These oatmeal muffins with fruit and nuts are a quick and delicious way to ensure a nutritious breakfast for busy, on-the-go families!

Servings: 12

What you need:

3 ripe bananas, mashed

1 cup 1% low fat milk

2 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp baking powder

3 cups oats (old fashioned or quick cooking)

2 tsp vanilla extract

½ cup chocolate chips (or chopped apple, walnuts, raisins or craisins)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix all ingredients, spray muffin pan (or use liners) with cooking spray and pour the batter into 12 muffin cups. Cook for 20-30 minutes or when muffins start to brown. Cool on a wired rack.

Be the hit of the party with this super easy, crazy good trail mix!

Servings: 12

What you need:

1 box of Oatmeal Squares cereal (or other squarish cereal)

2 cups light salt peanuts (1 container)

2 cups raisins (or other dried fruit)

1 bag of waffle pretzels

2 cups (or more or less) M & M’s

Mix and store in a large Ziploc bag or airtight plastic container.

Welcome to Kate’s Kitchen with Teens.

A healthy salad to-go makes a great lunch or after-school snack.

Servings: 1 salad

What you need:

3 cup mason jar or similar

Layer into the jar in this order:

2 tablespoons Italian salad dressing

⅛ cup shredded carrots

2 cups lettuce (mesclun)

⅛ cup cucumber

⅛ cup tomato

⅛ cup yellow pepper

How to assemble: Put the dressing on the bottom, followed by the heavier veggies (carrots, cucumber, etc..) and add the lettuce last. When you are ready to eat the salad, shake the jar, mix the ingredients, and enjoy!

Creamy, delicious homemade peanut butter only takes 5 minutes to make! And it goes great with a whole grain bagel.

What you need:

2 cups of light salt Planter’s peanuts (or you can use an entire can of peanuts, refrigerate the leftovers, and use over the course of a week)

1 whole grain bagel

In a food processor, add the peanuts and process on high for 2 to 3 minutes, periodically scraping down the sides. Toast the bagel and spread with peanut butter.

Variations: add a handful of chocolate chips for chocolate peanut butter without all the sugar from commercially prepared types!