berries – Better HouseKeeper

Skinny Greek Yogurt Blueberry Popsicles Make the Most Perfect Summer Dessert

Better Housekeeper — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 13:15:04 +0000

These delicious blueberry frozen yogurt popsicles are perfect for hot summer days. Healthy and nutritious, you can enjoy them guilt-free!

These popsicles are made with creamy Greek yogurt and blueberries. Try using different berries or combinations of berries for a different flavor. Serve them for dessert after a delicious BBQ, or eat them as a healthy snack.

Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles

Enjoy these healthy popsicles guilt-free as a snack or dessert. Try making them with raspberries or strawberries for a different take on this yummy snack.

Ingredients

1 cup Greek Yogurt
1/4 cup milk
4 tbsp honey
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions

In a bowl, pour the milk into the yogurt and mix well.
Add in honey and mix. Taste for sweetness.
Place blueberries at the bottom of your molds, spoon in half of the yogurt mixture, and add more blueberries. Place sticks into the molds. Divide the rest of the yogurt mixture into the molds and top with blueberries.
Freeze for 5 hours or overnight.

Photos: Give Recipe.

Healthy Breakfast: Homemade Strawberry Cereal Bars

Better Housekeeper — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 14:07:59 +0000

Everyone knows that store-bough cereal bars are loaded with sugar, and not much fruit. Try your hand at making your own cereal bars at home. It’s simpler than you think, and your kids will love them!

These strawberry cereal bars are so sweet and tasty, they’re perfect for breakfast or as a snack for your kids to take to school. Instead of strawberries, try making them with blueberries or raspberries, or both! Real fruit and oatmeal make this a great start to your day, and a much healthier alternative than buying the store-bought variety. You can use a whole-wheat pastry flour for added vitamins and fibre.

Homemade Strawberry Cereal Bars

Strawberry is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and folate or vitamin B9. Also, this fruit is rich in plant compounds and antioxidants that are beneficial for blood sugar control and heart health. Making recipes using strawberries as the main ingredient is a good idea for a healthy breakfast or snack. You’ve probably tried making your own strawberry frozen yogurt and want to try a new strawberry recipe for your children. This time, why not try making homemade strawberry cereal bars? A healthy alternative to store-bought cereal bars, these have a sweet strawberry filling in a whole-wheat oatmeal dough. Pack them in your kids’ lunch boxes or enjoy them for breakfast!

Strawberry Filling

1 pint fresh strawberries, stems removed
1/4 – 1/3 cup sugar (depending on how sweet you would like the filling to be)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp water

Dough

1 cup whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup oats
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 tbsp room temp. coconut oil
2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp honey
2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

In a blender, puree the strawberries until smooth. Add the puree, sugar, and lemon juice to a pot and bring to a boil. Whisk the cornstarch with cold water, then add it to the pot. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 5 minutes until thick. Remove and allow to cool.
In a bowl, mix together whole wheat flour, oatmeal, baking soda, cornstarch, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
In a bowl, cream together yogurt, coconut oil, and honey. Add egg yolks and vanilla and beat until well combined. The dough should come together, but it will be wet.
Line your work surface with wax paper and dust it with flour. Divide dough in half, and cover one ball, and place the other on the wax paper.
Sprinkle dough with flour and place another sheet of wax paper on top. Roll out the dough into a rectangle. Cut the dough into 4×4.5 inch squares.
Spoon 1-2 tbsp of the filling down the middle of each square. Fold one side over the filling and pinch the dough together to prevent the filling from leaking out. Turn the bar over seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this process with the remaining dough.
Cover and place the baking sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.
While the bars are in the freezer, preheat the oven to 350 F.
When the oven has heated up, bake the bars for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden.
Store the cooled bars in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them between sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container.

Healthy Beverage For Your Homemade Strawberry Cereal Bars

Keep your children healthier by serving homemade strawberry cereal bars with milk or homemade juice for breakfast. Smoothies are also perfect for homemade snacks while watching TV or after playtime, energizing your children after a long day.

These homemade strawberry cereal bars aren’t just for kids. They’re also great for adults because strawberries and cereals are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, which are good for the heart. Adults can pair their strawberry cereal bars with black tea, which makes for a healthy breakfast or snack. Check everything you need to know about black tea as the best beverage partner for your strawberry cereal bars.

Takeaways

You’ve just learned another quick healthy breakfast and snack recipe—homemade strawberry cereal bars! Pair this recipe with healthy beverages like milk, fruit juice, shakes, and even black tea.

Photos: Half Baked Harvest, Super Healthy Kids.

Mouthwatering Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Better Housekeeper — Thu, 29 May 2014 13:39:50 +0000

Ice cream sandwiches are a staple at our house. One box is gone in minutes! Here’s an easy way you can make your own at home that taste way better than the store-bought ones!

These raspberry ice cream sandwiches are great for summer parties! They lack the preservatives found in the store-bought variety, and they’re healthier, too! Try mixing it up by using blueberries, strawberries, or cherries! Graham crackers were used in this recipe, but how about home-made chocolate chip cookies? Whichever way you choose to make them, these ice cream sandwiches are sure to be loved by everyone, and gobbled up in minutes! This recipe calls for only a handful of ingredients and is super easy to put together. Raspberries, Greek yogurt, whipped topping and graham crackers make up this tasty frozen treat. Read on for the recipe!

Mouthwatering Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches

Raspberry Greek frozen yogurt ice cream sandwiches with delicious Graham crackers. Try substituting the raspberries with blueberries or strawberries and the crackers with home-made chocolate chip cookies for a new twist on this recipe.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
1 cup raspberries, pureed in blender
1 1/2 cups whipped topping
7 graham crackers

Instructions

In a bowl, mix together yogurt, puree, and whipped topping together until smooth.
Line a 9 inch square pan with foil, leaving extra to hang over the edges.
Line 3 Graham crackers on the bottom of the pan. Taking another Graham cracker, break it in half length-wise. Line it up next to the other crackers, where you will now have 3 and a half crackers on the bottom of the pan.
Pour yogurt mixture on top of the Graham crackers and spread evenly. Top with 3 and a half more Graham crackers.
Cover and place in the freezer for a few hours until the sandwiches are frozen.
Slice the bars in half, creating 6 squares and 2 rectangle ice cream sandwiches.
To store the sandwiches, place them in an air-tight container.

Photos: Sweet Treats and More and Indulgy.