Localicious: Snacks that Go

Like most busy moms I am always looking for new ideas for grab-and-go snacks that are easy, nutritious and well-liked. Below are a few simple recipes that have been vetted by my family, including the ever-changing taste-buds of our little one. These snacks are particularly handy for maintaining that delicate balance of familial peace on summer road trips.

Some serving and storage products make traveling with food relatively mess-free. You can pour smoothies into mason jars and pack in an ice chest for longer car trips. If you have little ones prone to spilling, try our favorite smoothie container, the Squeasy (http://www.squeasygear.com). Our favorite cold bag/ice chest is made by PackIt. The freezer packs are in the lining, so they never get lost. We use ours almost every day during the summer, even for grocery shopping (http://www.packit.com). Try putting dry snacks and finger foods in the Munchkin Stainless Steel Snack Cup (http://www.munchkin.com/snack-stainless-steel-snack-catcher.html).

Northern California is at the peak of cherry season right now and we are loving cherry smoothies. If you want to stock up on local cherries while they are in season take your crew to Stagecoach Lane U-Pick Cherries, located at 11258 Nelson Bar Road in Oroville (http://www.upickcherriesnorcal.com). They have a gorgeous orchard and provide buckets for picking up to 2.5 gallons of cherries. Pit any surplus cherries and store them in the freezer for smoothies all summer long.

Stagecoach Lane is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. nearly every day for the first two weeks of June. Follow them on Facebook for updates on hours and special happenings or call 530-532-0191.  They are also happy to accommodate pickers by appointment. Cherries are $5 a pound and the day at the orchard is free, including hay-rides, petting zoo, and occasional falcon demonstrations by their falconer who helps protect the fruit from hungry birds.

Smoothies are universally loved. Follow the simple recipe below.

Fresh Cherry Mason Jar Smoothies

Serves 2

• 1 handful cashews
• 1 handful spinach
• 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (from a can)
• 1 cup cherries pitted
• 1 frozen banana
• 3 ice cubes, if needed

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth consistency.  

Another simple snack to munch during travel is trail mix. Before heading out on a trip set up a trail mix making station at home. Each member of the family can make their own trail mix snack to take with them. Kids are much more likely to enjoy food when they are part of the process and can take ownership of the final product. This makes it fun and can eliminate future struggles with picky eaters.

DIY Trail Mix

• Nuts & Seeds: 1 ½ cups of 2 or 3 of the following choices:  walnuts, almonds, pistachios, cashews, pecans, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
• Crunch: ½ cup of one of the following choices: shredded coconut, popped popcorn, roasted chickpeas
• Sweet: ½ cup of one or more of the following choices: raisins, goji berries, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, dark chocolate chips Place in a brown paper lunch bag or mason jar and shake.

Look for dried fruits and nuts that do not contain added oil or sulfites in the ingredients.

Crunchy, roasted chickpeas are a nice snack twist and are easy to prepare with young helpers. The recipe below is a sweeter version but these are just as addictive with savory flavors, too.

Roasted Chickpeas 
(Recipe adapted from http://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/recipes/egg-free/soft-roasted-honey-cinnamon-chickpeas)

• 1 14.5oz can chickpeas (or about 2 cups cooked dried)
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup or honey (for children age 1 & older)
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Drain and rinse chickpeas. Pat dry. Evenly spread on cookie sheet.

Bake 40 – 60 minutes until crunchy. Quickly pour into a bowl and coat with coconut oil. Stir in additional seasonings. Re-spread on the cookie sheet and return to oven. Bake 5 minutes.

     If you have a young child, reduce baking temperature to 325 degrees, and baking time to 12 – 15 minutes. Mix all ingredients first and then bake. The end product will be soft enough for a toddler to chew, reducing the risk of choking hazard that might come with crunchy chickpeas. Store soft chickpeas in the fridge.

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at localicious@northstateparent.com.