Day 4: The Only Thing Better Than Making Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup...

...is feeding it to your family and having them ask for second and thirds and gobble, gobble, gobble it all up! In fact, the leftovers were supposed to be for lunch today but there were none. They got pb&j instead. LOL!  I used the leftover juices and bones from the crockpot chicken on Tuesday to create the broth. I put it in a pan with regular organic chicken broth and simmered them for a while and then strained the broth into another pot. Then I added the noodles (I did gluten free although the recipe calls for whole wheat) and added more than was in the recipe. The end result was that there was more noodles than broth but it worked out great for the kids who aren't huge soup fans. The chicken was also leftover from Tuesday night's dinner. To go with the soup I made some whole wheat biscuits and I was told those were pretty good, too.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Whole Wheat Biscuits

Being the end of the week we are low on food. Without the soup and biscuits for lunch as planned, I did a little scrambling this morning. I could have fancied it up with my punches and what not but, honestly, I didn't have time since I had to do Halloween make up and all that before school.  Here it is, nothing special but it works and it's healthy!

Peanut Butter* and Plum Jam (made by a neighbor) on Honey Whole Wheat (Great Harvest),  peaches*, apples*, carrots*

Clean Eating Challenge

Years ago we learned how dye affects our eldest kiddo and eliminated it from his diet. Since then we have also seen it affect our middle child as well. We are well aware of how food effect our kids behavior so it was only natural that when our oldest started having behavioral issues again we take a look at our diet. In doing some research, I came across a fabulous blog called "100 Days Of Real Food".  Looking at this blog, and knowing what I do about the effects of food, I decided to put our family on a diet of "real food" for 2 weeks to see what would happen. Will A's behavior be better? Will N sleep better? Will Z's cradle cap clear up? Will I lose weight? Ok, that last one wasn't really one of the reasons but it would be awesome anyway!

So what is the challenge? To eat only fresh and natural food. Anything that may come in a package should be in it's natural state (like dried beans or oats) or have fewer than 5 natural ingredients (and no artificial ones).  I made my menu for the week and my shopping list and hit Vitamin Cottage, a local natural store.  I got organic for most things and, surprisingly, my total was WAY less than my usual shopping trip. I'm sure I will have to go to the store for fruit and a couple of other things partway through the week but it is certainly still less than I was spending.

I will try and keep up with our daily menu, with recipes and how things are going.

This morning for breakfast the kids had smoothies (organic milk, organic frozen peaches, banana, a couple of dates for sweetening), honey whole wheat toast from Great Harvest Bread Co. w/ fresh peanut butter made from organic peanuts.  The bread is thinner than usual sandwich bread but it is so much more dense. The boys were fine with just one piece and the peanut butter. They had a little of the smoothie but weren't overly thrilled with this one as much as they have been with others.

Lunch for the boys at school was supposed to be egg salad sandwiches but I ran out of time. Instead it's more finger food; hard boiled eggs (organic), walnuts, Babybell cheese (using up what I had), cucumbers (organic), carrots (organic), hummus, strawberries (organic) and an organic Halawi Date as a sweet treat. Snack at school was sliced apple and after school will be popcorn w/ Bragg's Amino Acids and Olive Oil.

Dinner tonight is crockpot chicken (organic fed...most expensive thing I bought!), veggie pancakes, and brown rice.

Munch Munch

I haven't been updating because I keep having things scheduled first thing in the morning and that seems to be my main time to post. Busy busy me also means a certain lack of creativity in the lunch department. I did, however, feed my children (most of the time) so here's a glimpse at lunches past;

Octodogs w/ ketchup for dipping, Mac 'n Cheese, sauteed purple cabbage, mango applesauce squeezer, red licorice for a treat. 

Tuna salad on hot dog bun, multigrain crackers, grapes, celery w/ cream cheese, homemade snack bars, mini chocolate chips.

Yogurt with blueberries, peanut butter and jelly roll-ups, cucumbers and red peppers, grapes and more blueberries, fruit ''nuggets' as a treat.

Not a school lunch but a picnic lunch for our day at the Botanical Gardens; pizza w/ dipping sauce,  hot dogs, cheese sticks, crackers and almonds, sour cream and onion goldfish, watermelon, pear and raisins. 

Yogurt w/ raspberries (frozen to keep the yogurt cold longer), almonds, cream cheese and peach jam roll ups, grapes, carrots, goldfish, and fruit nuggets.

Watch Out... Them Some Angry Birds

Yeah, I know the title is grammatically incorrect, so sue me, okay?

The boys LOVE Angry Birds and have gotten to levels I can only hope (or not) to reach some day. In honor of their accomplishments, I put together an Angry Bird themed lunch today.

Ham sandwich on whole wheat bagel, Asian pear & blueberries, carrots, Angry Bird babybell, graham crackers, Pig cucumber, and mini chocolate chips.

The bird is made out of babybel cheese with the red wax cut away, hard boiled egg whites for the eyes, carrot for the nose, nori for all the eyebrows and pupils and a little cream cheese to hold it all together. The pig is made from cucumber with egg white for eyes and nori for the pupils and nostrils.

Snips and Snails

Yesterday my oldest, Alex (7), decided that he didn't like what was on the menu for that evening. Apparently, pancakes and eggs were not to his liking. So he decided to share his commentary in a place that was sure to be noticed.

Needless to say, I stuck with the original plan for dinner.

I'm hoping he's a little more pleased with today's lunch, to say the least. 

Snails, watermelon balls, mini pepperoni, pizza sauce for dipping the snails, red ants on a log, mini chocolate chips.

The snails are made with Pilsbury breadstick dough. Just pull them apart (after that dreaded POP!) and roll up one end and tuck the other end under for the head. Brush with melted butter and bake according to the package. Things not to do: turn your back on your puppy so he eats 1 or 2 of them off the stove, get sidetracked making your husband's lunch and overcook the snails.

Snips and snails and puppy dog tails; that's what little boys are made of!


It is Wednesday so pop on over to see Shannon!!

Ole!

I woke this morning wishing I were in laying on the beach in Mexico. Just me, the warm sand, blue water, a trashy novel and Raul the cabana boy. Alas, back to life, back to reality (tell me you don't have that song in your head now...liar!).  With Mexico on the mind I made lunch for the boys;

Quesadillas and beef taquitos with guacamole, carrot sticks, watermelon stars, mini chocolate chips.

Monster Nom Nom

Since I quit drinking caffeine first thing in the morning on a regular basis, I find I'm much more even keel in the mornings and less of a giant biznitch waiting for the Bialetti to brew my morning espresso. While I'm not little Miss Molly Sunshine that everybody hates to see before noon, I can manage a smile and some pleasantries most mornings within a few minutes of my feet hitting the floor. Some days, like those days when some little fingered troll has been messing with my alarm clock,  I'm a little frazzled when I get up late and the mommy monster does show her not-so-pretty little face. With that being said, I'll leave you to deduce my morning mood....

Bagel and cream cheese with cheesy teeth and olive and craisin eyeballs, carrots and broccoli with ranch for dipping in the little container, roasted peanuts, grapes and blueberries and mini chocolate chips.

....and now I'm going to go get another cup of coffee.


Happy Wednesday!

P.S. Head on on over to BentoLunch.net  and see Shannon for What's For Lunch Wednesday!

This Is What Happens When Your 2 Year-Old Wakes You Up At 5am

You have time to bake. Yes, seriously. Now, I'm not a baker. AT.ALL. In fact, most everything I bake turns out rock hard or explodes in some way. I don't know why, exactly, but I blame it on the altitude. Never mind that thousands of people bake at high altitude with no problem every day. I am simply not one of those people.  I do, however, like to APPEAR like I can bake so some times I call it in. Today was one of those days. So, after you oooh and aaah over my baked creation for the boys' lunches, I'll tell you how I did it.

Pepperoni pizza roll ups, black olives, cheese stick, julienned carrots, Asian pear and blueberries,  and fruit nuggets as a treat. The little container has a little more pizza sauce for dipping.

Mmm mmm....that homemade pizza goodness...doesn't it look tasty? Frankly, I wouldn't know, it's not gluten free (yes, I sent my kids to school with untested/untasted food don't judge me), but it sure LOOKS tasty.  I used Pilsbury pizza dough in those tubes that pop open when you start to peel them. Ok, side note; does it freak anybody else out when it does that, or is it just me? I also have a problem with champagne corks and refuse to open anything like that. So, this dough...yeah...roll that baby out. It's stickier than my kid's hair after an ice cream cone so be sure to use lots of flour on the counter and on the rolling pin. Squeeze some pizza sauce on it, not as much as you would a normal pizza because then it's too goopy, sprinkle a little cheese and any toppings you want. I discovered mini pepperoni. No joke...little disks of nitrates! Roll up that bad boy so it's a log and slice it up; I think the smaller slices 1/2"-3/4" worked better than the bigger ones. Bake at 425 until mostly done; maybe 10 minutes, and then take them out, add a little spot of sauce, sprinkle of cheese and a couple nitrate disks and put back in to finish it off. 

I don't have exact measurements or times because that's just not how I (pizza) roll. 

The Best Laid Plans

I had this great plan to make these fabulous Mac-N-Cheese muffins for the kids lunches. I even got up early to do it (seeing as I passed out last night before cooking the pasta as I'd planned).  You know, sometimes things just don't work out. This was certainly one of those times. Well, I think it was. I wasn't thrilled with how the 'muffins' turned out but Noah really liked them and Alex found them ok; although he would have preferred them without the ham. Now, that was this morning after I pulled them out of the oven so I have no idea how they faired come lunchtime. Just to be safe, I made some PB&J flowers and then added a hard boiled egg, brocoli (w/ ranch to dip in the covered container), fresh peaches and craisins and some fruit 'nuggets' for a treat. It was a fairly diverse lunch so I felt ok sending the questionable muffins as I figured they'd get enough to eat otherwise.  That's about as exciting as it gets today, folks. Some days you just have to go with the flow, or the funky mac-n-cheese muffins as the case may be.

Can't Box Me In!

Ok, I admit it. I have a thing for containers, boxes and organizational do-dads. Big ones, little ones, partitioned ones, metal ones, cute ones, transparent ones...they ALL have a purpose in my house.

(There....I've said it now maybe my husband will leave me alone about it...although I doubt it!)

With one kiddo going back to school and one starting school, it was the perfect time to pick up some new boxes for lunches. I had been coveting the boxes from Planetbox.com and finally broke down and ordered a couple. I don't regret it one bit, because I absolutely LOVE them, but my husband about had a heart attack when he saw the price. Just remember, it's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission ;) (ok, not good marital advice and if you ever send your significant other over to my blog I will deny I ever wrote that!).

I do have other containers but these are my go-to ones right now. I can fit the perfect amount of food in them for my 5 and 7 year old and it makes packing a healthy, well-rounded, lunch a snap. Even if you don't do the cut outs/themes/embellishments, these are still a great option. The fact that they are stainless steel make them even better in my opinion; there is no leaching or staining and I can toss them in the dishwasher each night and they are perfect and ready to go first thing in the morning. The little containers that come with them are fantastic for dips or other softer items like yogurt. My boys have an easy time opening and closing them and seem happy with them and it presents the food in such an appealing way that their boxes come home completely empty each day.

Today's lunch wasn't much in the creative department but I think they will still be happy with it.

Whole wheat bagel with cream cheese and ham, brocoli florets and carrot sticks with ranch dressing in the little container for dipping. Grapes and blueberries and a few Bunny Grahams as a treat. The red bag at the top of the picture is a Re-Pac bag with salsa Sun Chips.

The Re-Pac (Re-PacBags.com) bags are also fantastic! They are reusable zip bags that are lined so that you can even put things like peach slices in them and they won't leak. I just turn them inside out, hand wash them, and leave them out to dry with the dishes, although you can supposedly machine wash or put them in the dishwasher. The fabric and colors are awesome and the zippers super easy for little hands. The amount of Ziploc bags that I no longer use is outrageous!

I'll share more about boxes and other options over the next week or two. If you put your questions in the comments I'll try and answer them!