Let them eat FRUIT!

I am doing a presentation at the end of April to a near by health food store. This presentation is to offer parents healthy food choices to their kids in a fast food and sugar laden marketing world. I know how hard it is to even get through the local market without my kids asking me to purchase something they have seen on TV or in a kids magazine because of the FUN FUN FUN feeling the advertisers place on the food product. For our children, they cannot separate the wonderful world of fantasy and the foods being marketed to them. We as parents have to battle that same child like excitement and innocence when we just drive past McDonald's or wander through the cereal isle at the grocery store. We also have to keep in mind, kids are programmed just like we are. There cannot be a negative to represent a positive. Meaning, we cannot simply say, we do not eat those foods (negative) and not offer a solution of what they CAN eat (positive). All that will do is offer resistance to our desires and we already have enough resistance from the kids as it is, right? So, I am on a quest to offer delicious alternatives to my own five test subjects, one of which DOES cry when I suggest she eat fruit as a snack. My work is cut out for me, I assure you!

Today I want to share with you 2 recipes, one which is so easy you will be thrilled! Let's share the easy one first. My youngest daughters love this recipe. The dip tastes like a rich luscious frosting because we use a low fat sour cream versus a low fat yogurt.


Fresh Fruit and Vanilla Dip
2 pounds fresh strawberries-washed and hulled
2 pounds seedless grapes-washed
1/2 cup low fat sour cream
2 tbls sucanat
1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 tbls honey

Wash the fruit and set aside on a paper towel to dry. Mix the sour cream with the vanilla and sugar until well blended. It may take a bit for the sucanat to blend with the sour cream so I let it sit after the first blending and then mix again before serving.

Arrange the fruit on a plate with a dollop of the dip and a drizzle of the honey on top of the dip.

The second recipe tastes better the next day. However, it is also fantastic served warm with some of the vanilla dip from the above recipe!




Raspberry Oat Bars
2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup gluten free pancake mix
1 Stick Butter
3 tbls honey
1/2 cup sucanat
1lb frozen raspberries-thawed
2-3 tbls ice water





Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a mixer add the pancake mix and oats and blend well.
Melt the butter and honey in a pan when the butter is fully melted add the sucanat to the liquid and blend.

When the butter and sugar are mixed into a dark liquid add slowly to the oat mixture while blending on low speed adding just enough ice water to create a meal like texture to the mix. This will look like a pie crust dough, crumbly but holds form when pinched together. Press half the mixture firmly into a parchment lined 9"cake pan.

In a separate bowl add the raspberries and blend with a hand mixer until pureed. Add the berried evenly to the "pastry dough" . Make sure that it is evenly spread since there is a lot of liquid which you do not want pooling on the dough causing it to lose its firmness. Cover the berries with the remaining crust and bake for 35 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then cut into bars but do not remove from the pan until they are cooled.