Cooking with Karina: Bitty Bites

Frozen Yogurt Granola Cups (Photo: Karina Arnold) 

Karina Arnold is a rising junior at the University of Oklahoma who’s passionate about healthy cooking. She provides creative, healthy recipes and tips on clean eating.

When summer ends in August, the back-to-school blues start. I, however, never dreaded hitting the books. Since elementary and currently in college, I always dive nose first into my summer reading. In grade school, I looked forward to combing Target’s aisles for sparkly folders and animal-print mechanical pencils. As a child, it was vital to have a matching lunchbox with my backpack. To this day, I still get the first-day excitement jitters. “Will my teacher/professor like me?” “Are the kids going to be cool?” “Will my classes be hard?”

I understand not all children contain my educational fervor. For example, my brothers did not possess jubilant school joy. As a result, my mom would by fun snacks and treats to put in their bags or use as a reward for finishing summer reading. For students young and old, yummy bitty bites are the perfect way to get excited for the school year ahead.

I love these broccoli tots. These tots taste delicious and are nutritious for tots and adults. For a snack, you can dip your tots in ranch, ketchup, bar-b-que sauce, or my favorite, red pepper hummus. Vegetable tatter tots are a sneaky and tasty way to incorporate more vegetables in your diet. When I’m in a time crunch but I want to munch, I usually buy these broccoli tots pre-made, which you can look for in your grocery’s frozen vegetable section.

While it is still hot, bite into these Frozen Yogurt Granola Cups for a refreshing sweet treat. Greek yogurt aids in digestion since it is packed with probiotics and protein. Add your favorite fruits and flavorings to make a customized cup.

Note: Especially in this Houston heat, these yogurt cups will melt fast. Once you remove them from the freezer, enjoy immediately, which won’t be hard because they are dangerously delicious.

I love mixing my chocolate protein powder with plain yogurt and topping with strawberries. A family favorite is strawberry yogurt with bananas and blueberries on top. What are your favorite yogurt/topping combinations? Comment below!