Lunches Fit For a Kid

Lunch: 2.13.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:06:00 +0000

The Girl's Monday snack is yogurt pretzel rings and a babybell.

Her lunch is a turkey and cheddar sandwich on Valentine's Swirl Bread, apple slices with some Biscoff spread, a plum, and a hard boiled egg (which I will take out of the mold in the morning)

Lunch for The Boy: 2.13.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:52:00 +0000

Happy Monday!

Raviolis: 30g

The Boy's snack is some heart ravioli from Costco.

Apple: 6g, watermelon: 4g, banana: 25g, pretzels: 12g, cheese: 1g, sandwich: 20g

His lunch is Swiss cheese sandwich on Valentine's Swirl Bread, a banana, watermelon hearts, apple flowers, and some pretzel sticks.

*******

This lunch is part of the Bento Blogger Friends Valentine's Blog Hop! I encourage you to hop on over to Biting the Hand that Feeds Me and check out the wonderful lunch there!

Recipe: Valentine's Day Swirl Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 17:01:00 +0000

I have had these canape bread pans for a very long time, but I have not used them often enough. What better time than Valentine's Day to make heart (and flower, and star...) shaped bread?

And how about making it swirly for the holiday? Sounds right up my alley!

The recipe I used was my standard whole wheat pain de mie recipe from King Arthur Flour. The only changes I make in this recipe are to use whey from straining my homemade yogurt, and I also throw in a little ground flax seed (about 1/4 c).

I split the dough into two portions and knead in the colors. I used pink and no-taste red. To get vibrant colors, you have to use a good amount of the gel food colors. I think it's worth it.

Once I had the two balls of dough colored, I rolled them each into very thin, large rectangles (probably about 24" x 12" at least). Then, I layered the two rectangles on top of one another and gave them a nice final roll with the rolling pin, to make sure the two slabs of dough are melded together. Then, I rolled them up, tightly, jelly roll style, and cut them into three equal sized lengths (about 8" long each).

From there, I took my canape bread tubes and sprayed them with Everbake spray from King Arthur Flour - it doesn't leave residue, and works great. Then, I put the dough into each of the tubes and pressed it down with the end of my rolling pin, and let it rise for about 45 minutes to an hour (until the dough has risen nearly to the top of the tubes. Preheat the oven to 375 F, and place the top lids on the tubes. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the bread sounds "hollow" when you knock on it. Remove from the oven, and cool for 10 minutes in the pans.

Carefully remove the bread from the pans, then wrap in a kitchen towel and in a plastic grocery bag to cool completely. Enjoy!

Lunch: 2.10.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:57:00 +0000

The Girl's Friday lunch and snack are the same as the Boy's...

Her snack is yogurt covered pretzels and a babybell.

Her lunch is a banana, ham sandwich on Goldfish bread, strawberries, and apple slices with some biscoff. I put a little butter knife into his lunch to spread the Biscoff with.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.10.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 03:51:00 +0000

Happy Friday!

Pretzels: 16g, Cheese: 1g

The Boy's Snack is yogurt pretzels and raisins.

Sandwich: 22g, banana: 25g. strawberries: 6g, apple: 6g, Biscoff: 8g

His lunch is a banana, ham sandwich on Goldfish bread, strawberries, and apple slices with some biscoff. I put a little butter knife into his lunch to spread the Biscoff with.

Lunch: 2.9.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:04:00 +0000

The Girl's snack is raisins and a babybell.

Her lunch is a mini whole wheat bagel with ham, a baby banana, strawberries, and apple slices.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.9.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:01:00 +0000

Raisins: 16g, babybell: 1g

The Boy's snack for Thursday is raisins and a babybell.

Bagel sandwich: 25g, banana: 25g, apple: 6g, Biscoff: 8g, strawberries: 6g

His lunch is a mini whole wheat bagel with ham, a baby banana, apple slices with biscoff spread, and strawberries.

Lunch: 2.7.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:28:00 +0000

The Girl's snack is a mini whole wheat bagel with strawberry & cream spread (from Price Chopper), and a babybell cheese.

Lunch is strawberries, a clementine, an apple with some Biscoff spread, and a whole wheat roll with ham.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.8.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:24:00 +0000

Bagel with Strawberry & Cream Spread: 29g, babybell: 1g

The Boy's snack is a mini whole wheat bagel with strawberry & cream spread from Price Chopper (it's a Price Chopper branded item, found it next to the Nutella... The Hubby loves it, as do the kids, and it's nut free for those with allergies or restrictions), along with a babybell cheese.

Strawberries: 6g, watermelon: 4g, apple slices: 6g, Biscoff: 7g, sandwich: 33g

His lunch is watermelon, strawberries, some apple slices, biscoff spread (which is also nut free for those with allergies or restrictions) to use on the apples, and a whole wheat roll with ham.

Lunch: 2.7.12 - 100th Day of School!

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:01:00 +0000

A note: The Boy and The Girl have the same lunch for the 100th Day of School, but I'll do two separate blog entries, just to keep track (and so if The Boy's school nurse needs to check carbs if the slip of paper I put into the lunch falls out, it's easy for her. There's a method to my madness. Most of the time.)

The Girl's snack for the 100th Day is a 100-calorie pack of popcorn.

Her lunch is full of 1's and 0's, though the strawberries could have come out better. She has a mini whole wheat bagel ham sandwich, a babybell with 100 carved in it, pretzel sticks and yogurt covered pretzel rings, yellow carrot sticks and circles with ranch dressing, apple 0's and 1's, and strawberry 0's and 1's.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.7.12 - 100th Day of School!

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 02:59:00 +0000

Popcorn: 10g

The Boy's snack for the 100th Day is a 100-calorie pack of popcorn. He will also get a visit from Zero the Hero (in the person of the district super-intendant, in costume. It's pretty awesome), with a doughnut, which is about 25g,

Strawberries: 5g, apple: 6g, bagel sandwich: 24g, cheese: 1g, pretzel sticks: 8g, pretzel rings: 8g, yellow carrot & ranch: 2g

His lunch is full of 1's and 0's, though the strawberries could have come out better. He has a mini whole wheat bagel ham sandwich, a babybell with 100 carved in it, pretzel sticks and yogurt covered pretzel rings, yellow carrot sticks and circles with ranch dressing, apple 0's and 1's, and strawberry 0's and 1's.

Lunch: 2.6.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:00:00 +0000

The Girl's Monday snack is not pictured - it's a hard boiled egg and some mandarin oranges.

Her lunch is strawberries and blueberries, a clementine, a ham sandwich on a Goldfish sandwich thin, pretzel sticks, and a babybell.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.6.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:55:00 +0000

Happy Monday!

The Boy's snack is mandarin oranges and a hard boiled egg (not pictured - 15g for the oranges, 0g for the egg).

Watermelon: 5g, strawberries: 6g (he chose the picks), cauliflower: 6g , pretzels: 12g, raviolis: 25g

His lunch is watermelon, strawberries, roasted cauliflower "popcorn," some pretzel sticks, and some heart shaped raviolis from Costco.

Recipe: Nutella Crescents in honor of World Nutella Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 16:23:00 +0000

Happy World Nutella Day!

I didn't have much time this morning to do anything crazy, but I did need to eat breakfast.. Enter Nutella Crescent rolls! I used some Strawberry & Cream Spread (from Price Chopper) for The Hubby's, because he *gasp* doesn't like nutella!

The finishing touch was some drizzled melted cinnamon chips. Wonderful!

No real recipe - just take refrigerated crescent roll dough, spread some nutella (or other spread), roll them up, and bake as directed on the package. When they come out, drizzle them with melted cinnamon baking chips.

And then, you enjoy!

Lunch: 2.3.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:57:00 +0000

The Girl's snack for Friday is some popcorn and an apple.

Her lunch is another mashed potato and spinach cake (if I make these again, I will post a recipe... I think I'll make them again!), heart shaped raviolis from Costco, two apricots (need to eat them up!) and some apple slices.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.3.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:47:00 +0000

I don't know if The Boy will be eating this at school, or at his grandmother's house, because it is undecided if he will be going to school. He doesn't seem to be coughing right now... so we'll see what the morning brings...

His snack is some popcorn (not pictured, 10g)

Strawberries (6g), mandarin oranges (15g), raviolis (25g) cauliflower (7g)

His lunch is some cauliflower popcorn, a few heart shaped raviolis from Costco, mandarin oranges, and strawberries.

Lunch: 2.2.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 01:52:00 +0000

Totally missed an opportunity for a fun Groundhog's Day lunch... *sigh* But, the Boy is sick and not going to school, and I am on the edge of illness, so no fun lunch here. Quick lunch. Simple lunch.

Her snack is popcorn (got it on sale in these packs!) and mandarin oranges.

Her lunch is an apricot, strawberries & blueberries, a few heart shaped raviolis, and a mashed potato and spinach cake I made up last night. No recipe for that one, just leftover mashed potatoes with spinach, with some added egg and cheese, pressed into panko bread crumbs and pan fried. Yummy! Both kids ate them! So, I think this lunch will be a good one..

But, no groundhogs. Alas.

Lunch: 2.1.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:33:00 +0000

The Girl's snack for Wednesday is mandarin oranges and a hard boiled egg.

Her lunch is and apricot, a plum, some blueberries, roasted cauliflower popcorn, and pinwheels on whole wheat of rotisserie chicken and cheddar.

Lunch for The Boy: 2.1.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:29:00 +0000

Mandarin oranges: 15g, egg: 0g

The Boy's snack for Wednesday is mandarin oranges and a hard boiled egg.

Strawberries: 6g, watermelon: 4g, cauliflower: 7g, pinwheels: 20g

His lunch is some watermelon, strawberries, roasted cauliflower popcorn, and pinwheels on whole wheat of rotisserie chicken and cheddar.

Lunch: 1.31.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:49:00 +0000

The Girl's snack is apple slices with biscoff spread.

Her lunch is a wrap with ham and cheddar on a whole wheat tortilla, pale green roasted cauliflower "popcorn," strawberries with kiwi, some blueberries, and an apricot.

Lunch for The Boy: 1.31.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 02:45:00 +0000

After much searching through local stores, I finally found Biscoff spread! Several of my fellow blogger friends have been waxing poetic about it, and I tried the cookies recently and loved them... so I was thrilled to find it!

Apple slices: 8g, Biscoff: 8g

The Boy's snack is some apple slices with biscoff spread.

Cauliflower: 6g, mandarin oranges: 15g, watermelon: 4g, raviolis: 25g

His lunch is some heart shaped raviolis from Costco, roasted orange cauliflower popcorn, watermelon, and mandarin oranges.

Lunch: 1.30.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:36:00 +0000

The Girl's snack for Monday is a clementine, and a couple graham crackers with this cool strawberries & cream spread (nut free, though "on shared equipment" - my kids are not allergic, but I know that some of my readers have allergic kids...) I found at Price Chopper. It's yummy.

Her lunch is kiwi with blueberries, an apricot, a rotisserie chicken sandwich on whole wheat bread (I need to make a loaf of bread!), a babybell, and some popcorn.

Lunch for The Boy: 1.30.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:32:00 +0000

Egg: 0g, Biscoff: 12g, watermelon: 5g

Happy Monday! The Boy's Monday snack is a hard boiled egg (leaving it in the container because he said out of the container can get yucky), watermelon, and a couple Biscoff cookies (still can't find the spread - but I'm working on it).

Popcorn: 2.5g, raviolis: 25g, mandarin oranges: 20g, strawberries: 6g

His lunch is strawberries, mandarin oranges, popcorn, and some super cool heart shaped raviolis that I found at Costco - I think Bentobloggy had them last year, and I couldn't find them then. So happy to have them this year! :)

Recipe: Red Velvet Angel Food Cake

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 01:34:00 +0000

For my mother's birthday, I decided to make her an angel food cake. I tried a homemade angel food cake a couple years ago, and it was a pain and didn't end up well... but this is the year that I've tackled pie crust. My baking chops are significantly more choppy nowadays. So, I thought I'd give it another try.

My mother is a chocolate lover. I wanted to use the Red Velvet Baker's Emulsion from King Arthur Flour. So, how about Red Velvet Angel Food Cake?

Red Velvet Angel Food Cake

1 1/2 c sugar, divided
1 c cake flour
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp espresso powder
1 1/2 c egg whites (I used the pasteurized egg whites in a carton, this would take 10-12 egg whites)
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp Red Velvet Baking Emulsion (or red food coloring gel)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1/4 c warm water

Preheat oven to 325 F. In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa, 3/4 c sugar, espresso powder, and the cake flour.

Beat egg whites until frothy, then add cream of tartar and salt. When those are well incorporated, add in the other 3/4 c sugar slowly. Once it has all been added, beat the mixture to soft peaks. Add the warm water, vanilla, Red Velvet Baking emuslion and lemon extract and beat for a few seconds to evenly distribute.

Sift the flour/sugar/cocoa powder mixture over the egg whites in 6-8 additions and gently fold it in after each addition. Take your time and do it gently to avoid deflating the egg whites.
Spoon or pour batter into an to an ungreased spring form or 9 inch tube pan with a removable bottom (Mine does not have a removable bottom. I wish it did. The cake sticks a little and doesn't come out nearly as nicely as it could). Smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake for 45-50 minutes until the top springs back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and immediately invert onto the top of a wine bottle (or, in my case, invert on a rack because the cake is not over the sides of the pan and my pan's hole is too small for my wine bottle....) until completely cool, about 1 1/2 hours. Run a knife around the sides (and around the middle tube, too!) and carefully invert the cake pan onto your serving plate until the cake releases from the pan. Serve with whipped cream and fruit, if desired.

Lunch: 1.27.12

noreply@blogger.com (Astrid) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:53:00 +0000

The Girl's snack for Friday is a clementine and some somersault snacks.

Her lunch is strawberries and blueberries, pear slices, grapes, crackers, cheese, and ham.