Brown Sugar- Spice Cookies Recipe

These cookies are simple, crispy yet chewy, buttery, and sweet - perfect in a lunch for the kids, or as a treat with your afternoon coffee. They also make great ice cream sandwich cookies.

Adapted from a recipe by Serious Eats. I like to add my favorite spices to this - cinnamon, nutmeg and cardamom. I also will often use 1 cup of whole wheat pastry flour and 1 cup all purpose flour. It adds a bit of fiber and I like the texture of the cookie with the pastry flour. 

Leave some room around each cookie as they do spread. This recipe makes two pans of cookies (12 on each pan) so I refrigerate the second pan while the first bakes. It helps ensure the second batch doesn't spread too much.

Quantity: about 24 cookies

Ingredients

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (7 ounces; 200 grams)
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar, divided (10.5 ounces; 300 grams)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt (3g)
• 1 large egg (50g)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (10ml)
• 2 cups (10 ounces) all-purpose flour (285g) or 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour plus 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder (4g)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (2g)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• ¾ teaspoon ground cardamom

 Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpats.
2. Mix butter, brown sugar, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add in egg and vanilla and stir.
4. Add to the bowl, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom and gently mix until combined.
5. Pour 1 cup raw or turbinado sugar into a separate bowl.
6. Scoop dough using a 1 inch cookie scoop, or about the size of a walnut sized and gently roll in sugar. 
7. Place on cookie sheet and press down slightly to ½ inch thickness. Place 12 on each pan.
8. Bake about 10 minutes - until golden edges appear and the tops have puffed and crinkled a bit.
9. Let cookies cool on pans for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Back to School Lunchs and Snacks Ideas

I've been thinking about lunch and snacks for the kids now that school is back in session. I'm sharing a few of my thoughts  below.

• There are some incredibly talented parents out there that can create amazing bento box lunches. I'm not one of them - no time, no talent. I want healthy, easy to prepare food that my kids will actually EAT - not just a bite. I want it gone. Let me tell you, it doesn't happen often. Having said that, I do find that my kids often like little bits and bites of things for lunch - a few veggies sticks, a few crackers, a couple pieces of meat and a piece of fruit often sees great results. But of course, they go through phases - sandwiches and only sandwiches, absolutely no sandwiches, only hot dishes, o ly cold dishes...blah blah blah. If they make it themselves, they can go for it. If I make it..well, sometimes they get what they want and sometimes they don't.

• Don't forget that left overs are some of your best friends! Any casserole can make a hot lunch the next day. BBQ chicken (or most other meats) can be transformed into a pasta salad, sandwich or fried rice for a relatively easy next day lunch.

• Kids usually eat fast...they want to get out and play. Keep it simple, easy to eat. Most importantly give them things they will actually eat - who loves finding a lunch full of uneaten food??? If they are coming home with 1/2 of it eaten - give them less for a week and see if they are satisfied.

• Try to have things they can choose from - feeling they have control over what goes in their lunch box may decrease the amount of uneaten food that comes back home.

• This will also free up a bit of time for you in the morning - and who doesn't need a couple of extra minutes! Of course this depends on the age of your children and their level of maturity.

• I'm always on the look out for new products the kids might enjoy. Over the summer, I was fortunate enough to be sent Litehouse's new Opadipity dips to try. They come in sweet and savory flavours including creamy ranch, cucumber dill, spinach parmesan, creamy cheesecake, strawberry delight and vanilla almond. We love them - they are also gluten free and have no preservatives! 

• If you're kids like to dip fruits and veggies, I recommend giving them a try. I portion the dips out into small containers so the kids can pick their favorite dip, precut veggies/fruit or breadsticks for a school snack or lunch.

I'm always looking for new lunch and snack ideas, here are a few of mine:

• Peanut free ideas - look here.
• no nut granola
• hard boiled eggs
• homemade muffins
• cereal and yogurt (separate containers)
• Fruit - our favorites
• canteloupe
• apples
• apple sauce
• grapes (cut if required)
• strawberries
• Veggies - our favorites
• carrots
• celery
• fennel
• peppers
• broccoli
• cauliflower
• chicken
• tuna
• salmon
• hardboiled eggs
• rice
• seaweed
• leftovers including cold pizza and pasta
• pita
• bagels
• breadsticks
• cheesesticks
• pre portioned dips
• granola bars
• wagon wheels
• fish crackers
• homemade rice krispies

Chocolate Banana Muffins with Avocado

This is a simple way to make use of overripe bananas and avocados. Feel free to add chocolate chips (1/2-1 cup) for even more chocolate flavor. If chocolate isn't your thing, you can also omit the cocoa and add an additional 1/4 cup of flour (I'd also add 1 tsp cinnamon).

Ingredients

3/4 c overripe banana (2 medium)
1/4 c very ripe avocado (1/2 small)
2 eggs
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 c vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt
3-1/2 tsp baking powder
1 - 3/4 c flour
1/4 c cocoa

12 banana chips (optional)

Instructions

1. Spray 12 muffins tins with nonstick spray.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (if using nonstick or dark colored pan reduce heat to 375 degrees.)
3. In large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil, sugar and vanilla.
4. Stir in banana and avocado.
5. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder.
6. Add flour mixture to liquid ingredients. Stir very gently until just combined.
7. Place approximately 1/4 cup of batter into each tin.
8. If using, place one banana chip on each muffin.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
10. Cool five minutes and remove from tins onto cooling rack.

S'more Snacks Recipe

My son's snack mix was such a hit in our house my 10 yr old daughter decided to get in on the act too. Her's is more of a treat than a healthy snack but the cereal is low in sugar, fat and salt so that makes me feel a little better about it!

She chose a classic s'more mix - chocolate, mini marshmallows and Shreddie(tm) cereal. She threw in some sweetened dried cranberries too.

Ingredients

6 cups cereal - we used Shreddies
2 cups (1 bag) mini Hershey Kisses
2 cups mini marshmallows
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Instructions

Mix everything in a large bowl.
Divide into snack bags - 1/2 c of mix in each bag.
Servings: about 12.

Cinnamon Sugar Baked Tortillas

These tortilla chips are so easy! In fact, they are perfect when you and your kids want to do something together in the kitchen. With a little guidance from you with the cutting and oven handling, you can have a great time together, bake something healthier than the average chip and then eat it together!

All you have to do is pick your favorite tortilla – white, whole wheat, cheese, spinach, tomato …the varieties are endless and add your favorite spices…salt, pepper, garlic, curry, paprika or cinnamon and sugar for a sweet treat.

Today, we used to varieties of tortillas – both white but one was made by Indian Life and the other by Dempster’s. The Indian version had a bit more fat in the tortilla and we found that it came out flakier when baked vs the regular Dempster’s variety. Both were great, just a little different!

Portion control is easier with these snacks than when confronted with an entire bad of chips because you can make as many or as few as you want. And, of course, since you bake them with just spices and a spray of cooking oil they are healthier than regular chips too!

Note: If you want to make your own cinnamon sugar to have on hand just mix 1/2 cup sugar with 1 tbsp of sugar (you can add a bit more if you like it extra cinnamony) and store it.

You may want to go a little lighter on the cinnamon/sugar
than my daughter did!

Ingredients

4-10+ tortillas (depending on how many you want to make)
1/4 c cinnamon sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut tortillas into desired shapes/sizes or just use a pizza cutter to cut up like a pie.
3. Spray large baking pan with a baking spray such as Pam or brush with a small amount of vegetable oil.
4. Place tortillas on pan.
5. Spray/brush tortillas with more spray/oil.
6. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar or other desired seasonings/herbs.
7. Bake for 7-9 minutes (depends on your oven and the size of your tortillas), until golden.
8. Remove from oven and cool.
9. Repeat if you have more tortillas!
10. Store in air tight container. They should last at least a week or more.

Honey Oat Muffins

My kids love these muffins! I thought the cardamom might be a little overwhelming but it isn't. The cardamom flavour is definitely stronger in the batter than in the baked muffin but it still adds a nice little "something-something" to this snack. The honey shines through in this recipe and can be tasted in every bite. You can also use maple syrup instead of honey. Of course, if you want to use less the sugar leave out the chocolate chips.

I've also occasionally used one pack of individual instant oats (any flavour) when I've been out of regular oats. I use whole wheat pastry flour but you can use all-purpose flour though it might make a slightly more dense final product (not that there is anything wrong with that).


Makes 12 muffins.

Ingredients

3/4 cup quick or instant oats
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar or turbinado sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour (all purpose can be substituted)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup plain yogourt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cardamom
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

On medium low heat combine honey, oats, cinnamon, cardamom and vanillla. Heat until honey is warm. Remove from heat.

In large mixing bowl beat together sugar, eggs and oil on medium high speed for 3 minutes.

In small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

Add half the flour mixture to the egg bowl and stir on low speed until just combined. Add the yogourt and mix again. Add the oat mixture and stir. Add the last of the flour and chips. Stir just until combined.

Evenly divide amongst muffins tins and bake for 15-17 minutes until golden and tooth pick test comes out clean.

Cool for ten minutes in tins and then remove muffins from tin and cool completely on wire rack.

Kids Peanut Free Lunch Ideas

There is a strange cloud hanging over my house...and I can see a few more grey clouds over some neighbour's houses too. Yet, the weather man is promising sun shine today... is he wrong again?? No... it's just the kids counting down the last days of summer and freedom before school starts.

Of course, my 7-year old daughter is also looking forward to seeing her friends and nervously excited about who her teacher will be and whether she and her best friend will be in the same class again. And my 5-year son is just beginning kindergarten this year so he is also excited but apprehensive about starting "real" school in a few days. New to our area is full-day kindergarten. Until this year, 5 year olds only attended school for half a day. This means both children need a packed lunch and recess snacks...5 x a week (thus my grey cloud:)!

Coming up with a variety of lunches that they will actually eat and are healthy can be difficult! On top of that, I keep their lunches peanut free (even though they are thankfully allergy-free) because of the prevalence of this allergy which limits many products and "go-to" lunches like PB and J! Of course, the inconvenience is worth it given the alternative of causing an accidental, life-threatening allergy reaction in another child!

I'd thought I'd share my list of ideas just in case anyone else is dreading the "what's for lunch" question. Of course, read every package to ensure it does not contain or come into contact with peanuts.

Peanut free lunch and snack ideas: 

• carrot and cream cheese sandwich or wrap
• cucumber and cream cheese sandwich or wrap
• cold homemade pizza (cheese or vegetarian are healthy options)
• BBQ chicken salad
• pasta salad
• celery stuffed with cream cheese or humous
• crackers and cheese
• yogourt and fruit parfait
• yogourt and breakfast cereal (packed in separate containers)
• tuna salad
• cream cheese and jam sandwich
• cream cheese and strawberry sandwich
• rice salad
• couscous salad
• cereal and milk
• pita and hummous
• nut-free granola
• bagel and deli meat
• cold grilled cheese
• cheddar scones
• homemade fruit leather - click here for recipe!
• mac and cheese
• hard boiled eggs
• cold macaroni salad
• meat ball stuffed pitas
• leftover pancakes and waffles with a side of syrup or jam
• baked beans
• cottage cheese and fruit
• meatloaf sandwich or little meatloaves baked in muffin tins
• veggies, meat, fruit and cheese cubes packed in separate containers or a bento box
• raw veggies and dip
• School Snack Mix

Great substitution ideas for regular bread:

• Bagels or rolls
• Naan
• English muffins
• Bread sticks
• Flat bread
• Pita bread
• Rice cakes
• Buttermilk biscuits
• Melba toast
• Homemade muffins
• Crackers

Bonus idea: To keep food cold, use an ice pack, frozen juice box or frozen yogurt tube in an insulated lunch bag. Use frozen bread for sandwiches (they will thaw by lunch time).
 
And remember there are other names for peanuts:

• Arachide
• Ground nuts
• Arachis oil
• Kernels
• Beer nuts
• Mandelonas, Nu-Nuts
• Cacahouète/cacahouette/cacahuète
• Nut meats
• Goober nuts, goober peas
• Valencias