’t can this year. Instead we dehydrated LOTS of peaches and pears. Great snack to store for long term or short term storage.

We also made several batches of peach fruit leather. There are various recipes and ways to make leather. I have made fruit leather before BUT this year what I did worked better than any recipe or technique. It was easy, tasty and just plain awesome! AND according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, fruit leather will keep up to 1 month at room temperature and up to 1 year in the freezer. (Note from Tammy Price: Without humidity in Idaho, dried fruits and leathers will last a year or more just on your pantry shelf stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag.)

Here is the recipe if you would like to try it.  YUM, YUM! 

Ingredients:

4 Large unpeeled peaches (softball size)

2T Agave

Preparation:

Preheat your oven to 225°. Wash and cut peaches in half. Remove seed. Place unpeeled peaches and agave into a blender and puree until smooth. Pour mixture onto a sprayed baking sheet. Use a spoon or spatula to evenly spread with width and length of baking pan. Be sure to keep it even. Place in oven and bake for 5 hours. Cooking time will vary based on oven and thickness of leather.

After baking the leather, I cut it with a pizza slicer and wrapped them individually and stored them for lunch or snack options. With three young kids, lunches, snacks and lots of little friends over, the leather lasted 30 days in our kitchen. The shelf life is longer but we ran out!

Another great, healthy, storable snack to have on hand that you can make from home is granola bars. We loooove granola bars at our house! And now we make our own! My kids don’t ever prefer the store bought ones anymore! It’s great!! Granola bars are healthy, filling and you most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry to make some. Look online and scroll through recipes that fit your families preferences and tastes. There are SOOOO many out there! Whichever you choose, check the shelf or freezer life. It can range anywhere from a few weeks to several months.

This last spring I stumbled across a recipe. We call them Sprinkle Granola Bars. They are simple no bake, gluten free, vegan, dairy free, organic, no sugar added, no oils, no bake and no salt added. What’s in them? Just healthy yumminess!! Try it if you would like.

Ingredients :

1 C Quick Oats (Organic or gluten free if you prefer)
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Medium Extra Ripe Banana
1 Packet Truvia
4T Powdered Peanut Butter (PB2 works too) Add the Powdered Peanut butter in the powdered form (Do not add water)

Sprinkles, optional

Mix everything together.

Shape into bars.

Add sprinkles for fun color.

I add sprinkles for fun color which is why in our house they are called Sprinkle Granola Bars. But you don’t have to. :) Then I place them in the freezer to harden. After a few hours, I place them in freezer bags or containers and whala all done!

When I pack lunches for school or soccer games, I grab a few and by the time we need them they are soft and chewy! I keep several in my freezer. They last for months. We go through them quickly and it’s so nice to be able to grab a healthy snack for on the go!

I hope you have a chance to take advantage of the fall harvest. It truly is a blessing in our lives to have the resources to become more provident in our living. You can save time, money, and energy from running out to the store to buy the things you already have and that are hopefully healthier for your family in the long run.


Have a great fall season!!

Homemade Fruit by the Foot

Here is a great family experiment that turned out fabulously!

I mixed sugar free jello with applesauce. I did about one quart of applesauce to one small box of jello, but really you can just do it to taste.

I then spread the mixture onto parchment paper as thin and uniform as I could get it right on my dehydrator racks. (I have a huge, old dehydrator that takes a while to get things done, but lets me do huge batches.)

I fit three quarts of applesauce in. We did three different flavors - raspberry, peach, and strawberry-banana.

Here is my big, behemoth! Without a thermostat, it doesn't do as well with evenly drying so I have to rotate the racks, but I can sure get a lot done. I had to leave these in all day and over night.

Here is my more common sized dehydrator with a thermostat. It probably would have dried a batch in about 6 hours so I could have completed just as much in the same amount of time I just would have had to refill it a few times - and worry about getting up after only 6 hours of sleep to turn it off. It also has round trays so the parchment paper would have had to be trimmed and it wouldn't do the long "fruit by the foot" I was imagining. I opted for the big behemoth.

When it was thoroughly dry and leathery, I cut it in long strips.

Rolled them up.

And packaged them all ready for school lunches. So easy, no sugar added, rolls of sweet goodness - 

The kids have been loving them!

Chewy "Healthy" Chocolate Chip Cookies

I finally snagged some time to post this recipe you have all been asking for. These are the most amazing tasting chocolate chip cookies! No one ever believes that they are lower in sugar and contain only half the fat of a traditional recipe. They are also egg-free, which for some is important.

Chewy "Healthy" Chocolate Chip Cookies
You and your kids can eat all the dough they would like since there are no eggs! These cookies are lower in sugar, lower in fat, and lower in cholesterol. You can't get much healthier than that and still enjoy a cookie! This is the result of a year's worth of experiments. I'm so glad I didn't give up!
½ cup butter	2 tsp baking soda
½ cup white bean puree	1 Tbsp vanilla
⅔ cup sugar	¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup brown sugar, packed	1 cup chocolate chips
3 cups all-purpose flour	Oatmeal, coconut, chopped nuts (optional)
Cream together butter, bean puree and sugars. Add flour, baking soda, and vanilla. It will look pretty dry at this point. Slowly add in the oil and mix until it has pulled together into cookie dough consistency. Stir in chocolate chips and any other optional ingredients you'd like. Roll into balls and place on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° F for 8–10 minutes. Pull them out of the oven just as they are beginning to turn light brown in a couple of spots. They still look pretty doughy overall. Allow to rest on baking sheet for about 5 minutes to set and them move to a wire rack to cool. Makes 3 dozen.

Here it is just before adding the oil.

Slowly add the oil, and watch the dough pull together. (I have also made these cookies using 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour and 1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour. When I use the whole wheat flour, I sometimes have to add just a touch more oil to see the dough come together.)

Here it is all ready for chocolate. Isn't it beautiful!

Add the chips and any other goodies you would like.

I always roll some of the dough up in plastic wrap and freeze to bake later.

Form into balls by pressing the dough together. Place on a baking sheet and flatten slightly with your hand.

Bake for about 8 minutes. You just want them to barely be turning brown. They still look quite fluffy. Allow them to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes after pulling them from the oven so they can finish the baking process.

Cool on a wire rack.

This recipe consistently make these gorgeous cookies!

Sometimes I bake a few trays of just plain chocolate chip cookies, and then I add some other goodies to the rest of the dough. Here I added oatmeal, coconut, and chopped pecans. Be careful not to add too much or else you won't be able to press the dough together into a ball. (This batch was right on the edge of too much.)

I was still able to press the dough together, but the cookies didn't spread out much on the tray. They were still good, but know that you have been fairly warned - too much of a good thing can be too much. Enjoy!

Homemade Kettle Corn

Who doesn't love the kettle corn you can buy at the fair or other sporting events? It's just a little sweet and a bit salty - a combination we all go for. It is also very simple and inexpensive to make. It costs $5 around here for a bag of it from one of the food booths. I can make it for mere pennies and in a matter of minutes. It is an often requested snack around here.

It takes 1/4 cup hot oil, 1/4 cup brown or white sugar, and 1/2 cup popcorn seed.

It's helpful to have a Whirley-pop pan, but not necessary. (We found ours at the thrift store for $3.) You can just use a large pot with a lid and shake it over the burner until all the popcorn is popped.

When it is done popping, transfer to a bowl and sprinkle in a little salt while it is still warm. Stir to make sure the popcorn doesn't stick together as it cools. 

We use this as a snack often. We have also made batches to share with teachers or friends for gifts. It is great to give those who need a gluten-free snack or dessert. It is inexpensive,easy, and loved by all - what are you waiting for? Give it a try this week.

Homemade Kettle Corn
¼ cup oil	½ cup popcorn seed
¼ cup brown sugar, packed	Salt
Heat oil in bottom of a large, covered pan. We use a special Whirley-pop pan made for doing popcorn on the stove, but you can use a regular pan. Drop in 3 popcorn kernels. When the kernels pop, the oil is ready. Quickly add the brown sugar and popcorn seed. Replace the lid. If using a Whirley-pop pan, twist the handle until all popcorn is popped. If using a regular pan, shake the pan back and forth on the burner until all kernels are popped. Pour popcorn into a large bowl and add a little salt. Mix the popcorn with your hands as it cools so it doesn't stick together. You can use white sugar in place of the brown sugar. It gives it more of a popcorn ball flavor instead of a caramel flavor.

Easy Snacks for Summer or School Lunches

Summer is upon us and is a great time to prepare for the next school year.

Work with your kids to make a list of favorite snacks and treats. During the summer experiment with new recipes. Near the end of summer, make batches of your favorites with your kids. Wrap them individually or bag them. Put them in storage bags or containers and into the freezer. You have just simplified your morning routine and hopefully made some memorable summer moments. Time in the kitchen with my kids is always memorable!! By making  the snacks ahead of time you can plan healthy and  money saving snacks for the lunches.

Ideas for snacks

Peanut butter in a cup with pretzels, apples or celery to dip

Make our own lunchables: crackers, cheese slices and ham or pepperoni

Dried fruit or fruit leather                             mini muffins

Homemade granola bars                                 breadsticks

Most anything made at home can be sent in a lunch. Some children thrive on taking the most unordinary to lunch with them. Involve the kids and let your imagination work for you. Keep it simple and keep it fun. While preparing, you might also find how easy it is to keep it healthy.

Recipes can be found from kid cookbooks or online. Here are a few to try. Enjoy your summer and when those dog days come, get ready for school in the kitchen.

Curveball Crunch – makes six servings

8 cups popped popcorn            

3 cups miniature pretzels

1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

2 tbsp  butter

½ cup brown sugar

1 tbsp maple syrup

Have your kids measure popcorn, pretzels, and peanuts into large mixing bowl.

Make toffee syrup by melting butter in saucepan over low heat. Use a wooden spoon to stir in brown sugar. Stir continuously until mixture bubbles.

Remove from heat and add in maple syrup to form smooth toffee syrup.

Drizzle syrup over popcorn mixture slowly tossing ingredients as you go to coat evenly.

Cool mixture and place serving portions in plastic bags. Roll the mixture to form a ball.

Cream Puffs

1 cup boiling water

1 cup flour

4 eggs

½ cup butter

½ tsp salt

 Melt butter in boiling water. Add flour and salt all at once. Stir until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each one.  Drop batter by tablespoons on greased cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Make round as possible. Size can range from bite size to individual roll size.

Bake 15 minutes at 450*. Then lower heat to 300* baking for 25 minutes. When cool, cut and fill with pudding, salad, cream cheese mixture.

Very versatile. May freeze. Or store in airtight container unfilled.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 ½ cup flour

¼ tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1 cup chocolate chips

½ tsp salt

½ tsp vanilla

Mix  all wet ingredients, then add the dry. Spoon cookie dough onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350* for 10 -12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

No Bake Granola Bars

2 ½ cups Rice Krispies cereal

2 cups quick cook oats

½ cup raisins or craisins

½ cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup  light corn syrup

½ cup peanut butter

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup chocolate chips

Combine first three ingredients in a large bowl. Bring brown sugar, syrup to a boil in small pan. Remove from heat add peanut butter, vanilla. Pour over cereal. Cool 10 minutes add chips. Press into 9x13 pan. Cool and cut into bars.

Dehydrating Peaches or Pears

I'm behind in getting these pictures posted. Hopefully, you can still find some pears. The best peaches are done for the year in our area, but you may be able to still find some nectarines and you can dry them the same way.

Wash the fruit. Slice and remove the core. Slice into thin pieces, trying to keep them as uniform in thickness as possible.

Spread out on your dehydrator tray.

Here is a close-up that allows you to see about how thick to cut them.

Dry for 4-6 hours until leathery to the touch.

Slice peaches in a similar fashion. My favorite peach variety to dehydrate is the O'Henry. They are so sweet!

Here they are all dried.

Remove the dry slices from the tray and store in a ziplock bag for a year or more. It is hard to keep dried fruit that long at our house. The kids love it! It is a quick and convenient way to send fruit in their lunches. It also works great in the diaper bag for younger kids. When my sweet tooth acts up and I go to the pantry searching for a treat, I often grab some dried fruit. It gives me the sweetness I am craving, but none of the empty carbs.

Storable Snack or Dessert - Chewy (egg-free) Molasses Cookies

If you love ginger snaps, you'll love the flavor of this chewy cookie. It's a molasses cookie with a snickerdoodle texture. They are a Fall favorite at our house and at the many potluck events we attend this time of year. I altered the recipe to make them more healthy but I didn't have to give up any flavor or texture. No one will ever guess that these cookies have half the fat of their original counterparts!

Begin by creaming the butter, bean puree, molasses and brown sugar. In these photos, I am doubling the recipe. The dough freezes so well that I like to fill my mixer and have some waiting to bake another day.

Add the flour - I used hard white wheat to grind into the wheat flour. The mix of wheat and white flour adds whole grain without making the cookie too dry.

Add the remaining dry ingredients.

Drizzle the oil in a little at a time as the dough pulls together.

Roll into balls and then in granulated sugar.

Place on a greased baking sheet.

Smash down slightly with the base of a glass.

Bake at 350 for 9 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire rack. You can freeze the cookies once they are cooked.

You can also freeze the dough before you bake it. I just wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and place in the freezer. It thaws pretty quickly the day I want to bake it.

Chewy (egg-free) Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup white bean puree

2 cups brown sugar, loose

1/2 cup molasses (mild flavored)

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 cups white flour

4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp ginger

1 tsp ground cloves

2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup oil

Cream together the butter, bean puree, brown sugar and molasses. Do not pack the brown sugar when you are measuring it - this is a change from most recipes. Add the dry ingredients. Begin to mix the dough with your mixer and drizzle the oil a little at a time until it pulls together into a soft dough. Roll into balls and then roll in granulated sugar. Place on a greased baking sheet and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes. Do not over bake. Cool on a wire rack. Makes about 5 dozen.

Chunky Cinnamon Applesauce

Apple season isn't over for us until I have made some of this delicious chunky applesauce. It is so yummy straight from the bottle! We love to serve it over waffles for breakfast. It is also delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream for dessert. I love having a couple dozen of these bottles in my storage every year.

Begin by peeling your apples. Be sure to use an apple variety that will hold its shape after cooking. Some varieties are really only good for making sauce once they are cooked. My dad has red and golden delicious trees so I usually make this chunky sauce out of the apples we pick at his house. But many other varieties would work also.

Core and chop your apples.

Put the chopped apples in a pan of water. You want to keep the apples covered with water so they don't turn brown.

Drop a few vitamin C tablets in the water and let them dissolve. This also helps in keeping the apples from turning brown. You could use Fruit Fresh instead, but it is a lot more expensive and it never hurts to have extra vitamin C in our diet.

Once your pot is full, turn on high and bring to a boil. Cook until the apples are soft.

Drain, but reserve the juice so you can add some back if needed.

You'll add cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar to taste. I usually add about 1 tsp vanilla to a large pot and about the same amount of cinnamon. I then add sugar and taste.

Mix everything together with a potato masher. Mash some of the apples, but leave it chunky.

Here's my finished pot. I didn't add any juice back to this batch. The consistency was just right. Save the juice and let it cool down. My kids love to drink it.

Ladle into jars. Each pot only does 3-4 quarts. I store my bottles in the fridge and work on this project over a few days time until I have enough to fill my cooker.

Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Adjust for altitude if necessary.

Chunky Applesauce
Apples	Sugar
Vitamin C	Cinnamon
Water	Vanilla
Fill a large pan half full with water. Dissolve 3–4 vitamin C tablets into the water (or use Fruit Fresh to keep apples a light color.) Peel and chop your apples. (Choose a good cooking variety that will hold its shape when cooked. My parents have red and golden delicious trees so I usually use these varieties.) Add to the water. Make sure your apples stay covered with water. Bring to a boil. Simmer a few minutes until apples are tender. Remove from heat and drain most of the liquid off into another pan. I reserve the liquid to use with another batch of apples or to add a little back to my batch to get the right consistency. Mash warm apples just a bit with a potato masher. Add a little juice back in with apples, if needed to obtain the desired consistency. Sweeten to taste with sugar and cinnamon and just a touch of vanilla. Ladle into warm jars and process quarts for 20 minutes. Adjust time for elevation as needed.