Your kids are showing an interest in cooking, but you also want to ensure they explore cooking independently, yet safely. Most recipes for adults are too complicated and utilize plenty of knife work. Luckily, we have you covered. The following recipes come with simple and straightforward directions – and best of all, they require minimum use of kitchen tools. Needless to say these dishes are absolutely delicious and even the pickiest of all eaters is sure to love them!

1. No-Bake Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
• ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup quick oats
• 1/3 cup almond flour
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped nuts (or more, as needed)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine wet ingredients and stir in oats and almond flour. If the mixture is too wet, add in more oats. Shape into 1 inch balls and roll each ball on chopped nuts, roughly coating them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate before serving.

2. Strawberry Ice Cream in a Bag

Ingredients:

• 1 cup half-and-half cream
• 1/2 cup freshly chopped strawberries
• ½ cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups coarsely crushed ice
• 3/4 cup salt

Directions:

Grab two quart size resealable bags and place on inside the other. Place all the ingredients except ice and salt into the inner bag and seal both bags. Press out as much air as possible.

Now place these two bags into a gallon-size resealable freezer bag. Add ice and salt to this bag and seal, pressing out as much as from the bag as possible.

Shake the mixture and knead it until you see it thickening. This may take up to 5 minutes. Wear mittens or use a kitchen towel while shaking if your hands get cold from the ice. Once the mixture thickens and looks almost like an ice cream, serve it into a cup and enjoy with your favorite toppings!

3. Yogurt Parfait

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup vanilla yogurt
• ½ cup granola with dried fruit
• A dash of ground nutmeg
• 1 cup sweetened applesauce

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix applesauce and nutmeg. Add 1 tablespoon of granola into each of 4 small glasses. Add 1/3 cup yogurt into each glass, followed by ¼ cup applesauce each. Sprinkle with granola again and serve.

4. Frozen Chocolate Monkey Bites

Ingredients:

• 3 medium bananas
• 2 teaspoons cream
• 1 cup dark chocolate chips
• Choice of toppings (e.g. chopped nuts or shredded coconut)

Directions:

Cut each banana into 1 inch pieces and insert a toothpick into each piece. Transfer cut banana to a lined baking sheet. Freeze until banana is firm (about 1 hour).

Place chocolate and cream into a bowl and microwave for a few seconds. Stir until chocolate is smooth. Dip the bananas, holding them by the toothpicks, into the melted chocolate. Dip into toppings and freeze for another 30 minutes before serving.

5. Fruit Cups

Ingredients:

• 5 cups fresh fruit, cut into cubes, if needed (apples, bananas, mango, grapes, blueberries and pears are excellent options)
• ¾ cup vanilla or lemon yogurt
• 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
• ½ teaspoon orange zest

Directions:

Divide your choice of fruit into six serving bowls. In a medium size bowl, combine yogurt, orange zest and honey until everything is well incorporated. Spoon yogurt mixture over fruit and serve.

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