Snacks often tend to be a big part of your child’s diet. It is no wonder then that you are constantly on the lookout for newer recipes that tickle the young ones’ taste buds when hunger strikes. Here are two interesting recipes, one savory and one sweet, that are wholesome, nutritious and flavorful.
Baked multicolored cheesy bell peppers
In less than 30 minutes, you can make this mouthwatering cheesy stuffed multicolored bell peppers that are rich in vitamin C. This snack is loaded with carotenoids that produce antioxidants bell peppers help improve immunity and reduces the risk for developing many types of cancer.
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F. Then gather the following ingredients to make eight servings of these stuffed peppers:
- 4 bell peppers cut into halves
- 8 pods of finely cut garlic cloves
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- Pink himalayan salt
- 1 tablespoon of black pepper powder
- 1 tablespoon of red chili flakes
- 1/2 cup of tomato salsa or regular pizza sauce
- 2 cups of grated mozzarella
- 2 cups of grated parmesan
- Some assorted fresh like parsley, basil, and thyme for garnishing
On a baking tray, spread a clean parchment paper and arrange the halved bell peppers neatly on it. Spray a little olive oil, and sprinkle salt, black pepper powder and red chili flakes on them. Then, start filling the bell pepper cups with a little salsa or pizza sauce; don’t fill more than half. Add a bit of finely cut garlic to all the pepper cups. Sprinkle a generous amount of grated mozzarella and parmesan cheese on the colorful peppers. Now, carefully place the baking tray in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cheese melts. Use mittens to remove the baked multicolored cheesy bell peppers from the oven and place them on serving plates. Garnish with some fresh herbs of your choice and see these colored cups of vegetables disappear into your kids’ stomachs while they are still warm and the cheese is gooey.
Sweet dates and nut balls
For those baby munchkins who have a sweet tooth, these delicious dates and nut balls provide the perfect sweetness without the ill effects of white sugar. You can prepare these desserts in less than five minutes. What’s more, there is no cooking required!
The ingredients you’d need for this dish are a handful of
- Sticky seedless dates
- Roasted almonds
- Roasted cashews
- Roasted pistachios
- Roasted peanuts
- Roasted walnuts
- Green or black raisins
- Dried figs
- Dried apricots
Make sure that everything except the dates are cut into tiny pieces. Take a large plate and gently mash the dates on the clean surface with your fingers. Slowly add the tiny pieces of assorted nuts, and dried fruits to the mashed dates and mix these well.
Enjoy making small bite sized balls of this mixture and watch while your kids gobble up these sweet dates and nut balls that are filled with protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
