Looking for an easy, tasty snack option? This can be made ahead in just a couple minutes. If you are going to be at work or otherwise out and about, throw a 1/3 cup container of dip and a big container of cut-up veggies in your bag so you are not caught unprepared in the face of vending machines and drive-through windows.

Edamame Dip: makes 1 cup (three servings)

1 cup shelled and cooked organic edamame, defrosted
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (can omit or sub basil)
1 garlic clove (more to taste)
1 tsp red chili paste (I found it in the fridge section of Carrs)
1 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lime juice or water

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until smooth. Enjoy with your favorite crunchy veggies or a handful of baked chips. Also makes a great addition to a lunchtime wrap with sprouts, greens and roasted red peppers.

In honor of St Patricks day this coming Saturday, we are Going Green this week! We are hosting a 2nd birthday party for one of our favorite little leprechauns this weekend and have devised a fun party menu with a lot of green and no artificial dye. As the parent of kids with sensitivity to artificial dyes in food, I give this a lot of attention, especially around holidays when brightly colored treats are everywhere - most of them tinted with artificial dyes including Red 40 and Yellow 5, both linked to behavioral problems and aggression in children.

More on that another day.... For now, here is a fun GREEN party menu without a drop of dye!

• Mixed salad made with organic spinach, finely chopped organic chard (leaves and stems), tiny broccoli florets, sprouts, snow peas, and some other veggies for visual appeal such as carrots and radishes.
• Asparagus spears wrapped in sliced lowfat havarti and smoked ham
• Spinach pasta with meatballs (see last week's Veggie and Spinach Meatball post)
• Green fruit tray including sliced kiwis, organic green grapes, organic granny smith apple slices, honeydew melon. Make a fast and yummy dip - take one container of natural, dye-free yogurt (read the label - I like Brown Cow and Stonyfield) of any flavor and mix with an equal amount of whipped cream.
• Veggie tray: zucchini, organic green peppers, snow peas, broccoli, green onions, edamame. Serve with Ranch with some fresh basil added with a food processor.
• Guacamole and chips!

And last but not least, the Cake. This recipe is modified from one originally found on Weelicious, a fun site with lots of ideas on healthy eating for parents and their kids. These are impressively green and, believe it or not, do NOT taste like spinach. Try it.

Lime and Coconut (oh yeah, and spinach) Muffins (Makes 24 Mini Muffins)

1/2 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce

¼ cup Greek yogurt (nonfat)

1/3 cup coconut milk, or milk of choice (almond, rice, soy, cow…)

¼ cup egg substitute or 1 Large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

1 Cup Fresh Spinach, packed

Zest and juice of one ORGANIC lime (especially important to buy organic and scrub it well since you are eating the outer skin)

2 Tbsp Coconut oil (melted) or Canola Oil

1 Cups All Purpose Flour

½ Cup coconut flour

1/3 Cup Sugar

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp sea salt (or regular salt; sea salt has healthy trace minerals though!)

1/8 tsp allspice

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Place applesauce, yogurt, milk, egg, vanilla, spinach, coconut oil, and lime zest and juice in a food processor (or a really good blender if you have one) and puree for a couple minutes, until the spinach is pureed into small flecks.  Place the flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl and combine. Pour the spinach puree in a large mixing bowl.  Slowly mix the dry ingredients into the wet until combined. Using a tablespoon, Scoop batter into a greased mini muffin tin, filling each cup. I had a little bit of leftover batter that I put in a sprayed baking dish and baked for a few minutes longer than the mini muffins.

Bake for 14 minutes.

This is taken directly and exactly from a blog called Chocolate Covered Katie, a dessert blog with some awesome ideas for delicious and NUTRITIOUS desserts. To go the the original post and check out more of this fun blog, please CLICK HERE.

Now that credit has been given where credit is due, let me rave about this for just a minute. This recipe is basically a sweet twist on hummus - a garbanzo bean dip for those looking for a healthy and satisfying dessert option. I made the sugar-free version this morning (sweetened by the naturally high sugar content of dates soaked overnight in water) and it is AMAZING. I really, really like cookie dough and now I can get all the flavor and fun with no eggs, butter, or flour.

Have fun - leave out the chocolate chips and this can definitely be shared with toddlers and older babies since it has a good squishy consistency. There are other dessert dips on the blog including a chocolatey brownie batter dip.. I have a feeling our garbanzo bean consumption is going to go up dramatically in this house!

This is going to be our afternoon snack, dipped up with apple slices and celery sticks. Mmmm...

Copied straight from Chocolate Covered Katie: 

"Cookie Dough Dip

Inspired by this awesome recipe.

• 1 1/2 cups chickpeas (1 can, drained) (250g)
• 1/8 tsp plus 1/16 tsp salt
• tiny bit over 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup nut butter (You can get away with using only 3 T. If you use peanut butter, it’ll have a very-slight “pb cookie dough” taste, so if you don’t want this, you can sub oil.)
• up to 1/4 cup milk of choice (Start with 1 T, and add more as needed)
• Sweetener (see note below, for amount)
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips
  
• 2 to 3 T oats (or flaxmeal) (You can omit, but also omit the milk if you do)

Add all ingredients (except for chocolate chips) to a good food processor (not blender), and blend until very smooth. Then mix in the chocolate chips.

See the following link for a Sugar-Free Version.

Sweetener Notes: I used 2/3 cup brown sugar when I first made this for the party. Liquid sweeteners (agave, maple, etc.) are fine as well, as is evaporated cane juice. You can easily get away with less sugar– some people will be perfectly fine with just 3 T for the whole recipe! And if you don’t want any sugar, be sure to check out the “no-sugar” version linked above. (You can also use stevia, if you like the taste of stevia-sweetened desserts. Try 2-3 packets of NuNaturals stevia, and add more sweetener if needed. I wouldn’t recommend serving an all-stevia version to party guests, though.)"

Thanks, Katie!!

In the never-ending quest to add more veggies to our diets, here is a winning meatball recipe with veggies built right in! Any type of ground meat will work here - turkey, chicken, beef, or Alaskan game (we have tried caribou, bison and moose and they are all delicious). Serve with some whole grain pasta and your favorite tomato sauce and you have wonderful dinner for a snowy evening!

Spinach and Veggie Meatballs
Serves 6 (serving size 4 meatballs)

1/2 c egg substitute OR 2 egg whites OR 1 egg
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c bread crumbs (I like Panko crumbs for the texture)
1-2 cloves garlic, crushed OR 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning (more to taste)
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained (squeeze it!)
1/2 c grated zucchini
1/2 c grated carrots
1/2 small onion, chopped

If you plan to bake these, turn the oven to 375 and spray a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray. Alternatively you can  saute them... read on.

Saute the onion, zucchini and carrots in a medium non-stick skillet with 2 tsp olive oil.
Remove from heat and let cool for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix well... if it doesn't gross you out, using your hands is the best way to get everything mixed together. Add in the cooked veggies and mix well.

Shape into meatballs, about 1.5 - 2 inches across. You can saute these in a pan sprayed with cooking spray or use some olive oil. Brown meatballs on medium high heat and keep them moving so they don't stick! Cook on low for about 15 minutes til cooked through. OR you can use a mini muffin pan sprayed with cooking spray and place a meatball in each cup. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes, or until done.

Enjoy!

This week's focus of the Get Fit Challenge 2012 is snacking! Planned, nutritious snacks throughout the day keep your metabolism active and help prevent overeating at the three main daily meals. Most moms plan snacks for their little kids, but many forget their own snack needs! Great options to have in your purse, desk drawer or diaper bag include non-perishable bars (think Luna Bar, Lara Bar, Kashi TLC chewy granola bar, etc.), nuts and dried fruit (almonds and apricots are a great combo).

Here are a couple of fun and quick options you can put together at home using a blender or food processor, and pack along with you for the office or on the run wherever your day takes you! These recipes are from the Body Back program food options. Enjoy!

Surprise Smoothie

1 banana
1 cup frozen chopped kale**
1 Tbs ground flaxseed
1/2 cup blueberries or raspberries, or mix
1 cup non-fat milk of choice (cow, soy, rice, almond... the list goes on and on!)

Blend all ingredients until smooth! Lots of kids love these and it will work with a Sili Squeeze, though not with a conventional sippy cup as the pieces clog the valves.
**Kale is on the list of produce you should try to buy organic (the "Dirty Dozen"); if you can't find it, you can substitute spinach or chard. Buy fresh, chop the whole bunch and freeze in 1-cup portions.

Baked Chips and Edamame Dip
Makes 3 servings of 1/3 cup each
Dip:
1 cup shelled, cooked edamame (thaw if frozen)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed or minced
1 tsp red chili paste (optional but adds a nice touch)
1 Tbs olive oil

Process in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Tortilla Chips:
Whole grain or low-carb tortilla
Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350. Cut tortilla into 6 triangles, place on baking sheet and spray with cooking spray. Bake until brown and crisp, about 12-15 minutes.

Happy Snacking!!!