I'm looking for recipes that are healthy and easily portable. And most importantly, easy to prepare. I'd like to be able to make up a bunch of stuff that I can freeze. Then I can dole out portions each day for lunch. I'm especially interested in vegetarian options or carb-heavy options (love my bread, trying to avoid sandwhiches).Recipes for healthy lunch snacks?
Cheese sticks, baby carrots, try some slim fast bars they are delicious and low in cal., also try the fruit cups (like peaches) from Dole, fresh fruit.Recipes for healthy lunch snacks?
carrots and ranch dressing is always good
chesese dip crakers
I like subs. Put turkey and ham on it. tomato, lettuce, mayo. I don't know what you like, but that is an idea.
try a grilled chicken salad and a red wine vinegret dressing. it is delicious.
sourdough baggatte with cream chese cummber and tomatoes
Mini Shrimp Rolls
INGREDIENTS
1 pound medium shrimp - cooked, peeled and deveined
6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cabbage
3 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, minced
48 wonton wrappers
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
DIRECTIONS
Chop shrimp; set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add mozzarella cheese; mix well. Stir in the cabbage, onions, carrot, soy sauce, garlic and shrimp. For each shrimp roll, place 1 tablespoon of shrimp mixture across the bottom third of a wonton wrapper to within 1/4 in. of bottom and side edges. Combine flour and water until smooth; brush a 1/4-in. wide strip on side edges and fold side edges over 1/4 in. Brush side edges and top edge with water mixture. Fold bottom third of wonton wrapper over filling, then bring top over and pinch edges to seal completely.
Lightly spray rolls with nonstick cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown, turning once. Serve warm.
what about celery and peanut butter. thats always pretty tasty!!!
Wrap-N-Mat and Celebration Roast
Here's another new lunch toy! I came across Wrap-N-Mats a few months ago and was interested in trying one out. Wrap-N-Mats are a reusable plastic bag alternative that fold around a sandwich and close with velcro. The PEVA or PVC lining keeps the sandwich fresh, then at lunchtime the mat unfolds into a placemat. Nifty!
After we got over the fact that the brand new mat smelled like a stinky shower curtain, we decided to wipe it down and stick a sandwich in it.
I filled two slices of sprouted barley bread with Vegenaise, ketchup, lettuce, spinach, and cold slices of Celebration Roast. I bought the roast recently on a good friend's recommendation, and oh, I'm so glad I did! Even the meat-eater among us agreed that the roast was some of the best-tasting veggie meat we've had. Tasty hot or cold, Field and Celebration Roast are made from wheat gluten, pea flour, and lentils -- no soy, so they're a great veggie meat for those with soy allergies. The Celebration Roast includes a stuffing made from butternut squash, apples, mushrooms, and carrots -- more sneaky vegetables for the shmoo.
I know the whole point of the Wrap-N-Mat is to reduce waste, so it's ironic that the other treat I scored for the shmoo this week was an Applesauce Fruit Squeezie.That's right, shmoo can finally squeeze goo out of a plastic tube just like his friends! I packed the tube-o-mush alongside a fresh orange and some dairy-free Fig Newmans.
Here's the mat all folded and ready to go. Since we're on the subject of bags, I packed shmoo's fig bars in another plastic bag alternative: Natural Waxed Paper Bags. I like to fold the bag and use a hole punch to make two holes through the fold, then tie the bag shut with raffia or twine. (I'm sure I got that idea from Martha...)
Verdict: The Wrap-N-Mat worked nicely, but I must say I still prefer packing lunch in a lunch box. There's something so satisfying about how everything fits together inside a box, and since I tend to pack more fruit and vegetable salads, wet foods, noodles, rice, etc., a lunch box suits my style. But if you are a sandwich-a-day person, a Wrap-N-Mat would sure beat throw-away baggies. Shmoo was utterly delighted with his applesauce tube and wants to know if he can have one in his lunch every week from now on. 4 stars.
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 6:04 PM 10 comments
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Shmoo Review: Twinkie, Deconstructed
';EEEW';...';Gross!';...';YUCK!'; Warning: don't curl up in bed with Twinkie, Deconstructedif outbursts like that are going to keep your spouse from sleeping. Because it's hard not to exclaim out loud as author Steve Ettlinger leads you through the mysterious inner workings of the industrialized food system.
Ettlinger sets out to follow each ingredient in a Twinkie back to its original state, and describes the convoluted industrial processes that give us such food additive favorites as ';polysorbate 60'; and ';sodium stearoyl lactylate';.
This book is the perfect read for anyone who wonders where our food comes from and what it's made of. If you partake of modern processed goodies 鈥?and I don鈥檛 mean just the golden cream-filled ones -- you may be quite surprised to find out what you鈥檝e been putting in your mouth. Even though Ettlinger chose to focus on the Twinkie because of its popularity and long list of ingredients, the additives and chemicals he describes are present in a vast number of the foods on our grocery store shelves -- yes, even some of the vegan ones.
Vegans might want to pay special attention to the chapter on soy, where Ettlinger describes the process by which soybeans are transformed into shortening, lecithin, and soy protein isolate, the last of which shows up in many vegan ';meats'; and ';sports bars';.
I highly recommend Twinkie, Deconstructed, but maybe not for bedtime reading. Because even after you quit shouting and let your partner go to sleep, you may find it hard to sleep yourself, your mind haunted by images of giant factories filled with corn, flour floating through sprays of chlorine gas, and soy flakes soaking in vats of lye. I know I did.
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 3:00 PM 18 comments
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Shmoo Review: Everyday Dish
If you are a visual learner nothing beats watching a teacher demonstrate what they are trying to teach you. Case in point: cookbooks versus cooking shows. Some of us have a hard time looking at a written recipe and grasping what the cook is talking about, or what the finished recipe is supposed to look like.
If this sounds like you, I鈥檓 happy to report that there are plenty of great DVDs and cooking shows out there to introduce you to vegan cooking. In fact, three of my favorite vegan chefs recently sent me a copy of their new vegan cooking DVD, Everyday Dish: Vegetarian and Vegan Meals for Everyone.
Well-known cookbook authors Dreena Burton, Bryanna Clark Grogan, and Julie Hasson have teamed together to create this instructional DVD of 15 vegan recipes, including goodies like Hummus Tortilla Pizza, Lemon Lime Bars, and Triple Chocolate Pudding. The entire DVD is shot in the same gorgeous, well-appointed kitchen, and by the end of the show I felt I鈥檇 spent a cozy afternoon in this kitchen cooking with friends.
Although all three of the chefs were charming to watch, I thought Bryanna鈥檚 recipes most benefited from the visual format. Many of her recipes require a lot of preparation and call for ingredients that even long-time vegans might be unfamiliar with, like raw wheat gluten, agar, and TVP. If you have never made something like a gluten roast, it鈥檚 quite helpful to be able to watch one developing and see what it looks like when it鈥檚 done.
Another benefit of cooking DVD versus written recipe is catching all those little tips and tricks experienced cook use but don鈥檛 write down in their recipes. Dreena demonstrates how to handle a food processor without making a mess; Bryanna shows you the best way to open silken tofu. They both had me thinking, ';Gosh, why didn鈥檛 I think of that?';
I would recommend that before you watch this show for the first time you insert the DVD into a DVD-ROM and print all the recipes. That way you can follow along and take notes on the recipes as you watch. Having copies of the recipes will also give you an idea of the quantities involved, as there is mostly no mention of exact amounts during the recipe demonstrations.
If you learn best by watching, are new to vegan cooking, or just enjoy watching cooking shows, the three accomplished vegan chefs of Everyday Dish are here for you!
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 3:41 PM 9 comments
Monday, April 09, 2007
Monkey Chow
We've gone BANANAS! First I went ape for this monkey bento container from Japan. Then when Mr. Monkey arrived he needed his very own banana napkin. You can see how things went from there...
The top container holds two Tofu Lettuce Cups -- gingery tofu, peanuts, coconut and lime juice wrapped in buttercrunch lettuce leaves.
The monkey container holds some mango chutney to add to the tofu before eating. Please note adorable banana-handled spoon.
In the other large container tropical party picks hold two miniature hazelnut butter and banana sandwiches next to a small cup of ';Monkey Chow'; (fruit-shaped cereal).
Finally, every monkey loves to eat his vegetables, so I packed cooked carrots and peas above a trio of corn tires.
Verdict: Oops, I forgot to pack a spoon, but shmoo didn't care. He picked up the container and shook all the peas and carrots into his mouth like the wild, crazy primate he is. Then he devoured the corn tires, flinging the empty cobs around the room and screeching. Just kidding. The little sandwiches and cereal went next, followed by the tofu...without the lettuce. 4 stars.
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 6:37 PM 19 comments
Sunday, April 01, 2007
A Typical Sunday Breakfast
Sometimes readers ask to see what we eat for other meals around here, like breakfast. So, leaving lunch boxes aside for now, here's a picture of one of my son's favorite weekend breakfast treats: waffles and eggs. That's right. In fact, he likes a fried egg placed directly on top of his waffle, just like this, so he can eat them both together. Yes, indeedy.
APRIL FOOLS!
Were you fooled? Did I getcha? Oh my gosh, I'm so bad at pranks it was hard to even write that paragraph!
No, it's not an egg, I promise!
What is really in this VEGAN breakfast? You're looking at a Vans Organic Blueberry Toaster Waffle topped with vanilla soy yogurt and...a canned apricot half.
I found this idea for ';Sunny-Side Up Waffles'; in the Pillsbury Kids Cookbookand couldn't resist saving it for good ol' April Fools Day. The recipe notes that you could also use a canned peach half if you prefer.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any veggie bacon on hand to complete the illusion, but ripe kiwi fruit made a pretty side dish.
Verdict: Both shmoo and his dad had to stare at this little breakfast trick for quite a while before finally giving up and asking me what they were looking at. Best of all, the yogurt and fruit really did make a tasty waffle topping. Happy April Fools' Day!
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 8:21 AM 42 comments
Monday, March 26, 2007
Musubi Easter Eggs
Yes, yes, I know Easter is still a week away, but I've been looking forward to this lunch box for months, and besides, next week is Spring Break. Anyway, maybe this advance posting will give some of you time to join me in making adorable Musubi Eggs this Easter!
To make these eggless eggs I followed the recipe for Musubi in Vegan Lunch Box. (Also known as onigiri, musubi are Japanese sticky rice balls.) I pressed the sticky rice into a plastic Easter egg sprayed with nonstick spray to start forming the egg, then used my hands to solidify and finish the shaping. I pushed the filling in where an egg yolk would be. These are filled with cashew butter but tart, salty umeboshi plum is traditional.
To decorate the eggs I used mamenori -- thin, vegetable-dyed sheets of edible soybean paper (please note that the pink sheets are colored with cochineal and are therefore not vegan). I cut the sheets with scissors, pinking sheers, and paper punches, then set them in place with a dab of water. The mamenori tended to curl when wet but wouldn't stick without a bit of water, which was a big pain. In the end, though, I was happy with our little eggs and loved the pastel colors.
As you may have noticed if you followed the mamenori link above, these sheets cost a pretty penny, especially if you want to use an assortment of colors. I was lucky enough to work out a trade with Cooking Cute for a few sheets -- thanks, Ngoc! If mamenori is out of your price range, other options include using nori or dyeing the rice itself with natural food coloring. I even think those thin ';fruit by the foot'; fruit leathers I've seen at the grocery store would work.
I was also inspired recently by the fruit-filled bouquets over at Edible Arrangements, and decided try my hand at making my own tiny arrangement for Easter. I cut out a pineapple flower with a cookie cutter, used an apple corer to remove the center, then wedged a cantaloupe ball in the middle and surrounded the flower with honeydew leaves.
On the side is Sprout Salad with Mandarin Orange Dressing (also from Vegan Lunch Box). The dressing is hiding in a little plastic carrot down below, nestled next to a happy warren of jicama bunnies. A small container of sunflower seeds can be eaten as is or sprinkled on the sprouts.
Verdict: The first thing shmoo said upon seeing this lunch? ';Oooh, honeydew!'; Yes, melon is exciting when it's out of season! The eggs were a hit, too. Shmoo was tickled that he could actually eat the colored paper. He loves squeezing his dressings out of all these little plastic squeeze bottles, but still doesn't seem too keen on actually eating his salads. 5 stars. Happy Easter!
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 1:05 PM 31 comments
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Vegan Lunch Box Accessories Kits
I love all the little napkins, containers, and toys I've been using lately in our lunch boxes. I thought some of you might want to join in the fun, so I've put together a selection of Lunch Box Accessories Kits for sale!
First, each kit will feature one of these 2.5 ounce stainless steel ramekins with a plastic lid. The ramekins will fit inside a Laptop Lunch System or a To-Go Ware container. They are perfect for holding dips, dressings, nuts or small treats. I can't imagine using my stainless steel lunch boxes without them.
Each kit will also include two or more little Lunch Box Napkins, sewn by yours truly. I've been digging through my fabric stash for the last two weeks, sewing up a huge assortment of napkins in all styles and colors, from the demure to the fun and colorful (I went a little crazy on this, so there are many more than what's pictured above).
Finally, as you can see from this picture, my ';Lunch Box Toys'; drawer is getting rather, well, STUFFED. In the spirit of Spring Cleaning I would be happy to throw in a random toy or two with each order. There are decorative paper and plastic liner cups to hold food and divide larger containers into smaller segments, small plastic containers, party picks and skewers, lunch box notes, soy sauce/dressing squeeze bottles, and more.
Order through PayPal by selecting the ';Buy Now'; button below. Important: when you place your order you will see a text note field that asks ';What's Your Lunch Box Style?'; Use this space to tell me anything that will help me choose the right napkins/toys for your order. For example, what kind of lunch box do you use? Is this for a little girl who loves pink, a boy who likes pirates, or a grown-up who likes sock monkeys? Are there any colors you really can't stand? Do you eat with chopsticks? Do you prefer something nondescript? Tell me all about it!
Ooh, I think this will be fun! Supplies are limited, so order quickly before they're all gone.
Lunch Box Accessories Kit
$15.00 (includes shipping)
SOLD OUT!
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 3:53 PM 38 comments
Monday, March 19, 2007
Now THAT'S a Lunch Box!
Although I dearly love the kid-friendly Laptop Lunch System I use for shmoo, I still like to keep my eye out for larger, plastic-free lunch boxes that fit us big people and our big, plant-based appetites. Yes, sometimes even my To Go Ware doesn't hold enough salad to satisfy my veggie-lovin' tummy. It's time to Super Size It!
My latest is this 3-tier Food Carrier. It stands about 10 inches high including the handle, which means I can fit it into my insulated cooler for longer trips. With three containers I should be able to pack a nice variety of foods or a set of matching snacks for the three of us. (And hey, if that's still not big enough for you, how about this 4-tier version?)
For its maiden voyage I packed my new food carrier with a hearty lunch for two for shmoo and his Dad, who took off together on a day-long Field Trip of Science. Two white bean hummus and grated carrot sandwiches are packed in the first tier alongside a few radishes. I jammed as many fresh tangerine segments as I could into the second container (shmoo has been known to eat that many all by himself, so I hope he remembers to share!) In the bottom tier are tortilla chips and salsa and a few ';seedy fudge balls'; made from ground sesame, sunflower, and flax seeds mashed together with tahini, cashew butter, dates, raisins, and a splash of tangerine juice. I rolled them in cocoa so they look like little truffles.
Verdict: Shmoo is quite taken with these stainless steel containers, and is getting old enough to take them apart and put them together by himself. But is he old enough to carry one to school without swinging and denting it, and possibly someone's head in the process? I don't think so. He's sticking with the plastic lunch box.
Shmoo enjoyed the fruit and the fudge balls and ate all but the crusts of his sandwich. My husband took one small bite of his sandwich and ate all the chips and salsa. Guess who's the picky eater in this family? 4 stars.
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 11:19 AM 23 comments
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Let's Hear It For Sneaky Mommas!
After seeing my recent pea-filled St. Patty's Sandwich, Vegan Lunch Box reader Roxy shared this tip: ';I like to blend peas into guacamole--it adds more nutrition to the already nutritious dip and you really can't tell the peas are in there. I use about 1/4 cup of peas to every large avocado. Yum!'; Thanks, Roxy, I love it! In fact, it inspired me to make a post especially for sharing these kinds of ideas.
Sometimes it seems like the only way you can get children to eat vegetables is to slip a bit in quietly here and there. Kids might also be resistant to eating beans, or nuts, or ground flaxseed, or their daily vitamin. What is a parent to do?
As those of you who have read my book will know, I love getting sneaky! And when it comes to getting healthy foods into reluctant kids, I think a blender is a Sneaky Momma's Best Friend. I use mine almost every day to blend vegetables into creamy soups, cooked kale into pizza sauce, even spinach into breakfast smoothies!
Of course, I don't actually lie about what is in my blended concoctions, but even when I tell my son that his favorite black bean soup is filled with onions, zucchini, and peppers, he tends to shrug and keep on eating. I guess it's ';out of sight, out of mind';, and what he can't see can't gross him out.
What other tips do you have for us desperate Sneaky Mommas (and Poppas)? Please share! And don't worry -- your secrets are safe with us.
posted by Jennifershmoo @ 11:04 PM 50 comments
Shmoo Review: Benji Bean Sprout Doesn't Eat Meat!
Reviewed by special guest blogger Shmoo.
';Benji Bean Sprout Doesn't Eat Meat!is a kind of neat book. It's about a kid who eats vegetarian and other kids think he's weird because he doesn't eat meat. He eats vegetarian meat. The kids who make fun of him are mean but then they try his food and then they don't think he's so weird anymore. He goes to an animal sanctuary. I want to go to an animal sanctuary some day. I want to see a tiger.
';Vegetarian kids will like this book, or meat eating kids so they can learn about what happens in factory farms and what happens to the animals. Maybe they would lose their appetite for meat, or maybe they would be nicer to vegetarians.
';I have different lunches like this kid. Sometimes other kids wonder what I have for lunches. What was funny was one time this other kid said he liked the smell of my lunch. I like my lunches, too!';
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