Hot summer night dinner and yogurt woes

It's a hot, steamy, stormy night. I didn't really want to fire up the stove, and it was too stormy to grill out. A bento-type meal was in order!

Tonight's main fare:
Peanut butter cracker sandwiches
Yogurt
Chopped fruit

With a big glass of ice water

My concern is this: I've spent way too much time reading the yogurt labels lately. Yogurt is really high in sugar. I don't want to do Light or any other low-sugar yogurt, because then the sugar is replaced with a chemical alternative sugar substance, and I'm even less of a fan of sugar substitutes than I am of pure sugar. I've tried Greek yogurt, and honestly, I'm not a fan - it actually makes me gag to even think about it.

I'm considering making my own yogurt. Anyone else try this? I'm gonna need some tips!

Fresh Fruit Crepes

All I can say is, "yummy!".

Last week for dinner one exceptionally hot night, I made fresh fruit crepes. I have to admit that I actually purchased my crepes from the grocery store, instead of making them from scratch, even though it's super-easy to make crepes, I've just been on over-drive lately with being so busy.

Ingredients:

1 package of crepes

assortment of chopped fresh fruit

yogurt

granola

I let the kids help me put these together. Basically, just pile the fruit in the middle of the crepe, dollop with yogurt and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of granola over the top. I used Kashi cereal since we were fresh out of granola. Which reminds me that I need to post my recipe for granola - it's super easy and super yummy.

Strawberry Banana Ice Pops!

This weekend, I made some strawberry banana smoothies - but I excluded the greek yogurt this time - so it was just strawberries, bananas, orange juice and ice. Yummy! The best thing about making smoothies is the leftovers! I pour our leftovers into our ice-pop makers.

We've got a few different types of ice-pop makers. Some folks advocate using a paper cup and popcycle stick, but I'd rather use something re-usable, and with a smaller serving size. So one of My Favorite Things this week is my ice-pop maker. I get to give the kids wholesome Popsicles.

Banana Carrot Muffins

These are fantastic! Moist and healthy! I made over 56 mini-muffins at 2 pts per mini-muffin.

Ingredients:
1 c. sugar
4 eggs, large
5 bananas
1/3 c. orange juice
2 c. grated carrots (can also used mashed canned or frozen carrots)
4 c. flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c. butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini-muffin tin.

2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, soda and salt.

3. In a large bowl (I use my KitchenAid), cream the butter and sugar.

4. Add eggs and juice to wet mixture.

5. Mash carrots and bananas thoroughly (my kids love this part!)

6. Mix carrots and bananas into egg-sugar mixture.

7. Stir in dry mix; only until moistened.

8. Pour into muffin pan.

9. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

3 c. flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

6 large mashed bananas

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2/3 c. melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Mix all wet ingredients. Mix all dry ingredients. Mix both mixtures together. Really, it's that easy.

3. Bake for 25 minutes.

Makes 48 mini muffins.