lunch

Grilled Cheese Gone Gourmet with Turkey and Asparagus

February 26, 2013 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

I have found my new favorite sandwich. It was born of my desire to add more fresh veggies to my diet {and my kid’s diets}. I’ve been trying to get creative and add more veg to my lunches and breakfasts – two meals when vegetables don’t always grace our plates.

This sandwich elevates sandwiches to a whole new level. Doesn’t it look gourmet? And if you can make a grilled cheese sandwich, you can make this! First off I used leftover sauteed asparagus from the night before. We often have asparagus {almost one a week} so there are always a couple of spears left for something. I’ve been thinking of cooking extra so I can enjoy it with fried eggs for breakfast and on sandwiches for lunch like this one.

Turkey and Asparagus Grilled Cheese

a handful of deli shaved turkey breast
a slice of swiss cheese
3 spears of leftover sauteed asparagus
2 slices o hearty wheat, oat, or multigrain bread
butter

Turn on griddle, griddle pan, or cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Spread softened butter on one slice of bread {I keep my butter on the counter so that I always have some soft for spreading on bread}. Place bread on hot pan. Top bread with turkey breast, cheese, and asparagus. Spread butter on the second piece of bread and place on top of the sandwich. When the first piece of bread is toasty, flip the sandwich over carefully and grill the second side {I used my hands and the spatula for this heavy sandwich!}.

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Filed Under: Main Dishes Tagged With: asparagus, gourmet sandwich, lunch, panini, sandwich, turkey sandwich

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Review: Garden Lites

January 27, 2013 by Denisesawyer 1 Comment

I love it when I find something healthy and yummy that makes a great lunch item – especially on the go. Recently, I had the opportunity to try Garden Lites, a Gluten Free, Vegetarian, and All Natural product. They are produced in Nut Free Facility.

They come frozen and heat up in the microwave in under 5 minutes, or you can be bake them in the oven. I tried them both ways. I took one to work and heated it as directed on the box – in the microwave. It was ready super quick {which is important being a teacher who has VERY limited time to eat!}. I though they were really good but decided to give them a try in the oven. Generally, most frozen foods are better when prepared in the oven over the microwave.

So, this week I tried them again with my kiddos. I put a couple in the oven together and we tried them. I like the way the oven gave them a crispy crust on top – but other than that I couldn’t tell much difference in their taste when prepared in the microwave versus preparing them in the oven.

The butternut squash souffle was, by far, my kids and husbands favorite of all three. I like the zucchini souffle.

Each souffle contains 2 full servings of vegetables and is 200 calories or less for the entire dish – which make these a great option for those of us who are trying to watch our weight and eat more veggies! {Score!}. Garden Lites Vegetable Souffles are a delicious and convenient way to get the veggies you need and the taste you want while juggling a busy lifestyle.

They make a great quick lunch at home or on the go – but are especially great for brown baggers {like me} that like to mix it up and have things on hand when there aren’t leftovers! But, they also make a great side dish for dinner with the fam. Cook some grilled chicken, heat one of these babies up and viola! Dinner in an instant that you can feel good about giving your kiddos on a busy weeknight.

This is a sponsored post. I’m a participant in the Walmart Moms Program. Walmart has provided me with compensation for my time and efforts in creating this post. Participation in this program is voluntary and the opinions stated above are entirely my own.

Filed Under: Product Reviews & Giveaways Tagged With: dinner, garden lites, lunch, on the go

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Saying Thank You to Teachers

December 11, 2012 by Denisesawyer 1 Comment

Tis’ the season for random acts of kindness. But really, shouldn’t we try to look for ways to help others and do nice things for others ALL YEAR? Let’s make a pact right now to do just that. M-kay? I mean besides it helping someone else out, or brightening someone else’s day, it also can do wonders for YOU! Think about the last time you did something nice for someone else… Now think about how it make YOU feel. Didn’t it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? Exactly. Here’s to more warm fuzzies in 2013.

Just a couple week’s ago I decided to treat my fellow co-workers to lunch. I am a teacher at a local primary school and I know first hand that there aren’t too many perks being a teacher. For one, we can’t leave for lunch since our lunch “break” is 30 minutes – and that doesn’t count the time it takes to drop the students off, get them situated, and then pick them back up. So, I thought preparing lunch for them would be a nice distraction from the day. Something a little different than the usual. {Plus, that’s one day they didn’t have to worry about packing a lunch!}.

Making lunch for your co-workers, another family, or a shut-in doesn’t have to cost you a bundle. I can assure you, with my husband being out of work, I didn’t have a bundle to spend! So, when I decided to have this little lunch to make my co-worker’s day bit sunshinier and to thank them for their hard work, I first thought about what could be easily transported (and kept warm) and what would feed a crowd (I had about 13 folks to feed). So, immediately I thought a pot of soup would be fitting.

To make a pot of Lazy Mama Vegetable Soup seem a bit nicer and more of a meal, I decided to also make a pan of Mexican cornbread, a pan of brownies, and some grape salad. Of course, no meal is complete with out a big ol’ jug of sweet tea!

It wasn’t as hard as it sounds, either. As I was making my own family dinner the night before, I cooked and drained the ground beef for the soup, added the cooked beef and all the other ingredients to the soup into the crockpot and then popped it in the fridge. I mixed up the grape salad, made two pitchers of tea (one for dinner and one to take to lunch), mixed a box of EASY boxed brownies, and mixed up the cornbread and put it and the brownies in the oven as I sat down to dinner. To make the box of brownies seem a bit more “homemade” I drizzled them with a little homemade caramel that was leftover in my fridge!

Once I got to school I plugged the crockpot up and set it on high. I laid out the table cloth, paper goods, filled a chest with ice, and placed the brownies, cornbread, and butter on the table. I kept the grape salad and tea in the fridge until lunch. Lucky for me, the paper goods where cheap too! Walmart has a bunch of cute solid and polka dot plates and napkins that are perfect for any occasion for under a $1 a package.

The lunch was a hit and I had a great time putting it together. I hope this inspires you to do something for someone else during this season – or any time!

Disclosure: I am a Walmart Mom. This post is sponsored by Walmart. Walmart has provided me with product and/or compensation in exchange for my time and efforts in creating this post. My participation is voluntary. As always, my opinion is my own.

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Filed Under: Parties, Wholesome Fun Tagged With: lunch, luncheon, parties, random acts of kindness

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Recipe: PB&J Crepes

December 6, 2012 by Denisesawyer 3 Comments

Last week I was “watching” Food Network. We leave it on that channel when no one is really watching T.V. around here! Sometimes I’m half way listening and I’ll catch a recipe that really sounds good and my ears will perk up and I’ll take note. That is what happened on this particular day. Giada De Laurentiis’s “Giada at Home” was on and the show was about making food for a kid’s party. Giada made PB&J crepes. I immediately started thinking about this match up and I LOVED it.

Why? My kids love PB&J but PB&J on crepes would be even better than on bread because crepes are loaded up with eggs – unlike other breakfast treats like waffles and pancakes. So, this match up is loaded with protein between the peanut butter and the eggy crepes. Pair these babies with some fresh fruit and/or some carrot sticks and you’ve got a very healthy – kid favorite – lunch!

I decided to give them a try and they were a home run with Judah AND Eliana. Here’s how I made them:

1. I made crepes using my recipe here.

2. I spread each crepe with a little peanut butter and then with a little jelly. {Giada also ran some fresh blueberries down the middle of her crepes. This would be good too, but I didn’t have any fresh berries this time of year}.

3. I folded the crepe in half, then folded in the sides a bit {like a burrito}, and then rolled it up. Finally, I cut it in half on the bias

{I made one alteration to the directions on the crepe recipe, though. I recently received a new ceramic coated pan from Wear Ever’s Pure Living line. It is a safe alternative to non-stick – I WILL NOT use teflon. If you haven’t heard the dets on why you shouldn’t be cooking with Teflon go read about it at Healthy Child, Healthy World here. The ceramic coating is toxin-free, chemical-free, and free of PFOA, PTFE, and cadmium. Plus, ceramic is scratch resistant, and easy to clean {dishwasher safe!}.

The WearEver Pure Living pan made making crepes fool-proof (and healthier!). I was able to cook the crepes WITHOUT buttering the pan first! I just poured the batter straight in, waited until the middle was set and the bottom of the crepe was browned a bit, and then flipped the crepe over and cooked it just a minute more to brown it on the second side.

I’m telling you, this pan is worth its weight in gold! But it retails for just $24.99 – and worth every penny. My husband used it yesterday to cook an egg and said it turned out perfect and he didn’t use any butter or oil in the pan to fry it!

If your interested in seeing Giada’s original recipe that inspired this post, go here.

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Filed Under: Appetizers, Main Dishes, Meatless, Product Reviews & Giveaways, Snacks, Uncategorized, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: crepes, kids, lunch, pan, peanut butter, recipe, teflon

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Ready Pac Salads and Snacks – Great for Kids!

November 22, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

Is it just me or does it bother any of you parents that they put cartoon characters on unhealthy – processed foods? I HATE having to tell my son no or to come up with an excuse or “alternate solution” when he asks me if we can buy “insert junk food here.” It doesn’t matter what the said product is – even if he has never tried it – or even if he HAS tried it and didn’t like it – if it has a character he likes on it, he NEEDS it.

So, when I was approached about trying out some new salads and mini meals from Ready Pac that carry the Disney characters on the labels I was intrigued. Finally a healthy food that I can say yes to that have these same fun characters my son begs for!

Of course, I inspected these salads and snacks upon their arrival and my first thought was that my son would turn up his nose once the food was opened. I mean, I’ve been trying to convince the child he’ll like salad and raw veggies but he’s yet to be fully convinced. Both my kiddos love any kind of fruit you put in front of them and their good with most veggies too – as long as they are cooked. But, raw vegetables are not their cup of tea.

There are four salad items in the line up: Pizzeria salad, Taco salad, Harvest salad and Caesar salad featuring kid-friendly iceberg and romaine lettuces. Proteins such as chicken, turkey, pepperoni and cheese are also included, along with grains and dressing. They feature characters geared specifically to elementary and middle school aged children like Phineas and Ferb & Mater from Cars.

I tried several of the salads myself (and took a couple to work which worked out great when I was running late and needed something FAST!). They were good and had plenty of “fixings.” I made it my own by bringing along pickled beets to top it off. Paired with a cup of yogurt and a bottle of water I had a fantastic and healthy lunch!

There are also four mini-meals that include at least one kid-sized serving of fruit or vegetables and tasty snack combinations including veggies, chicken and pretzels; turkey, crackers and cheese; pizza bites and apples, ham and yogurt, along with a free Disney-themed sticker in each tray.

My son ate ALL of the ones I had for review. I was suprised SHOCKED! HE absolutely LOVED the one featuring Lightening McQueen which was a build your own pizza type kit. He even ate the lunch meat and the raw vegetables which is new for him! Since we’ve tried these in the fun packages I have tried to get him to eat similar items at home and he is warming up to them.

I guess having them in these fun little packages broke the ice for him. I will definitely buy these again. Typically I don’t buy prepackaged items or precut veggies. I know it is cheaper to buy them and cut and assemble them myself. But, I usually let Judah pick out a treat at the grocery store. I will be thrilled to purchase these as his treat if he picks this instead of some other unhealthy snack. This is definitely something I will steer him toward because it is something we can both agree on.

The only thing that would make these better is if they would start offering them in an organic line. {Did you hear me Ready Pac? } I don’t buy everything organic but I do prefer to buy salad/lettuce in an organic variety.

These are super convenient and if cartoon characters can help my kids eat healthy food…I’m okay with that.

Filed Under: Product Reviews & Giveaways, Uncategorized Tagged With: kids, lunch, ready pac, salad, school lunch

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Late July Chips and Wholly Guacamole – a Dynamic Duo + Give Away!!

September 12, 2012 by Denisesawyer 43 Comments

Have you been reading about all the yummy things I pack in Judah’s lunchbox? Things like peanut butter and jelly roll ups, jam waffle-wiches, caramelized banana pancakes/sandwiches, and apple & peanut butter “sandwiches.”

I’m going to take pictures {when I can remember to do so at 6:00 am!} and share them on here soon… I promise!

Besides packing some type of sandwich or “main dish” I try to round out his lunch with fresh fruit, cheese, yogurt, and pretzels. We’ve also added another yummy {and healthy!} side dish to our repertoire – guacamole and tortilla chips.

But, I am really picky when it comes to guacamole. I usually only like homemade but I have found this Wholly Guacamole to be a close second! It has real {big} chunks of REAL avocado. It comes in several varieties including regular, spicy, and organic! It also comes in 100 calorie single packs – which I LOVE! It is great for lunchboxes {including mine!!}. And, although guacamole is delicious…it is also really good for you! So, I love that my kids love it!

But you’ve got a have a GOOD, hearty tortilla chip to really enjoy guacamole! That is why I love Late July. They are perfectly crisp and crunchy and with just the right amount of salt. They are seriously my favorite tortilla chip. I am particularly fond of the sea salt variety {as you can tell from my photo!}. But, the blue corn tortilla chips are a close runner up.

But, if you’re a flavored tortilla kind of gal then you’re in luck – they carry other flavored varieties too!! My favorite? The Dude Ranch. Mmmm…

I love that they have whole grains, and of course they are organic like all of Late July’s foods. That means no GMO corn! Yay! A snack food that I can feel good about!

Want to try some for yourself?

One lucky reader will win a the super cool prize pack pictured above!

Here’s what you need to do to enter (each is worth one entry – please comment a separate time for each entry to be counted):

Leave a comment telling me one of your favorite lunch box treats
Follow @LateJulyOrganic on Twitter and tweet ” WholesomeMommy is giving away a cool prize pack from @LateJulyOrganic – go check it out! http://bit.ly/Omxrdr
Follow Late July on Facebook

This give away ends September 18th at 11:59 EST. The winner will be chosen via random.org and will be notified by email and announced on this blog.

Filed Under: Product Reviews & Giveaways Tagged With: chips, guacaomole, lunch, lunchbox ideas

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Corn Dog Mini Muffins – A Quick Lunch Favorite for Little {and big} People

September 11, 2012 by Denisesawyer Leave a Comment

I’m always looking for fun lunches for my toddler. He doesn’t really like lunch meat and although I don’t think he’d ever grow tired of peanut butter and jelly {and I have many forms and fashions that I serve it} I would feel like a terrible mother if I didn’t switch it up every now and then!

I have a few recipes that I like and a few that he likes but I’m not fond of, but I’ve finally found one that the whole family can agree on. And, its quick and easy to boot! You can alter this with whatever “hotdog” you have available {or find a sale on}. I like to use turkey brats because I like the way they taste, they are lower fat, and we don’t eat pork. But, you could use any hotdog, brat, or even cocktail weiners if that’s what you’ve got.

When I make cornbread I make my own from scratch but I like the way this Jiffy muffin mix tastes with these mini muffins. You could easily subsitute your own {or my own} cornbread recipe for this but if you want to mix it up quick because you’ve got two screaming kids- wait that’s me- {and I mean less than 20 minutes from start to finish} then Jiffy muffin mix is the way to go!

:: Corndog Mini Muffins

1 package of turkey brats
1 box of Jiffy corn muffin mix

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Cut each brat into 5 lengths/pieces. Place each brat piece into a different mini muffin tin well {little people love to help with this part}.

Mix up Jiffy muffin mix as directed on the box {an egg and some milk}. Spoon batter around each brat {about a tablespoon full}. Cook in the oven for about 8 – 10 minutes. Check them with a toothpick to make sure the muffin part is done. Every oven is a little different.

I like mine with mustard, Judah likes ‘em with ketchup, and DJ and Eliana like them just plain. How do YOU like them?

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Filed Under: Main Dishes, Snacks, Wholesome Recipes Tagged With: corn dog muffins, corndogs, lunch, lunch for toddlers, mini muffins, toddler food

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Meal Planning Solution + A Fun New Lunch Idea!

September 6, 2012 by Denisesawyer 2 Comments

It has been a wild week! As most of you know by now, I have had my first week back to school – I teach second grade. My son has also started “school” {which is really a two days for tots program for 3 and 4 year olds. That means, this week I have been getting up at 5:30 to pack two lunches, and plan three more lunches for my family pack at home. I am getting pretty quick at it! I’ve been able to do all that, plus shower, get ready, and make coffee in 35 minutes … I think that is pretty impressive. But, if you are also a mom to small children you probably know how to do all that at warp speed as well.

One thing that I do that helps me pull lunches together so fast is to think about what I am going to pack the night before. Sometimes I even prep some of it the night before if I can. I also have several different lunch ideas in my toolbox so I can come up with something pretty quickly.

Some of Judah’s favorites are mini waffles {like the ones from Earth’s Best Organic} with homemade jam in between to make little waffle-wiches. I just toast up the waffles, spread a little jam on one side and the top with a second mini waffle. He also likes peanut butter and jelly roll ups – like the ones I featured in this post.

He isn’t really a fan of lunch meat or cold salads yet and since I have to pack lunches early in the morning and then refrigerate them so that his granddaddy can take him to school later, I have to come up with ideas that can be kept cold.