These are the perfect bite sized snack for those forever hungry toddlers. Those growth spurts can cause their tiny tummies to be as hungry as a 16 year old boy! Help satisfy your child’s hungry with these healthy, easy and fun snacks.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dry oats (we used Bakery On Main’s Rolled Oats)
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup of honey
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl
   1. Children love to dump in the ingredients. Make a game of counting the ingredients. If they are older work on spelling them outloud and if younger work on colors and textures (smooth, sticky, grainy…)
2. Once mixed well place into the fridge for at 30-45 minutes and let cool/set.
3. Take out of fridge and roll into small balls
   1. Kids can help with this task. Rolling takes some skill, so don’t let them become discouraged with how theirs may turn out. If you have a melon-baller spoon this may help with shaping them if their developing fine motor skills are getting them frustrated.
4. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Makes approximately 2 dozen depending on how large you make them.

Modern Oats Carrot Apple Cookies

Written by Marquardt Chick:

Baby Lead Weaning is a very popular way to feed babies now-a-days. MamatheFox wishes she did this with her son, but is thankful that Marquardt Chick has taken this route and they have both learning some awesome new recipes and about the human anatomy and digestion. To learn more about Baby Lead Weaning we suggest looking at this book.

Baby-Led Weaning: The Essential Guide to Introducing Solid Foods-and Helping Your Baby to Grow Up a Happy and Confident Eater

Here is a fun and healthy baby lead weaning recipe you can use

Modern Oats Carrot Apple Cookies

• Modern Oats, Just Oatmeal – 1 container
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons applesauce
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped apple

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients together. Use a spoon to transfer scoopfulls of dough to a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Yields 12 cookies

Would you like to find more Baby Led Weaning tips and ideas? Head over to our friend My Baby Care  – she has a new article that is perfect for parents looking how to start Baby Led weaning safely.

Weeknight Artichoke & Olive Pasta

This is the perfect dish for busy weeknights. You are hungry, you don’t have time to slave in the kitchen. You have little kids that are pulling on your legs. This is going to be a pin worthy, go to meal in your house now.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of Banza Penna noodles
• 1 can of artichoke hearts quartered (drained)
• green olives (approx 15 to 20 olives)
• precooked sausage (I like Polish or Kielbasa for this)
• olive oil

How To:

• Cook your Banza noodles according to directions on box
• Slice the sausage into circles. Saute your precooked sausage in a fry pan with a small amount of olive oil
• Chop about 15 to 20 green olives in half
• In a large mixing bowl combine noodles, artichokes, olives, sausage and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add only 2 and see if it’s ‘wet’ enough for your liking. You don’t want too much olive oil or it gets greasy and you cannot taste the other ingredients
• Enjoy!

Toddler Approved Carrot Spice Milkshake

Finding ways to sneak healthy things into your toddlers diets can be challenging. My kids need to increase their protein and vegetable intake. A super easy and fun way to get both into their diets is by using FlapJacked Baking Mixes in a milkshake. This milkshake has a really smooth and soft taste. It does not give off a heavy “carrot” feel. I honestly get more of a pumpkin spice vibe. This is probably due to the spices involved.

In a blender mix the following

• 1-2 tablespoons of FlapJacked Carrot Spice Baking Mix
• 1 cup of vanilla ice cream
• 1/2 cup of milk
• sprinkles

Blend for as short of a period as possible. Try pulsing it for 15 to 25 seconds. This way you keep it cold and in a creamy consistency. If you blend too long the ice cream will warm up and turn more into a soup. Try adding the ice cream in first, then sprinkle the Carrot Spice powder around on top of the ice cream. If the powder mix sticks to places you don’t think the blender will get it mixed, you now can use the milk to help move it along to the bottom of the blender. Top your milkshake with sprinkles. Because what toddler can resist the excitement of seeing them in their treat?!