Kids Cook Monday: Banana Pretzel Sandwiches

Seemingly, my children are often hungry. I can just finish cleaning up from breakfast and they're ready for a snack! I don't like to serve pre-packaged foods often because of hidden ingredients. But, I try to create foods that are quick, nutritious and something my kids will like.

Pretzels (my favorite are Snyder's Snaps) - knotted or squared
1 or 2 bananas, sliced into coins
2 cups Peanut butter (or almond butter!)
2 Tablespoons Cocoa
1/2 cup Raw Honey
2 teaspoons Cinnamon

Combine well all ingredients, except pretzels and bananas.

Spread layer of mixture onto pretzel, place banana slice on top. Dolop banana with mixture. Top with another pretzel.

Serve. Packs well for picnics or school snacks.

Bananas' appearance changes drastically through their life span. From green and firm, to yellow to brown speckles to brown and mushy. The banana flavor changes during each stage, too.

My five year old refers to the brown bananas as "rotten". I am teaching him that they are not rotten, but are good for baking and cooking at this point. Discuss the changing appearance, texture, taste and use of bananas. Teach your children that just because something -- or someone -- appears to be "rotten", that often what's inside is completely different. The young teach the old to enjoy the simplicity of life - running, laughing, cloud shapes, splashing. The older generations, while "wrinkly" and "bruised" on the exterior, offer the sweetness of life's wisdom and experience.

In other words, at the risk of sounding cliche, "Don't judge a book by its cover."

Thank you for reading. I welcome your comments and suggestions.

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