With each of the major holidays it seems like we are bombarded with opportunities to indulge in unhealthy food options. I struggle with controlling the sugar intake that my girls get and we often talk about making good choices when they are at parties and celebrations. I like to be proactive in providing them with healthy choices now while their lifelong habits are forming.
This Valentine’s Day try making heart shaped apple chips for your children to enjoy in their lunches, for an afternoon snack, or make a large batch to send for a class party.
If you are a member of Young Living, you may have received a free bottle of my absolute favorite vitality essential oil, Cinnamon Bark Vitality during January 2020. Vitality essential oils are simply oils that are great for cooking, flavoring, and using internally. No worries if you don’t have the essential oil, you can use powder cinnamon for the spice.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 wide firm apples – Honeycrisp, Fuji, Golden Delicious
- 2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 3 drops Cinnamon Bark Vitality Essential Oil or Organic Ground Cinnamon
- Small heart shaped cookie cutter
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
Choose 3 large, wide apples. (I made the mistake of using smaller apples that weren’t wide enough for my heart shape and the sides of the apple cut through.) Also the apples will shrink while baking.
Use a sharp knife to slice thin horizontal slices.
Use a heart cutter to cut a heart shape out of the center of each slice and place on a baking pan.
Add 3 drops of Cinnamon Bark Vitality essential oil to 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil and pour over the tops of your apples. Sprinkle with powdered ground cinnamon.
Bake for 1 hour. Flip the apples, sprinkle more cinnamon, and bake for another hour.
After 2 hours if the slices still feel mushy, bake longer.
Allow to cool before eating.
If you don’t have a set of nesting, multi-size heart cookie cutter you totally need to get yourself a set! You will use them for so many things!
Here are 2 sets that I love.
Now I hear you saying, “What if I don’t have 2 hours to wait to dry apple slices?” Well here is a super simple snack that anyone is sure to love.
Take an apple and slice it into rounds. Cut a heart shape out of the center and fill it with your favorite peanut butter, almond butter, or other nut butter of choice.
Or you can kick it up a notch by drizzling honey and sprinkling hemp hearts for a little crunch. You can call this the adult version, because I know you would appreciate healthy snacks also.
A simple heart makes an ordinary snack look so much more appealing to young eyes.
Leave me a comment below and let me know if you try this snack in your home! I can’t wait to here what modifications you make and the reaction of your children.
