Snacks | Wholesome Mommy :: by the Centsible Sawyer

Category Archives: Snacks

Recipe: Frozen Banana BonBons

Written on May 8, 2012 by Denisesawyer in Dessert, Snacks, Uncategorized, Wholesome Recipes

Here’s a little late night snack that you are going to love! Chocolate Covered Banana Bonbons. Yum. Yum.

You know those chocolate covered bananas that you can buy at chocolate shops and ice cream parlors? Well this is better.

Why? Because you can make them to order. Add some chopped nuts or Biscoff spread and you’be got something special!

Here’s what I did:

Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave at half power or over a double boiler. Slice up a banana (or two or three).

For plain banana bonbons just dip the banana into the chocolate and then place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze until hard.

For biscoff and chocolate banana bonbons spread a dollop of Biscoff spread on the top of a banana slice. Dip into chocolate (I actually found it easier to drop a spoonful of chocolate on top and then spread it around rather than dipping). Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Freeze until hard.

Sprinkle either type with a few chopped almonds for a fancier look and for a little texture.

This is a great summer time treat you can pull out of the freezer. You can pull out just a few or a bunch depending on how many you/your guests want!

Can you think of other yummy variations?

*Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom. This post is sponsored by Walmart. Walmart has provided me with product and/or compensation in exchange for my time and efforts in creating this post. My participation is voluntary. As always, my opinion is my own.

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Chocolate Covered Biscoff Pretzel Bites

Written on April 17, 2012 by Denisesawyer in Snacks, Uncategorized, Wholesome Recipes

Are you familiar with Biscoff cookies? If you’ve flown in a plane anytime during the past few decades then you’ve had them. There those delicious little cinnamon cookies that were/are served to the passengers. They used to be a staple, now that airlines have cut their costs they aren’t a given. I remember the first time I had a pack of Biscoff cookies. I was pleaseantly suprised by how delicious they were. I thought they would be icky gingerbread cookies (I am not a fan) but they were delicious! I wished I had a few more!

Well now those delicious little cookies from Belgium can be found on the Walmart shelves along with a fantastic spread that tastes like (and is made from!) those delicious little cookies! The spread comes in two varieties: chunky and smooth – just like peanut butter. But, this is ANYTHING but peanut butter. Actually, it doesn’t even contain peanuts! It is a vegan product. And, while it isn’t a health food, it makes a delicious little treat spread on apples, pretzels, sliced pears, waffles, pancakes, and crepes (and this is just what we tried it on!).

It is also fabulous spread across theose little Biscoff cookies. The cookies come prepackaged with two cookies in a pack which makes them a great little lunchbox treat. {Portion control! I need it with these things!}

We used the Biscoff spread to make a little treat of our own: Chocolate covered Biscoff Pretzel Bites. Here’s our video how to:

You need:

A jar of Biscoff creamy spread
Some small pretzels (we used Snyders)
Melted Chocolate for dipping

Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. Spread the Biscoff spread over one pretzel and then snap another on top making a little pretzel sandwich. Dip one side of the pretzel sandwich in the chocolate and lay it on wax paper to dry. Viola! A tasty little late night treat! (:

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SweeTango Apples – Mmmm!

Written on September 30, 2011 by Denisesawyer in Dessert, Product Reviews & Giveaways, Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

We are major fruit eaters at our house. I always have fresh fruit in the house because it is something I can be certain Judah will eat. When he’s being picky and only eating small bites here and there I love knowing I can give him some apple slices, mandarin oranges, clementines, berries, among other fruits and he’ll gobble them up.

That’s why I jumped at the opportunity to review the new SweeTango apples when Walmart asked if I was interested. SweeTango is a new variety of apples produced over the last decade by agriculture professors at the University of Minnesota. This new apple variety has been a labor of love for the university and a network of family-owned orchards to grow these apples. These apples are being grown in Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Washington states.

The SweeTango apple was available last year – but in limited quantities and only in certain regions of the country. They are expecting a crop three times as large this fall and beginning this September they will be available at Walmart stores across the country. Be on the look out, they may not be called out but you will know them by their stickers – they will say SweeTango.

I love apples and make a special trip to the local orchards here each fall with my family. It is something we look forward to. But, there is nothing I hate worse than a mealy apple. So, I was thrilled when I bit into my first SweeTango apple. It is a cross between the Honeycrisp and the Zestar apples. It is very crispy and both sweet and tart at the same time. I think it is very similar to the taste of a Fugi (which is my favorite) but it has a nice tart background flavor that the Fugi doesn’t have – kind of like a Granny Smith.

However you explain it, it is delicious. I know I’m not the only one enjoying these apples because they are quickly vanishing from our produce drawer!

They are fabulous by themselves and make a great fruit to throw in a lunch box or in your purse as you run out the door, but Judah and I make them special by dipping them in our favorite marshmallow dip. I slice a SweeTango apple up and a few spoonfuls of this dip and we enjoy it as a quick before bedtime snack while I read him a bedtime story. If you’d like to give our dip a try, it is quite simple:

:: Marshmallow Fruit Dip

1 container (the small/regular size) marshmallow cream
1 (8 oz) block of cream cheese (at room temperature)

Blend the two ingredients together with a mixer and chill. Serve with any kind of fruit – apples, grapes, and strawberries are our favorites!

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Cherry Limeade

Written on July 12, 2011 by Denisesawyer in Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

It is so hot and keeping hydrated is important. But, this mama gets bored with just plain water and we’ve kicked our soda habit. So, what do I do to keep it interesting and fun? You can bet I’ll have a pitcher of lemonade, limeade, or tea in the fridge. But, even then it seems like same ol’, same ol’ so I keep it interesting by adding flavors. Some of our favorites are cherry limeade, strawberry lemonade, and mint tea.

These drinks are great as is, but to make a real treat I pop them in my counter top ice cream maker and let them take a spin for a few minutes. In no time I have a delicious slushy!

:: Cherry Limeade

4 or 5 limes
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp maraschino cherry juice (from a jar of maraschino cherries)
4 or 5 cherries
slices of lime or picks with cherries for garnish {optional}

Squeeze limes and add to pitcher. Add sugar to the pitcher. Heat 2 cups of water in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Add to the pitcher and stir to dissolve the sugar. Add maraschino cherry juice and cherries and enough water to fill to 2 quart line. Stir and refrigerate. This is great immediately – but I prefer it after it has gotten really chilled {even better the next day!}

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Summer Snacks: Smoothies & Milkshakes

Written on June 23, 2011 by Denisesawyer in Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

Summer is here and that means it is stinkin’ hot! LOL. Apparently that doesn’t slow down a toddler’s appetite though, so I’ve been trying a few old favorites and lots of new recipes for treats and snacks to keep Judah happy and the house cool!

This week we mixed up a batch of homemade milk shakes! Since Judah can be finicky about drinking milk I often have to get creative to make sure he is getting all the dairy he needs. I make sure to give him lots of cheese, yogurt, homemade pudding, ice cream,smoothies, and milkshakes- all of which he loves. Of course, nothing beats a good, cold glass of milk – unless of course you’re name is Judah and you refuse to drink it!

So we make smoothies a couple times a week and this week’s treat was a strawberry milkshake. Or, as Judah calls it “pink juice.” I love smoothies because you can use whatever fruit and yogurt you have along with a splash of milk and you’ve got a delicious smoothie – no real measuring required and you can’t screw it up!

Here are some of our favorites:

:: Georgia Sunshine Smoothie

Frozen (from fresh) peaches
Frozen pineapple chunks
a good splash of orange juice (enough to make the blender go and to make the smoothie drinkable!)

Add all the ingredients to the blender and blend until smooth! *If you are using fresh fruit instead of frozen be sure to add a few ice cubes!

And, of course Judah’s favorite – “pink juice” aka Strawberry milk shake – (he woke me up the other morning asking for “pink juice” before I even had a chance to open my eyelids! Of course, to Judah, strawberry milkshakes and smoothies are all the same – he likes them all!)

:: Double Berry Strawberry Milkshake

3 or 4 fresh, organic strawberries cut into chunks
A big scoop of homemade strawberry ice cream
A splash of organic whole milk

Add all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth!
You could absolutely use frozen strawberries – you might need to add a little more milk.

This post is part of a series I am doing on summer snacks. You can see some of the other fun snacks Judah and I are cooking up by clicking these links to Homemade Caramel Corn and All Fruit Peach & Pomegranate Popsicles.

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Summer Snacks: Homemade Caramel Corn

Written on June 14, 2011 by Denisesawyer in Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

Summer is here and although I love to bake, I just can’t bring myself to crank the oven on very often. But, Judah loves to snack so wholesome snacks are a must, so that called for me to do a little searching through my recipes to find delicious snacks that I can make without heating the house with the oven.

Of course, summer is the season for fruit and Judah would practically live on it so we keep a ton of it in our fridge: grapes, strawberries, blueberries, apples, and bananas and soon we’ll have melons! Judah also loves yogurt and Laughing Cow Cheese wedges with pretzels. But, I also like to keep a few homemade things around, like popsicles, fruit dip, caramel sauce, and this week caramel corn!

This is the first time I’ve made caramel corn and I was thrilled to find out it isn’t hard and it comes together pretty quickly! The taste is fabulous – kind of like Crunch n’ Munch – only better (and with ingredients I control!). I used organic popcorn that I bought in bulk at Earth Fare – it is very cheap this way – cheaper than microwave popcorn- and its GMO free!

:: Caramel Corn

1 tsp vegetable oil (next time I’m going to experiment with coconut oil)
1/2 cup organic unpopped popcorn kernels
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
2 Tbps butter, cut into butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
*Optional: 1 cup dry roasted peanuts or other nuts

Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Warm oil in a large pot over high heat. Add popcorn, cover and cook, until all popcorn is popped. Transfer to a bowl and if using peanuts, go ahead and pour them in.

In another pot combine 1/4 cup water with the sugar and corn syrup. Bring to a boil and then reduce to medium and cook without stirring until mixture turns a light amber color.

Remove the mixture from the heat and add in the butter, vanilla, and salt. Stir it all together. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and stir it gently around to ensure it coats all of the popcorn (you’ll need to work quickly!).

Scrape the popcorn out onto the prepared baking sheet to cool. After it has cooled about 15 minutes break it into pieces and place it into an airtight container.

My family prefers it without nuts. I put ours into a glass jar that I bought at Walmart that is great for storing snacks and has a screw top lid. It has lasted over a week and a half and still tastes fresh! It was a huge hit and since it really isn’t time consuming I am sure I’ll make this several times this summer!

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Summer Snacks

Written on June 8, 2011 by Denisesawyer in Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

Summer is here and it is HOT here in Georgia! That hasn’t slowed Judah’s appetite for snacks though so I had to do a little digging in my recipe binder to find homemade treats that don’t require baking. I made a whole list of yummy snacks I can’t wait to make that are both delicious and will keep me away from the hot oven!

I’m going to share the whole list with you here in this post but I’ll share a new recipe with you each week! If you see a particular item you just can’t wait to try, write a comment and I’ll be sure to post it first so you don’t have to wait!

All fruit Peach & Pomegranate popsicles
Homemade Fudgy Fudgsicles
Addictive Chocolate Cinnamon Mousse
Homemade Caramel Corn
Luscious Cream Puffs
Strawberry Vanilla Creampops
Apples & Homemade Caramel Dip
Shirley Temple Banana Pina Coladas
Chocolate Fondue
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Strawberry Lemonade
Lem-Orange Ice
Strawberry Ice Cream
Frosty Chocolate Ice Cream

Here’s one of our new favorites:

:: All Fruit Peach & Pomegranate Popsicles

1 qt of frozen fresh peaches (sliced)* in sugar
Pom Pomegranate Juice

I had some fresh peaches that I put away in the freezer last summer by cutting them up and putting a little sprinkling of sugar on them. I have used them in the past for cobblers, muffins, and smoothies. I decided to make them into popsicles this time! You could use canned peaches or store bought frozen if you don’t have fresh. Of course, you can’t beat fresh!

I thawed them out just a little by running warm water over the bag. Then, I put them in the food processor and blended them all up. I placed the peach puree in popsicle molds and let just a little space at the top.

I poured a small amount of pomegranate juice into the molds before sealing them up and popping them into the freezer. These are delicious! Similar to the all fruit popsicles you can buy at the store…only better!

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Cranberry, Orange, & Pecan Muffins

Written on November 9, 2010 by Denisesawyer in Bread, Main Dishes, Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

Every year after Thanksgiving I stock up on fresh cranberries. Often stores are trying to get rid of them and they mark them down tremendously (last year I scored several bags for 99 cents!). I toss them in my freezer and I can make all sorts of yummy goodies year round – even when cranberries aren’t available. Here is one of my favorite ways to use them:

Cranberry, Orange, Pecan Muffins

1 1/2 cups chopped fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1 cup chopped pecans
1 Tbsp grated orange peel

Toss cranberries with 1/4 cup of sugar in a bowl and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with baking spray or paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and remaining 1 cup sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs. Combine eggs with milk and stir into flour mixture until just moistened. Gently fold in cranberries, pecans, and orange peel.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Makes about 18 muffins.

*Note: These can be frozen and are delicious! I pop the extras in a gallon sized freezer bag and when I need a quick breakfast I take a couple out and microwave them for 30 seconds. Then, I put them in the toaster oven until warmed through. They taste just like they were fresh baked!

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Pumpkin Donut Muffins

Written on November 7, 2010 by Denisesawyer in Bread, Dessert, Snacks, Wholesome Recipes

Oh my word. These are delicious! They are a cross between a muffin and a donut, and this hybrid is delicious hot, cold, with sugar, without, for breakfast, or dessert! They aren’t that hard to whip up and it makes a ton! You’ll want to share them, make them for a crowd, or don’t put the cinnamon sugar on them and you can freeze them and have them anytime you want!

Pumpkin Donut Muffins

10 Tbsp butter, room temp
3 cups all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1/3 cup butter milk (or 1/3 cup milk + tsp lemon juice)
1 1/4 cups canned pumpkin
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 eggs

For the sugar coating:
1 c. granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with cooking spray OR butter and flour pans.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and allspice in one bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin and butter milk with electric mixer. In a third bowl whip brown sugar and butter until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low begin to add in flour and pumpkin mixtures alternating. Add the flour in three additions and the pumpkin in two additions. Beat to combine.

Spoon batter into mini muffin pans and bake until toothpick inserted comes out clean (about 15 minutes). Allow muffins to cool slightly. Combine sugar and cinnamon for coating. Brush each muffin with melted butter and then toss in cinnamon sugar mixture. ( I combined my cinnamon and sugar in a gallon sized resealable bag so that I could toss in a few muffins and shake the coating onto them). Place muffins on wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 1 day. If you can’t eat all of these at once (and it makes about 48 mini muffins!) then I suggest placing the muffins in a ziploc bag before putting the coating on and then add the coating before you serve them in subsequent days. If you aren’t going to finish them in a few days, you could freeze them before coating them with cinnamon sugar for up to 3 months. Reheat at 350 and then coat in butter and cinnamon sugar.

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Red Candied Apples – A How To!

Written on October 26, 2010 by Denisesawyer in Dessert, Snacks, Wholesome Fun, Wholesome Recipes

When I think of Fall I think of all the wonderful local craft fairs that happen in my area. And when I think of fairs… I think of fair food! And, oh how I LOVE fair food. (Secretly, it is the reason I go to fairs!)

I decided I would try to make some of my own “fair food.” So, I thought, “hmmm… my mom makes wonderful funnel cakes from scratch, I already know how to make homemade caramel, a real challenge would be candied apples!” So, I hunted all over the web for a good RED candied apple recipe. I found tons of them that called for using red hots. But, the candied apples I remember were sweet like a lollipop, maybe a hint of cherry…not cinnamon! So, I continued on my hunt for the perfect candied apples. And, I found a good one but then I tweaked it to make it PERFECT.

These candied apples are a beautiful, glassy, red, and they taste just like I remember! This is my very first time making candied apples and I’m happy to report that it really isn’t hard to do! The trick is you MUST have a candy thermometer. They are really cheap and you can even get one at Walmart – but I’m telling you it is NECESSARY. Many people online reported sticky apples. The trick to perfect, crackling red candied apples is in getting the sugary red liquid to the right temperature.

Remember when I told you about harvesting TONS of local, forgotten apples? I froze some for apple pies, desserts, and muffins, and I made applesauce and canned it. I also put a huge sack of them in my refrigerator for eating… and making candied apples. They aren’t perfect, beautiful apples like you get at the grocery store, but they are delicious. You’ll see the blemishes in my pictures because the glassy, red candy coating is just a little see through. To get a more solid red coating, I think you could let the apples dry and redip them a second time. But, they were terrific with just one dunk!

Here’s one more tip before I share the recipe – wash the apples and dry them before you get started. If you are using store bought apples make sure you remove the wax, it will cause the candy to slide right off!

Red Candied Apples

12 small apples (washed)
2 cups white sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups water
12 drops of red food coloring
1/2 to 1 tsp of cherry extract

Getting Ready:
Spread out wax paper and lightly grease (or use PAM). Insert sticks into whole apples (I used fondue or shish kabob sticks, but craft sticks would work well too!). Find a medium sauce pan (one that will hold all the ingredients with only a little extra space will make it easier to dip and coat all the apples).

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in the sauce pan. Heat on medium high heat. While heating the syrup, add food coloring and cherry extract and stir. This is the only time you need to stir the liquid. When the candy thermometer reaches about 260 degrees turn the heat down a bit. Continue to cook (without stirring) until the thermometer reaches 300 to 310 degrees. Remove from heat.

Holding the apples by their sticks immediately begin dipping them one at a time into the syrup. You may find it helpful to hold the pot with one hand (with a pot holder of coarse) so you can tilt the liquid to one side of the pan. This will allow the whole apple to be submerged in the syrup. Remove the apples and turn it to make sure the apple is coated evenly. Place the apple directly onto the wax paper and allow it to dry and harden (about 30 minutes).

Once the coating is dry and hard you can wrap them in cling wrap or place in a cheap sandwich (fold-top) baggie and tie it off with curling ribbon for giving! These are delicious!

I am a participant in the Walmart Moms program. Walmart has provided me with compensation to blog about Halloween at Walmart. Participation in this program is voluntary. All opinions are my own.

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