Finding Me
My Biggie Bigs loved his pumpkin and cream cheese sandwich so much, he asked me to make it again for tomorrow! With that, I also packed a few chocolate covered sunflower seeds, charred corn, homemade berry fruit snacks, freeze dried jack fruit, snap pea crisps, and an organic yogurt squeeze (I forgot to put today’s in his lunchbox from the freezer again – oooops!).
Kristin
It’s baaaaaaaaack! Pumpkin is everywhere now, and I couldn’t be more thrilled! I love this time of year! I found some Pepperidge Farm Pumpkin Spice Swirl Bread on sale and I couldn’t resist taking it home with me. If we’re being honest, it jumped right in my grocery cart. 😉
So, for tomorrow’s lunches for my boys, I made added cream cheese to that delicious bread (which is so good all on its own!), and split it in half. I also packed homemade fruit snacks, which I made with berries only this time, charred corn, colby jack cheese cubes, and cheddar sandwich crackers. My Bigs will also (if I remember HA!), get an organic yogurt squeeze.
Kristin
It might seem that I am on a chocolate cookie kick. And that might actually be true. But, I really think the universe is lending itself to chocolate cookie situations. It’s a circumstance beyond my control. Who I am to mess with that?
This time around, I made Gluten Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies. Mexican Hot Chocolate is simply spicy hot chocolate. The spices lend a lovely warmth to the creamy, rich chocolate. And they do the same in the cookie form.
These cookies are crunchy and chewy, rich with chocolatey flavor. They have a little kick from cayenne and a lot of warmth from cinnamon.
And, let me just tell you how delicious they are with ice cream sandwiched between two of them. I can barely think straight and think of that at same time!
I just know you’re going to love these! They were perfect accompaniment to Taco Night.
Gluten Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
2 t Saigon cinnamon (it’s a bit stronger in flavor than “regular” Ceylon cinnamon)
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 t Kosher salt
1 T cornstarch
3 egg whites (or 9 T All Whites)
1 t vanilla extract
1 C bittersweet chocolate chips
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Preheat the oven to 350F. Add parchment paper or a Silpat (I used both and the parchment paper worked better with this recipe) to a baking sheet.
Sift together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and cornstarch. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until frothy, about one minute. Add vanilla and mix together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix together. Mix in the chocolate chips. Drop onto your prepared pan, about one inch apart. Bake for 15 – 18 minutes (mine took 16). Let them cool completely before removing from the pan.
Enjoy with ice cream! Or systematically eat them one by one, while standing over the sink, and hoping that no one sees you. Either way.
Enjoy! Disfrute, mis amigos!
Kristin
My Bigs’ Police lunch went over well. Today was Pizza Delivery Day. The school ordered pizza in. So fun. Because I know my bud eats as much as a 9000 pound gorilla, I also packed him a bento of sides, to accompany his pizza.
I packed strawberries, blueberries, homemade fruit snacks (recipe below), mandarin orange, and a Campfire Cookie.
Homemade Fruit Snacks
1 cup orange juice (I use concentrate and water if I don’t have orange juice)
1 cup frozen or fresh fruit (I like to use strawberries and add peaches, sometimes)
1 – 2 T honey
5 – 6 packets of unflavored gelatin
Directions:
Pour juice (or water and concentrate) and fruit into a small saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the fruit is tender.
Cool for about 10 minutes. Place in a food processor, add honey, and whiz until liquified.
Add the gelatin and whiz again.
Pour into a small cookie sheet and place in fridge for at least 30 minutes. Cut into squares (or whatever shapes!).
For tomorrow’s Fire & Rescue day, I made a fire-themed lunch:
I free-hand cut (is that even correct English? don’t care) fire on bread and then added details with Food Writers. It’s a PB&J. I also packed strawberries, a mandarin orange, honey wheat pretzels, dried cranberries, and a Campfire Cookie.
And for my Smalls, who will be in his one-day-a-week-school:
I packed a half peanut butter and jelly sandwich, on which I made a happy face. I also packed four little Trader Joe’s cinnamon school house cookies, strawberries, applesauce, a few pretzels, and some carrots.
Kristin
Tomorrow is Friday! YESSSSSSSSSSS! Whenever Friday rolls around, no matter how good my week was, I think to myself, “Whew! We made it!”. It just feels good to reach Friday. And in that same happy spirit, I made a colorful lunch for my Bigs!
I packed a mini cinnamon raisin bagel with cranberry orange cream cheese, homemade strawberry fruit snacks, green grapes, applesauce squeezy fruit, mini pickles, and chocolate covered sunflower seeds for dessert (Sun Drops).
What a fun way to end the week (at least I think it would be!).
Blessings!
Kristin
He must become greater; I must become less. – John 3:30
Happy Tuesday (I hope it is for you, anyways)! This Tuesday was a pretty happy one for me. My Bigs had a great day in school and worked on writing capital “B’s”. I went jogging with my Smalls and there was a breeze (it’s the small things). I made a delicious dinner (my dinner track record of late hasn’t been so great) and I’ll even be sharing one of the recipes soon. I also made a Cinnamon-Raisin Quick Bread (by Lisa Leake, 100 Days of Real Food). It was a happy Tuesday.
Here is my Biggy Bigs’ lunch for tomorrow:
I cut one slice of the quick bread and sandwiched it with cream cheese. I also packed one slice of ham, rolled up, and some pieces of cheese, seasoned corn, homemade fruit snacks, and some Sun Drops (colored, chocolate-covered sunflower seeds). I am betting my Bigs will love this lunch. I love the colors of it. So cheerful!
The bread was a breeze to make – it’s not named “quick” bread for nothing!
I love 100 Days of Real Food recipes. They are clean and mostly easy. A win-win!
The house smelled heavenly while this little loaf was baking. Cinnamon and raisins go so well together in taste AND in smell.
Yum-o.
If you’ve got an hour, some whole wheat flour, honey, cinnamon and raisins (and a few other basic ingredients), TRY THIS.
There is no white sugar in it – only honey. It’s made with whole wheat. It’s hearty. It’s good hot, cold, or toasted. What’s not to love?
Here’s the recipe:
http://www.parents.com/blogs/food-scoop/2014/09/04/health/100-days-of-real-food-could-you-do-it/?socsrc=pmmfb1409067
Have a blessed Wednesday!
Kristin
Tomorrow is Thursday. I like Thursdays. Both my boys are in school. Tomorrow is a special Thursday, however. I am volunteering in my Bigs’ classroom. I love when it’s my turn to do that. It’s SO fun seeing him in his own environment there. And it’s a blast getting to know his teacher and classmates. I had to pack three lunches for tomorrow.
For Bigs:
I made turkey and cheese (I like the Applegate Naturals brand for all deli meats and cheeses I give the kids) roll-ups on flour tortillas, with a teeny bit of mayonnaise. I use mini skewers to keep the roll-ups together. I break the skewers in half and put a sticker “flag” on the broken side to prevent splintering. I also packed carrot chips, homemade fruit snacks, applesauce, and two homemade mini chocolate chip cookies.
For Smalls:
I made PB&J on a flour tortilla and cut it into wedges. I don’t give him anything that needs to be refrigerated (at this point, yet) because I don’t want him to have to deal with ice packs. I also packed Goldfish crackers, freeze dried mango, and a banana. On that banana, I scratched the words “I <3 you!” and I am hopeful it will show up by lunchtime tomorrow.
For me:
I packed fruity chicken salad (bottom left), dried mandarin oranges, homemade fruit snacks, dried fruit mix (raisins, coconut, papaya, pineapple), and dried berries.
I can’t wait to eat it.
Hope you have a blessed night!
Kristin
With my song, I praise Him. – Psalm 28:7
(My Bigs and I have been singing Matt Maher’s “All the People Said Amen” all day today – it’s so great to see my little ones praise God in their own ways!)
I am happy to report that Bigs’ behavior was better today, but unhappy to report that it soured after I already included a lunch dessert in the lunch I just packed for him. As I sit here typing this, and also browning onions for our kielbasa dinner, he is in timeout, thrashing about his room, screaming, and stomping on the floor. I think I felt another gray hair pop up.
Since I already packed him a lunch dessert, I am hopping he earns it back.
I made a homemade PB&J Uncrustable. I have this little tool that pinches off the crust (and makes it into a square). I love this tool since it doesn’t waste a lot of the bread (only a thin part of the crust). It’s called the Wonder Sandwich Sealer N Decruster. I think I got it at Target on clearance a while back. Anyways, I pressed down the edges with a fork to further seal in the PB&J. I packed my homemade fruit snacks, Goldfish crackers, carrot chips, and three mini homemade chocolate chip cookies. It’s like a little (and healthier!) Lunchable.
I really hope his behavior allows him to enjoy his Lunchable as a whole, versus having an empty cookie spot.
Hope springs eternal!
Kristin