Oat Snack Mix

1/2 c butter or margarine
1/3 c honey
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 c. oat cereal (I used whatever was left in my pantry...Cheerios, heart to heart o's)
1 1/5 c (or more) old fashioned oats
1 c. chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 c. (or more) dried cranberries
1/2 c (or more) choc. covered raisins
anything else you can think of that might work....other nuts, dried fruit, etc

Melt butter in saucepan on stove. Add honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and mix till sugar is dissolved. In lrg bowl mix together 3 cups oat cereal (any cereal would do actually). Pour butter mixture over and mix till all is coated. Bake in lrg 9x 11 or larger dish. 275 degrees. 45 min. Stir every 15 minutes or so. Allow to cool when done and continue to stir every so often while it is cooling. Add cranberries, raisins and nuts when cooled.

Recipe shared by: Kimberly Levitan, Leawood, KS
Recipe Source: too frazzled to remember

Monkey Muffins

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.) Mash 4 bananas.
3.) Put 2 cups of flour (I use whole wheat flour) and 1 tsp baking soda in a small bowl.
4.) Put ½ cup butter (softened) and 1 cup sugar in large bowl. Beat until creamy.
5.) Add 2 large eggs. Mix.
6.) Add bananas, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix well.
7.) Add flour mixture and ½ cup sour cream. Mix well.
8.) Fill muffin cups ½ full and bake for 15-18 minutes.

Shared by: Jennifer Wayer, Lenexa, KS
Recipe Source: A parenting Magazine

Sneaky Smoothy

Take a handful of spinach leaves and put in blender. Add 1 C water and blend on high until no more remnants are left. Then add 1 banana and whatever frozen fruit you want. I use mango, strawberries, whatever! This will make enough for 2 smoothies.

Shared by Molly Reynolds, Lenexa, KS
Recipe Source: too frazzled to remember

Banana Treats

Bananas (peels on)
Sprinklings of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips,
peanut butter chips, mini marshmallows and peanut butter.

Heat oven to 400. Cut a slit in each banana (going through the peel and into the center). Have your child tuck any combination of goodies into the banana. Close the banana and wrap tightly with foil. Blake on a cookie sheet, approx 20 minutes. Let cool and scoop out the insides or let them eat right out of the peel.

Shared by: Amy Hyken-Lande, Overland Park, KS
Recipe Source: A parenting magazine (too frazzled to remember which one)

Red, White and Blue Salad

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

3 cups fresh blueberries

1 quart fresh strawberries, hulled and halved

3 medium apples, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, honey, and mint. Add all of the fruit and toss to combine. Let the fruit salad set for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serves about 8.

Shared by Amy Hyken-Lande, Leawood, KS

Recipe Source: too frazzled to remember