Have school lunches hit a wall? It’s gets tedious for anyone to eat the same thing every day. It may be time to mix it up to keep your kids interested in eating healthy.
You may want to include dry roasted edamame or chickpeas for a salty, crunchy snack with some protein. Individually packed, pitted olives are also a nice alternative to potato chips.
Use cookie cutters to make sandwiches into fun shapes. This also works well for using on fruits and vegetables.
Pack leftovers from dinner the night before to make a great lunch. The bonus is that it’s super easy.
When you’re at the grocery store make sure to pick up some precut fruits and vegetables. This is a big timesaver.
Pack lunch in a bento box to make lunches look exciting and practice portion control.
Get them involved in shopping for and packing their own lunch.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Figs are truly fantastic! Dried figs are available all year round and many markets offer luxuriously sweet fresh figs throughout the year as well. Figs are a healthy and portable snack that is packed with nutrition.
Figs are rich in potassium, which helps control blood pressure. They also provide calcium, magnesium, iron, and copper. Because they’re rich in fiber, figs support digestive health and may be helpful for managing a healthy weight. Figs are among the most alkaline foods and help balance the body’s pH.
Fresh figs are highly perishable, so they should be eaten a day or two after you purchase them. Look for figs that have a rich, deep color and are plump and tender, but not mushy. Wash them under cool water and remove the stem. Add fresh or dried figs to oatmeal, salads, cheese, and baked goods.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Oranges and lemons were first brought to the Americas by Spanish explorers. Today the United States is among the world’s top citrus growers and consumers. To choose the best citrus select fruit that is heavy and not too soft. When selecting oranges don’t worry about the color, as it is not a good indicator of how tasty the orange will be. For lemons and limes the juiciest fruit gives a little when you gently squeeze them. I like to roll lemons and limes around on the counter with the palm of my hand to loosen up the juice before cutting into them.
Oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes are the most commonly found citrus fruits. Lemons, limes, and oranges come into season just when we need them the most, when days are short and the weather is cold. Rich in vitamin C and fiber, they add a zesty boost to almost any meal. During the winter months, look for other varieties, such as blood oranges, Key limes, and Meyer lemons, as well as grapefruit-like pomelos and tiny kumquats.
We need vitamin C to stay healthy and citrus fruit is a delicious way to add lots of this vital nutrient to your diet. Start the day with orange juice, add a squeeze of lemon to warm water later in the day, or pack grapefruit sections to enjoy as a snack at work or school.
Citrus stars in everything from sweet and savory dishes to non-food uses. Simmer slices of lemons, limes, and oranges in water to use as a natural air freshener, use lemon juice as a gentle alternative to laundry bleach, or combine lemon juice with olive oil to use as furniture polish.
Much of the citrus flavor is in the zest. Finely grate the peel and add to anything that needs a punch of citrus flavor. To get perfectly grated zest without bitter white pith, use a fine zester.
Make your own flavored salt by processing coarse salt, freshly ground black pepper, and citrus zest in a food processor. Add this mix to soups, stews, meats and pasta dishes.
Use a vegetable peeler to remove large strips of peel and add to hot tea, mulled wine, soups, and stews to add bold flavor.
To segment citrus like a pro cut a thin slice from either end of the fruit to make a base. Pare away the peel and white part of the rind. Cut into the fruit center between one section and the membrane. Cut along the other side, between section and membrane. Repeat.
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“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2017 All Rights Reserved
Ways To Make The Most Of Seasonal Citrus
Zest It
Add zip to baked goods, stir-fries or stews. Make citrus salt!
Juice It
Lemons juice helps keep sliced fruits and root vegetables from turning brown. Finish savory dishes with a squeeze of lemon juice to enhance the flavors.
Freeze It
Freeze citrus juice or zest until you’re ready to use it.
Dry It
Bake peels on the lowest possible heat until dry, but still pliable. Use to flavor black tea, roasted chicken or braised meats.
Candy It
Garnish desserts and cocktails with candied peels or enjoy them as a sweet snack.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen © 2016 All Rights Reserved
What took so long?!! I love potato chips and I love sriracha. It’s like Santa came early this year!
How To Eat More Protein On A Meat-Free Diet
If you’re new to a meat-free diet or you struggle with ways to get the protein you need here are some important tips that may help you. It really isn’t as hard as you might think.
Snack on protein rich munchies and skip the carbs. Eat roasted chickpeas, edamame, roasted peanuts, or raw nuts. Keep away from heavily salted nuts.
If you’re looking for a frozen treat then purée coconut milk, almond butter, cashew butter, honey, and cocoa powder. Freeze in an ice cream maker for a protein rich frozen treat.
Make an easy cream sauce by whisking cashew butter with vegetable stock, garlic, and minced parsley. Toss with cooked pasta.
Crumble tempeh (fermented soybean protein) into pasta sauce or soups, or wherever you might use hamburger meat.
Purée cooked black beans and add to brownies. For blondies or light colored muffins or cakes, use cooked, puréed chickpeas.
Sprout sunflower seeds and add them to salads. Just soak raw seeds overnight in water to cover. Drain and let sprout for 24 to 48 hours.
Add ground flaxseeds to muffins, waffles, breads, or cookies for a protein boast and added omega 3 fats.
Make a protein packed pudding. Purée silken tofu with cocoa powder, honey, and vanilla extract.
Use hemp or rice protein powder instead of flour to make waffles, pancakes, and baked goods. Instead of eggs, use flax as a binder.
Lentils are awesome! Eat lentils more often. They are fast cooking and easy to use. Add to soups, toss in salads, and stir in cooked rice.
Spread sandwiches and wraps with hummus instead of mayonnaise. I do this all the time. Purée hummus with roasted red peppers or chipotle peppers for an added zing.
If you can tolerate gluten, seitan (wheat protein) is a great substitute for sliced deli meat. Use it in wraps or sandwiches for an easy lunch.
“Work With What You Got!”
© Victoria Hart Glavin Tiny New York Kitchen
Butter Cookies
It’s time to start thinking about making Christmas cookies.
1 1/2 Cups Softened Butter
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs Lightly Beaten
3 Cups Unbleached Flour
1/3 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Cup Sifted Powdered Sugar (Optional)
Cookie Press
Preheat your oven to 375° F. In a large size bowl cream the butter and sugar together. Add the beaten eggs. In a separate bowl mix the flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Blend well and then add the vanilla. Fill the cookie press with 1/4 of the cookie dough at a time. Press the cookies onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes while still on the cookie sheet. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Dust with the powdered sugar if you want to. Makes 48 cookies.
