Winter 2015-2016 School Lunches

This time of year, there's a general feeling of UGH in the air when it comes to school lunch. Believe me, I feel it too. I pack lunches at night to save time and energy in the morning, and while it works well for us, there's still no magic fairy packing lunches for my 3 kiddos. If you're looking for a bit of inspiration to get you out of the winter school lunch blahs, look no further -- here are some of the lunches that have been fueling us through winter.  

For daily pics of our three lunches, head over to Instagram and for a look at even more options, check this out. These lunches have been chosen by my kids - and here's what's amazing: when you give kids the power and responsibility to choose, they really do rise to the occasion. Check out these lunches! If you're looking to simplify your lunch-packing life, here's what will make that a reality. Trust me on this. 

hummus with pita and carrots, apple, arugula with lemon and chocolate covered blueberries

Yogurt, "tuxedo banana," raspberries, broccoli and cookies

chicken, cucumbers, mango, golden berries and raspberries and a chocolate truffle

spinach and potato pierogies with sea salt yogurt for dipping, pea shoots, raspberries and dark chocolate

leftover pizza on a lollipop stick, raspberries, mango and chocolate covered blueberries

chicken sausage wrapped in puff pastry, mango, clementine, blueberries and cookies

black beans and brown rice, raspberries, golden berries, apple, green beans and cookies

breakfast for lunch: mini waffles and mini maple syrup, mango, yogurt and blueberries, peas and a cookie

egg, clementine, apple, green beans, rice cakes and cookies

eggs, broccoli, raspberries, coconut date roll, toast sticks, clementine, carrots and a mini no-bake (egg-free) chocolate chip cookie dough bar

banana sunbutter dog with jam, cara cara orange, broccoli, strawberries and homemade granola bar

ham, date, pea shoots, broccoli, blueberries and granola

pancakes, "tuxedo banana," carrots, strawberries and a brownie bite

macaroni and cheese, raspberry and carrot "wands," clementines, fig bars

leftover pasta with turkey meatballs, zucchini, peas and cookies

arugula salad, chicken cutlet, raspberries and brownie bites

cheese and crackers, carrots, blood orange, apple and a chocolate

salad with goat cheese, leftover pasta with tomato sauce, mango and a brownie bite

Looking for lunch containers for your school lunches? Check out our favorites. 

Granola Bar Recipe: nut free, dairy free, and packed with protein

Life as a parent is infinitely more complicated than I could have imagined as a kid playing "house." The little things that make it easier (like packing lunch at night) are complete godsends. Simple, straightforward recipes are just as important. These granola bars are outrageously delicious and easy to make with my kids (prep time is only 15 minutes!) and I feel great knowing that there are no unpronounceable ingredients and nothing artificial. This recipe is also nut free, dairy free, packed with fiber and protein and can be easily modified with slight changes (noted below). I’m happy to pack these with my kids’ lunches any day of the week.

The Recipe:
1 ⅓ cups rolled oats (old fashioned, not instant)
1/3 cup oat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons ground flax meal
1/2 cup raisins (*can substitute dried cherries instead)
1 cup puffed kamut cereal (*can substitute puffed brown rice cereal)
6 tablespoons coconut oil (*can substitute vegetable oil)
2/3 cup sunflower seed butter (*can substitute any nut butter)
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup dairy free chocolate chips (*can use any chocolate chips, or eliminate completely)

The Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper
In a mixing bowl, add the oats, oat flour, salt, cinnamon and flax meal. Mix thoroughly.
Add the raisins, puffed kamut and coconut oil and stir to eliminate clumps in the coconut oil. Fold in the soy nut butter, honey and water, carefully coating the ingredients but not pulverizing them in the process. Finally add the chocolate chips.
Spread evenly on the parchment paper. Mixture should be about one inch thick.
Bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool for ten minutes and cut into bars.

Enjoy!

Chick Pea Kale Patties

Last year I found this Chick Pea and Parsley Patties recipe via Aimee at Simple Bites and it has become a standby in my house. My husband and I wolf them down and my youngest, who loves foods that are full of flavor, can't get enough of them. I made some modifications to the original recipe - initially based on ingredient availability in my own kitchen (recipe below) - and they were such a hit that we've continued to make them this way. This recipe is straightforward, simple and delicious. 

Ingredients: chick peas, kale, dill, lemon, garlic, dried shallots, ground corriander, ground cumin, olive oil, flour and egg.  

Combine all of the ingredients except eggs and oil and refrigerate for several hours to let the flavors open up to each other. Add those ingredients into a food processor along with the egg and combine until the mixture is a chunky batter. Some of the chick peas may remain whole and that's okay. 

Spoon the batter into a hot pan with olive oil, turn down the heat to medium and fry the pancakes until golden brown on both sides. Holy moly. These things are jam packed with flavor and loaded with nutrition. Home run!

Chick Pea and Kale Patties

Ingredients
One 15 ­oz can of chickpeas
1/2 cup chopped kale
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon dried shallot (or one fresh shallot, chopped) 
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Juice of 1 lemon (approximately 2 tablespoons)
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 large eggs
Approximately 1/4 cup olive oil for frying

Method
Rinse and drain the chick peas. Pour them into a large mixing bowl. Add kale, dill, shallot, garlic, cumin, coriander, lemon, flour and combine. Let the batter sit for at least one hour so that the flavors play nicely together. In a food processor (or in a bowl with a potato masher) mash the ingredients together until they form a batter (chunky is good, don't worry if it's not uniform). Add eggs and form into patties with your hands or a spoon. Heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat and fry until golden brown (about 4-5 minutes per side). Repeat. This made 12 patties for us. Reduce the heat if they appear to be burning. Serve warm or room temperature with a dollop of sour cream or sea salt yogurt. Enjoy!

3 Uses for Coconut Milk Yogurt

Are you a "phase" person? I definitely am. There are periods where I have oatmeal and a banana every morning without fail, and then suddenly I realize it's been months without it. There are weeks where I can't get enough eggs, and then one day I notice that there are still three eggs in the dozen that I bought ten days ago. This past summer I had a phase where I ate giant breaded chicken cutlet sandwiches for lunch several times a week, and now I can't remember the last time I had one. These phases begin and end unceremoniously and in between, I eat a variety of things like a regular person. 

It dawned on me today that I'm in a new phase: I'm currently obsessed with Anita's coconut milk yogurt (this post is not sponsored, I genuinely love this stuff). Coconut milk yogurt is dry and thick, like a strained Greek yogurt and has a pleasant tang that makes it perfectly suited for both sweet and savory dishes. The brand I've been buying lately has just 3 ingredients: coconut milk, coconut water and live probiotic cultures. It's rich and filling, with no added sugar which means it's great for everyone in my house, including my youngest who cannot have cow's milk  dairy. It's high in fat, low in protein and sugar. I'm not put off my the high fat content because even 1-2 tablespoons of this goes a long way and I believe in moderation of everything. I'm also not concerned by the lack of protein because my family gets a solid amount of protein regularly so I try to focus on the big picture. 
So what can you do with coconut yogurt? 

1. Coconut yogurt is a perfect soup companion. Today felt like a soup day so I prepared this quick red lentil soup before getting started with work and when hunger hit, I poured myself a bowl and immediately reached for the coconut yogurt to make it creamy and even more delicious. Hours later, I am still completely satisfied. 

2. Coconut yogurt works wonders for breakfast. Last weekend I made my favorite batch of apple pancakes using coconut yogurt (instead of kefir or soy or goat milk, as I usually do). I had to thin the batter by adding some additional coconut milk and they were a huge hit with my kids. Other quick breakfast ideas include coconut yogurt with granola and fruit, or a waffle smeared with a tablespoon of coconut yogurt in place of a nut butter or other spread. 

3. Coconut yogurt is terrific with dessert! Need a quick dairy free chocolate mousse? Coconut yogurt is your answer. Four-ingredient chocolate mousse is simple and delicious because it's not too sweet and the creamy texture is perfect alone or with fruit. You can also top a cookie with a dollop of coconut yogurt, or use two to make a sandwich! 

If you can't find coconut yogurt in your neck of the woods, you can make it on your own.  

Have you tried coconut yogurt? What do you think? 

Carrot Soup for Cold Weather

Tonight's dinner plan calls for turkey meatballs with marinara sauce and pasta. I'm not sure what to do about that because it's freezing here in New York and a craving for warm soup completely took over and I've just made this giant batch of carrot soup. 

It was innocent enough; I had all of the ingredients in the kitchen and this soup is easy enough to prep and finish in under an hour so it seemed like a good idea. And that giant bowl I just had for lunch really hit the spot. The hardest part of this soup was pureeing it, because after my run-in with a stick blender a couple of years ago when I almost lost two fingers, I threw it out and my only option is a blender, which does the job, but not as seamlessly. 

If you're craving something hearty and warm and also vegetarian, I've got you covered. 

Carrot Soup with Sweet Potato

ingredients
4 tablespoons of grapeseed or vegetable oil
5 -6 cippolini onions, chopped, or one small yellow onion chopped
2 pounds of carrots, peeled and cut into pieces  
2 sweet potatoes
7 cups vegetable stock or water
1/3 cup fresh dill, chopped  
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of one lemon + zest of one lemon

In a large pot on medium high heat,  add the oil and onions. Sauté until translucent, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots and potatoes and stir. Add the stock or water, bring to a boil and simmer for approximately 35 minutes. Add the dill, salt and pepper and continue to cook until vegetables are soft. Add the lemon juice and purée with a stick blender.  Garnish with lemon zest.

Want more carrot soup ideas? Right this way and here too. 

For more deliciously hearty winter soups, check out: 
Winter Root Soup  
Lentil Curry Soup
Kale Soup