It’s that time of year again when sweet treats abound. February is also American Heart Month, designated by the American Heart Association as the time to develop healthy habits for your heart health. Here are some fun food ideas to help your kids celebrate the day without suffering sweet-treat overload.
I-Love-You Strawberry Pancakes
Start the day with strawberries and whipped cream on pink pancakes. Mix a little red food* coloring right into the pancake batter. Once cooked, cut the pancakes into hearts with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Top with fresh strawberries or thaw frozen ones. Top with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla yogurt.
Yogurt Parfait
In a tall, narrow glass, layer vanilla yogurt with red berries for a fun visual treat. The parfait could be a breakfast treat, an afternoon snack, or dessert. If it’s for breakfast, add a little granola between the layers for extra energy.
Cream Cheese Heart Sandwiches
Send your little ones off to school with love in their lunchboxes. Cut bread with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Spread with cream cheese that has been mixed with a few drops of red food coloring.
Pink Berry Smoothie
Fruit smoothies are one of my kids’ favorite after-school snacks, but this could also be dessert. In a blender, mix frozen strawberries (or any frozen berry), a banana, and low-fat milk or orange juice. To make it Valentine’s special, top with whipped cream and a few chocolate sprinkles.
Heart-shaped Kids’ Pizza
Make or buy prepared pizza dough. Roll out the dough and cut it into kid-sized heart shapes with a butter knife. Spread with pizza sauce, top with mozzarella cheese, and bake. Accompany with red and white veggie treats, such as slices of red pepper, tomatoes, and cauliflower pieces.
Strawberry Shortcake
Why wait until June or July for strawberry shortcake? Mix up a batch of shortcake dough (takes very little sugar), pat out, and cut into heart shapes before baking. Layer strawberries and whipped cream between the heart-shaped shortcakes.
Chocolate Fondue with Fruit
Okay, we all need a little chocolate, and fondue is always fun for kids. If they agree to dark chocolate, so much the better—it contains substances that help blood vessels relax to lower blood pressure, as well as heart-protective antioxidants. Melt 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips in the microwave, add 3 tbsp. sour cream, and stir until smooth. Use a fork to dip fruity treats, such as fresh strawberries, banana chunks, apple slices, orange slices, or fresh or canned pineapple. Dip the fruit into warm chocolate and eat it immediately, or dip and freeze for later. To freeze, place the fruit on wax paper on a cookie sheet and insert toothpicks for easy snacking.
*If you want to avoid conventional food coloring, boil a beet and add a few drops of the brightly colored water to the food you want to color. Or try strawberry juice.
Learn more about freelance writer Joanna Nesbit at joannanesbit.com.
