ANKENY, Iowa — Are you ready for snack season? Over 56 million students in the U.S. are heading back to their elementary or secondary schools, and just about all of them will be hungry after school. The Soyfoods Council provides snack ideas with its free new digital cookbook, Easy Snackable Soy: Simple Snack Recipes Featuring High-Quality Plant Protein. You can download this 126-page illustrated recipe collection with more than 50 simple snacks featuring soyfoods such as edamame, soymilk and soynuts. Soy ingredients make sensible snack choices, offering complete protein with all of the essential amino acids in the proper amounts needed for healthy growth. Currently, 65% of Americans say they have switched from traditional snacks to high protein, low sugar alternatives in the last 12 months. For children, snacks may account for as much as 30% of their daily energy intake.
Walking in the door: Who says you have to rush around making after-school snacks as soon as you get home from work? You can make Slow Cooker Bean Ranch Dip in the morning. Combine canned black soybeans, canned refried beans, soy sour cream, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing mix and salsa. Hungry kids can help themselves to dip and tortilla chips. Just so you know, this dip is party-worthy, too.
If fruits and vegetables are your preference, try three-ingredient Spiced Fruit Dip made with firm silken tofu, brown sugar and cinnamon. Dip fresh berries, banana or melon slices for a satisfyingly sweet snack. Vegetable-friendly dips include Creamy Avocado and Silken Tofu Hummus, made in a blender. Combine canned garbanzo beans (chickpeas), a half carton of silken tofu, two ripe avocados, soybean oil, lime juice and tahini. The dip is seasoned with minced garlic and cumin. Serve with carrot, celery and bell pepper slices.
Going out the door: Portable snacks can go wherever the kids go after school. Keep make-ahead snacks on hand, including Soynut Butter Pita Pockets with apple slices. Make Tempting Trail Mix with nuts, dried fruit, honey, chocolate chips and TVP (textured vegetable protein, also known as TSP or textured vegetable protein). You can also add a burst of protein to old favorites such as Rice Krispies Treats TM with a Soy Twist. Simply add TVP to the mix.
For these and other kid-friendly snack recipes, visit the website at www.thesoyfoodscouncil.com and download a free copy of Easy Snackable Soy. The digital cookbook also includes an ingredient directory of the soyfoods that make it easy to create plant-powered snacks, plus sources for ordering soyfoods online for delivery right to your door. The website provides other resource information, including research about soyfoods and health.
SoyNut Butter Pita Pocket
Yield: 1 pita half
½ whole wheat pita pocket
1 Tbsp SoyNut Butter
1 Tbsp apple butter
6 apple slices
- Spread SoyNut butter and apple butter on pita half. Arrange apple inside pita.
CALORIES 231; FAT 6.5g; PROTEIN 7g; CARBOHYDRATE 38g; CHOLESTEROL 0mg
— The Soyfoods Council