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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Mary from Sweet Roots

August 25, 2012 By 2 Comments

I was first introduced to Mary when she joined in on the July Adopt a Gluten-Free Blogger, which I was lucky enough to host.

Her lovely site, Sweet Roots {Infusions of Herbal Living}, is filled with luscious dairy and gluten-free dishes which are flawlessly photographed by Mary, who is also a photographer by trade.

I am so pleased that Mary decided to join this year’s Healthy Lunchbox series, her delicious recipe is something that is sure to please everyone in your family.

Thanks, Mary! xo

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We often eat breakfast for dinner. My husband (who is dairy and gluten loving) and my little girl really enjoy these crepes with a little nut butter and jam. Then the next day we have an easy way to wrap up turkey and hummus or make our very own Lox crepes.

Buckwheat is deceivingly gluten-free. Marked as a superfood, buckwheat is actually a seed not a cereal grain. Here we use the whole groats and soak them with apple cider vinegar to promote digestion.

 

Put the “cream cheese” with all the add-ins in a seperate to-go container until mealtime. This way the crepes don’t get soggy and you can enjoy them like they were freshly made.

 

Vegan Cream Cheese

2 cup raw cashews

1 can coconut milk

Juice of one Lemon

1/4 t salt

 

Add- ins

Fresh Dill or other herbs

Smoked Salmon

Capers

Nectarines or Peaches or other fruit & Stevia

Buckwheat Crepes

1 cup buckwheat groats (aka kernels), soaked 8 hours with 1 Tb apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup chia seeds (or 2 eggs)

1 1/2 c to 2 cups water (if using chia seeds)

4 T coconut oil

Pinch of salt

 

Make the cream cheese and buckwheat crepes the night before so you can just put these babies in containers before you head out in the morning.

 

1. Blend the cashews in a high speed blender (I used vita mix) until it looks like big dust particles.

2. Add coconut milk and the remaining ingredients, blend for a minute or until completely incorporated.

3. Refridgerate several hours to firm (the longer it sits the firmer it gets).

4. Mix in topping of choice. I seperate the cream cheese, mix half with dill and the other half with stevia (or maple syrup) and nectarines (or skinned peaches) for a “peaches and cream” dessert.

 

For the Buckwheat Crepes,

1. Drain and rinse the buckwheat kernels.

2. Add these to a blender with the chia seeds (or eggs), water, 4 T coconut oil, and pinch of salt. Blend until thin batter results. Thin with more water if necessary.

3. In a nonstick pan that is set on medium high, pour a 1/4 cup of batter and wait til bubbles form. Flip so other side can cook. Set aside.

4. Repeat with rest of batter.

 

For the lox crepes, lather those crepes with vegan cream cheese mixed with dill and topped with smoked salmon and capers. For dessert, try a crepe with peaches (or nectarines) and a little sweetener. Bon Appetit!

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Shannon from Enjoying Gluten-Free Life

August 24, 2012 By 3 Comments

I first met my friend Shannon when she won a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur several months ago.  Since then, her site: Enjoying Gluten-Free Life has become one of my favorite stopping grounds.  Not only does Shannon share some wonderful tips for gluten-free living, she finds the most interesting people to interview!

 

I am a firm believer in planned overs and hope you find Shannon’s post as enjoyable and enlightening as I do!

 

Thanks, Shannon! Xo

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Loving Leftovers

 

Leftovers – or planned-overs – are a mainstay in our home. Switching from purposefully making one meal to two or more may increase the prep time a bit or not at all, depending on the recipe, so the time savings are obvious. Some meals like a casserole naturally stay in the same form for lunch and some like roast chicken can easily be transformed into many different meals. No matter what, leftovers can translate into fast, healthy, delicious meals that take little prep time and will be enjoyed by both kids and adults when lunchtime rolls around.

On that roasted chicken, I roast bone-in breasts in the oven*. (I like the flavor and moistness of the bone-in vs. boneless). Or I put a whole chicken in the crockpot, seasoning it up, add a little water in the bottom, and cook it on low for half a day. Either becomes an immediate meal but offers up so much more.

  • Lay slices of chicken on bread or roll in a tortilla. A sandwich of chicken with a bit of mustard was my favorite when I was a kid.
  • Cut chicken into cubes, mix in mayo and the child or adult’s favorite veggies or add some seasonal fruit. As summer ends, chopped peaches and plums would be perfect. As fall fruits appear, add apples and pears. (Remember to coat the apple and pear with some citrus juice so it doesn’t brown.) Some seeds or chopped nuts add a nice crunch.
  • Chunks of chicken on a bed of lettuce. Throw on some other veggies, some berries, cheese, again the seeds or nuts for crunch (sunflower seeds are my favorite) and add a small container of dressing to add later.
  • Have a meal like chicken pot pie, shredded chicken in BBQ sauce on a bun or chicken tetrazzini for dinner – using the pre-cooked chicken. Send leftovers – hot except the BBQ – for lunch the next day. (This makes three meals off of that chicken.)

*My favorite and oh, so, easy seasoning for baked chicken (I have some in the oven right now) – Generously sprinkle on Italian Herb Seasoning and paprika, then add salt and pepper to taste, bake at 375 degrees until done.

 

Cold

(Remember to add ice packs or, for adults, put this in the fridge at work.)

  • A slice of a frittata –we’re used to eating frittata’s hot but Italians are comfortable with having a cold slice.
  • Many proteins – roast beef to meatloaf to salmon – can either be sliced or mixed with some mayo and added to a sandwich or wrapped in a tortilla or lettuce wrap.
  • Pizza. (Am I the only one who loves it cold?)
  • Hummus or another bean dip with things to dip make a great high-protein, and totally fun, lunch.
  • Hard boiled eggs make a nutritious breakfast or snack and can go to school (peeled is probably best) as is or quickly morph into deviled eggs.

 

Hot

Use a keep-warm container such as a Thermos. (For food safety: you may want to test the container by putting hot food in it per the directions then checking the temperature when it would be eaten – four or five hours later – to see if it held the heat.)

  • Any soup. You could even send fun toppings for the child (or adult) to add such as cheese (dairy or not) for the top of black bean soup or tortilla strips for a spicy chicken soup.
  • Casseroles – Anything from a gluten-free version of tuna and noodle casserole or macaroni and cheese
  • Last night’s main course. Many dinners – chicken parmesan, pot roast, spaghetti (squash) and meatballs – and their sides make great lunches.

 

 

Complete the meal with other leftovers. Bake extra muffins (hopefully low sugar) at breakfast time then throw one in as a fun dessert. Consider making a chunky fruit salad for dessert the night before then transforming the leftovers into a fruit kabob with a dip on the side. (As Elise Johnson from Cooking with Elise said in her Healthy Lunchbox 2012 post, cut the sharp tips off of the skewer for safety.)

 

Planning ahead so that you have more than you need for one meal can make your life a lot easier, and make both mornings and lunch more pleasant. I also find it saves us money because I’m less tempted to buy more expensive alternatives that are easier when I’m in a hurry and nothing else is readily available.

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: The Paleo Parents

August 23, 2012 By 9 Comments

I have no doubt that you are familiar with my friends Stacy and Matt from The Paleo Parents.  I mean, between their fantastic and family friendly book, Eat Like a Dinosaur, their phenomenal Pod Cast and of course their adorable website, how could you not?

If that weren’t enough, last year’s Healthy Lunchbox Paleo Parents Guest Post is what launched me from an 80/20 or 60/40 paleo dabble to a 99.9% dedication (0.01% for the occasional slip).

It’s easy to see why I am so very excited to have them once again join the Healthy Lunchbox series and share their paleo parenting expertise with us all.

I hope you enjoy their post as much as I have, and please don’t forget to check back with The Paleo View Podcast tomorrow, which I am tickled pink to be a part of!

Thanks Stacy and Matt!

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If you recall, last year we did a guest post for Sunny of And Love it Too on packing paleo lunches for school. We’ve included those ideas for you at the end as our daily suggestions. As a quick reminder, we also discussed the topic of healthy lunches quite extensively on the first episode of our podcast, The Paleo View. We also cover this topic in our book, Eat Like a Dinosaur.

Due to our personal experiences last year with lunch packing, when Sunny asked us this year to contribute to her annual round-up, we wanted our annual post to focus more on food “replacers” as an option for alternative choices. Otherwise known as, food that looks the same as what the other kids are eating.

As our oldest child moved up in grade school, the challenge of packing a “normal” looking lunch in order to avoid being “different” and teased became more complex. So, this post is full of ideas for dealing with the emotional emergency of Johnny says I’m weird and teases me because I don’t eat yogurt and chips.

Also, it’s a very real and overwhelming problem of converting to always homemade real food for so many people. Going from prepackaged foods like chips, yogurts, cheese sticks, and fruit cocktails and instead using whole ingredients and packing from the fridge instead of the pantry can be quite daunting in the rushed morning. Even worse, many people don’t know what to do in place of that old lunchroom standby, the sandwich. I thought it might be helpful to share some of our best tricks t0 replace those easy-on-hand products with better* versions.

 


Replace Sandwich Bread with Pure Wraps

Let me address the biggest hair-tearing quandary straight off. So many people tell me they can’t imagine packing a lunch without also packing a sandwich. Unfortunately, regular bread is the most gluteny, high-carb food product you can buy (not to mention that most grocery store breads are full of all kinds of crazy chemical preservatives. The gluten-free replacements aren’t much better: they’re usually based on other grains like rice or heavy starches like tapioca or potato, along with containing the same preservatives. Not only that, but they often have seed oils and bean products (like guar gum), and don’t even have the texture and mouthfeel of real bread anyway. What’s a parent with lunchmeat to do?

Enter a favorite of ours, Pure Wraps. Somehow, the folks at Improv’eat have figured out a way to make a tortilla using only coconut meat, coconut water, and salt. They’re like tortillas with a slightly stiff bite and are pretty delicious on top of it! Use it like you would any wrap! We like to use ham or turkey wrapped with avocado slices or use them for tuna salad.

 

Replace Pudding or Yogurt with Almond or Coconut Milk Yogurt

If you’re dairy-free like us, losing Bill Cosby’s favorite treat and the staple of yoga moms everywhere was very hard for us. I believe the human palate has a desire for different textures even more powerful than its desire for different “food groups” and yogurt and pudding hit that creamy spot and are very hard to replace without the whole lot of effort of cooking custard on the stove or fermenting your own yogurts over the course of several days.

Luckily, you can now find coconut milk and almond milk yogurts in most higher quality and health food stores (including Whole Foods), many grocery stores (like Wegman’s) and even on Amazon. The texture is practically identical to regular yogurts and there are the same variety of flavors Dannon and Yoplait will give you. They’re even free of evil soybeans! So when your kids become jealous of their friends’ strawberry yogurt, you can confidently sending them to school with a strawberry coconut yogurt.

 

Replace Chips with Banana Chips or Healthier Potato Chips

Nothing says empty calories and rancid seed oils more than Doritos and cheese puffs! Then again, nothing appeals the child’s palate more than a salty crunchy carb! Instead of potato chips, why not give them a crunchy food that also contains some mineral and vitamin content? Still not the best choice, but a really special treat your kids will love!

We are able to find a plain brand like this one in oure regular grocery store, but try to plan ahead by ordering online and choosing brands that cook with safe fats & oils – these Avocado Oil Potato Chips and Banana Chips in Coconut Oil are always big favorites with our boys. They love using cool reusable baggies, which saves the environment and our money!

 

Replace Crackers and Popcorn with SeaSnax, Coconut Chips or Trail Mix

No, really! You’re already thinking that your kids won’t like seaweed, but these green wonders are actually really delicious! They’re salty, but contain all the mineral content you’d ideally want from a snack. Did you know that seaweed is one of the best sources for iodine, a key mineral in thyroid function, that we can find? We buy cases of SeaSnax and pack them several times a week.

Coconut and fruit and nuts are also much more nutrient dense sources for snacking, our boys LOVE making their own trail mix with their favorite nuts, dried fruit and coconut – or there are plenty pre-made options available at Trader Joe’s or Amazon.

Replace Fruit Cocktail with Apple Sauce Pouches

If you ever look at the side of a fruit cocktail cup and actually read the ingredients and nutritional content, you’ll find that this is not a healthy fruit source of vitamins and minerals, but rather an insidious sugar delivery system that amps up the sweetener, especially the corn syrup, content. So, instead, I pack him an all-natural unsweetened apple sauce squeeze pouch. It’s fun to suck up applesauce from a straw! Plus, a natural applesauce is much lower in sugar than indeterminate fruit pieces cased in syrup!

Replace Granola Bars with Larabars

Nothing, to me, is more overhyped as a health food than ye olde granola bar. When I was growing up, this was the healthy alternative to candy bars and moms were always using it as the default snack. Unfortunately, soon the default granola bar was the Chewy brand, practically a candy bar with HFCS and chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Even the healthy and natural versions have added sugar and, of course, grains. Larabar takes a different tact. All the ingredients in this delicious snack are dried fruit and nuts. All you do is mash together all these ingredients and you’ve got a real whole food snack to replace your granola! We have recipes to make your own Fruit & Nut bars in Eat Like a Dinosaur, but even we take shortcuts too!

Replace Cheese Sticks with Black Olives

In our preschool, the default snack that parents provide seems to always be cheese sticks. Unfortunately, I know that nothing good will come from my son eating that cheese stick. What are they really getting from cheese anyway? Mostly fat. So why not replace that fat source with heath olive oil? The sacred olive fruit is a perfect snack and we eat them by the bowlful! Best of all? We can subscribe and save some cases of BPA-free cans!

 

*Please note, some of these options aren’t the best choices. However, when you’re converting to whole foods from processed, when you’re dealing with children’s emotions and the trauma of being teased, or simply about to give up all together if you can’t find shortcuts – these foods are much better choices than their alternatives.


Here is what our children’s lunches usually look like, when we’re able to plan and everyone’s feeling strong about their healthful looking lunches. You’ll note, half the battle is with the cool accessories, which we post on our site here!

I hope this post has been of use to you and you can now be less stressed about leaving behind your formerly standard packed lunch items; time doesn’t have to be a limiting factor from having a nutrient dense and wholesome kid-friendly lunch!

 

Stacy and Matt are the minds behind the blog PaleoParents.com. They also wrote the children’s cookbook Eat Like a Dinosaur for their three boys, Cole, Finn and Wesley. When they’re not chasing three active boys, they enjoy packing lunches while listening to Stacy’s new podcast, The Paleo View.

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Tessa the Domestic Diva

August 22, 2012 By 3 Comments

When Tessa the Domestic Diva first started entering my Ingredient-Challenge Monday’s, I must say the events took on a new level of excitement. 

You see, when I do our Ingredient-Challenge Monday reviews, I actually do my best to make every recipe entered.

Yes, every recipe.

And Tessa’s first ICM Winning Recipe for Sautéed Kale with Caramelized Onions has become a staple in our home because of it. 

Anything that gets my kids excited to eat their greens is a welcome item in my home.

Since the this year’s Healthy Lunchbox series was well under way when I would normally have posted a challenge, I opted to skip this month but promise to feature our winning Blueberry Recipe when the ICM challenge opens again in September (and yes, Tessa is definitely in the running!).

Until then, I am so pleased to share Tessa’s lunchbox tips and delicious recipe below.

Thanks, Tessa! xo

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I have never considered myself a lunchbox guru. Just like every other mom out there, I find myself whirling around the kitchen to assemble a lunch before the bus arrives. But time and time again, I get asked about lunchboxes, AND I GET IT!! I have learned a thing or two about packing TASTY gluten free lunchboxes, and I would love to share with you! I did a whole 10 day day series on GF lunchboxes which could help inspire you in your GF Allergy-Friendly lunchbox endeavor this year! The topics I covered: Here are the topics I’ve covered in this series of lunchboxes: Reusable Lunchbox Wares, Sweet GF Wrap Ideas, Packing a Balanced Lunchbox, Stocking Up w/ an Oatmeal Snack Cookie, Lunch on a Stick, GF DF Dips & Spreads for a Lunchbox, 10 GF Wrap Ideas, Sweet GF Wrap Ideas, Making Use of Leftovers, Muffins & Waffles for a Lunchbox?!, Top Foods for a Healthy Lunchbox.

 

WHAT ABOUT MY SANDWICH??!!!:

The quintessential lunchbox filler: the sandwich. When gluten is out, sandwiches can be the very first thing that people look to recreate. But gluten free breads lack the softness, the texture, and appeal of most of their gluten counterparts (THERE, I said it!).

While my family has several breads we have grown to love…if you are looking to replace your old sandwich bread exactly…you might be disappointed. I have yet to find a GF bread my husband will accept in the form of a sandwich! Great Harvest makes a good loaf on Thursdays, but there are eggs and butter. Udi’s Chia-Millet is my daughter’s favorite, but it has eggs too. We have a local bakery (New Cascadia) that makes many delicious loaves …but all have eggs.

I propose you think OUTSIDE the box when packing a gluten-free lunchbox. Or more accurately: outside the SANDWICH!!

  • The Deconstructed Sandwich: Leave the bread off and cube some favorite sandwich meat, allowed cheese, cherry tomatoes etc. Serve with a toothpick and a mustard and mayo ‘dip’! In this method, I provide a serving of whole grains the form of a muffin or crackers…both popular with my kiddos.
  • The Toasted GF Bread Secret: OK, so maybe it is not a secret, but lots of newbies don’t know this: To get the BEST texture out of your GF bread for sandwiches, toast it lightly first!! I do this before I assemble the sandwich, and it improves the texture drastically in most instances.
  • Protein is protein: protein does NOT need to be housed in a tidy sandwich mold!! make yourself of list of proteins your child will go for (allowed yogurts, nuts, seeds, eggs, meats, nutbutters, etc). Figure out a a serving size, and stuff in it’s own container along with something from every other food group: wholegrains, fruits, vegetables, sensible treat. Think a mini buffet or salad bar: a little of this, a little of that…kids love it!

The Pizza Wrap (foundation):

Finding a perfect wrap. It was my mission.

When corn is out, so are corn tortillas and teff tortillas (they are made with corn too). And quite frankly, we don’t even like corn tortillas as a sandwich wrap, and the teff tortillas are not up our alley (strangely, as teff is one of our very favorite flours?!) We started using brown rice tortillas, but I REALLY wanted a soft, pliable tortilla that mimicked a whole wheat tortilla. It took loads of attempts, but I eventually came up with a recipe that I think is SO good, that even if I COULD have gluten again, these would be in my fridge at all times like they are now.

I used that here, and best of all? I have provided plenty of options for making it grain free or nut free (yet always vegan!) as your allergies dictate. And every version I have made ( and I change it up almost every batch) turns out great! Versatile and handy to have around, this is one recipe you definitely want in your repertoire!

I created this wrap to incorporate one of my kids favorite foods: pizza. The fillings you choose to put in can cater to each person’s preferences and is easily adaptable.

Ingredients:

  • 1 GF Flour Tortilla (find my favorite tortilla recipe here)
  • 1-2 slices deli ham, thinly sliced
  • Sliced pepperoni (we like Applegate Farms, no dairy, no gluten)
  • Grated mozzarella cheese (allowed), or any allowed cheese
  • Additional Topping Options: peppers, olives, mushrooms, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, etc.

Method:

  • Gently heat the meats in a medium skillet over medium heat.
  • Place the tortilla in an oiled pan, sprinkle with cheese, and top with warmed meats of choice. As the cheese begins to melt, remove from heat. Roll the tortilla up as tightly as possible. I like to make sure there is some cheese on the very end of the tortilla that I roll to to help ‘glue’ it closed in it’s rolled form.
  • Serve along with a marinara ‘dip’!

 

 

Filed Under: Gluten Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Other Tagged With: , , , , ,

Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Shirley from Gluten Free Easily

August 21, 2012 By 6 Comments

If you have followed me for any time now, heck, if you followed me just over the last month, there should be no doubt how much I adore my friend Shirley Braden.

 

And I do. 

 

So when Shirley hesitated to join this year’s Healthy Lunchbox series, no matter how much I understood, I was honestly a little sad. Then somehow, some way she decided to join in…and after reading her very open, honest and insightful post, I am so glad she did!

 

Showing just how easy a gluten-free lifestyle should be, please enjoy this Healthy Lunchbox post from Ms. Gluten-Free Easily herself.

 

Thanks, Shirley! Xo

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Then and Now:  What I Fed My Child Back in the Day & What I’d Feed Him Now

 

When Sunny first asked me to join in this year’s Healthy Lunchbox 2012 series, I hesitated. As she well knew, I had participated in her series last year with my post on The Cagey Bachelor Philosophy … A Tapas Approach to School Lunches. I told Sunny that I didn’t know what more I could offer. But then I kept thinking about the lunches that I had packed for Son when he was growing up. (He’s now 24 years old and off living on his own in New York City.) The lunches I packed for him were not healthy. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I actually thought that I was doing pretty well back then, but I was ignorant about what constituted a healthy lunch. Very ignorant in fact. I actually packed healthier lunches for myself because mine involved leftovers from meals made from real food. Those were often not a good option for Son’s lunch as there was no way for him to heat up his lunches. Sure, some leftovers could be packed in a thermos and kept warm, but for the most part I relied on packaged individual serving items for his lunches. Let’s break them down, shall we?

 

Yogurt ~

 

Then: Son, who is now dairy free in addition to being gluten free, used to love yogurt. But it was the yogurt with the colorful packaging and cute cartoon characters that was pretty colorful itself. It was full of sugar (or the even less desirable aspartame or sucralose), dyes, and preservatives. Not good at all.

 

Now: If I were packing Son’s lunch today, I’d make my own yogurt, adding fruit. If I needed dairy free yogurt, I could use one of the many dairy-free milks to make my own yogurt. There are many terrific recipes for making yogurt online. Here are links to just a few.

 

Katie (Kitchen Stewardship) (In this post, Katie also addresses all the excuses on not making one’s own yogurt.)

Kelly (The Spunky Coconut) (using cashew milk here and both cashew and coconut milk here)

Lexie (Lexie’s Kitchen) (almond and hemp milk yogurt, almond milk yogurt, and coconut milk yogurt)

Stephanie (A Year of Slow Cooking)

 

Cheese ~

 

Then: Cheese sticks were just so much fun back then, but after a while even Son noticed that daily cheese sticks were, well, to put it bluntly, clogging him up.

 

Now: Today, I’d skip the cheese most days, but occasionally would include a very small square of high quality cheese. For dairy free, a small piece of the Daiya wedges would work.

 

Fruits ~

 

Then: I went for single servings of fruits like applesauce (with sugar and cinnamon added), peaches, and fruit cocktail. I’d occasionally cut up an apple or a pear, but they did tend to turn brown by lunch time. I didn’t want to use the commercial product that keeps fruit from turning brown, nor did I want to use orange juice or lemon juice on the fruit slices because although those will work to prevent a color change, they also subtly change the color.

Photo Credit: Maggie of Smashed Peas and Carrots

Now: I’d add fresh fruit all the time for lunch.Thanks to Pinterest, I know about the “apple puzzle” solution. With your apple standing upright, cut apple into vertical slices and then secure all with a rubber band so the surface of the slices won’t oxidize and turn brown. See Smashed Peas and Carrots’ step-by-step instructions here.

 

Meats, Main Dish ~

 

Then:  Jerky was a favorite “go to” lunch item. Full of preservatives, the jerky and “meat sticks” I packed for Son were not at all a good choice. Leftovers were used if they didn’t require re-heating or could be added to a thermos. I also relied on canned and microwaveable goods.

 

Now:  Making jerky is a great reason to have a dehydrator. Here’s a recipe for Ginger Tamari Jerky from Paleo Parents. Soup (like Everything Soup; Potato-Zucchini Soup; Black Bean, Corn, and Salsa Soup; or Black-Eyed Pea with Ham, and Chicken Soup)—with a savory muffin, paleo bread, or crackers—makes for an easy-to-make filling meal with the help of a thermos. Similarly, small portions of leftover casseroles (like Easy Pea-sy Cheesy Tuna or Salmon Casserole, Spicy Sausage with Russet Potatoes and Sweet Potato Crea Sauce, and Taco Popover Supper) can easily be taken for lunch in a thermos. Remember to always fill the thermos with hot water, let sit for a few minutes, and then empty and fill to ensure thermos does its job best.

 

Granola Bars/Cereal Bars/Protein Bars ~

 

Then:  I bought a lot of pre-packaged cereal bars and granola bars for son’s lunches. For the most part, they provided little nutritional value and, in hindsight, didn’t excel in the flavor department either.

 

Now: I would make some pretty healthy bars (focusing on ingredients like nuts, oats, quinoa flakes), for a treat once or twice a week. Popeye Protein and Fruit Bars, Chewy Granola Bars, or Black Magic Bars would all make welcome lunch box treats. Most of my bar recipes can even be frozen on a wax-paper lined baking sheet and then stored in a larger container and pulled out one at a time as needed.

 

Crackers ~

 

Then:  Sometimes packaged sandwich crackers made their way into Son’s lunch box. You know those day-glow orange ones that came with peanut butter or cheese centers? Those were the ones. Obviously they contained food coloring, but they also contained both wheat flour and barley flour, one or more undesirable oils, and more.

 

Now: There are a few purchased healthy gluten-free crackers that I buy from time to time, so I’d be willing to use those occasionally. But I’d like to try other ideas like these Roasted Red Pepper Fruit Leather pieces that make great natural crackers, or Ali’s Quinoa-Seed Crackers, Elana’s Vegan Herb Crackers, or Maggie’s Sesame Almond Crackers.

 

Chips ~

 

Then:  Yep, I included packaged chips all the way. Son’s favorites were those stackable, thin, “formed” chips. It turns out they aren’t even gluten free as most chips are.

 

Now: There are some healthier chips on the market today (I especially like the veggie chips, like sweet potato, beet, etc.) and I’m sure that I’d still share some packaged ones from time to time, but it’s pretty easy to make one’s own potato chips like Karina shows here. Or you could not go wrong with these yellow squash chips, which Jen’s kids fought over, if your child’s school starts while yellow squash is still in season. Zucchini chips are another great chip option and zucchini seems to be around longer during the year. These Zucchini Chips from Alyssa look perfect for a kid’s lunch. And you’ve now happily crossed over into the Veggies category!

 

Veggies ~

 

Then:  Unless veggies were included in leftovers packed in thermoses, sadly, few veggies made it into Son’s lunch.

 

Now:  I did pack raw carrots from time to time, but later information revealed that the baby carrots that I packed were not healthy at all. A “go to” lunch with an emphasis on veggies would be hummus (in different flavors) with cut red pepper strips, cucumber sticks (or slices), and similar.

 

Cookies ~

 

Then:  Okay, I never ever bought cookies or muffins for Son. I always made my own. Baking has always been my specialty, but I was only focused on making tasty baked goods before. I didn’t give a second thought to ingredients. I made cookies and muffins with highly refined gluten-full flour, refined sugar, lots of chocolate chips, etc.

 

Now: I still make cookies but focus more on nutritionally dense ingredients like nut butter, nut flour, unrefined sweeteners (honey from our own bees—which I only used in place of pancake syrup back in the day, Grade B maple syrup, and coconut or palm sugar.) Today’s recipe for Double Chocolate Nut Butter Oat Breakfast Cookies—at the bottom of this post—is an example of the cookies I make today. Nut butter, eggs, oat flour, cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder), coconut sugar, allergen-free chocolate chips, coconut oil, baking soda, and homemade vanilla extract come together to create soft, moist, and filling healthier chocolate cookies.

 

Beverages ~

 

Then: I was trained by television commercials, ads, and soccer game fare to always provide a beverage like milk (yes, chocolate), sports drink, juice pack, or juice. So I always had those for Son. A bright orange “Sunny” beverage was a favorite of his. The ingredients were several juices (that constituted less than 2% volume), corn syrup, canola oil, food coloring, sucralose, gums, and preservatives. Yikes.

 

Now: I’d focus first and foremost on filtered water. From home. In a recyclable container. If I wanted Son to enjoy some milk, I’d go for a non-dairy milk (I love this easy recipe from Ricki for making one’s own hemp milk and this way of making almond milk from Eat to Evolve), healthy juice (as in all juice and not a juice-pack), or even a smoothie. If Son wanted a pretty cold drink, I’d include Lexie’s Cool-Aid. Putting the beverage in the lunch in a frozen state should result in a cold, drinkable beverage by lunch time.

 

Making healthy lunches when you are making a lot of the foods yourself does take a little preplanning and preparation, storage, and packaging time, of course. But it doesn’t have to take tons of time. A once-a-week effort–and a fairly modest amount of time spent–can produce a whole week’s worth of lunch components!

 

 

Here’s my recipe for healthier lunch box cookies:

 

Chocolate Nut Butter Oat Cookies

 

1 cup nut butter (or sun butter)

1/3 cup oat flour

¼ cup cocoa powder (or raw cacao powder)

¾ to 1 cup coconut sugar (or palm sugar, to taste; may even use less)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tbsp coconut oil (if needed; see notes)

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp vanilla extract

¼ to ½ cup Enjoy Life chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

Add ingredients to large mixing bowl in order shown, adding chocolate chips after other ingredients are mixed well.

 

Drop cookies by heaping tablespoonful onto baking sheets, about one inch apart. (The cookies will not spread much during baking.)
Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, until cookies appear set. Remove baking sheets from oven and let cookies stand on baking sheets for 10 minutes longer. They will continue to bake during this time.

 

Remove to drying rack to cool.

 

Makes about 24 3-inch cookies.

 

Shirley’s Notes:  Only add coconut oil if the mixture seems too dry to make drop cookies. For example, I added coconut oil when using natural peanut butter, but did not add coconut oil when using almond butter.

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Paula from Live Free, Gluten Free

August 19, 2012 By 4 Comments

Today on Healthy Lunchbox 2012, Paula from Live Free, Gluten Free shares her tips for packing delicious lunches for children and spouses. 

Paula’s story is very similar to mine in that she spent years being ill and no body, not even her gastroenterologist, could tell her why. It was not until her mother suggested that she might have Celiac Disease that Paula ever considered removing gluten.  And while that made her feel better, it was not until she removed dairy that she felt 100%. 

Please take time to read Paula’s story, as between her own experience and the process of having her boys diagnosed, there is so much that hits home with me and undoubtedly much that will hit home with you as well.

Thank you for taking the time to share your tips and delicious crepe recipe with us, Paula! xo

_________________________________________________________________________

 

I’m a mom of two cute boys (a 2nd grader and a preschooler), my older one is gluten-free, and my younger one is gluten and dairy-free, like me. And I’m also a wife to a gluten-eating husband.  My preschooler gets a snack every day at school and also eats lunch and a snack at day care, all of which are provided by them.  I’ve worked with both places extensively to train them on how to properly handle his food.   But, that leaves three of us that need lunches during the day.

 

My biggest piece of advice in packing lunches, is pack them for that person.  Everyone has their own tastes and preferences, so if you want them to eat their lunch, pack it with their preferences.  Involve your kids (or husband) in deciding what goes into their lunch.  I make a weekly menu every Saturday, and each time I do, I ask my son what he wants to eat for lunch that week. His favorite is peanut butter and jelly on Udi’s bread, and he would eat that everyday if he could. So, if your kids are like mine, prompt them with ideas of new things to try, and they probably will get excited about it and look forward to trying it.

 

For my own lunches, I almost always have leftovers.  Its fast and easy, which cuts down on the time I spend making lunches and saves money, too.  Below is what I had for lunch the other day: left over oven fried chicken, mashed potatoes, veggies with both hummus and red pepper hummus, a banana, and water kefir with mango puree added. The fruit and veggies are usually used as my snack in the afternoon, when I hit a wall, and the kefir stays on my desk next to a water bottle, so I will drink from both throughout the day.

My husband always eats sandwiches. If I gave him leftovers, he would go out to lunch, and I would prefer him eating a lunch from home, because it saves a lot of money that way.  So, sandwiches and fruit is what goes in his lunch. No picture, because, well, it’s not that exciting.

My son is getting better at trying new things.  He’s discovered he loves to assemble his own little pizzas with the Schar Crispbread, Pepperoni, and Cheese (we use Daiya Cheese in our house).  And he LOVES crepes.  And, I love that I can make a bunch ahead of time, freeze them between wax paper, and thaw them as needed for lunches.

What I really enjoy about crepes is their versitility.  You can roll them up with turkey, spread them with nut butter and roll them up with fruit, or spread them with hummus and top it with veggies.  The possibilities are endless.

My son’s favorite way to eat them is to spread them with peanut butter and jelly and roll them up with bananas. That lunch is easily completed with some veggies and hummus, fritos (yes, I do let my son have chips, he’s more likely to eat the hummus if I add the fritos into the mix), some almond milk, and some grapes for dessert and lunch is good to go!  I sliced his crepe and skewered the slices to make them easy finger foods, and did the same to the grapes just to make them a little funner to eat.

 

 

Below is my recipe for crepes:

Basic Crepes

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour blend (note: my blend has xanthan gum in it)

3 eggs

3/4 cup So Delicious Original Coconut Milk or other dairy-free milk

3/4 cup water

1/4+1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons dairy-free margarine, melted

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs.  Gradually add in the milk and water, stirring to combine.  Add the salt and margarine, beat until smooth. If the batter seems thick and a little more water to it until it’s the consistency of a thin pancake batter.

2. Heat a lightly buttered (with dairy-free margarine) 10-12″ frying pan over medium high heat.  Pour or scoop the batter into the pan, using about 1/4 cup or so for each crepe.  Tilt the pan in a circular motion so that the batter coats the surface evenly.

3. Cook the crepe for about 2 minutes or until the bottom is light brown.  Loosen with a spatula, flip and cook the other side.  Serve hot.  This makes about 10-12 crepes.  To freeze, cool them completely and place them between pieces of wax or parchment paper and freeze in gallon size ziploc bags.  You can then pull them out one at a time and thaw the night before for lunch the next day.

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Jessica from Allergic to Air (part 1)

August 18, 2012 By 3 Comments

When Jessica from Allergic to Air wrote to me earlier this week saying that she had an idea that she would like to share with you through this Healthy Lunchbox series, I thought “That’s great! But aren’t we already scheduled for early September?”

It was not until a second e-mail was sent that I realized she meant she wanted to share this idea with you in addition to her already scheduled post.

How great is that?!?

Luckily I still had one little opening left this month and Jessica was happy to take it, even if it meant squeezing her post between feedings with her sweet baby boy.

Without further ado, I am happy to share this Healthy Lunchbox inspired post with you!

Thank you Jessica! xo

_____________________________________________

 

My son is starting PreK this year, so we aren’t to the point of having to pack lunches yet, but I know that for many families, packing a lunch and having the kids be interested in actually eating what was packed  is a real challenge.  Especially if your kids are picky!  Are they going to trade for something “better” or are they going to actually eat what you sent?  That’s definitely a problem when you’re dealing with kids that have to have specific diets due to disease, intolerance, or allergy.

My friend Jen posted a really neat idea on her Facebook page the other day and I thought I would share it with you!  This is her plan to get her kids to help plan their lunches.  She has 3 children and 2 of them have Celiac Disease.

She bought a package of colored index cards, one color for each kid. She then wrote on them with a clip (think magnetic chip clip) that was a coordinating color. She purchased the clips (OXO brand) at Target and said she also found some at Marshall’s for an even better price.  

She also bought a magnetic basket and inside there are other clips with all of their lunch options. The kids choose what they want and it goes on their colored clip on the outside of the basket. Whatever they don’t want stays inside the basket in the clip.  Here is what they get to choose from:

  • One main entrée: sandwich, salad, cheese/crackers, leftovers etc.
  • Fruit: they can choose more than one, but they have to choose at least one.
  • Sides: granola bar, rice cakes, yogurt, fruit, fruit strip, pretzels, goldfish, nuts/cashews, string cheese, carrots/dip, Chex, chips/salsa, large dill pickle & boiled egg.
  • Once a week, they can each choose a purple strip, which is a special dessert. She keeps this in a separate clip and once it’s used, they can’t use it again until the next week.
  • Beverage:  They can take 100% juice with them or buy milk at school.

 

She said they were really excited when they got home the night before school started and got to make choices for lunch the next day. She said it has made mornings much easier and none of them can complain about what is in their lunch box because they chose it!  They have even started making their choices for the next day as soon as they get home from school!  I think she’s found a winner, don’t you?
Obviously, you can adjust this method to ANY diet, whether it’s gluten free, dairy free, Paleo, whatever!  I would also recommend double checking on your childrens’ school’s policy on lunches and food restrictions because of food allergies.  Thanks to Jen for this great idea and to Sunny for allowing me to be a part of this series!

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Cooking with Elise

August 17, 2012 By 4 Comments

Today on Healthy Lunchbox 2012, fellow FoodNetwork Summer Fest blogger, Elise Johnson from Cooking with Elise shares her tips for packing healthy and fun lunches for children of all ages.

Elise is well-known for her Cooking with Elise television segments, her blog and is also a Chef Spokesperson for BJ’s Wholesale Club. Additionally, Elise’s first cookbook: You Never Cook Alone was released earlier this year!

With such a busy schedule, I am grateful Elise took the time to share her brilliant healthy lunchbox ideas.

Thanks, Elise!

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My one-stop shopping destination for all my needs is BJ’s Membership Club! With 30% off of organic fruits, vegetables and dairy, BJ’s makes lunch preparations fun, easy and healthy for your whole family! I enthusiastically accepted the challenge when BJ’s asked me to create some exciting, flavorful and nutritious lunch ideas. The lunchbox makeover was born!

Remember the days when your mom brown bagged your lunch? Most likely it consisted of the typical P B & J, chips, a cookie and a sugary drink. With all the processed foods, allergies and hunger pains kids have today, a boring, uninspiring (and not to mention less-than-nutritional lunch) just won’t cut it!

My mom, Mary, is so organized. As a child I remember her getting our lunches ready the night before school. She would lay the brown bags with napkins and any non-perishables she was including in our lunches for the next day such as raisins or rice cakes on top of our microwave which sat in one corner of our cozy kitchen. Our sandwiches were usually tuna salad, ham, turkey or peanut butter and jelly.

Mom knew a quick, easy and affordable lunch would keep her kids (and her, too) happy as well as energized all day long. I have some great ideas that will help you make your kids lunches go from “blah” to “oohh la la!” by sprucing up sandwiches and helping your kids embrace their fruits and veggies. Here are some strategies to keep your kids happy, healthy and well fed!

The Main Course

Reinventing the Sandwich — Sandwiches are the quintessential lunchbox staple, but there are so many simple ways to sneak in nutrients while providing variety and great flavor.

         

  • Peanut Power:      With all of the different types of spreads available these days, choose      your child’s favorite like almond, cashew or even sunflower. If you are      going to use peanut butter, be sure to use a brand with less sugar and no      preservatives. In place of jelly (which can be loaded with sugar) add a      sliced banana. Bananas are full of vitamin B, manganese, potassium, and      fiber. Here a heart-shaped cookie cutter was used to show how loved your      child is.

 

  • Here I used two different kinds of bread, cut the      sandwich in nine pieces and then turn every other piece over to create a      checkerboard effect. Imagine the reaction your child will have when he or      she opens their lunch box to see this cute sandwich looking back at them!

 

Wrap it up and pump up the protein — Use hummus instead of processed deli meat. It’s full of protein and you can add slices of crisp cucumber and chewy, sweet grated carrots. You can also use tomatoes and avocado, especially now when they are readily available. You can get my hummus recipes here. Use a colorful paper napkin to wrap…well, your wrap in! It’s like giving a big hug to your little guy or gal! (Sunny’s note: Rudi’s Gluten-Free Tortillas would be perfect for these!)

 

 

  • The deconstruction of a sandwich equals fun for your      child– I love the high-quality deli      meats offered at BJ’s. The nice folks who work behind the counter are so      helpful, too! Ask them to simply slice your favorite deli meats in      one-inch slices. You will have enough cubes of deli meat to make several      sandwich skewers. Thread pieces of bread (can be omitted), grape tomatoes,      turkey, ham and lettuce onto your skewer. Make certain to cut the sharp      tip off of your skewer for safety. Serve your sandwich skewer with a      tiny container of yellow mustard!

 

  • You can also use sectioned off containers for your      deconstructed sandwich. Kids love playing with their food and finger food      is FUN!

Start Snackin’

 

Super Simple Creamy Fruit Dip (for dairy eaters)

In a blender combine 1 cup fat-free or Neufatchel cheese (1/3 less fat than regular cream cheese), 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (you can use any fruit) and 1 tablespoon of raw honey or agave nectar. Blend together and watch the beautiful color it makes! Kids (and adults, too) will love dipping their fruit into this creamy dip! (Sunny’s note: I bet this would be delicious with some cashew cream cheese!)

  • Kids eat with their eyes, so choose colorful fruits and      vegetables. And remember that fresh is always best — Here I’ve made a rainbow by cutting up a strawberry      or two, a couple slices of orange, a couple chunks of pineapple, a few      green grapes, two slices of kiwi, a few blueberries and a few red grapes.      I’ve paired it with the super simple and creamy fruit dip.
  • Kids love playing with their food – Healthy dips and yogurts are great choices for the      lunch box because children love eating with their hands!
  • Serving sizes      — All types of snacks such as chips and natural popcorn can be found in      easy to send to school small packages. You can also create your own snack      bags of plantain/banana chips, freeze dried fruit chips and rice cakes.
  • Know your children’s schedule – Choose snacks that are low in saturated fats and      sugar and are in high in protein, nutrients like nuts, colorful veggies      like carrot sticks, red, yellow, orange or green bell peppers strips, fruits      salad and guacamole with blue corn chips

 

  • Filled with veggies, a good quality salsa is a great      choice! Get a double dose of veggies and fiber by serving the salsa with      slices of fresh zucchini and yellow squash instead of only corn chips.

Beverages keep them goin’ all day long

  • Water — Kids should have a bottle or two for the day.      If your children are not water drinkers, send an individual Crystal Light      Pure package for your child to bring with their water bottle. They can      create their own fruit flavored drink without all of the sugar as in      juice.
  • Send organic milk (dairy      or non-dairy) vs. a juice box. Milk has 8 times more protein than a      juice box. If you send a juice box send healthy options made with fruits      and vegetables or 100 % juice.

 

  • For those children who don’t like to eat fruits and      vegetables, make a smoothie with celery and carrots in a reusable thermos.      Children won’t even taste the celery or cucumber!

 

Blueberry Smoothie

So easy…

Celery – clean and organic, if possible. Two small to medium stalks
Blueberries – frozen and organic. As many as you like to sweeten the celery
Fresh Water
Agave (optional – to further sweeten if you desire)

Whirl it up, drink it up, and soak up the nutrients!

Pack it properly

  • Make your child’s lunch in a reusable lunch box with      food stored in sectioned off containers. This is not only eco-friendly,      but is fun and will keep everything separated and fresh. You won’t have      any squished sandwiches or broken snacks. Eliminate the need for      silverware by sending items that can be eaten with your child’s hands      (what fun!)
  • Choose foods that can be left out at room temperature      or get an icepack for your child’s lunch box or bag. In addition to the      thermos, companies are now making insulated sandwich sacks, too.
  • Last, but certainly, not least, pack a loving      handwritten note to add the final ingredient to your child’s      lunch!

Happy packing!

From our hearts to yours,

Elise and family

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Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins

August 15, 2012 By 17 Comments

When most people think of muffins, they think high-carb, grain-filled, low-nutritional value item.

The last thing I want to feed my children is anything that meets that type of description.

The great thing about grain-free cooking is that a majority of flours (nut, seed and coconut) are naturally high in fabulous fiber, protein and nutrients.  Therefore, most anything I make is going to be nutritionally dense, very filling and will provide my family with enough energy to make it through the next meal.

These muffins are no exception.

Mildly sweet and easy to transport, my children love to find goodies like this in their lunchbox.

While not an everyday food, something as nutritional as this is good enough for the main course, delicious enough for a dessert.

Because the skins turn black when they are baked, you may wish to peel yours before dicing.  My children don’t seem to notice the color variation, and keeping the peel means keeping the nutrients… so we ‘suffer’ through the color variance and enjoy every tasty morsel.

 

Print
Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins

Ingredients

  • 8 large eggs
  • ¼ c Palm Nectar, Honey or Agave
  • ¼ c Whole Fat Canned Coconut Milk
  • 2 Tbs Vanilla Extract
  • 1 c Coconut Flour (4 oz)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp grain-free baking powder (I use Kelly's recipe and sub arrowroot for the potato starch)
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 c Fresh Peaches, diced (about 2 peaches)
    • Streusel
  • ¼ c Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
  • 2 Tbs Pumpkin or Sunflower Seeds
  • 1 ½ Tbs Coconut Oil
  • 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350f. Line or grease 12 muffin tins, set aside.
  2. In medium bowl, whisk together eggs, palm nectar (or sweetener of choice), coconut milk and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  3. In large bowl, blend together coconut flour, baking soda, grain-free baking powder and salt.
  4. Slowly mix in wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until smooth.
  5. Fold in peaches.
  6. Scoop batter by ¼ c into each tin.
  7. Make streusel by grinding shredded coconut, pumpkin or sunflower seeds and cinnamon in coffee grinder until seeds are almost flour like. Add in coconut oil and mix with a fork until mix resembles large cookie crumbs.
  8. Sprinkle an even amount of streusel onto each muffin.
  9. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm.
  10. Makes 12 muffins.
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My contribution to this week’s FoodNetwork Summer Fest and the Healthy Lunchbox Series, I hope these Peachy Coconut Streusel Muffins bring as many smiles to your home as they do mine.

xoxo

Be certain to visit all of the perfectly peachy recipes entered in to this week’s Summer Fest!

Jeanette’s Healthy Living: Peach Blackberry Arugula Salad

Cooking With Elise: Streusel Topped Peach Muffins With Peach Butter

Heather Christo Cooks: Peach Coconut Pancakes

Ingredients, Inc: Easy Peach Pie

From My Corner of Saratoga: Grilled Peaches With Caramel-Ginger Sauce and Pound Cake

Dishin & Dishes: Peach Lacquered Chicken Salad

Big Girls Small Kitchen: Easy Peach Limeade

Napa Farmhouse 1885: Fresh Peach and Coconut Cake

Daily*Dishin: Caramelized Grilled Peaches

Delicious Lean: Smokey Peach Chipotle Grilled Chicken

Thursday Night Dinner: Peach Shortbread

Sweet Life Bake: Jicama Tortilla Salad With Peach Dressing

I Am Baker: Cilantro Peach Salsa

Zaika Zabardast: Donut Peach Quesadilla

Daydreamer Desserts: White Peach Margaritas

Cooking Channel: 4 Savory Uses for Peaches

Healthy Eats: What to do With Overripe Peaches

FN Dish: Peaches Move to the Big Kids’ Table

Filed Under: Dairy Free, Desserts, Gluten Free, Healthy Lunchbox, Main Courses, Paleo, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sugar Free, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Healthy Lunchbox 2012: Dawn Allen from Cuter than Gluten

August 14, 2012 By 11 Comments

Today on Healthy Lunchbox 2012, Dawn Allen from Cuter than Gluten. 

Dawn is, what I consider to be, a gluten-free/dairy-free bento box expert.  I knew when she joined this year’s Healthy Lunchbox series that we were in for a treat! I love her cookie-cut fruits and veggies, the recipe below is a great alternative to more traditional grain-filled breads and who doesn’t love waffles? 

After you read her post below, be sure to visit Cuter than Gluten and learn more about Dawn’s soon to be released cookbook: Culinary Creativity: Let your restrictions set you free. For more great ideas, you can also follow Dawn on facebook.

Thank you Dawn! xoxo

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Thank you Sunny for inviting me to talk about lunches for kids.

 

 

When I was in second grade in rural West Virginia, the lunch my (hippie) mom packed for me got a lot of strange looks. She often packed her thick homemade bread in repurposed bread bags (to reuse/recycle). My vegetarian lunch was always full of carrot sticks and red peppers—not common fare at the lunch table. Now I am proud of my mom for packing healthy lunches. Back then I liked my lunch but I didn’t like all of the attention it drew. Everyone else was eating bologna on white bread with potato chips. I pleaded with her to purchase sandwich bags.

Fast forward 30 years and now I am the alternative mom packing the different lunches …

A few years ago, when my daughter started preschool, I discovered the Japanese tradition of decorative bento lunches for kids. It looked like tons of fun to do little art projects made of food. It also seemed like a great way to send my daughter to school with gluten- and dairy-free lunches without drawing attention to her special diet. It worked, all of the attention goes to the cute boxes and fun food themes, and no one notices she doesn’t have food coloring or sugar in her lunch. (Best of all she doesn’t notice!) And as a bonus there is no waste, so in the tradition of my mother, I don’t need to purchase sandwich bags!

Getting started with bento is easier than you might think. I will share some of the basics here and you can always visit my website to see more bento lunches or check out my book which offers more details on how to create the lunches.

1)      Start with a container that will contain enough food to fill up your child. This might take a bit of experimenting. You don’t need a special bento box (although they are fun); you can just use food storage containers. Stainless steel bento boxes are available too.

2)      Be sure to use nutrient dense food (no potato chips or space consuming sweets and snacks).

3)      Try to provide some balance nutritionally. (Of course we all go about nutrition from our unique perspectives. The great thing about bento is that it works for gluten-free, paleo, raw, vegan, etc.)

4)      Make it fancy, keep it fun, and stop before it feels like a burden.

5)      Save aside foods as you prepare dinner for the next day’s lunch. I generally don’t make lunches that require additional cooking (to save time in the mornings).

6)      Pack lots of raw fruits and vegetables. They add color, nutrients, and require very little preparation.

7)      Cookie cutters, food picks, small sauce containers, and other fun accessories can make a simple lunch a little bit fancy.

8)      Kids like to help, and that can be a great, fun project. And sometimes it is quicker and easier to do it yourself. We take it day by day.

 

I thought it would be fun to take a pile of ingredients from my refrigerator and show you three different ideas of how to make cute bento lunches. I didn’t plan these designs in advance and I just used what I had on hand. Sometimes I plan my fancier bento lunches but I wanted to show you how this can be a fun simple project that can be done any day. The simplest took about 3 minutes and the most complicated took less than 15 minutes. I don’t really time the work and my kids interrupt a lot … so who really knows how long it takes? In each bento the lunch is centered on leftover Grain-Free Waffles prepared as almond butter and jelly sandwiches.

For this abstract bento I simply cut the sandwich to fit the box. I made “turkey maki”; rolled up nori paper, turkey, red and yellow peppers with mustard to hold the roll closed. I filled in the remaining spaces with sugar snap peas, watermelon, kiwi, and a peach musical note (I used a cookie cutter).

This building block box actually has a second level but I was just making a small breakfast bento for my daughter so I didn’t need the extra food. This bento couldn’t be easier. I simply cut the sandwich and fruits into blocks and stuffed them in. If I were making a lunch I would be sure to get some vegetables in there.

I wanted to show you what a more elaborate bento can be like, but typically kids are happy with just one cute element, so you could easily do a simple salad on one side to accompany the face.

For the face, I used the bento box to cut the sandwich to size (like a cookie cutter). Then I made a small slit for the mouth and inserted a ham tongue and a red pepper lip. (Vegetarians could use a thinly sliced beet.) Then I simply added a few other facial features and the top of the box held everything in place on the way to school.

I used a cookie cutter to make the watermelon dancer and rolled peppers in ham. The rest is filled with raw vegetables. It is doubtful that my daughter will eat the greens, but I persist in offering them just in case she gets curious.

I hope you give bento a try, and remember to keep it simple and fun!

Grain-Free Waffle Recipe

Dry Ingredients
2 tablespoons coconut flour
½ cup almond meal/flour, packed
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon honey
¼ cup full fat canned coconut milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine the dry ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Sift the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients (sifting really helps here). Whisk to combine thoroughly.

Cook in your waffle maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If your waffle maker has settings; I recommend using low browning.

Yields 4 standard waffles or 2 Belgian waffles

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