Need some new ideas on what to pack for school (or work) lunches?  Here are a few of our favourite delicious and healthy snack recipes that you can try.  For more ideas, this post combines a lot of great resources for packing healthy school lunches.  Enjoy!

“Banana Oat Bites”

1 cup old fashioned oats
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 ripe medium bananas, mashed
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped raw walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F.
Lightly coat baking sheet with coconut oil.  Set aside.
Combine oats, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl; mix well.
Drop heaping tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet to form 16 cookies; flatten cookies with a spatula.
Bake for 14 to 15 minutes or until firm.

”Zucchini Walnut Muffins”

1 egg or flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax seeds + 3 tbsp water)
1+ 1/4 cup lightly packed shredded zucchini, skin left on
1+ 1/4 cup almond milk
2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
3 tablespoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/2 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips
2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.  Fill a muffin tin with paper liners.
Mix flax egg in a small bowl and set aside. Grate zucchini and set aside.
Mix almond milk and apple cider vinegar/fresh lemon juice in a small bowl and set aside. It will curdle, but this is the point as we’re making vegan buttermilk.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar).
Mix together the wet ingredients (flax egg, almond milk mixture, maple syrup, and vanilla) and then pour over dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, walnuts, and shredded zucchini.
Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin filling each tin 3/4 of the way full.  Bake for about 15-17 minutes at 350F, or until muffins slowly spring back when touched.  A toothpick should come out mostly clean. Let cool for about 5 minutes.

”Warm Black Bean Dip”

2 large whole garlic cloves
½ cup chopped white onions
2 chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 sprigs of cilantro
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 cups black beans
½ teaspoon each cumin, salt, pepper

Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Cook tomatoes, onion, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper until very soft.  Stir in black beans and ½ cup water.
Simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.  Puree half the mixture with the cilantro; stir into saucepan with lime juice.  Adjust seasoning to taste.
Serve warm with tortilla chips, rice crackers or veggie sticks.