5 Savory Snacks from Floating Kitchen Perfect for Afterschool

If you are a label reader, the amount of sugar in processed foods probably appalls you. Even things that don’t seem like they need to be sweet are loaded with the stuff! However, growing kids (and their parents) get hungry in between meals and sometimes baby carrots or an apple just won’t cut it.

Liz Harris has got you covered. Although her blog, Floating Kitchen, focuses on the delicious, innovative, seasonally inspired recipes she creates, Liz is oh-so-much-more than an impressive home cook. With degrees from the University of New Hampshire, Dartmouth Medical School and Stanford, it is safe to say that this blogger knows as much about health as she does about food.

Recipes you will find on Floating Kitchen (named for Liz’s love of living on or near the water) range from elegant apps to decadent desserts and everything in between. If you go there looking for less-sugary snack ideas, you will not be disappointed. Following is a handful of our faves:

Avocado Toast with Persimmon, Pomegranate and Fennel

I don’t know about you, but the fanciest toast I have ever served as a snack was probably peanut butter, banana and honey. This recipe puts my PBB&H to shame, but I am not upset. Just hungry.

Liz turns two simple pieces of toast into a mouthwatering treat. First, she mashes ripe avocado with goat cheese, lime juice and salt. After spreading this mixture onto the golden bread slices, she adds a few slices of succulent persimmon, bright fennel and tart pomegranate seeds.

Well, at least she tops her gorgeous toast the same way I make mine. A drizzle of honey adds a bit of healthful sweetness to this appetizing nosh, which is almost too pretty to eat. Almost.

Veggie Chips with Rosemary Salt

Getting kids to eat more veggies can make even the toughest moms feel like throwing in the towel. When you present them as a crunchy munchie such as this recipe, though, your brood will likely scoff them down and ask for more.

These tempting snacks begin with slices of carrots and beets, which provide just enough sweetness to cure a craving without the added sugar you would find in their processed counterparts. Baked with just olive oil, fresh rosemary and a bit of sea salt, this crispy snack is an ideal alternative to greasy potato chips that even your most finicky kiddo will approve. (Be sure to check out her recipe for vinegar and sea salt kale chips, as well.)

Spiced Roasted Carrot Hummus

You can’t mention chips without also including some sort of dip, and this recipe delivers. Yes, there are chickpeas in this hummus, but that is not the only nourishing ingredient in this healthy snack for kids.

This hummus begins with carrots. Roasted carrots. More specifically, chunks of carrots tossed with olive oil, tomato paste, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, coriander seeds, caraway seeds and salt and then roasted to perfection. The flavorful carrots are mashed together with chickpeas, tahini paste and lemon juice. Then, you can let the dipping begin.

Bruschetta with Ricotta and Pesto

Toast makes our short list of savory snack ideas again, if you want to call bruschetta toast. These eye-catching goodies are sure to be a hit with your pizza-loving bunch.

The bonus is that these snacks are simple to make. Simply slice a baguette, brush the slices with olive oil and toast the slices for just a few minutes. When they are good and crunchy, top the toasties with ricotta, pesto, sautéed cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Definitely drool-worthy.

Cheesy Butternut Squash Bites

When you have the whole gang over to watch a game, practice for the band, or spend the night, you unquestionably want snacks that are filling and fairly easy to whip up but not loaded with ingredients that will have the group bouncing off the walls.

These warm, savory bites of yumminess are the ideal solution. For starters, they have the pastry appeal of a pizza roll or hot sandwich “pocket.” They also have cheese, another favorite for hungry kids, tweens or teens.

Little pouches of puff pastry are filled with a smooth and savory combination of roasted and mashed butternut squash, a mixture of ricotta and parmesan and sautéed shallots. Tangy blue cheese crumbles top the finished bites, adding yet another flavor for the kids to savor (Liz suggests goat cheese as an alternative if blue cheese is a bit too piquant for your young snackers).

Be sure to check out the many other savory snack ideas and enticing recipes at Floating Kitchen.

What are your tips for getting kids to eat more veggies and other whole foods?

Tags : recipes   snack recipes   

Pritham Ross
OMG delicious. Love giving the kids foods I would actually eat. These look amazing.
Lindsey Velasco
All of her recipes look so delicious and easy to make!
Abby Stone
Craving that bruschetta
Elodie Nilsson
If only persimmons were in season
Casey Cisneros
What I wouldn't do for that avocado toast right now!
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