Love is in the air. Love your body, too! Enjoy making these healthier Valentine’s Day treats with your kids. They are delicious and lower in sugar than most sweets on offer this season.

Strawberry Protein Bites

Ingredients:

1 Cup frozen strawberries

1 Cup oats

½ Cup sunflower seeds

½ Cup coconut flour

1 Tbsp. coconut oil

1 Tbsp. honey or maple syrup to sweeten

Desiccated (or shredded) coconut

Directions:

1. Place the frozen strawberries, oats, sunflower seeds and coconut flour in a food processor with 1 tablespoon of the coconut oil and blend until it eventually becomes a fine paste.
2. Use a tablespoon to scoop the mixture out, then hand-roll each tablespoon of paste into a ball.
3. Roll the balls in the desiccated or shredded coconut.
4. Pop in the freezer and pull out a few to serve as needed!

Fruit Roll-Up Valentine Fortune Cookies

While this is more of an assembly than a recipe, it’s a healthier option than candy and can be more personal than conversation hearts, as you or your children can personalize each message!

Ingredients & Supplies:

Box of Fruit Roll-Ups, red color suggested (note that each fruit roll-up makes 4 fortune cookies)

Fine-tip red or pink permanent marker or red ink pen

Parchment paper (plain paper will stick to the fruit roll-up)

1 2-inch round cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Cut parchment paper into long strips and write your sweet messages, starting with a heart, to peek out of the fortune cookie.
2. Unroll one fruit roll-up and cut into 4 equal squares.
3. Stack the 2 squares on top of each other and cut through with the cookie cutter.
4. Place a message into the center of one of the circles and fold in half, like a taco, with the heart-end of the message peeking out.
5. Grab the corners of the “taco” and pinch, forming a crease in the middle like a fortune cookie shape, until it sticks and stays folded.

Valentine Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:

1 Banana, peeled

1 Cup frozen strawberries

½ Cup coconut milk (or other favorite milk)

Chocolate syrup for garnish (optional)
Strawberry for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients (except garnish) in blender until smooth, adding more liquid if needed to turn the blender blades.

2. Garnish with chocolate syrup heart drawn on top and a fresh strawberry in chocolate syrup tucked onto the glass edge, if desired.