Snack Smart Recipes

Servings: 6

Total Time:15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 medium apple
• 6 tbsp peanut butter or any nut butter of your choice
• 2 tbsp granola clusters
• 2 tbsp reduced sugar or no sugar added dried cranberries
• 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice to brush on apple rings if eating later to prevent browning (optional)

Substitution Tip: For those with nut allergies, you can use strawberry cream cheese, low-fat vanilla Greek yogurt or sunflower seed butter instead.

Directions:

1. Place the apple horizontally on a cutting board and cut the apple in half so that you are cutting through the core.
2. Using a melon scoop or a sturdy small metal spoon, scoop out the core of both apple halves.
3. Cut ¼ inch thick rings from each cored apple half (each apple half will yield 3-4 rings).
4. Using a butter knife or a small spatula, spread about 1 tbsp of peanut butter evenly on each apple ring.
5. Top each apple ring with granola and dried cranberries, or other favorite toppings like toasted coconut, crushed whole grain cereals, pumpkin seeds and so on.

Snacking Tip: Create an apple “sandwich” by placing a matching size apple ring on top for a less messy snack that’s easier to hold for toddlers and young children.