Since Thursday, April 22 is Earthy day, we thought we’d share just how we make the trail mix we take with us when we go on adventure walks, or to the swimming pool, or fishing…pretty much any activity where we are enjoying the earth and being active.

Our Earth Day Trail Mix is an easy recipe to make with kids. Lots of measuring, pouring and stirring, ensure everyone will have a job to do, and it’s super fast, so you’ll be munching this tasty treat in no time.

Earth Day Trail Mix
1 cup low-fat honey granola
1 1/2 cup mixed nuts
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
2 good handfuls of pretzels

Instructions
Measure out each ingredient, pouring it into a large bowl. Stir it all together. Next, snack away!

Happy Earth Day week everyone! If you’re out there, enjoying good ole Mother Nature, take a little Earth Day Trail Mix with you

Alex, Soph and Mom

P.S. For more information about ‘The Kids Cook Monday’, check out The Monday Campaigns, Healthy Monday site–we’re of they’re featured blogs

Since this is strawberry week here at the 2 Kids house, we’re sharing one of our concoctions that includes—you guessed it–strawberries! It also has bananas and vanilla yogurt and milk, adding some potassium and calcium to the party.

Strawberry Banana Smoothie
2 ripe banana
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
6 oz light vanilla yogurt
1 Cup Milk

Instructions
Mix all of the ingredients together in a blender. Blend on a high speed until the mixture is smooth. Pour into the glasses of your choice and serve.

We say it’s strawberry-tastic!

Alex, Soph and Mom

We hope you enjoy our first show. Make sure to sign up for our weekly recipes AND so you don’t miss our other videos and news. Our next show will be up next week too, so make sure and check back.

Anyway, check out our show and get in the kitchen and have some fun!

Check out the recipe, too!

We tend to stick to the ingredients listed, but this is one recipe that is open for substitutions. The main goal with this one is to show the simplicity in ‘cooking’–which at times is pretty much just assembly. The episode that contains this recipe will be airing soon, and you’ll see 6 year old Sophia show you just how easy it is.

Snickety Snacks
1 Cucumber
1 Green Pepper
1 Cup or so Baby Carrots
4 oz or so Sliced Cheddar Cheese
4 oz or so Sliced Lean Turkey Sausage
1/3 cup Ranch Dressing

Peel the cucumber and then cut it in half length-wise. We like to scrape the seeds out with a spoon, but that’s not necessary. Then slice the cucumber in to bit-size slices.

Next, cut the pepper in half and remove the stem and seeds. After that, slice the pepper into even slices.

The baby carrots really only need to be washed, and then dry off any excess water.

Slice the cheese and sausage into even sizes.

Step two involves arranging your treats onto a platter nicely and adding the ranch dip into a bowl. V

Once you’ve tried this recipe on your own, please make sure and rate it!

Watch Sophie demonstrate how she makes Snickety Snacks on 2 Kids Cooking TV!

Alex, Soph and I are huge snackers; much of our eating is very snacky and tapas-like and we usually go in snack-phases–like pistachios, strawberries and chocolate pudding, every day of the week. Then, once I’m convinced these are their forever favorites, they change to wanting string cheese, melon and jello–huge surprise, I know. So, to avoid a fridge filled with unwanted packets of go-gurt and rotting blueberries, I not only make sure to ask the kids what they’re liking these days, I also have a rule: if you say you want it, you must eat all of it before a different ‘favorite’ is purchased (this rule also governs the purchase of cereals. A person can only store so much cookie crisp and cocoa puffs before they just have to stop the madness).

To ensure an amble supply of treats are on hand, we thoroughly stock-up each week. Our healthy favorites include: Almonds, Pistachios, Cashews, String Cheese, Cheese in general, Pop-corn, fruit, veggies and dip, leaner sausages, pudding and yogurt. And, I am NOT one of those moms who does not allow the not-so-healthy treats, so we also have ice cream, chocolate, Little Debbie snacks, various candies and other sugar/fat laden delights.

See, my theory is balance when it comes to food in-take. If Sophie eats two Little Debbie brownies, she knows she’s done with ‘not-healthy’ foods for the day. She also knows that she’ll still be allowed to eat fruit or yogurt for a sweet snack later…just no more junk. And Alex knows that if he only eats chicken for supper and tries to sneak out on his peas, well then he will not get ice cream before bed.

We truly love our snacks. And as the head of this grazing brigade, I’d like to think that we are top notch snackers, who embrace both sides of the snack aisle–healthy and not-so-healthy–with a balance that ensures nutrition and fun.