Category: Healthy Snack

Apple Nachos

Apple nachos are the best easy and healthy snack! This simple concept is irresistible to kids and adults alike. Confession:…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

Apple nachos are the best easy and healthy snack! This simple concept is irresistible to kids and adults alike.

Apple Nachos

Confession: we often run out of snack ideas (even as cookbook authors!). Here’s a healthy snack that’s captured our 5 year old’s imagination, and subsequently ours: Apple Nachos! This simple combination of sweetened yogurt, almonds and apple slices is so refreshing and delicious, it’s hard to stop sneaking bites. It’s really just loaded apple slices, but it’s all in the branding, right? Here’s how to make this fun snack.

Ingredients in apple nachos

These apple nachos were inspired by our 5 year old, and now they’ve become a favorite family snacks! He picked out a kids cookbook from the library and as he was paging through, he landed on a picture of apple nachos. We made them together and from the first bite, he was hooked! This recipe is our spin on the concept from that book (Super Foods for Super Kids, which we’d recommend!). It’s so simple to whip up and a great way to incorporate healthy foods into your snacking, whatever your age. You’ll need:

  • Apples
  • Greek yogurt or plain yogurt
  • Maple syrup or honey
  • Peanut butter (optional; omit for nut allergies)
  • Sliced almonds
  • Cinnamon
Apple Nachos

Notes on the yogurt drizzle

This apple nachos recipe is so simple, you can whip it up without looking at a recipe. The drizzle is similar to our Yogurt Fruit Dip or Peanut Butter Dip, which we often make simply by stirring together the ingredients without measuring. Here are a few notes about the drizzle:

  • Use Greek or plain yogurt. Plain yogurt has a looser texture; Greek yogurt will be thicker.
  • Add peanut butter if desired, but it’s not required. We like it both ways.
  • If it’s thick, add water 1 teaspoon at a time to get to a consistency that’s easy to dollop onto the nachos. We add up to 1 tablespoon water when using Greek yogurt and peanut butter, but it all depends on the brand and type of yogurt and whether you’ve added PB.

Variations on apple nachos toppings

There are loads of ways to make apple nachos. You can keep them healthy-ish and simple like these, which we love because they’re super simple to put together and taste amazing. Or, you can style them as more of a dessert item. Here are a few more topping ideas:

  • Chopped pecans, peanuts or walnuts
  • Mini chocolate chips
  • Granola
  • Raisins
  • Peanut butter drizzle (warm it in the microwave so it’s easy to drizzle)
  • Caramel or chocolate sauce
  • Sprinkles
Apple Nachos

More apple recipes

Apples are so versatile for healthy snacks and cozy desserts! We love a good apple dip, and there’s nothing better a good crisp. Here are a few more apple recipes you’ll love:

This apple nachos recipe is…

Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, use vegan yogurt.

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Apple Nachos

Apple Nachos

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 10 minutes
  • Yield: 4
Print Recipe

Description

Apple nachos are the best easy and healthy snack! This simple concept is irresistible to kids and adults alike.

Ingredients

  • 2 apples
  • ½ cup full fat Greek yogurt (or plain yogurt)
  • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or honey, plus more for drizzle
  • 1 tablespoon peanut butter (optional; omit for nut allergies)
  • 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
  • Cinnamon, for dusting
  • Other toppings: granola, mini chocolate chips, etc.

Instructions

  1. Slice the apples.
  2. In a small bowl, mix the Greek yogurt, maple syrup or honey, and if using, peanut butter. If it is very thick, stir in up water a teaspoon at a time until it comes to a drizzleable consistency (depends on the brand and type of yogurt and whether you’re using peanut butter).
  3. Drizzle the yogurt sauce over the apples. Top with sliced almonds and a few pinches of cinnamon. If desired, add another drizzle of honey or other toppings. Serve immediately.

Notes

Inspired by Super Food for Super Kids by Noelle Martin

  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Snack
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Apple nachos

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

These peanut butter granola bars have the best nutty sweet flavor! They’re the perfect homemade snack for PB lovers. Love…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

These peanut butter granola bars have the best nutty sweet flavor! They’re the perfect homemade snack for PB lovers.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Love peanut butter? Here’s the ultimate snack for PB lovers: Peanut Butter Granola Bars! Storebought granola bars are convenient, yes. But they taste sugary sweet and one note, with a a slightly artificial aftertaste. The flavor difference versus a homemade granola bar? It’s transcendental: honey sweet, nutty, nuanced with a hint cinnamon and a pop of rich chocolate. We think you’ll agree: these are amazing. Make up a batch and eat off of them for treats and healthy snacks all week long.

What you need for peanut butter granola bars

You do not, in fact, need granola in order to make granola bars. (Who knew!) No, these bars are no bake bars using oats and peanut butter. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:

  • Creamy peanut butter: no sugar added is best here. A very creamy brand is best (some brands can be drier than others). Make sure to stir your PB well before making the bars.
  • Honey: want vegan granola bars? Use agave syrup here.
  • Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Mini chocolate chips: make sure they’re mini! Standard chocolate chips don’t work well because they’re too large to integrate into the texture of the bar.
Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Toast the oats for maximum flavor

These peanut butter granola bars are no bake: but they do involve a quick 10-minute toast in the oven for the oats. It might be tempting to skip this step (and you can if you’re in a rush). But here’s why it’s ideal for this recipe:

  • Toasting the oats adds major nutty, irresistible flavor. It’s absolutely worth the extra minutes for the payoff in flavor.
  • You’ll need just 10 minutes at 350 degrees. It’s quick and simple, and easiest in the oven because it lets you place all the oats in a single layer in a pan.

Chill a few hours for best results

Once you mix together the dough for this peanut butter granola bars recipe, you’ll freeze it for 10 minutes to solidly. Then, you can cut it into bars. Right away, the texture will be very chewy. If you can, refrigerate the bars for 2 hours before eating! This helps the texture to firm up. Technically you can eat them right away, but chilling them makes them more solid.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Storage info for peanut butter granola bars

These homemade peanut butter granola bars are different from the store-bought variety: so they’re not shelf-stable! Store homemade granola bars refrigerated for up to 3 weeks in a sealed container. You can still include them in lunch boxes that aren’t refrigerated during the day: they’ll be a bit softer but will still hold together.

Want to transport them individually wrapped? You can wrap in parchment paper and secure with tape, or use the storage container of your choice.

More peanut butter recipes

And that’s it! These peanut butter granola bars are the ideal healthy snack or treat to whip up and keep in your fridge for munching all week. Want more ways to use PB? Here are some of our favorite peanut butter recipes for using up a jar:

This peanut butter granola bars recipe is…

Vegetarian, dairy-free, plant-based and gluten-free. For vegan, use agave syrup.

Print
Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 14 to 20
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup creamy peanut butter (no sugar added)
  • ½ cup honey (or ½ cup agave syrup for vegan)
  • 3 ½ cups Old Fashioned rolled oats
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup mini chocolate chips, divided

Instructions

  1. Toast the oats: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the oats in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them for 10 minutes until lightly golden. (This step adds incredible toasty flavor to the oats: don’t skip it!)
  2. Mix the ingredients: Transfer the oats to a large bowl and mix in the peanut butter, honey, oats, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.
  3. Form into bars: Add a sheet of parchment paper to a 9″ x 9″ pan, letting the edges drape over the sides. Place the mixture into the pan and press it into an even layer. Add the remaining ¼ cup chocolate chips to the top of the bars. Use a small glass to roll over the top to make them as smooth as possible.
  4. Freeze and cut the bars: Freeze the bars for 10 minutes. Then remove the pan from the freezer and use the parchment to lift the bars out of the pan. Use a sharp knife to cut them into 14 bar sized shapes (that are 4 ½ by 1 ¼ inches), or the size of your choice. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. The texture becomes solid after refrigerating for 2 hours, so if you have time do that before tasting the first bar. 
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Snack
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Peanut butter granola bars

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.