Family Lunches: 10.1.13

Happy October!

For Monday dinner, The Boy and I made a lovely vegetable soup, and I made some Mozzarella-Kale grilled cheese sandwiches that were inspired by a recipe from a book we got at Kiss the Cook - Fifty Shades of Kale.  The kids loved the sandwiches so much they wanted leftovers in their lunches.

Grilled cheese: 30g, Goldfish puffs: 10g, apple: 8g, fruit salad: 15g

The Boy has a Mozzarella-Kale grilled cheese, Goldfish puffs, apple slices, and some tropical fruit and mandarin oranges, packed in his Easylunchbox.  For snack, he has a banana (not pictured, 28g).

The Girl has a Mozzarella-Kale grilled cheese, Goldfish puffs, apple slices, and some tropical fruit, packed in an Easylunchbox.  For snack, she has a banana (not pictured).

The Hubby has some of the soup we made, a leftover piece of pizza, Goldfish puffs, and grapes, in an Easylunchbox.

I have more of the soup, Mozzarella-Kale grilled cheese, grapes, and cucumelons (I love those things!), in my Easylunchbox.

Family Lunches: 9.30.13

Happy Monday!

I got some adorable little cucumelons at the store ... but unfortunately, the kids don't like them... so they are probably going to be all mine.  I like them.  How could you not like something so cute?  So, my lunch is some cucumelons, apple slices, Goldfish puffs, raisins, and a wrap with pesto, lettuce, turkey salami, and Cabot cheddar cheese, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Hubby has cucumber slices, Ritz crackers, apple slices, raisins, and a wrap with Miracle whip, lettuce, turkey salami, and Cabot Cheddar cheese, in an Easylunchbox.

Wrap: 30g, raisins: 16g, Goldfish puffs: 8g, mandarin oranges: 15g, cucumber: 1g

The Boy has a granola bar for snack (not pictured, 22g).  His lunch is cucumber slices, mandarin oranges, Goldfish puffs, raisins, and a wrap with pesto, lettuce, turkey, and Cabot cheddar cheese, in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a granola bar for snack (not pictured).  Her lunch is carrot slices, mandarin oranges, Goldfish puffs, raisins, and a wrap with Miracle whip, lettuce, turkey, and Cabot cheddar cheese, in an Easylunchbox.  She has her first flute lesson at school today, so I couldn't resist the LunchboxLove note - "The fear of flutes is called aulophobia."  So funny.

Lunches: 9.26.13

Chicken: 8g, oranges: 15g, pirate booty: 6g, apple slices: 4g

For Thursday, The Boy has a granola bar for snack (not pictured, 22g).  His lunch is some mandarin oranges, honey bbq chicken drumsticks, Pirate Booty, and apple slices, all in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a banana and a granola bar for snack (n

ot pictured).  For lunch, she has mandarin oranges, honey bbq chicken drumsticks, Pirate Booty, and apple slices, in an Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.25.13

Happy Wednesday!

Sandwich: 30g, apple slices: 6g, grapes: 5g, Pirate Booty: 6g. granola bar: 22g

The Boy has a banana for snack (not pictured: 28g).  His lunch is a sandwich on a roll with ham and Cabot cheddar, apple slices (from our own tree), a granola bar, grapes, and Pirate Booty, in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a banana for a snack (not pictured).  Her lunch is also a sandwich with ham and Cabot cheddar, a tiny pear from my in-law's tree, a granola bar, grapes, and Pirate Booty, in an Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.24.13

Pirate Booty: 8g, mandarin oranges: 15g, pretzel dogs: 24g, apple: 4g, carrot:1g

For Tuesday, the Boy has a banana for snack (not pictured, 28g).  His lunch is some Pirate Booty snacks, mandarin oranges (in the covered container), pretzel dogs, carrot slices, and half an apple from our own tree, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has essentially the same thing, with a granola bar for snack with her banana (not pictured), also in her Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.23.13

Fall is here!

Puzzle sandwich: 25g, grapes: 5g, carrot: 1g, apple: 8g, Pirate Booty: 8g

The kids have essentially the same lunch - The Boy has a banana for snack (not pictured, 28g). For lunch, he has Pirate Booty snacks, an apple from one of our own trees, a Lunch Punch Puzzle sandwich with turkey, grapes, and carrots from my CSA, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a banana and a granola bar for snack (not pictured).  Her lunch is Pirate Booty, an apple from one of our trees, a Lunch Punch Puzzle sandwich with turkey, grapes, and carrots from my CSA, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.20.13

Happy Friday!

Ravioli: 30g, Chobani Champions: 9g, Graham Crisps: 10g, grapes: 5g, oranges: 15g

The kids have pretty much the same lunch today - Ravioli from Costco, grapes, graham crisps, mandarin oranges, and Chobani Champions yogurt, all packed in Easylunchboxes. The Boy has a granola bar for snack (not pictured: 17g)

The Girl has a granola bar and a peach for snack (not pictured)

Lunches: 9.19.13 - Talk Like a Pirate Day Blog Hop!

The pirate speaks,"It's Talk Like a Pirate Day! How could I miss puttin' together a couple o' piratey lunches for t' sprogs? I didn't go too crazy this year, due t' time constraints, but I couldn't let t' day pass without a little fun, and o' course, thar's a couple Bento Blogger and buckos Blog Hops t' go with t' day. I'm on the East Coast Ship, Black Bread's Revenge.

Sandwich: 18g, lettuce: 1g, cheese: 1g, eggs: 1g, pirate booty: 15g, grapes: 5g

The Boy has some Pirate Booty, grapes, a Pirate Flag sandwich, a couple hard boiled quail eggs (one decked out like a pirate, a bed of lettuce, and a cheese stick, packed in an Easylunchbox.  He has a granola bar for snack (not pictured, 17g)

The Girl has the same thing, except her quail eggs remain un-dressed, also in an Easylunchbox.  Her snack is a granola bar and a Chobani Champions yogurt (not pictured)

Now, for more Piratey fun, Hop on over t' Bentobloggy and onward t' see what adventures t' Bento Blogger and buckos have in store for you on this Talk Like a Pirate Day."

Lunches: 9.18.13

Ravioli: 30g, crackers: 5g, quail eggs: 1g, melon: 5g, grapes: 5g

The Boy's lunch for Wednesday is melon, grapes, hard boiled quail eggs, cheddar Ritz crackers, and some ravioli I picked up at Costco, packed in an Easylunchbox.  His snack is a cereal bar (not pictured, 27g)

The Girl's lunch is a peach, Sierra figs, hard boiled quail eggs, cheddar Ritz crackers, and some of the ravioli, packed in an Easylunchbox.  Her snack is a cereal bar and a Chobani Champions yogurt (not pictured).

Lunches: 9.16.13

I was inspired by the quail eggs I got this weekend.  They are too cute!

Breakfast sandwich skewers: 24 g, melon: 5g, grapes: 5g

The Boy has breakfast sandwich skewers with Cabot cheddar on a sandwich thin, with bacon and hard boiled quail eggs, on a bed of lettuce from my CSA, along with melon and grapes, all packed in an Easylunchbox.  His snack is a cereal bar (not pictured, 27g).

The Girl also has breakfast sandwich skewers with Cabot cheddar on a sandwich thin, with bacon and hard boiled quail eggs, on a bed of lettuce, with Sierra figs and grapes, packed in an Easylunchbox.  Her snack is a Chobani Champions yogurt and a cereal bar (not pictured).

Lunches: 9.16.13

Some of my friends came over on Sunday night and made Thai fusion sushi (without nuts and vegetarian... due to allergy restrictions.  A bit tougher with Thai food than with others that we've done, but we managed...)

The kids particularly loved the coconut rice with mango, and even liked the Thai cucumber salad that we used as a filling.  So, they have some of the leftovers in their lunches.

Sushi rolls: 40g, melon: 5g, radish: 1g, quail egg: 1g, graham crackers: 15g

The Boy has some of the coconut rice mango sushi, along with some of the sushi with veggies and cucumber, a hard boiled quail egg, a new kind of melon that I got (Galia melon - a lot like honeydew), radish slices, and some fish shaped graham crackers, all packed in a Yumbox.  For snack, he has a granola bar (not pictured, 19g)

The Girl has a couple mango coconut rolls, grapes, cider gelatin, a Sierra fig, a couple mango cucumber rolls, a Chobani Champions yogurt, and a hard boiled quail egg (which she wanted to peel for herself), all packed in an Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.13.13 - Roald Dahl Day Blog Hop

Roald Dahl is one of our favorite authors.  In honor of his birthday, my Bento Blogger & Friends are hosting a Roald Dahl Day Blog Hop.

The lunches for the kids are based on Fantastic Mr. Fox.  The Girl had read it before, but I hand't gotten to it yet, so we sat down as a family and read it last week.  What a fun book!

For those who have not yet read it (and you should... it's short), it is based  on three horrible and mean farmers who are out to get a savvy fox who routinely snags food from their farms.  He, true to his name, outfoxes them, and he and his friends have a fantastic feast at the farmers' expense.

Drumstick: 5g, croissant: 9g, carrot: 2g, melon: 5g, granola "Wonka" bar: 18g, cider gelatin: 5g

For The Boy (who has a non-Dahl-ish cereal bar for snack, not pictured, 27g), I packed a honey bbq drumstick (for the chicken that Mr. Fox stole from the farmers), along with carrots (that Mr. Fox took for the rabbits to eat), watermelon (with an onlooking pig), homemade cider gelatin (made with our homemade cider and unflavored gelatin) - because Mr. Fox took jugs of cider from one of the farmers, a mini croissant with bacon and cheese and a picture of Mr. Fox on Cabot cheddar cheese, drawn with food makers.  

That Fantastic Mr. Fox with his bag of goodies

I also included a granola "Wonka" bar, because how can you have a Dahl lunch without a reference to Willy Wonka?  His lunch is packed in a Yumbox.

Quite a feast

That Fantastic Mr. Fox (in Cabot Cheddar)

The Girl has Mr. Fox on a mini croissant with bacon and Cabot Cheddar (her Mr. Fox is also drawn on the Cabot Cheddar with food marker), along with a honey bbq drumstick, cider gelatin, carrots, a peach (for James and the Giant Peach), and some watermelon, packed in an Easylunchbox.  Her snack is a granola bar and a yogurt.

Want to see more Roald Dahl inspired lunches?  Hop on over to Bento Monsters to see what Ming has in store for you, and continue on the loop until you end up back here.  Enjoy, and read some Dahl today!

Lunches: 9.12.13

Sandwich: 45g, cracker chips: 15g, cantaloupe: 5g

The Boy has a cereal bar for snack (not pictured, 27g).  His lunch is sandwich skewers with pesto, ham, lettuce, and Cabot Cheddar cheese, along with melon and some Ritz cheddar chips, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a pocket sandwich with miracle whip, ham, and Cabot cheddar cheese, along with Chobani Champions yogurt, grapes, watermelon, and Ritz cheddar chips, all packed in an Easylunchbox.  Her snack is a cereal bar and a yogurt (not pictured).

Family Lunches: 9.11.13

Happy Wednesday!

Sandwich: 20g, graham crisps: 5g, grapes: 5g, cucumber: 1g, melon: 5g, apple chips: 5g

The Boy has a banana for snack (not pictured, 28g).  His lunch is a Cute-Z-Cute Panda with pesto, ham, and Cabot Cheddar, along with grapes, cucumber, some graham cracker crisps, melon, and apple chips, packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Girl has a yogurt for snack (not pictured).  Her lunch is a Cute-Z-Cute Kitty with miracle whip, ham, and Cabot Cheddar, along with grapes, some graham cracker crisps, melon, and apple chips, packed in an Easylunchbox.

The Hubby has a ham and cheese sandwich with miracle whip, ham, Cabot Cheddar, melon, and cucumber, in an Easylunchbox.

I have the same, but with pesto, also in an Easylunchbox.

Family Lunches: 9.10.13

Croissant sandwiches: 20g, grapes: 5g, cantaloupe: 5g, radish & ranch: 1g

The Boy's Tuesday lunch is watermelon and cantaloupe, radish and ranch dressing, grapes, and two mini croissants with pesto, ham, and Cabot Cheddar Cheese, packed in an Easylunchbox. His snack is a banana (not pictured, 28g).

The Girl's Tuesday lunch is watermelon, leftover sauteed zucchini with garlic and smoked paprika, grapes, and two mini croissants with ham and Cabot Cheddar Cheese, packed in an Easylunchbox.  She has a Chobani Champions yogurt and a banana for snack (not pictured).

I have watermelon and cantaloupe, leftover zucchini, grapes, and a couple mini croissants with pesto, ham and Cabot Cheddar Cheese, all packed in an Easylunchbox.

Lunches: 9.9.13

The Hubby and I will get lunches at work today.

Hard boiled egg - 0g, melon: 5g, pesto bagel: 25g, veggies & ranch: 2g, grapes: 3g

The Boy has a mini bagel with pesto and Cabot cheddar cheese, along with a medley of veggies - carrots, radish, and zucchini - with ranch dressing, grapes, a hard boiled egg, and melon, in an Easylunchbox.  For snack, he has a banana (not shown, 28g)

The Girl has a mini bagel with Cabot cheddar cheese, ham lettuce, and Miracle Whip, with grapes, a Chobani Champions yogurt, carrots, Motts Medleys fruit snacks (from a Goodies Box) and Scrabble Cheez-its, in her Easylunchbox.  She has a banana for snack.

Recipe: Homemade Apple Cider

This is more of a method than a recipe, but I had to share.

We have apple trees.  4 Macintosh, a Yellow Transparent, and a Jona Gold (which is not yet producing fruit - it was a present for The Boy for his 5th birthday.  Yes, he asked for an apple tree of his very own.  His wish was granted).

The apples are thick on the trees this year.  We decided to pick some last week, though it is really a bit early for them.

Then, I remembered that my mom had an apple cider press.  Dad used to use it to make apple wine and grape wine as well.  For a bit of family fun, we worked together to make some apple cider.  Honestly, I thought we would maybe get two cups of cider at the end.

We ended up with a bit more than a gallon.  The kids want to make more.  So do I.  It was time consuming, but all in all, super fun and also educational for all of us.

To make cider, start with washed whole apples.  We chopped them into hunks and discarded any bad parts and the stems, but didn't worry about a stray seed or two, since we were straining them anyway.  After the rough cut, we chopped them finely in the food processor, and then pureed them in a blender with a little added water.

Once we had the puree, it was time to transfer them to the cider press.

The press was lined with a straining bag, and then the press was slowly turned to release the cider.

CIDER!

All pressed out

We turned the bag over once during the pressing to make sure the liquid was all squeezed out.

That's really all there was to it!  It helps that we had a cider press available to us, but all in all, it is something I can recommend if you have a little time on your hands and a yen for something fun for the whole family.