Tags: Books DIY Mom of Boys No Cook Meals Quick Recipes Surviving Summer
Around-the-clock snacking isn’t big in our house, but Liev does get a small snack everyday around four in the afternoon. There’s a big gap between lunch and dinner so a small snack tides him over. Afraid of spoiling his appetite for dinner, I’m constantly looking for light but healthy-ish snack options.
Being a lover of bread, like his father, I know that anything bread-based is going to be a home run in his book. We were out and about one day when we stopped at the coffee shop for an afternoon coffee and snack break. Liev tasted a chocolate croissant for the first time that I’m pretty sure was love at first bite. I don’t know how to make homemade croissants, it’s WAY above my skill level, so I tried to come up with a way to replicate the flavors of a chocolate croissant without having to bake them myself. I came up with two options:
NUTELLA CROISSANT: This option is by far my favorite because it’s SO SIMPLE. Take a tube of Pillsbury croissant dough and spread Nutella on the dough before you roll them up to bake. Bake as recommended and enjoy. OR…take a store-bought plain croissant (you can usually find them in the bakery section), slice it in half like sandwich bread, and toast it in a toaster just long enough to warm it. About 15-20 seconds. Spread Nutella on both pieces, close like a sandwich and ENJOY! A side note: croissants are extremely flaky so if you’re giving it to your little one you might want to make sure he/she is in a highchair to manage the mess.
Disclaimer: Please note that the link is an affiliate link and I will earn a commission if you purchase through this link. I read the linked book and highly recommend it.
DARK CHOCOLATE BAGUETTE: I read a book called “French Kids Eat Everything” by Karen Le Billon—a wonderful book I highly recommend—she explained that this recipe was a favorite snack among French children. I can understand why. Take a warm baguette and slice it into four pieces. Run a knife along the side, just deep enough to create an opening along the side of each piece. Butter the inside of the baguette and place small chunks of high quality dark chocolate inside the baguette. Let all that buttery, chocolaty goodness melt and ENJOY! If your baguette isn’t warm, you can place it in a 200-degree oven for a few minutes to warm it up. A small note about the dark chocolate as well: your chocolate should be high quality and no less than 70% cocoa.
During the summer, I try to change it up. Liev is a huge fruit lover, so these next two recipes are staples in our house during those hot summer months:
CHOCOLATE BANANAS: Slice two or three bananas into medallions. Melt dark chocolate in a double boiler. {Double boiler – place a glass bowl on top of a sauce pan of steady (but not rapid) boiling water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water, but is large enough to sit firmly on top of the saucepan. Put your chocolate in the glass bowl and stir constantly until completely smooth.} Once your chocolate is completely melted, dip your banana medallions in the chocolate and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet with the chocolate covered bananas into the freezer until frozen (about two hours). Once frozen, place them in a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to two weeks (not that these yummy treats will last that long).
YOGURT DIPPED BLUEBERRIES: Wash and dry a pint of fresh blueberries. Using a toothpick, dip the blueberries in yogurt. I used strawberry flavored yogurt for this batch because we had it in the fridge, but feel free to use whatever you have on hand. Place the dipped blueberries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the freezer until frozen (about two hours). Once frozen, place them in a plastic freezer bag and store in the freezer for up to two weeks. (NOTE: This same recipe can be used with raisins instead of blueberries).
