Stressless Summer Tour: Cheeseburger Muffins plus 7 Health Summer Snacks

You've seen Angelle Batten here before, helping us understand the food-mood connection and our kids. Now she's back as part of our Stressless Summer Tour. Wait until you see what she has in store for us. Seven healthy snacks and a recipe for Cheeseburger Muffins, which I know my kids are going to love! I think yours might, too!

Without further ado, here is Angelle:

“I’m Hungry…Again!”

Those “I’m hungry!” cries can seem endless during the summer. If your kiddo is non-stop hungry it’s good to check in to see if meals and snacks are balanced. When they are mostly comprised of grains kids tend to love - pasta, breads, cereals, and pretzels simple sugars like fruit, Popsicles and juice – they aren’t getting the fuel that keeps their blood sugar and insulin levels low and steady, which means a constant message to our brain to eat more. What’s the easy fix? Balance meals and snacks with what I call Powerful Protein, Friendly Fat and Colorful Carbs.

Powerful Protein,

Friendly Fat and

Colorful Carbs.

7 Healthy Summer Snacks:

Here are BALANCED snack ideas and an easy recipe so your kiddos can grab-n-go and not miss a beat!
Ants-on-a-Log with cream cheese and blueberries

Fresh Trail Mix with pumpkin seeds, blueberries, carrot coins, raisins and dark chocolate chips

Half of a chicken salad sandwich with a side of grapes

Smoothie with full-fat yogurt, strawberries, bananas and chia seeds

Homemade whole grain blueberry muffins with some sunflower seed butter

Cottage cheese with blueberries or chopped carrots and cucumbers

Sliced vegetables with hummus or homemade ranch and a slice of turkey

And the best is yet to come.

Cheeseburger Muffins

Serves: 12

Ingredients:

½ cup tomato sauce

2 eggs

3 Tbs. cream or yogurt

½ cup rolled oats

½ tsp. Italian seasoning

½ tsp. Celtic sea salt

¼ tsp. fresh ground pepper

1 lb. ground beef, turkey or turkey sausage

2 cups cheddar or mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Line muffin tin with 12 paper liners.

Combine all ingredients except meat and cheese.

Mix in meat and 1½ cups of cheese.

Form mixture into large balls and place into paper liners.

Bake 20-30 minutes or until a minimum temperature of 160° is met using a probe thermometer.

Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese on muffin tops.

Return to the oven until cheese is melted, about a minute.

Remove and serve hot or cold.

Serve with cold sweet potato fries, cucumber slices, strawberries and some chocolate dip for a delicious and BALANCED summertime meal! (Recipe by Chef Jackie White for Angelle Batten)

Angelle Batten, MEd is a Family Wellness Coach and a mom to 3 Adventurous Eaters. You can join her mailing list at www.AngelleBatten.com to get one of her favorite (5 ingredient) recipes along with a list of 5 ‘good news’ ingredients to easily add into your family’s diet. She’ll show you how to feed your family healthier. One. Manageable. Step. At. A. Time.

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Enjoy the ongoing Stressless Summer Tour by checking back here.