I need snack ideas for me.

[ViolaMum]

If you don't have one, a spring loaded ice cream scoop saves a huge amount of time scooping out muffins. (And then they bake so much faster!) I've got two for cookies - the smaller one (1Tb) is just right for mini muffins - and one that's sized perfectly for standard sized muffin/cupcake pans (3Tb). (OXO)

[Laurlor]

I just made these Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bars and cut them in small squares, and keep them in the fridge. Even my picky DS loves them.

[hollybells]

We enjoy tortilla pizzas. Ds2 has declared them to be his "speciality" and he wrote out his own version for dd when she left for university in September.

One thing we found is that tomato sauce makes it ... soggy and led to some unpleasant ripping apart and generally being a mess, likely because of the weight of the toppings. We brush it was just a swipe or two of olive oil, sprinkle a few herbs / seasoning and add veggies / meat / a little shredded cheese or a few crumbles of feta.

I'm not a fan but ds2 loves hummus, peppers and a few whole grain crackers. I keep planning to make my own for him - maybe I'll give it a try this week.

[kiloyd]

Originally Posted by ViolaMum

If you don't have one, a spring loaded ice cream scoop saves a huge amount of time scooping out muffins. (And then they bake so much faster!) I've got two for cookies - the smaller one (1Tb) is just right for mini muffins - and one that's sized perfectly for standard sized muffin/cupcake pans (3Tb). (OXO)

I have a Pampered Chef scoop I use.

---------- Post added at 05:16 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:13 PM ----------

Originally Posted by Laurlor

I just made these Chocolate-Peanut Butter Energy Bars and cut them in small squares, and keep them in the fridge. Even my picky DS loves them.

I've never had dates. Are they in the nut section? What do they taste like?

---------- Post added at 06:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:16 PM ----------

Blueberry Cake

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup demera(raw) sugar
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Mix all and bake in an 8x8 dish at 350 degrees for 40 min to 1 hour.

I haven't made this in a long time, my recipe says to bake about an hour but I don't think it takes the full hour, I'm thinking 45 minutes. Now I want some but have no blueberries!

[Laurlor]

Originally Posted by kiloyd

I've never had dates. Are they in the nut section? What do they taste like?

I had never had them either before making this! I had to look around for them (I live in S. CA and found them at Sprouts), but they were near the dried fruit/nuts. You may have to look at a health food type store? They taste SWEET. Honestly, in this recipe anyway, I can't taste them at all....they just bring the sweetness. These taste like super yummy peanut butter cups! My son is so picky and he loves these!

[kiloyd]

Originally Posted by Laurlor

I had never had them either before making this! I had to look around for them (I live in S. CA and found them at Sprouts), but they were near the dried fruit/nuts. You may have to look at a health food type store? They taste SWEET. Honestly, in this recipe anyway, I can't taste them at all....they just bring the sweetness. These taste like super yummy peanut butter cups! My son is so picky and he loves these!

I don't have a food processor but I do have a personal Ninja blender, going to try using that.

Today I made oatmeal cookies. I make all my cookies with 1/3 less sugar and these with whole wheat flour.

[Maedchen]

If you have a Mediterranean grocery they will have really fresh dates. If you can get past the look (I will not tell you what my daughter said they look like. LOL) They are really good to sweeten a smoothie or bake with. You can stuff them with a nut and dip in chocolate for a delicious sweet. I like to eat them plain.

[ViolaMum]

Dates are sweet! (Think date sugar.) They're the base of homemade Lara bars. I've used dried prunes as a sub, though. I wouldn't be surprised if they would work in other applications. Dried apricots are another good sub for dates in cookie recipes, but they definitely change the flavor profile.

For a national brand (I think it's Sunsweet?) check next to the raisins. If not there, wherever your grocery store stocks figs and more gourmet dried fruits and nuts, usually around the produce. I've even found dates from smaller growers at local discount/off-price stores that are really good. Costco even had them over Christmas. (I buy a lot of them at Christmas. )

Buy dates WHOLE. Chopped dates are coated with sugar or a starch to keep the pieces from sticking together which means they dry out and get hard before they even get to the store.

These cereal bars look interesting.

Or these snack bars.

(I don't think I've ever had a fresh date, only dried. Which is a little weird, because while highly seasonal and also expensive, figs are available fresh, and they are from the same regions.)

[Soliloquy]

I often like a slice of swiss cheese with sweet & hot mustard.

Herring in sour cream (affordable way to get omega 3).

Leftover sweet potato or other leftover vegetables heated up with some salsa and guac or avocado on top. (I buy the bag of cubed, frozen avocado at Costco. They thaw pretty quickly).

I have several recipes for lightly sweet cookies that only have ripe banana, nut butter, oats, and eggs as ingredients. I add chia seeds.

When we want chocolate milk, I often make banana chocolate milk. I add frozen, ripe bananas to milk with cocoa powder (1/2 - 1 Tbsp per cup of milk) and combine in the blender. Add more or less cocoa or banana to taste. You can add chia, flax, or hemp seeds, too.

My favorite snack is a homemade matcha latte. I warm milk on the stove with 1 tsp of sugar. I add matcha powder and blend with my frother. Organic matcha powder is kind of expensive but that drink is $6 at Starbucks!

My dh likes London Fogs. Make earl grey tea and froth with warm half & half.

[kiloyd]

Finally found dates and made those Chocolate PB energy bars. Delicious!!!!! I want to eat lots of them!

[KarenBoo]

This thread makes me hungry!

My favorite snacks (that I can't eat now due to being on AIP diet) are:

• Fage brand full fat Greek yogurt mixed with honey and pecans
  
• Nuts and cheese (my favorite is Costco roasted mixed nuts with a hunk of the Jarlsburg baby swiss cheese.)
  
• Black tea with heavy cream

I think I could actually live off of these! LOL!

[Laurlor]

Originally Posted by kiloyd

Finally found dates and made those Chocolate PB energy bars. Delicious!!!!! I want to eat lots of them!

It's crazy how good they are for being pretty healthy. My son plays football and shared them with a teammate and his mom asked me for the recipe because he loved them so much too!

[kiloyd]

Originally Posted by Laurlor

It's crazy how good they are for being pretty healthy. My son plays football and shared them with a teammate and his mom asked me for the recipe because he loved them so much too!

I know! I made more today and ate 3!