The holidays are over and with it the parade of crumbly cookies, perfect pies and decadent desserts. It’s time to concentrate on carrot sticks and celery. But wait, what about comfort food? What about warm, tasty snacks for cold (well, it’s Houston, so cold-ish) winter days?
Never fear, it is possible to indulge without the guilt, and the beautiful kitchen of your new Miramesa home is just the place to get started.
One way to warm up the kiddoes after school is with warm toast and a warm drink. For a sweet treat try combining your favorite nut butters and fruits. This Banana and Nutella Dessert Bruschetta, for example, is sure to hit both the ooey and gooey spots. Worried about the sugar? Make your own healthy Nutella alternative. For something on the savory side, try combining avocado, toast and a bit of spice for a tummy-warming treat.
As far as warm drinks go, there’s always hot tea, but for more fun (and if you have an espresso maker) why not create a hip, coffee café right on your kitchen island? Use decaf espresso, low-fat milk and toppings such as cinnamon, nutmeg and chocolate powder. Alternatively, make matcha lattes, chai lattes and Snickerdoodle Milk.
Busy schedules sometimes require snacks on the road and while it’s tempting to stop off for doughnuts, homemade treats have less sugar, fat and ingredients with names you can’t pronounce. A sure-fire hit is granola. Try incorporating wintery flavors like ginger, maple and apple. This Tahini Ginger Granola packs a healthy, vitamin-filled punch with pumpkin seeds and Craisins. Alternatively, you can ditch the potato chips and dig into these homemade apple chips.
After dinner and homework is a great time to grab some snacks and cuddle up in the game or media room with a before-bed movie. Popcorn sans butter and salt is always a healthy go-to, but why not change it up with these Lemon Pepper Roasted Chickpeas or Cumin Spiced Almonds.
Once you’ve given these snacks a whirl, challenge the kids to come up with their own healthy options, then get into the kitchen!
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