Thursday, October 30, 2014

Lunches: 10.31.14 - Halloween Lunches!

I took part in a Halloween Blog Hop on Wednesday, but of course I had to make some fun lunches for the day itself.  Also keep your eyes out for the coming recipe round up of my Halloween Party Food!  The party is on Saturday, and I have some deliciously spooky treats planned.

Grapes: 5g, apple slices: 6g, sausage: 1g, cheese stick, 1g, tortilla chips: 10g
The Boy has some grapes with cute eyeball picks, apple slices with a monster pick, sundried tomato sausage in a pumpkin silicone cup with a jack-o-lantern pick, a cheese stick with a ghost ring around it, and some blue corn tortilla chips.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


The Girl has a couple jack-o-lantern clementines, apple slices with a monster pick, sundried tomato sausage in a spider silicone cup with a little spider pick, a cheese stick with a happy ghost ring around it, and some blue corn tortilla chips.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


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Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Lunches 10.29.14 - Halloween Blog Hop!

Halloween is upon us again, and it's time for another Bento Blogger & Friends Halloween Blog Hop, where we share some of our favorite ideas for lunches to celebrate the spooky season.

Quesadillas: 25g, RealStick: 1g, Blue Corn Chips: 5g, Yogurt Star: 2g, Apple slices: 6g, grapes: 6g

The Boy has some Jack-o-Lantern quesadillas, decorated with black food coloring, along with some blue corn tortilla chips, half a Vermont Smoke & Cure RealStick (BBQ flavor), grapes, and apple slices, and a single yogurt star cookie.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g)


I got some great skelaton cutters from BentoUSA, and I used them to cut tortillas for quesadillas for The Girl.  He has a skull, a bone, and a bony chest.  I decorated them with some black food coloring, and made them into quesadillas.


She also has a couple jack-o-lantern clementines.


In her lunch, she also has boo-tiful kiwi slices (don't they look like eyes?), blue corn tortilla chips, and half a Vermont Smoke & Cure RealStick.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured)

As a note, my blog post will be live before the hop is, so that The Boy's school nurse can see his carbs in his lunch for his insulin dosage.  Come back after 10:30 EST to see what my Bento Bloggers & Friends have in the way of spooky deliciousness.  Click on the button to see what Beneficial Bento has in store, when the hop goes live.  Enjoy!




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Monday, October 27, 2014

Lunches: 10.28.14

A little more interesting for lunches for this Tuesday, with a Halloween blog hop coming Wednesday!
Roll-ups: 30g, cheese stick: 1g, lentil curls: 4g, yogurt star cookies: 10g, apple: 6g, grapes: 6g
The Boy has a roll up with hummus and ham in a pumpkin shaped silicone cup, a cheese stick, lentil curls, grapes, a small apple, and yogurt star cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g)


The Girl has a roll up with hummus and ham in a pumpkin shaped silicone cup, a cheese stick, lentil curls, grapes, a couple clementines, and yogurt star cookies.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Lunches: 10.27.14

Happy Monday!  I will have some fancy lunches later this week, but today is a day for a plain, simple set of lunches.
Sandwich: 35g, cheese stick: 1g, apple: 6g, grapes: 6g, Yogurt star cookies: 5g
The Boy has a turkey sandwich with hummus, a cheese stick, a small apple, grapes, and a couple yogurt star cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g)


The Girl also has a turkey sandwich with hummus, a cheese stick, grapes, and a couple yogurt star cookies, along with kiwi slices.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Sunday, October 26, 2014

Recipe: Maple Roasted Fennel, Kale Sprouts, and Rainbow Carrots

I recently received a copy of the great new book, The 52 New Foods Challenge, to review, and was given the challenge of using the book as an inspiration for my own new food challenge.


We're a pretty adventurous family, food-wise, so many of the foods mentioned as challenges in the book are already favorites for us.  Quinoa?  Love it.  Kale?  Favorite.  Still, there are plenty of other lovely and healthy foods that we haven't tried as a family yet, so I took the challenge to heart.

The book recommends using the Crunch a Color game to encourage adventurous and healthy eating.  We did not do this tonight, because my kiddos are pretty open to trying things without the game, but we do love the idea behind Crunch a Color.


I was a the store and I saw some lovely produce that caught my eye.  Rainbow carrots we are already fans of (I love how the red ones have a yellow/orange core.  So beautiful!), but I also decided to try fennel, which I have always liked, but have never cooked and never served for the kids, and also the new hybrid, kale sprouts.  They grow like Brussels sprouts on a stalk, but are leafy like kale.

Our favorite way to eat vegetables is to roast them.  It brings out the inherent sweetness, and it is easy.
Rainbow carrots, ready to roast
I roasted the vegetables separately, so that we could taste them all on their own, to better appreciate the flavors, and also so that the different vegetables could be taken out when they were done.

Fennel, ready to roast
It's not really a recipe, but more of a method.  I heated the oven the 400 F, and tossed the veggies in olive oil.

Look at how lovely these kale sprouts are!
I added a couple tablespoons of maple syrup to the vegetables when there was about 10 minutes left.

The kale sprouts roasted for about 25 minutes total, the fennel took about 35 minutes, and the carrots (cut into small sticks) took about 45 minutes.

Kale Sprouts, Fennel, and Rainbow carrots - maple roasted
I served the roasted vegetables with pork chops and rice.

The kids tried the new vegetables.  The Boy was not a fan of either the kale sprouts, nor of the fennel, though he loved the carrots.  The Girl loved the kale sprouts, but not the fennel.  My mother came over for dinner, and she and I gobbled up all of the vegetables.  They were wonderful.  Though fennel can have a very anise-tinged flavor, roasting it mellowed that a lot.  I think it was still too much for the kids, sadly.

I will keep trying new things, and will try these veggies again.  Don't give up after the first try!  Sometimes, unfamiliar is bad no matter how you dress it up, so the goal is to make things more familiar, and hope to gain acceptance eventually.

I hope that you will check out this book when it is released.  There are a lot of great recipe ideas, and the challenge could be a really fun one to do, along with your kids.  I love letting the kids pick out new things to try.  Involving them is huge.

What's the last thing your kids surprised you by liking?


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Friday, October 24, 2014

Lunches: 10.24.14

It's Friday - one week until Halloween!  We have a school Halloween dance tonight, and then next week, I have not one, but two themed blog hops coming up - and then my Halloween Party and all of the food involved with it!  So, for now, still just plain lunches, but rest assured - fun is coming.  At least I finally went grocery shopping, so I have more than apples to put in lunches.  Sometimes, life happens and groceries don't, and you make do with what you have.

Sandwich: 30g, grapes: 5g, mozarella stick: 0g, apple slices: 4g, lentil curls: 6g
The Boy has a sandwich with hummus and ham, some grapes, a fresh mozzarella stick, apple slices, and lentil curls.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 23g).


The Girl has a sandwich with hummus and ham, grapes, a fresh mozzarella stick, kiwi slices, and lentil curls.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Thursday, October 23, 2014

Lunches: 10.23.14

I know that lunches have been kind of apple-heavy lately.  It's Vermont.  Apples are in season.  I haven't been grocery shopping in a while.  I'll get some more interesting produce soon.

Danish Pancakes: 34g, yogurt: 12g, apple slices: 4g, carrots: 2g
The Boy has more of the Danish pancake puffs, some vanilla Greek Yogurt, apple slices, and baby carrots.  His snack is a banana (not pictured, 28g)


I made some baked risotto (my go-to way to make risotto.  It might not be traditional, but it is delicious and easy - two of my favorite things) for dinner on Wednesday, served with peas and fire-roasted corn and some pulled pork I made in the crockpot the other day, and The Girl wanted leftovers in her lunch.  She also has some sour cream & onion puffs, and apple slices.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Lunches: 10.22.14

The kids have some Danish Puff pancakes from Trader Joe's in their lunches today.  You can make your own pancake puffs if you have the right pan.  I love these little pancake puffs.  They are fluffy and delicious.  I promise they are not doughnut holes.

Danish Pancakes: 34g, Greek yogurt: 12g, apple slices: 8g, carrots: 2g
The Boy has Danish Puff Pancakes, some vanilla Greek yogurt, apple slices, and some baby carrots.  His snack is a banana (not pictured, 28g).


The Girl has Danish Puff Pancakes, vanilla Greek yogurt, apple slices, and baby carrots.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).




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Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Lunches: 10.21.14

Don't miss your chance to win my Vermont Smoke and Cure RealSticks giveaway!  It ends at midnight tonight.

I had a horrible headache while I was packing lunches last night, so they are pretty basic - but delicious, nonetheless.  

Sandwich: 30g, carrots and hummus: 2g, apple slices: 8g, sour cream & onion puffs: 8g
The Boy has a sandwich with hummus and ham, some carrots with hummus to dip in the little container, apple slices, and sour cream and onion puffs.  His snack is a store bought yogurt smoothie (not pictured, 23g).


The Girl has a sandwich with hummus and ham, clementines, apple slices, and sour cream and onion puffs.  Her snack is a yogurt smoothie (not pictured).


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Monday, October 20, 2014

Lunches: 10.20.14

It's Monday - Don't miss your chance to enter my Vermont Smoke and Cure Giveaway!

Sandwich: 30g, grapes: 5g, apple slices: 8g, sour cream and onion puffs: 8g
The Boy has a ham sandwich on homemade bread with hummus, with some apple slices, grapes, and sour cream and onion puffs.  His snack is a yogurt smoothie (store bought and not pictured, 23g).


The Girl has a ham sandwich on homemade bread with hummus, along with clementines, apple slices, amd sour cream and onion puffs.


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Wednesday, October 15, 2014

Lunches: 10.16.14

The kids have no school on Friday (due to a teacher inservice day), so Thursday is the last day of their week needing lunches.

Naan sandwich: 50g, yogurt star cookies: 10g, apple slices: 8g, sour cream and onion puffs: 5g
The Boy has a turkey and hummus sandwich on naan bread, with some yogurt star cookies, sour cream and onion puffs, and apple slices.  His snack is a yogurt (not pictured: 29g).


The Girl has leftover veggie burger and chutney on naan bread, with some yogurt star cookies, a couple clementines, and sour cream and onion puffs.  She has a yogurt for snack (not pictured).


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Lunches: 10.15.14

Don't miss your chance to enter my Vermont Smoke and Cure RealSticks Giveaway!

Wednesday lunches are simple sandwich lunches.

Sandwich: 45g, apple slices: 6g, Pretzel chips: 15g, yogurt star cookies: 10g

The Boy has a sandwich with hummus and pesto, along with some turkey and lettuce.  He also has apple slices, pretzel chips, and a few yogurt star cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 23g)

The Girl has a sandwich with hummus, pest, turkey, and lettuce, along with apple slices, clementines, and a few yogurt star cookies.  She has a granola bar for snack (not pictured).


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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Review and Giveaway: Vermont Smoke and Cure RealSticks

As a Vermonter, I always love when I find something wonderful that I can put in lunches that is also from Vermont.  I've found just that in Vermont Smoke and Cure.

The wonderful folks over at Vermont Smoke and Cure were kind enough to send me a variety pack of their delicious RealSticks.

RealSticks are made with real meat, flavored with real spices.  There is nothing artificial added, and they have 50% less fat and 40% less salt than most other snack sticks.  That makes me pretty happy about packing them in lunches for the kids (and snacking on them myself).  If you are sensitive to gluten, you don't have to worry - these RealSticks are gluten free.


They have wonderful flavors, too - Chipotle Beef & Pork, BBQ Beef, Ancho Turkey, Uncured Turkey Pepperoni, Cracked Pepper Beef & Pork, and Honey Mustard Turkey.


The Chipotle was the only one that was a little spicy for the kids.  They like all of the other flavors.


My only wish was that they were a little smaller and could fit into the Easylunchbox without cutting them up, but that's a pretty minor complaint.


They would be great for a hiking snack, too.  I think I'll keep some on hand for extra energy during those hikes.

They ship, so you could order your own stock of the RealSticks, or you could also peruse some of Vermont Smoke and Cure's great other products - they have some phenomenal looking bacon, ham, sausages, and summer sausages, as well as gift boxes and even t-shirts and hats to show your love.  You could get some really great gifts for people on your list, and who doesn't love the gift of delicious food?

Now for the fun part - the good folks over at Vermont Smoke and Cure have offered to give one of my lucky readers their very own RealStick variety pack!  Enter on the Rafflecopter below, and good luck.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Lunches: 10.14.14

Wrap: 30g, banana: 28g, cheese cracker sticks: 10g, apple slices: 8g,Star cookies: 10g
Tuesday lunch for The Boy is a wrap with hummus, pesto, turkey, and lettuce.  He also has a small banana, a couple cheese cracker sticks, apple slices, and some yogurt star cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 23g)


The Girl also has a wrap with hummus, pesto, turkey, and lettuce, along with a couple clementines, cheese cracker sticks, apple slices, and yogurt star cookies.  Her snack is also a granola bar (not pictured).


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Monday, October 13, 2014

Recipe: Eggs Benedict Breakfast Pizza

I had my friends over for breakfast on Sunday, and I decided to try my hand at an Eggs Benedict Pizza.  Eggs Benedict is The Girl's absolute favorite breakfast food.  She gets it without fail every time we go out to our favorite diner.


I went easy because I was working late on Saturday.  I bought pizza dough and Hollandaise sauce, but you could absolutely make your own.  Here's a good looking Hollandaise recipe, and here is my favorite pizza dough recipe.

Eggs Benedict Breakfast Pizza

Pizza dough for one pizza (store bought or homemade)
6 oz (by weight) fresh baby spinach
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 c Hollaindaise sauce (store bought - I like the Trader Joe's one - or homemade)
8 thin slices Canadian bacon, diced
6 eggs

Roll your pizza dough out into a thin circle about 18" round, to fit on your pizza pan or baking stone, lightly coated with corn meal.


Preheat oil in a large saute pan.  Add the spinach, sprinkle with garlic, and wilt on medium heat until cooked down.


Spread Hollandaise sauce on the pizza crust.  Top evenly with the cooked spinach, and then with the diced Canadian bacon.  Preheat oven to 350 F while the pizza rises a bit.  Bake for 10 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown.


Remove the pizza from the oven and carefully break 6 eggs evenly around the pizza, so that there is one for each slice.  Be careful not to break the yolks.  Return to the oven and bake for an additional 6-8 minutes, or until the whites are cooked but the yolks remain soft.


Serve with extra Hollandaise sauce if desired.


And maybe a mimosa...


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Lunches: 10.13.14

Happy Monday!

In case you were wondering, The Girl's first middle school dance went wonderfully, though she busted a hole in the knee of her pants from dancing so hard (that's my girl), and she also got into select choir.  What a weekend!

Anyhow, quick lunches for this Monday.

Sandwich: 20g, apple slices: 8g, grapes: 10g. Cinnamon Schoolbook cookies: 12g
The Boy has a hummus, pesto, and ham sandwich on a slider bun, along with apple slices, grapes, and cinnamon schoolbook cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


The Girl has a hummus, pesto, and ham sandwich on a slider bun, with a few clementines (we got a big bag and need to eat them - and The Girl and I are the only ones who like them!), grapes, and apple slices.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).




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Friday, October 10, 2014

Lunches: 10.10.14

It's Friday!

It's an exciting day... the Girl has her first middle school dance tonight (*gulp*), and she also finds out if she got into the select choir that she auditioned for on Wednesday - crossing fingers!  It's not as exciting a day for The Boy, though he loves Fridays because there is an extra recess for kids who bring in their homework.

Anyhow, we are happy for Friday to be here.

Lunches are simple.  I had a PTO meeting last night and didn't have a lot of time to put them together, but I still think they will be delicious.

Veggie snack sticks: 8g, grapes:10g, meat stick: 3g, cheese stick: 1g, apple: 8g, Letter cookies: 8g
The Boy has some grapes, veggie snack sticks, a small apple, a cheese stick, a meat stick from Vermont Smoke & Cure (review coming soon!), and some Cinnamon Schoolbook cookies.  His snack is a granola bar (not pictured, 22g).


The Girl has some grapes, veggie snack sticks, a couple clementines, a cheese stick, a meat stick from Vermont Smoke & Cure, and some Cinnamon Schoolbook cookies.  Her snack is a granola bar (not pictured).


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Thursday, October 9, 2014

Lunches: 10.9.14

It's Thursday!
Sandwich: 22g, banana: 28g, ABC cookies: 12g, apple: 8g, grapes: 6g
The Boy has grapes, a small apple, a small banana, a sandwich with hummus, pesto, and ham on a roll, with some ABC (and number) cookies.  His snack is a cereal bar (not pictured, 28g)


The Girl has grapes, a couple clementines, a small banana, a sandwich with hummus, pesto, and ham on a roll, with some ABC (and number) cookies.  Her snack is a cereal bar (not pictured).


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