5 Fun Recipes for a Healthy and Hoppy Easter

From egg hunts with baskets full of candy to post-Lent indulgence, many traditional Easter activities involve a sugar overload. But we have a solution: Five fun recipes that don’t rely on excessive amounts of added sugar (plus a bonus activity when you’re all done). While large gatherings are discouraged at this time, you can get your household together for some holiday fun! 

1. Easter Fruit Salad in a Chocolate Egg Shell

When most people think of Easter, they often think about Easter eggs. Try this craft with the kids to make your own chocolate egg, but instead of filling it with candy, add your family’s favorite fresh fruit.

What You’ll Need:

• Balloons (one per shell)
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
• 2 cups of your favorite fruit, sliced or chopped

Begin by washing each balloon with dish soap and water, drying completely, and then inflating them to the size of a large sweet potato. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the dark chocolate in intervals of 30 seconds, stirring in between, until it’s all melted.

Roll out a piece of parchment paper, dip the side of a balloon in the melted chocolate to make an oblong egg shape, then set the balloon chocolate-side down on the paper. Do this with however many balloons you want and then place the sheet in the fridge to cool. Once the chocolate is solid, carefully pop the balloon to remove it from the shell and put your fresh fruit salad inside.

5. Vegan Hot Cross Bun-nies

Enjoy the smell of hot, fresh bread in the house when you cook up these festive hot cross bun-nies!

For the Buns:

• 1 (7g) sachet of yeast
• 1 cup nut or oat milk (warmed to 108-110°Fahrenheit)
• 1/3 cup maple or agave syrup, plus more for glazing
• 2/3 cup applesauce
• 3 tbsp avocado oil
• 2 ½ cups rice or oat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp orange zest
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp clove powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup raisins

For the Crosses:

• 2 tbsp rice or oat flour
• Warm water

Begin by mixing the warmed oat or nut milk with the maple or agave syrup and the yeast until well combined. Allow the yeast to activate by letting the mixture sit untouched for five minutes, and then add the applesauce and avocado oil.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, zest, cinnamon, ginger powder, nutmeg, allspice, clove powder, and sea salt. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients while mixing with a wooden spoon. Once it becomes hard to stir, work the rest of the dry mixture and the raisins in with your hands. Knead for a minute and then divide the dough into 10 equal-sized balls. Place on a baking sheet, drape with a towel, and let them sit out on the counter for about an hour.

After that hour is complete, preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Slowly add warm water to your 2 tbsp of rice or oat flour until it forms a paste. Drizzle into crosses on top of the buns. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden and fully cooked. While hot, brush extra maple or agave syrup over the tops to add a sweet glaze. Serve warm and store extras in an airtight container.