Merry Christmas from the Y! This is one of the happiest times of the year: gathering with family and friends, wearing cozy sweaters, and sharing yummy foods.

But while we all love Christmas cookies, you may be wondering how to cut back on some of the holiday sugar. If you’re looking for healthy Christmas treats to make with your kids, we have seven adorable (and delicious!) ideas for you.

1. Strawberry Santas

Ingredients

• 12 strawberries
• 1 banana
• ¼ cup cream cheese
• Gel icing

Instructions

1. Cut off the leaves from strawberry.
2. Cut a second slice from the top of the strawberry.
3. Slice a disc from a banana.
4. Spread one side of the banana with cream cheese for Santa’s beard.
5. Place the strawberry slice on the serving plate.
6. Add the slice of the banana on top, cream cheese side down.
7. Add two gel icing dots on the edge of the banana slice for eyes.
8. Place the rest of the strawberry on top as the hat.
9. Repeat for as many Santas as you want.

2. Grinch Fruit Skewers

Ingredients & Equipment

• 10 green grapes
• 1 banana, cut into 10 slices
• 10 strawberries
• 10 mini marshmallows
• 10 skewers

Instructions

1. Kids’ safety tip: Cut or break off the pointy end of the skewers.
2. Put a green grape on each skewer for the Grinch faces.
3. Place a banana slice on top of each grape.
4. Cut off the strawberry leaves, then put the strawberries on top of each banana for Grinch hats.
5. Top off the hats with mini marshmallows.

3. Banana Snowmen

Ingredients & Equipment

• 2 bananas
• ¼ of a carrot
• A handful of raisins
• 3 strawberries
• 6 grapes
• 6 skewers

Instructions

1. Cut the bananas into thick slices (about nine rounds per banana).
2. Peel the carrot and cut into small triangles for a nose.
3. Trim strawberry stems and cut in half. You should get two hats out of each strawberry.
4. Cut the grapes in half. 
5. To assemble, thread three slices of banana on to each skewer, then a strawberry hat and grape half. 
6. Gently press raisins into the banana slices for eyes and buttons.
7. Add the carrot nose, then enjoy these sweet snowmen!
8. Kid-friendly tip: Chop everything up, place all the bits in separate bowls, and have the kids assemble the snowmen.

4. Frosty the Snowman Sandwiches

Ingredients & Equipment

• 2 slices of bread
• Deli ham
• Cheese
• A baby carrot
• Raisins 
• Cucumber slices
• Red bell pepper slices
• Circle sandwich cutter

Instructions

1. Place ham and cheese (or your child’s favorite filling) between bread slices.
2. Use the circle sandwich cutter to slice away the edges.
3. Let your child add the baby carrot for Frosty’s nose, raisins for his eyes and mouth, and red bell pepper for his scarf.
4. Finish the sandwich by adding cucumber slices for Frosty’s hat.
5. Time for your kiddo to dig in!

5. Watermelon Christmas Trees

Ingredients

• ¼ of a whole seedless watermelon
• ⅓ cup yogurt

Instructions

1. Cut watermelon into slices, then cut each slice in half.
2. To make the base of the tree, slice the rind into thirds and trim pieces from either side so you’ll have one “tree trunk” in the middle.
3. Place your Christmas trees on a lined tray that will fit in the freezer.
4. Add yogurt to a piping bag and decorate your trees. If you don’t have a piping bag, simply fill a snap-lock plastic bag with yogurt and cut a small piece from the corner.
5. Place tray in the freezer and let yogurt freeze for 1-2 hours.
6. Serve and enjoy!

6. Sweet & Savory Christmas Trees

Ingredients

• A slice of yellow cheese 
• 5-7 small pretzel sticks
• 1 green apple
• 8 raisins

Instructions

1. Cut green apple into eight slices.
2. Help your child assemble their Christmas tree: Yellow cheese for the star, pretzel sticks for the tree trunk, and raisins for ornaments.
3. Repeat this for as many trees as you want!

7. Cheese Christmas Trees

Ingredients & Equipment

• Your child’s favorite cheese
• Broccoli florets
• Chili pepper flakes
• 1 mini yellow pepper
• Skewers or toothpicks

Instructions

1. Slice cheese into triangles, then gently skewer them.
2. Shave broccoli tops, then have your child sprinkle broccoli over the cheese wedges.
3. Shake a few chili pepper flakes over each wedge.
4. Carefully slice the pepper into stars, then top cheese wedges.
5. Serve and enjoy!

We hope you and your kiddos have the healthiest, tastiest Christmas ever!

The Lafayette Family YMCA is a community dedicated to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.

The post 7 Healthy Christmas Treats You Can Make with Your Kids appeared first on YMCA.

That’s why we’ve rounded up nine easy, healthy 4th of July recipes. Your family and friends will be begging for more of these appetizers, main dishes, and desserts!

Appetizers

1. American Flag Veggie Tray with Dill Dip

Ingredients

For the veggies:

• 3 cucumbers
• 10-15 radishes
• Cauliflower
• Grape tomatoes
• 2 red peppers

For the dip:

• ½ cup fat-free sour cream
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 8 oz. light cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh dill, minced
• 2 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6-10 drops of blue food coloring

Instructions

1. Slice all vegetables except for one of the radishes. Line veggies up on a cookie sheet in rows of white and red.
2. Mix all dip ingredients together in a small bowl. Gradually add drops of food coloring to turn the dip blue.
3. Pour dip into a small square container and place in the top left of the cookie sheet.
4. Slice radish and cut into stars using a small, star-shaped fondant or cookie cutter. 
5. Place radish stars into rows on the dip.
6. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

2. Blueberry, Strawberry, & Jicama Salsa

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced strawberries
• 1 cup diced jicama
• ⅓ cup chopped cilantro
• ¼ cup chopped red onion
• 2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
• Juice of 1 large lime
• Salt to taste
• Tortilla chips for serving

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine blueberries, strawberries, jicama, cilantro, red onion, jalapeno, and lime juice. Stir until well combined, then season with salt. 
2. Serve immediately (at room temperature or chilled) with tortilla chips.
3. This salsa is also great with grilled fish or chicken!

3. Caprese Skewers

Ingredients

• 40 cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 20 fresh Italian basil leaves, torn or cut in half
• 1 ball fresh mozzarella, cut into 40 small cubes
• Balsamic vinegar, for serving

Instructions

1. Skewer one cherry tomato half, one basil leaf half, and one cube fresh mozzarella onto a toothpick. Finish it with another cherry tomato half. 
2. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients for 40 total skewers.
3. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Main Dishes

1. BBQ Slow-Cooker Baby Back Ribs

Ingredients

• 1 package pork baby back ribs
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 cups BBQ sauce

Instructions

1. Pat ribs dry with paper towels.
2. Rub with salt and pepper.
3. Lay meat-side up in slow cooker (or crockpot).
4. Pour half of the BBQ sauce over the rib.
5. Cover and cook on high for 7-8 hours.
6. If you want the ribs more caramelized, heat oven to 450°F and bake ribs for no more than 5 minutes.
7. Cut and serve with extra BBQ sauce.

2. Chicken Fajita Burgers

Ingredients

• 2 lbs ground chicken
• 2 tablespoons fajita seasoning
• 4 slices cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 1 green bell pepper, sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 8 sandwich buns
• Guacamole, salsa, and/or sour cream for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat grill pan, griddle, skillet, or outdoor grill to medium-high heat.
2. In a large bowl, combine chicken and fajita seasoning.
3. Divide meat into 8 equal patties.
4. Drizzle patties with about 1 teaspoon olive oil (divided). Cook patties about 5 minutes per side, or until cooked through.
5. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté peppers and onions in about 1 teaspoon of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender (about 8-10 minutes).
6. When the burgers are ready, top each patty with ½ slice of cheddar cheese. Cover with foil and let sit for about 2 minutes (or until the cheese has melted).
7. Before serving, place each burger on a bun and top with peppers and onions. If desired, add salsa, guacamole, and/or sour cream.

3. Grilled Mediterranean Chicken Kebabs

Ingredients

For the kebabs:

• 3 chicken fillets, cut in 1-inch cubes
• 2 red bell peppers
• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 red onion

For the marinade:

• ⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
• Juice of 1 lemon, divided
• 6 clove of garlic, chopped, divided
• 2 tsp paprika, divided
• 2 tsp thyme, divided
• 4 tsp oregano, divided
• 4 tsp salt, divided
• 2 tsp ground black pepper, divided

Instructions

1. Mix half of the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over it. Marinade in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Mix the other half of the marinade ingredients in the same bowl. Pour into a  separate ziplock bag with the vegetables. Marinade for at least 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, if you’re using wood skewers, soak them in water for 20-30 minutes. This will keep them from igniting on the grill.
4. Thread the chicken and veggies onto the skewers.
5. Grill or bake kebabs.
   1. To grill: Heat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over medium-high heat. Spray the grates with oil and grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the center is no longer pink.
   2. To bake: Preheat the oven to 425 F. Place skewers on two foil-lined baking sheets and bake for about 10-15 minutes. Turn over once and bake for another 10-15 minutes on the other side, or until they have baked through.

Desserts

1. Chocolate-Dipped Mango Pops with Sprinkles

Ingredients

• 2 mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into large spears
• 1 8-ounce white chocolate bar
• ½ cup red, white, and blue sprinkles

Instructions

1. Insert skewers into the bottom of mango pieces. 
2. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the freezer to chill for 30 minutes. You can also freeze these overnight. 
3. Break white chocolate bar into small pieces. Place chocolate in a small bowl and melt in the microwave for about 3 minutes. Stop every 30 seconds to stir.
4. Remove mango from freezer and dip halfway into the warm chocolate.
5. Roll in sprinkles and return to the baking sheet to allow chocolate to cool. 
6. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

2. Fruit & Yogurt Granola Cups

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons natural smooth almond butter
• Your favorite yogurt (for filling, 2-3 tablespoons per granola cup)
• Sliced blueberries, strawberries, and other fruit for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Grease nine muffin cups in your muffin pan, or use parchment liners.
3. In a medium-sized bowl, mix rolled oats, shredded coconut, ground cinnamon, and salt.
4. Add maple syrup and almond butter to a small pot on low heat. Whisk together until warm and both ingredients are runny and have combined together.
5. Add almond butter mixture to oat mixture and stir to combine. Make sure you’ve coated all oats with the wet mixture.
6. Divide mixture among the nine muffin cups. Using a small piece of parchment paper, press oat mixture into each muffin cup.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and crisp.
8. Allow granola cups to cool completely in muffin pan.
9. Once cooled, remove with an icing spatula or a butter knife.
10. Fill with your favorite yogurt and top with blueberries, strawberries, and other fruit.
11. Store uneaten granola cups in an airtight container. They’ll stay crunchy for 3-4 days.

3. Greek Yogurt Pound Cake with Berries

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• 1 cup softened, unsalted butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract
• 3 cups cake flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

1. In a stand mixer on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until the mixture is pale yellow.
2. Turn mixer to low speed and add eggs one at a time, scraping the edges of the bowl as needed.
3. Add extracts, flour, and baking soda.
4. Add yogurt and mix briefly.
5. Coat a 9″x13″ metal cake pan with nonstick spray. 
6. Pour batter into pan. 
7. Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.

Now you’re ready to make this your easiest, healthiest 4th of July yet! 

The Lafayette Family YMCA is a community dedicated to healthy living and social responsibility. For more fitness tips and to stay up to date about YMCA events, connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit our website here.

The post 9 Easy, Healthy Fourth of July Recipes appeared first on YMCA.