Anatomy of a Snack

ANATOMY OF A SNACK FOR CHILDREN AND ADULTS

Pear Anzac

Violet's Porridge Pancakes:
Left over rolled oat porridge turned into pancakes - ready for snacking on a plate or in a container

One of the questions asked at the recent seminar in Sydney " Growing Healthy Children with Food to Heal, Nourish and Delight" with Holly Davis and Rosalba Courtney was about snacks. I didn't have time to fully answer the issue, because it's not a simple few words answer. I can give you heaps of ideas for snacks, but it won't get to the root of the issue. Which is this - a child's body has a vast daily requirement for nutrients - these are must needs, non - debatable. So does an adult - you might not be growing, but you are still running a body and doing. It is best to get the bulk of  nutrients and fuel from meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner - a snack should be a pit stop in the day.  A meal provides nutrients for the journey/time span ahead (just like petrol in the car) - and the more nutrient dense that is, the more fuel you have. Protein and Fat will give more slow release sustaining fuel, over a longer period of time than complex, whole carbohydrates and vitamins and minerals in vegetables and fruit. I'm not saying that these carbohydrates, vegetables and fruits are bad, just that they won't keep you going for long. No matter what your age, it's a good idea to first ensure that your breakfast, lunch and dinner are nutrient dense and your day is well balanced  - that is you are eating a balance of nutrients.

I see the biggest reliance on snacks in adults and children that primarily don't have enough fuel in the first place - that piece of fruit for breakfast won't last long, that rolled oat porridge (no matter how healthy that sounds) with fruit, yoghurt with a seed and nut mix  might keep you going 1 - 2 hours tops, that bowl of cereal (but I hope you don't have that) again 1 - 2 hours tops, that salad for lunch - 1 hour of fuel tops and so it goes. But an eggy, vegetable breakfast cooked in a bit of ghee (or an organic/nitrate free bacon fat for a dairy free option) will provide a far longer, more grounded and sustaining fuel and is a different thing. This idea can be altered in cut and look for young children. Add more nutrient density with a little bit of organic, nitrate free bacon, ham or sausage and you have even more fuel. Having had egg (protein and fat with some vegetables) for breakfast, consider a lunch that includes some complex carbohydrate and protein (and vegetables for vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients, anti oxidants etc) Salad and Lentil and Walnut Pate, a slice of Mushroom Rice and Chard Bake, a thick legume or grain and vegetable soup etc. It might be as simple as some left over grain, tossed with cooked or raw vegetables, some seeds, possibly cooked grains and a dressing. Or having had that healthy porridge, plan for something sustaining for morning tea - a hard boiled egg (we did this for afternoon tea during shooting the pictures for the new book and it saved the day), vegetable fritter, soup etc. I could say also that if it's Omega 3 Essential Fatty Acids you're after - that organic, grass pastured egg will provide a better dose (more bio available too) than the ubiquitous chia seed. 

A quick breakfast with late season tomatoes, zucchini, kale soft scramble in ghee with a bit of persian fetta

There are heaps of idea's for breakfast, lunch and dinners in my books, and some on my blog. Heaps of idea's on others also - my fave's being Heidi Swanson and  Jamie Oliver - but all over the web, or magazines you will find them.  


But, it's snacks we are really talking about - that which keeps us topped up until we can get to the petrol station (the meal) and THE THING IS ANY FOOD CAN BE A SNACK. It could be that scrambled egg that wasn't finished, it could be cold porridge from the day before turned into a pikelet (picture at top), it can be a muffin or cookie, it could be an apple and a piece of cheese, it could be a hard boiled egg, it could be a vegie fritter, it could be a little salad, it could be some fresh or stewed fruit with cream/labne/yoghurt. What it is about is that it fits the nutrient balance of the day - if you've had egg for breakfast, then a hard boiled egg snack doesn't work. If you've had porridge for breakfast, then other carbohydrate based snacks (crackers/muffins/bread etc) doesn't work. 


The goal of that snack is to keep you going until your next major fuel intake - a meal. Remember also that in winter, and with young children (well, really even older children and teenagers) afternoon tea is really more about a meal (read early dinner) than a snack. For those older children it's about a mini meal. The motto here is MEET THE HUNGER AT TIME - this means, when you or your child come home starving, eat something nutrient dense. Fruit - no matter how healthy it might be, won't cut it. But a bowl of soup (size to vary with age) and perhaps a warm Pear Anzac, just might. A fat and protein in the form of a chunk of good cheese or peanut paste with that apple makes a difference.  The need for fuel has been met, the body can relax and move onto learning (homework), doing (getting dinner made, getting children into bed) and sleep is often better.


P.S 
The porridge pikelets were made for Violet, who decided she really didn't like the porridge I made. But being me, I wouldn't let her waste it but rather found a format that she did like. They were made from rolled oats (approx 1 1/2 cups) and 1 tablespoon currents or sultana's soaked overnight in water and 1 teaspoon whey, then cooked the next morning with an apple grated into it, with 1 tablespoon rapadura sugar. We ate this as porridge. To make the pikelets I measured out 1 cup cold, very thick porridge into a bowl, added 1 large egg and some cinnamon. Mix it up. I like to fry these in coconut oil - it gives a delicious crispyness to the edges, but ghee is fine also. The key for these is to make sure they are well cooked on one side (at least 5 minutes over a medium/gently sizzling heat) or until they are   very golden and well cooked before turning. They are tricky to turn, but easier if well - cooked and doable. Not doable at all if you use a dodgy plastic turner - try a nice, sharp stainless steel one. 

PEAR ANZACS

Wheat Free - Low Gluten

I like to add finely chopped glace ginger to these for an adult version. They will be just as delicious cold, but easy to warm in the oven if desired. You can easily replace the rolled oats with Quinoa or Amaranth Flakes for a gluten - free option.

4 - 5 small - medium ripe pears

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup white/unbleached spelt flour (oat or barley flour)

1/2 cup light brown or rapdura sugar

1/4 cup desiccated coconut

1/2 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

100 gm unsalted butter or ghee

1/2 cup walnuts or other nuts

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Pre- heat the oven to 180c or 165c if fan forced. Cut the pears in half, scoop out the core and lay in a large ovenproof dish, cut side up.

Combine the oats, flour, sugar, coconut, cinnamon and butter in a bowl, or place in a food processor. Rub the butter into the dry ingredients until combined, or pulse until the mixture is just coming together, taking care not to overmix. Add the walnuts and fold through, or give a quick pulse.

Divide the mixture in and lightly mould into the pears. Pour 1 cup of water (even pear juice is yummy) into the dish with the vanilla. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes or until the pears just 'give' when gently squeezed.