Tasty Snacks for Sweet Summer Vibes!

With the kids home from school & lazy summer days fast approaching, I'm already planning for the timeless  question... "I'm hungry, what's there to eat?"  When I think of these words, I'm reminded of my own teen years where all I did was swim during the day, play hide 'n' seek all night & eat... those were the best days!

I remember having an insatiable appetite ~ swimming will do that! I'd come home from the neighbourhood outdoor pool at 10pm starved after a full day of being in the hot sun, playing cards, in the water strategically shouting marco polo or diving with my friends off the highest diving board, to make a big bowl of spaghetti...  with soy sauce & butter ~ truth!  Oh goodness... it was easy & fast ~ I wasn't looking for nutrition; I was looking to fill my belly!

Other staples were soda cracker cheddar "sandwiches" that we'd pack to-go ~ do you know how much fun these are to eat with friends?!  We'd stuff our faces & then have competitions to see who could talk without being the first to bust a gut laughing as cracker bits flew everywhere!  Looking back, my safety self knows this was a choking hazard but we didn't know better & it was cheap fun!

Fortunately, at this time, we happened to live in an apartment complex right next door to the local "fruit stand" which was a family run store that served fresh cut meats, daily baked breads & treats, as well as various nuts, seeds & other tasty foods. It was like a premium grocery story but without the price tag!  It wasn't fancy then [they've since renovated & grown to be a well established, integral part of the community still serving the best quality goods around! We literally lived STEPS away from farm fresh, locally grown produce as shown  by the arrow in this picture!  This was our "fast food", our grab'n'go, our convenience store... this was our "normal" growing up.

​It wasn't until years after I moved to Ontario that I realized how lucky we were to not just have our "fruit stand" but, to also have the experience that it offered us growing up.  Eating lots of produce was just our way of life.  I didn't grow up on a farm, or even garden as a child but I did learn to appreciate the taste of whole foods & had open mindedness to various foods which I credit to this "little fruit stand".  The variety, accessibility & quality of good tasting foods played a key role in my appreciating it all today.  Living so close to a source of fresh foods helped me develop the healthy eating habits I have today because we just didn't know any better.  All we knew is that we enjoyed eating them & naturally craved more because they tasted good!

Growing up, our "fast food" was plums, peaches, nectarines, apples & grapes ~ these were the usual suspects.  But don't get me wrong, we still enjoyed eating the occasional Jos Louis & Flaky prepackaged cakes too!  But they were just that... occasional treats.

Seeing my own teenaged daughters, who today are way more conscious of their own food choices than I ever was at their age, makes me so grateful.  Not just because of how it impacts the way that they feel, or because we live in an age where pre-packed & processed foods are the norm & they are aware of this, but because these "food-like" products are toxic, cancer causing, disease breeding ingestibles that are target marketed to our children & wreaking havoc on their long term mental & physical health!  Because it's really a life skill to be able to master & make sense of ingredient lists so that they can make difference choices because they want to.  Because they understand that just because they sell it... doesn't mean it's safe for us.

End rant.  

I'm a big believer in preparation & prevention & so I'm getting ready now for the lazy, hazy days of summer 2019! I want our summer to be made up of memories of having fun, learning, living & feeling fab, without compromising our values, taste buds or health.  And so I'm preparing now for the inevitable relentless pleas from hungry children: there's nothing to eat as they stand for minutes in front of the fridge, doors wide open.

Let's face it... it's part of being a kid so... here are some quick solutions for those moments when they happen.  These are a few of our easy & healthy, kid approved, go-to recipes!  I thrive on showing my children how good healthy foods can taste & how amazing feeling healthy feels so my hope is that you will enjoy them as much as we do & that they bring simplicity to your lazy summer days too!

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Don't Throw Away Your Cold Coffee!  Save & refrigerate it for the swealtering afternoon & make this easy afternoon chiller!  No need to feel guilty because it's a healthy option for you!
COMPLETE ICE CAP
2 c ice
3/4 plant milk
1 c cold coffee
1 banana, frozen
1 scoop of dutch chocolate protein powder

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Smoothie Bowls: Versatile & Fun!
​Seriously, I've never been a fan of cereals... not even as a kid!  They're cold, get soggy & are just gross! But smoothie bowls... I get to choose my consistency & decorate it with my favourite toppings?!  Sign me up!
BLUE WAVES SMOOTHIE BOWL
1 c plant milk
2 bananas
handful each of… blackberries, blueberries, spinach
1/4 c pineapple
2 tsp blue spirulina
1 serving french vanilla protein powder

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We All Scream for Ice Cream!
Fresh, tangy & good for you ice cream?!  YES!  This lip smacking, non-dairy, ice cream is a loaded fat fuelling dessert & will quench your thirst & leave you craving MORE deliciousness with it's fresh fruitiness!  Pick your berry & fill your cups!
BERRYLICIOUS ICE CREAM
1 ripe avocado
1 banana, frozen
1 serving french vanilla protein powder

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Creamiest Fudgesicle... EVER!!
I may not be the biggest ice cream fan... but I grew up eating the Original Fudgsicle & love the delicious & creamy cocoa taste of this healthy treat!
FUDGECICLES
1 c coconut milk
1 banana, frozen
1 tsp peanut butter [can use seed butter]
1 tsp cacao [optional]
1 serving dutch chocolate protein power

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Complete Bark Bites
This melt in your mouth snack won't last long but that's okay because every bite is packed with solid nutrition for those busy summer days at the beach, cottage or just by the pool!

COMPLETE BARK
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 serving french vanilla protein powder
Decorated with pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes & chocolate chips

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These recipes may be tweaked & played with for your own personal preference however, I'd like to note that the protein powder I use in these recipes is family friendly & what I personally recommend because of it's quality, taste & texture, including it's safety for children of all ages to consume [this means expectant moms & seniors on medications too! If you'd like more info on the ingredients I invite you to browse my website here: jenniferowen.canada.juiceplus.com/what-is-juice-plus/complete  This is a clinically backed product approved by Health Canada & as a personal trainer, I know I can trust this for all my clients.

If you'd like to try an order, simply message me at  [email protected] or book a coaching call 705-220-2823 & I'll be happy to share with you how's it's benefitted our family for over 18 years, including my daughters who are both competitive athletes!

So save time in the kitchen this summer with these quick & tasty recipes & spend more time outside, under sunshine filled skies, making memories with your family & loved ones that will last a lifetime!!