Sugarplums Update Healthy Sweets for Kids


Apricot Gelt Yields: 12 servings (6 pieces per person)


1½ lb dried apricots 1 lb dark chocolate chips 1 Tbsp coarse sea salt


Using a heavy skillet or mallet, flatten apricots to ¼-inch thickness and set aside.


Maple Snickerdoodle Popcorn


Yields: About 5 cups Popcorn:


1 tsp coconut oil, melted ½ cup popcorn kernels


Maple Snickerdoodle Topping: 1 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup ½ tsp cinnamon Sea salt to taste


Heat the coconut oil in a medium saucepan, with a lid, over medium heat. Add 3 kernels of popcorn and wait for them to pop. Once the test kernels start to pop, add the rest, cover and allow to pop, shaking occasionally until popping slows to a near stop.


Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and set aside.


For the topping, whisk together the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinna- mon, until well combined. Pour over the popcorn and mix well. Sprinkle the top with a few pinches of sea salt, mix again and taste.


Serve immediately making additional sea salt available.


Courtesy of Amy Roskelley and Natalie Monson, SuperHealthyKids.com/ maple-snickerdoodle-popcorn.


Place chocolate in the top of a double- boiler over simmering water and stir until the chocolate has melted.


Dip each apricot in chocolate, coating ½ to ¾ of the apricot. Place on wire racks set over parchment or wax paper and sprinkle with sea salt. Let stand until set.


Transfer apricots to baking sheets lined with parchment or wax paper and refrigerate until firm. The gelt may be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days.


Adapted from a recipe by Abbie Gellman, SPECertified.com/blog/view/ apricot-gelt-recipe.


Holiday Fairy Wands Yields: 12 servings


12 long bamboo skewers 24 seedless green grapes 12 chunks of fresh pineapple 12 strawberries, hulled 2 starfruit (carambola), cut into 12 slices


For each skewer, thread a green grape 3 inches from the bottom of the skewer, leaving room to hold the wand. Next, thread a chunk of pineapple, then another grape. Thread a strawberry, pointed end up. Add a slice of star- fruit to make the star on the end of the wand. Serve immediately.


natural awakenings December 2016 37


Fruit Skewer Elves Yields: 12 servings


12 cocktail sticks or short bamboo skewers


12 seedless green grapes 12 strawberries, hulled


1 firm banana, peeled and cut into 12 thin rounds 1 mozzarella stick, cut into 12 rounds


For each skewer, thread a green grape to the bottom of the skewer to create the elf face. Top with a round banana slice to make the pale trim around the hat, then an upside-down hulled strawberry to form the pointy hat. Add a mozzarella round to make the pompom at the point of the hat. Serve right away.


iuliia_n/Shutterstock.com


photo by Stephen Blancett


photo by Stephen Blancett


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56