Kid's Healthy Treats

All-Star Fudgy Baseballs and Bats

If you teach your kids early on to like carob powder you'll never have to tell them that it's healthier than chocolate. ;-)

1 cup		Carob powder
1 cup		Water
1/4 cup		Honey
1/4 cup		Peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
3/4 cup		Wheat germ
3/4 cup		Rolled oats
2 Tbs		Dry milk powder
1/2 cup		Unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tsp		Cinnamon (optional)
1/2 tsp		Grated orange rind (optional)

1	In a small saucepan, combine the carob and water. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Add the honey and peanut butter and continue cooking for about 5 minutes, or until syrup is smooth and slightly thickened.
2	In a large bowl, mix together the wheat germ, oats, milk powder, coconut, cinnamon, and orange rind (if desired).
3	Pour about one cup of the carob syrup over the dry mixture, or as much as is needed to make a pliable, dough-like consistency. Store the remainder in the refrigerator and use as an icing or to make great milk shakes.
4	Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll each piece between your palms into 2-inch-long tubes about the circumference of a fountain pen, tapered at one end in the shape of a baseball bat. Roll the rest
5	into marble-sized balls.

Apple Smiles

1		Red medium apple; cored & sliced about 1/3" wide, not skinned!
		Peanut butter (creamy works best)
		Tiny marshmallows.

1	Spread one side of each apple slice with peanut butter. Place three or four tiny marshmallows on top of the peanut butter on one apple slice. Top with another apple slice, peanut butter side down.
2	Squeeze gently. Eat right away!

Yield: makes 8-10

Bunny Salad

This is a fun salad that kids' love to help you make!

1		Chilled pear half
2		Raisins
1		Red cinnamon candy
2		Blanched almonds
		-cottage cheese ball

Place crisp lettuce leaf on plate. On top of it, place pear upside down. Make bunny, using narrow end for face. Two raisins for the eyes, 1 red cinnamon candy for the nose and 2 blanched almonds for the ears. The cottage cheese ball makes the tail.

Butterfly Bites

Another recipe that the kids' would be more than happy to help make.

2		Stalks of celery
12		lg Three-ring pretzels
6 Tbs		Peanut butter or cream cheese
		About 18 raisins or currents
12		Slivered almonds or enoki mushrooms

Wash the celery. Using plastic knives, cut the celery into thirds. Fill each celery stalk with one tablespoon of either peanut butter or cream cheese. For the wings, gently push 1 pretzel into the filling, running parallel to the length of the celery stick. Do the same on the celery's other lengthwise side. Arrange the raisins or currents as the eyes, nose and mouth. For antennae, push the slivered almonds or mushroom cap into filling. If using mushrooms, arrange the spaghetti-like mushroom tips upward, like an antenna.

Yield: 6 butterflies

Cat's Eyes

Children are always happy to make fun treats like these.