Easy School Lunch

Field Day Lunch!
Granola bar, blackberries, carrots/yellow pear tomatoes, applesauce, lemonade

School Lunch: Peanut Butter Wrap

Easy peasy lunch for Taylor!  Whole wheat tortilla with natural peanut butter, coconut milk, yellow pear tomatoes, berries/raisins for "dessert".

Whole Foods Market Haul

First of all, let me say how JEALOUS I am of those people who live near a Whole Foods.  I got to visit one for the first time today with my mother-in-law, and was amazed :)  (It was well worth the 2 HOUR DRIVE to Baton Rouge.) We have a tiny 3 aisle "natural section" at our Kroger that has been getting us by, but there are SOOO many things that we can't get there.  

Today I was able to go and pick up a few odds and ends.  We will be making another "big trip" soon, but these were some of the favorite snacks/items.  The judge?  My kids, and in order to please them, it has to be good.  These were the things that they loved best.

Almond milk pudding-tasted amazing!  Just like regular pudding cups!

Vegan Marshmallows (No icky gelatin)  Each kid got 2.  Chase and Taylor could have polished off the whole box, but Addison didn't seem to like the texture.  

These were suggested by the girl bagging our groceries.  The top one is a regular "mock chicken" salad, and the bottom one is a bit spicier, being a buffalo mock chicken salad.  Both were awesome on crackers...I ended up standing at the counter eating them, no plate! LOL

These were high suggested as the best vegan cheeses.  They supposedly stretch and melt like their dairy counterparts...we shall see!

This is an item we can get at Kroger for $4, but found it at WF for just over $2...and in a flavor that we don't carry in Alexandria!  Yay for French Vanilla coffee!

Recipe: Veggie and Stars

Don't you just love when you accidently make something wonderful?! LOL

  

This was supposed to be similar to Campbell's Chicken and Stars soup (sick kiddos), but I added too much pasta, and it came out similar to a "Rice Sides" mix.  The little noodles ended up soaking up all the broth, making it suitable to spoon on a plate as a side dish!  It will now be a permanent side dish LOL  All three kids slurped it up and asked for more :)

Ingredients:
8 oz of star shaped pasta (I found a 16oz package at Kroger for under $1.50)
6 cups water
2-3 "Not Chick'n" bouillon cubes
1 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tsp each:  dried marjoram, dried oregano, dried thyme, dried basil
Sprinkle of garlic and onion powder

Bring water to a boil.  Add bouillon cubes and stir to dissolve them.  Add veggies and herbs and simmer for 10 minutes.  Add 8 oz of tiny noodles.  (I used stars!)  Simmer and stir for about 10 minutes.  Turn off heat, cover, and allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes.  This will give the noodles time to soak up liquids.

*If you want a thinner, soupier version-I would reduce the noodles to about 4-5 oz.

Recipe: Tofu "Chicken" Fingers

Today started our first day of Easter break!  It is so nice to be able to sit and have lunch together with the whole family...yay for no school! LOL

I recently made a veggie lasagna with tofu "ricotta", and had about half of the block left over.  I've seen several friends and websites post about baking or pay frying breaded tofu, so I decided to give it a try.  The result?  The kids ate the WHOLE pan!  I think we have a keeper :)

Ingredients:

1/2 block of extra firm tofu (I used Naysoya organic brand) sliced into blocks or "fingers"

1/2 cup of bread crumbs seasoned with garlic powder, parsley flakes, salt, and nutritional yeast.  

Roll sliced tofu pieces into breadcrumb mixture, and coat thoroughly.  You can also dip the tofu in soy sauce first for a little extra flavor!  I will try this next time...

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, turning once!  Dip in maranara or ketchup!

 Served with organic ketchup, almonds, cucumbers, a juice box, and a frozen mango sorbet!

 3 happy plates for 3 happy kiddos!

School Lunch Ideas

One of the hardest things I have had to figure out has been what to fix for Taylor's school lunch.  She has eaten school lunches a total of 5x.  Even she (at 7 years old) knows that they are completely unhealthy.  This is one of our "go to lunches".  Peanut Butter/Jelly on whole wheat, banana, strawberries and blueberries, and carrot sticks!  Easy peasy...takes 5 minutes to assemble!  A 99% vegan lunch...the only animal protein is whatever percentage is found in the bread.  Sent this with a box of coconut milk!