School is back in full swing, and with that comes a lot of extra planning and things to do on a daily basis – outfits laid out the night before, homework done, lunches packed, etc. They?re off to school with everything they need, but then there?s another to-do list for when they get home. And as all parents know, before homework is done and the kids go outside to play or off to practices, they?ll need a quick snack. Not only do granola bars and cookies get old after a while, but they?re not the healthiest and smartest choice for fit kids. So, let?s change things up a bit and fuel our kids properly for their post-school activities with these yummy Paleo snacks!
Chocolate Coconut Balls
2 C nuts of your choice (my favorite mix is: 1 cup almonds, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/2 cup walnuts)
1 T cocoa
1 T honey (raw or agave)
1 T coconut oil
1/4 C unsweetened coconut flakes
Extra coconut flakes (about 1 cup)
Put nuts into food processor or blender, process/blend until it’s fine. Put nut ‘flour’ into bowl. Mix in cocoa, honey, coconut oil and 1/4 cup coconut flakes. You may have to mix with your hands to ensure everything is blended well. Once mixture is well blended, roll/smash into truffle-sized balls. They don’t exactly roll easily, so you’ll have to put them in your fist and ball them up. Once nice and round, roll ball into excess coconut flakes to coat surface. Balls will fit perfectly into a mini-muffin pan. Once all balls are made, put them in the fridge to set. Makes between 10 and 12 balls.
You can also add protein powder (1 T) into the mix for a little protein boost.
Primal Trail Mix
1 C raw or roasted almonds
1 C pumpkin seeds
1/2 C sunflower seeds
1 C blueberries
1/2 C raisins
1 package beef or turkey jerkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
Combine all ingredients in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place.
Apple Chips
2 C unsweetened apple juice (if possible, juice your own)
1 cinnamon stick
2 large apples
In a large pot, combine apple juice and cinnamon stick and bring to a low boil. Meanwhile, remove top and bottom of apple and slice crosswise to make 1/8 thick ?chips.? With a slotted spatula, place apples into boiling juice and cook 4-5 minutes or until apples become near translucent. Use the spatula to remove apple slices from juice and place on a clean kitchen towel and pat dry. Arrange slices on a cake cooling rack placed on a cookie sheet (to catch drips!) and place racks on middle shelf in 250 degree oven. Bake 30-40 minutes until apple slices turn golden brown and are almost dry to the touch. Let cool and serve either as is, or with a light dusting of cinnamon.
Almond-Crusted Chicken Nuggets
4 – 8 free range chicken breasts cut into nugget-size pieces (will allow for plenty of leftovers)
Approx. 1/2 C raw almonds
1/2 C almond flour
1/4 C coconut flour (optional)
1 tsp smoked paprika (you can use regular, but you’ll miss out on flavor)
Sea salt to taste
Choice of pepper seasoning (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Pulse almonds in food processor until finely diced. Place all ingredients in large Ziploc bag and mix thoroughly.?Drop 5-6 pieces of chicken at a time in bag, shake until pieces are covered. Place on baking sheet that has been lightly brushed with coconut oil.?Bake in preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until chicken is golden brown.
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Jackson just hangin’ around! Click here to check out more photos on flickr!
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