Favorite baked goods for snacks?

[DivaJen]

I'm looking for idea for things I can bake at home to send to school with DD for a snack. They need to be healthy - easy on the refined sugar.

Two things I make that she enjoys are pumpkin bread and a carrot/zucchini/dried fruit bread.

Something I buy that I'd love to buy less of are the fruit and grain bars at Trader Joe's.

Anyone have any favorites they'd care to suggest?

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Nope but I would love suggestions too!

but can I have your carrot muffin recipie? I have been expiramenting for awhile but nothing is quite right. always dry.

[DivaJen]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Sure! It's awesome - very healthy, flexible as to ingredients used, and DD loves it.

I'll have to type it up - my mom sent me a jpg of the recipe.

OK, here it is, with my notes afterwards in italics.

Zucchini Carrot Wheat Bread

1 c. finely shredded raw carrots
1 1/2 c. shredded, unpeeled zucchini
1/2 c. chopped pitted dates
1/2 c. seedless raisins
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1.2 t. ground cloves
3/4 t. salt
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/4 c. honey
1 c. thinly sliced, natural skin almonds

Shred carrots. Shred zucchini into a strainer and allow moisture to drain briefly while you prepare the other ingredients. With wet kitchen scissors, cut dates into pieces. Rinse raisins in hot water and blot dry on paper towels. Mix fruits on sheet of foil with 2 T. of the flour. Sift together or thoroughly mix the flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Beat eggs at high speed on electric mixture until very light. Gradually beat in sugar, beating to keep mixture light. Slowly beat in oil until thoroughly blended and mixture is light. With rubber scraper, blend in flour mixture and stir until smooth but do not beat. Blend in carrots, zucchini, honey, floured fruits and nuts. Stir until well mixed. Turn batter into two greased, small loaf pans (8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2), bake at 350*F one hour to one hour 15 minutes. Tester should come out clean when stuck in center of bread. Cool in pans ten minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Foil wrap and store overnight before slicing.


My DD likes prunes and dried cranberries, so I use those in place of the dates and raisins. You could also try adding dried apricots, coconut, etc and see how that goes. I don't put the almonds in. You could probably substitute applesauce for some or all of the oil. My mom makes these as muffins; the last time I made them, I made one loaf and the rest as muffins. I didn't flour the fruit beforehand and it turned out alright.

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

thanks!

[lunchlady]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Banana bread, or muffins is a favorite here....sometimes with a handful of chocolate chips added.
~Chris

[lrjohnson]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Do you have the Tightwad Gazette Muffin recipe? It is a base recipe that you can easily modify-for example, it says 2 to 2-1/2 cups grain, then explains this can be flour, some oatmeal, some cornmeal, etc. Up to 1/4 cup oil-lard, butter, oil, even applesauce. Up to 1-1/2 cups additions, with notes on dry versus wet additions. I had never baked before, but now I make these all the time-cornmeal-oatmeal-peach, or raisin-Splenda-apple. If you don't have the book, I can post the base recipe, but the whole article with notes is really good in letting you know the possible sweeteners, additions, etc.

[DivaJen]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Do you have the Tightwad Gazette Muffin recipe? It is a base recipe that you can easily modify-for example, it says 2 to 2-1/3 cups grain, then explains this can be flour, some oatmeal, some cornmeal, etc. Up to 1/4 cup oil-lard, butter, oil, even applesauce. Up to 1-1/2 cups additions, with notes on dry versus wet additions. I had never baked before, but now I make these all the time-cornmeal-oatmeal-peach, or raisin-Splenda-apple. If you don't have the book, I can post the base recipe, but the whole article with notes is really good in letting you know the possible sweeteners, additions, etc.

I've got the book - I'll have to take a look. Thx.

[flash]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Do you make your own fruit leathers (or whatever they are called these days) and granola? How about apple cake or oatmeal cake (or the cupcake/muffin equivalent)? You can make your own fruit pies/tarts, without sugar -- Mom makes a diabetic crust, but my crust doesn't flake unless it's full butter.

Homemade graham crackers are wonderful.

I make muffins without flour or sugar, just grains, egg whites, lots of fruits/veggies, sometimes protein powder for DH. Super way to use up this and that.

[lunchlady]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

I never heard of anyone making graham crackers.....that sounds delicious!
Could you post the recipie ? I'd love to try them!
~Chris

[DivaJen]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Do you make your own fruit leathers (or whatever they are called these days) and granola? How about apple cake or oatmeal cake (or the cupcake/muffin equivalent)? You can make your own fruit pies/tarts, without sugar -- Mom makes a diabetic crust, but my crust doesn't flake unless it's full butter.

Homemade graham crackers are wonderful.

I make muffins without flour or sugar, just grains, egg whites, lots of fruits/veggies, sometimes protein powder for DH. Super way to use up this and that.

Fruit leather - I stay away from them as they get stuck in DD's teeth. She's had one cavity, and I have had a bunch of them, so I worry that her teeth may be soft like mine.

Granola - I love it, but she isn't a big fan. And I eat way too much of it when we have it on hand.

I'd like to hear more about the homemade graham crackers as well.

[DivaJen]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Do you have the Tightwad Gazette Muffin recipe? It is a base recipe that you can easily modify-for example, it says 2 to 2-1/2 cups grain, then explains this can be flour, some oatmeal, some cornmeal, etc. Up to 1/4 cup oil-lard, butter, oil, even applesauce. Up to 1-1/2 cups additions, with notes on dry versus wet additions. I had never baked before, but now I make these all the time-cornmeal-oatmeal-peach, or raisin-Splenda-apple. If you don't have the book, I can post the base recipe, but the whole article with notes is really good in letting you know the possible sweeteners, additions, etc.

I got my book out this afternoon and DD and I made a double-batch of muffins. Some had cherry jelly added to them (homemade from my mom and super tasty) and the rest had craisins and golden raisins in them. Aside from forgetting to double the oil (oops) they turned out pretty good. I used whole wheat flour for part of the all-purpose flour. Thanks for reminding me about this part of the book!

[lrjohnson]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

I love this recipe, it got me baking. I've used the soy flour for eggs; excellent. I've used choppped apples (backyard drops)-very moist. Both cornmeal and oatmeal are good as part of the grain; I've also stuck in bran. Sunflower seeds, walnuts. Substitued the syrup in canned peaches for the milk. I even stuck some extra bread crumbs in once. The muffin is never the same. Homemade cherry jelly sounds absolutely wonderful.

[flash]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Sure.

HONEY GRAHAM CRACKERS

1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. oil
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. molasses

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Divide dough in half and place each half on an ungreased cookie sheet 14 x 17". Flatten and roll, with rolling pin, to 10 x 12" rectangle. If necessary, dust rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking. Mark into 2" squares, leaving dough in place. Prick all over with fork. Bake at 400 degrees F 6 - 8 minutes, until light brown. Remove from oven. Cut apart at markings while still hot. Let cool on sheet or rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 60.

Mom says it works well with alternative sweetners, but I haven't tried.

Also have recipes for vanilla wafers, cheese nips, veggie thins, flatbread, wheat thins, saltines, butter crackers, oatmeal crackers, wheat crackers, sesame seed water crackers, soft pretzels...easily modified for your preferred ingredients.

[DivaJen]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

HONEY GRAHAM CRACKERS

1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. shortening
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. oil
3 Tbsp cold water
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. molasses

Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Divide dough in half and place each half on an ungreased cookie sheet 14 x 17". Flatten and roll, with rolling pin, to 10 x 12" rectangle. If necessary, dust rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking. Mark into 2" squares, leaving dough in place. Prick all over with fork. Bake at 400 degrees F 6 - 8 minutes, until light brown. Remove from oven. Cut apart at markings while still hot. Let cool on sheet or rack. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 60.

Mom says it works well with alternative sweetners, but I haven't tried.

Also have recipes for vanilla wafers, cheese nips, veggie thins, flatbread, wheat thins, saltines, butter crackers, oatmeal crackers, wheat crackers, sesame seed water crackers, soft pretzels...easily modified for your preferred ingredients.

Thanks! I'll have to try substituting for the shortening (trans fat) but this recipe seems easy.

Vanilla wafers....yummmmm....one of my faves. Please don't post that one.

[lunchlady]

Re: Favorite baked goods for snacks?

Thank you, Flash. I'm going to try to make these soon!