Healthy Peanut Butter

At last a great tasting healthy peanut butter....welcome to Oh Mega. Crede Natural Oils asked me to review their new Peanut Butter range:

• Enriched with omega-3 flaxseed oil
• No salt and no hydrogenated fats
• Sweetened with honey
• Available in smooth and crunchy

Peanut Butter is loved by both adults and children alike, but due to the high sugar, salt and hydrogenated fat content not something that I have recommended as a sandwich filler until now.

To review the products I called in the lunchbox specialists.....equipped them with jars of both the smooth and crunchy butter and told them to tuck in and give me their verdict.

VOILA! Lots of laughter, fun and tastebud tickling followed. Neither of the girls have been part of a product review before and were quite keen to have themselves heard.

Both of them liked the crunchy... I however, prefer the smooth, don't like juggling bits of nuts on my sandwich. I was expecting a rather bitter flaxseed taste, but Crede has somehow managed to mask the bitter flavour.

One can only pack so many PB & Jelly sandwiches, but with a house filled with Oh Mega jars I sat down and filtered through some of my older posts to compile this list of Peanut Butter Ideas.

15 Other Things to do with Healthy Peanut Butter

1. Make no bake peanut butter energy cookies.
2. If you are looking for a decadent dessert that is a healthy treat too try the peanut butter and banana ice-cream.
3. Whip up a healthy peanut butter smoothie.
4. Try the cream cheese and peanut butter dip for crudites.
5. A healthy lunchbox favourite the peanut butter and banana pita pocket.
6. Looking for something really different? Try these apple sandwiches filled with peanut butter.
7. Fill a jar with some peanut butter and insert celery sticks for a novel snack on the go.
8. How about a peanut butter and banana wrap?
9. Lose the nitrate filled sausage and try the hot banana dog.
10. Another healthy lunchbox favourite, the double decker peanut butter daisies.
11. Are you a sushi lover? Try the peanut butter sushi rolls.
12. Something on a stick, make raw chocolate and peanut butter pops.
13. Almond and peanut butter stuffed celery sticks.
14. Raw chocolate peanut butter pudding.
15. Rolled peanut butter cookie balls.

Subscribe to my Peanut Butter Pinboard for more healthy peanut butter ideas on Pinterest.

Competition: Win a Smooth and Crunchy Oh Mega Peanut Butter Pack

All winners of our contests are chosen at Random.org and will be notified via email, so please make sure your email address is correct. You will have 3 days to respond to me, or a new winner will be chosen.

How to Enter
This giveaway is open until 12pm on Saturday the 30th June 2012. It is open to all contestants in South Africa only.

Follow the instructions below to enter. 

You can leave one comment (entry) or many comments (entries) by picking one or more of the commenting options below.

Each seperate comment will be counted as an entry by the random number generator. You must also leave  a comment in the box below indicating or linking to the page where you have left your comments.

To Enter 
Leave your comments below to qualify for an entry:

1. Follow my boards on Pinterest.
2. Pin this post onto your Pinterest boards and submit a link.
3. @Twitter follow me @debbielangley
4. Tweet this giveaway, being sure to include my Twitter handle (@debbielangley). Here’s a sample tweet you could use or make up your own: Win a CRUNCHY and SMOOTH Oh Mega Peanut Butter from http://thehealthylunchbox.blogspot.com/
5. Pick your favorite Healthy Lunchbox & leave a comment on that post linking to it below.
6. Sign up for my RSS feeds
7. Link to this post (or any of my posts) on your blog.
8. Post this site onto your Facebook Timeline and leave a comment.
9. LIKE US on Facebook.
10. Share another great peanut butter idea in the comment box below.

The Winner will be announced on the 2nd July 2012.

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Lunchbox idea: Breakfast in a Cup

Found these plastic cups at our local supply shop, they are perfect for breakfast in a cup, big enough to pack a substantial portion to fill a hungry tummy but compact enough to fit easily into lunch coolers. Never thought a plastic cup could inspire so many different lunchbox ideas. They come with lids, which seal the cups to prevent any leakages. Available in packs of ten to fit most household budgets. Create layers in bold, vibrant colours which will add interest to any lunchbox. Experiment with a variety of tastes and flavours. I love being able to see the contents which are usually hidden inside regular plastic containers. Let your imagination run wild...... In a cup....in a cup... in a cup?

 

Whats inside this cup?

Layered Breakfast in a Cup 

Ingredients:

• Sugar free muesli
• Plain organic yoghurt
• Fruit salad 

Instructions:

1. Make your favourite fruit salad, this one is made from chopped papino's, mangoes, granadilla's and banana.
2. Place a layer of sugar free muesli in the base of the plastic cup, I used a boxed brand but you could make your own.
3. Add a layer of plain organic yoghurt.
4. Seal the cup.

Experiment with different colours and fruits for interesting effects.

 

More ideas for plastic cups:

• Frozen smoothies
• Strawberries and cream
• Vegetable sticks and dip
• Layered dips with nacho
• Plain fruit salad.
• Vegetable crudites.
• Flavoured water.
• Freshly squeezed juice.
• Layered salads.
• Plain salad cups.
• Cookies
• Desserts
• Pastas
• Dips

These plastic cups have somehow inspired quite a few lunchbox ideas. Subscribe to the RSS feed to see what else pops up in the next lunchbox cup soon.

More ideas in a cup Strawberries and Cream.
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10 Tips to Remember When Packing a Healthy Lunchbox

1. Plan Ahead. (Failing to plan is planning to fail.) Preparing lunches or at least your lunchbox plan the night before gives you more flexibility and control. If you try and squeeze your lunchbox prep into the morning chaos your nutritional and creative intentions will fall by the wayside. You need to keep a regular checklist of usual lunchbox fillers in your pantry and ensure that these popular items are always in stock. Make notes of any new recipes you want to try and purchase the ingredients on a weekly basis. Creativity doesn't spark under pressure..... and pressure leads to quick junky fillers.
2. Keep it fresh. We should be eating at least 7 to 9 portions of fresh fruit and vegetables each day to provide our bodies with the right amount of vitamins and minerals it needs to function at peak performance. Make fresh fruit and veggies your primary lunchbox focus and tick off a few.
3. Water is best. We can live for weeks without food but only a few days without water.  We have forgotten what a wonderful nutrient it is and how essential it is to life and our everyday bodily functions. So, if your child is not having enough water on a daily basis they could be suffering from a mild form of dehydration causing ‘brain-stress’ which can cause them to simply “switch off” exacerbating many learning difficulties and affecting optimal daily functioning and performance in many other different ways. Fill the beverage bottle with water.... click here for ideas on how to flavour water.
   
4. Pack it properly/Invest in a good lunchbox container. What looks good at 6.30am in your home kitchen might not look so appetizing three hours later. Fruit juices run, bread gets soggy, and apples turn brown. Put some thought and effort into preserving your work of art so that it still looks like a mouthwatering masterpiece at break time. Invest in a good quality lunchbox, divisions works well or try the Laptop Lunchbox or EasyLunchbox System.Don't forget the ice packs to keep the lunch box cool and fresh.
5. Stay away from the packets.  In the morning rush hour, amidst missing hockey socks and forgotten homework we all reach for the packets. Just grab and drop.... but we aren't doing our loved ones any favours. Packets may look good, taste good and also make us feel good but generally they are .... LIFELESS with nothing much to add to our daily well being.
6. Read the labels. If you are a drop and go lunch mom and feel that you must have the ready made bags on hand, READ THE LABELS. No I am not referring to the brightly covered front that highlights it's "sugar free" or "low in fat" these are just sales gimmicks. Read the nutritional ingredients on the back (you will usually need a magnifying glass to view it effectively, so don't leave your glasses at home) and find out what has been added to make this taste so good. Avoid all items that are packed with preservatives, colourants, flavourants, sugar and anything that you have never heard of before.....if it looks like greek it's definitely not good for you. Better still bake your own muffins, breads and healthier snacks when times allows and freeze for later use.
7. Be creative.  A sandwich, apple or piece of cucumber can take any form. Haul out those cookie cutters that have been gathering dust in your bottom drawer, add some colour, special theme or simply change your fillings and forget about that peanut butter and jello sandwich altogether. Pack something else, there are healthier alternatives out there! Pack some creativity into the process and have fun.
8. Variety!Variety!Variety! Is your lunchbox predictable?  I just love the taste and texture of a fresh hot cross bun and could eat one every day.... obviously not everyone else does."No, Ma! Not another hot cross bun." Don't pack the same foods continuously, toddlers may like repetition but teens and older children DO NOT. Add variety....
9. Be generous. Pack enough food to last the whole day, not quite sure how much this is though as Kelsey NEVER seems to have enough.....There is nothing that leads to the tuckshop quicker than a rumbling tummy, so still all hunger pangs with healthy, creative and fun lunchbox snacks.
10. Feed your inspiration continuously. To be inspired and pack something different each day requires effort. Inspiration runs dry. Sign up to a variety of lunchbox idea sites and keep feeding your brain with new ideas on a regular basis.  As a starting point: 

• Subsribe to our RSS posts on the right hand side of the page.
• Like our Facebook page and keep updated on all new posts.
• Follow our visual board on healthy lunchbox ideas.
• Sign-up to other sites.

You might also like:

15 Snack Ideas for Your Healthy Lunchbox.

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Pinterest: Finding Lunchbox Ideas

Will the internet ever cease to amaze? Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and now Pinterest. Not sure who sent me the original Pinterest link, but I am truly grateful. I have been playing around, experimenting and creating virtual pinboards for the last few days and secretly admit “I am addicted.” As a mom and daily lunchbox fundi I constantly seek inspiration, VOILA a constant stream in full colour.

What is Pinterest?

Pinterest as described on its website is a “virtual pinboard”. It allows you to collect and share all the beautiful things you find and love. You can browse pinboards created by other people for inspiration or create and build your own.

People use pinboards to find inspiration, decorate their homes, share their favorite recipes, entertain with flair and plan parties etc.

What is a board?

A board is a collection of topic related pins. You can create as many boards as you want and add an unlimited number of pins to each.

What do you do with Pinterest?

·         Collect blogs, images, you tube videos and anything that you love.

·         Build a virtual database of inspiration.

·         Use it to find ideas and save them for future use.

·         Share ideas with others.

·         Follow pinboards that interest you.

·         Enjoy a constant stream of innovation and ideas.

How do you add images to Pinterest?
You can pin an image or YouTube video to a pinboard in one of the following ways:

1. Click on an image that’s already pinned to the site and “repin” it to one of your existing pinboards or create a new one. Add a comment below the image. You can also like an image without repining it to one of your own boards. Find inspiration on the home page, or choose one of the tabs along the top of the homepage to see what has been recently pinned by people you are following or simply search in general categories of interest.

2. Add the “Pin It” button to your toolbar, by following instructions on how to drag and drop the bookmarklet. This will enable you to pin an image of choice directly from any website onto one of your pinboards. 

3. Upload images directly from your computer or add an image via its URL. This is very simple to do, and can be done by clicking on the “add” then “pin”  buttons in the top right hand corner of the Pinterest website.

Select the appropriate pinboard and add a comment to each image. This will help you remember why you pinned the idea.

Please pin one of your favourite http://thehealthylunchbox.blogspot.com images and help us grow, or enjoy “repinning” some of  my favourites here Lunchbox Ideas.

 More lunchbox ideas.

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Sandwich Ideas

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Found this selection of sandwich ideas. These sandwiches will add fashion and flare to any party platter but will also add punch to any lunchbox. 10 Great sandwich ideas in one place. With 10 days of sandwich inspiration......can I pack a boring one again? Thank you to Sarah Winterbottom for this great article.

Top 10 Party Sandwich Ideas

Sandwiches are an essential ingredient to a party tea! We’ve come up with some fun and creative alternatives to the traditional tea sandwich which children will just love! Be imaginative with different kinds of breads, tasty fillings and ways of serving them. Here are our top 10 ways to sandwich in style! Serve on our party platters »

1. Party Roll-Ups: a great alternative to the bread sandwich! Spread guacamole over tortilla wraps and top with any other finely chopped fillings you wish.  Roll the tortillas lengthways and carefully cut into three rolls. Serve individually on themed cocktail sticks. Experiment with different fillings.
2. Shaped Sandwiches: these are really easy to make and are a great way to fit with your party theme using shaped cookie cutters. Create your sandwich as normal and use small cookie cutters to cut out the shapes. Experiment with different spreads and fillings such as ham and cheese, marmite and butter or smoked salmon and cream cheese. Try and use pre-sliced or spreadable fillings as this will prevent the shapes falling apart once cut.
3. Party Panini’s: These look great and are a more substantial tea time option. Pre toast your Panini’s and fill with shredded chicken, tuna mayonnaise or cheddar cheese. Garnish with lettuce, tomatoes or salsa and then slice into child size portions. Warm slightly before serving.
4. Rainbow Sandwiches: Make a 4-layer sandwich, alternating between buttered slices of white and brown bread. Fill the layers with three contrasting, smooth-textured fillings such as cream cheese, guacamole and marmite. Cut the crusts off the stack and slice into strips, then bite size pieces.
5. Party Discs: Cut out circular bread discs using a small cookie cutter. Fill an icing bag with a tasty dip, such as taramasalata and carefully squeeze onto the circular disc. Experiment with different sandwich fillers or dips and decorate with contrasting garnishes.
6. Frankfurter Pinwheels: Cut the crusts of a loaf of unsliced bread. Slice lengthwise and roll out to obtain long rectangles of bread. Butter one side and spread thinly with tomato ketchup. At one end place a pre-heated frankfurter (for centre of pinwheel). Roll up firmly over the sausage and seal edge with a little butter. Cut each roll into bite size pinwheels and place onto cocktail picks. For variations use asparagus and cream cheese, banana and chocolate spread or cheese slices and marmite.
7. Party Canapés: a fun and tasty nibble! Roll the bread with a rolling pin to flatten. Trim off crusts and spread with butter and a tasty spread. Jams, peanut butter and marmite work best for these as they act as a glue when you roll them up. Roll up the bread tightly and cut into mini rolls.
8. Strawberry hearts: place ½ cup of cream cheese, a handful of sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon of superfine caster sugar into a small food processor. Mix until smooth. Spread strawberry cheese over bread and layer with thinly sliced strawberries. Cut out using a heart shaped cookie cutter. Cover the top of each heart with a thin layer of cream cheese and sprinkle with edible pink glitter to serve
9. Mini salsa pittas: place the mini pitta breads in the oven to warm and brown slightly. Fill with a variety of fillings such as cheese, lettuce and tomato salsa. Once filled place on serving tray and pop in the oven to warm slightly before serving.
10. Finger Sandwiches: although you might think they are boring, at least you know everyone will like them! Be sure to cut off the crusts before serving and have a selection of brown and white bread.
Favourite fillings …
Smoked salmon and cream cheese / butter and marmite / egg mayonnaise and cress / chocolate spread and banana / cream cheese and strawberry jam / guacamole (not spicy) /  humous / cheese, ham (slices) and mayo / smoked salmon taramasalata / tuna mayonnaise and dill.

TOP TIPS

• Small bite size sandwiches are best and easy for children to nibble on.
• Have a tempting selection of different shapes and flavours as children love to choose their own party food.
• Remember that the look of a sandwich will encourage even the least hungry party-goers to have a taste so make them as interesting as possible.
• Keep fillings simple and child friendly

Written by: Sarah Winterbottom

A mum of 3 young children and declared socialite. Sarah loves home entertaining and being a mum. A regular blogger and shopaholic she shares her latest children’s product and home entertaining finds and ideas to inspire others on how to make family and socializing fun.




You might also like:
More sandwich ideas
Homemade Whole-wheat Bread Recipe

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Lunchbox DVD: The Visual Guide: How To Make A Healthy Lunch For Kids

I purchased a copy of  the Lunchbox DVD: The Visual Guide: How To Make A Healthy Lunch For Kids a few years back. The DVD is jam packed with many useful hints and tips on how to pack a healthy lunch, it is a worthwhile investment if you want to learn everything there is to know about packing healthy lunches.

The Lunchbox DVD: The Visual Guide: How To Make A Healthy Lunch For Kids

DVD Chapters

1. Opening
2. Seven layer Lunch
3. Layer 1:Presentation
4. Themes
5. Helpful hints: Lunchbox Safety
6. Colour
7. Smell
8. Texture
9. Flavours
10. Shapes and Sizes
11. Sizes
12. Helpful Hints: Role Modeling
13. Layer 2: Main Course
14. Breads
15. Soft Spreads
16. Peanut Butter & Jelly
17. Lunch Meats
18. The Sandwich
19. Bread Shapes
20. Quesadilla's & Wraps
21. Breadless Sandwich
22. Pasta
23. Rice, Soups & Beans
24. Helpful Hints: Learning Nutrition
25. Layer 3: Vegetables
26. Blending & Blanching
27. Cutting & Slicing
28. Cutting Cucumbers
29. Cutting carrots
30. Fun Shapes
31. Cutting Celery
32. Helpful Hints: Teaching Nutrition
33.  Layer 4: Fruit
34. Cutting & Slicing Fruit
35. Apples
36. Helpful Hints: Offering New Foods
37. Layer 5: Snacks
38. Chips & Dips
39. Nutritional Bars
40. Helpful Hints: Meal Planning
41. Layer 6: Beverage
42. Infusing Water
43. Juice, Smoothies & Teas
44. Helpful Hints: Pre-Making Lunches
45. Layer 7: Fun
46. Toys, Crafts & Games
47. Helpful Hints: Containers
48. Final Lunchbox Ideas
49. Closing

The Lunchbox DVD is based on the 7 essential layers. The Seven Layers represent the seven components (of both food and fun) for making healthy, creative kids meals. Designed by Laura Pasetta. The Seven-Layer Approach provides fun for the kids and balanced nutrition in every bite. Best of all, these ideas are quick, convenient and easy to use! Learn more about each layer in the Lunchbox DVD.

You might also like:

• Packing the Right Beverage.
• The Right Smell for Your Lunchbox
• Homemade Wholewheat Bread Recipe

Pin It

Lunchbox Ideas: Ecozip

I am always looking for new lunchbox ideas, today I stumbled across these Ecozip bags something I haven't seen before. I love innovation. I love novel lunchbox ideas and I love finding things that have many uses. Definitely the first multipurpose plastic bag I have come across. Lugging plastic lunchboxes around on school outings is a pain....and now there is Ecozip. Perfect for hiding snacks in your bag to reach for when hunger strikes.

You get 2 bags in 1. Store a sandwich in one bag and a snack in the other or open the middle zipper and use one big bag. Totally recyclable and BPA free.

Finally a lunchbox idea with more than one use.


Use Eco zip for:

• Lunchboxes
• Leftovers
• Wet and dry snacks
• Travel
• Pre-prepped food
• Scrapbooking
• Pens and pencils
• Hairgoodies
• Buttons
• Toiletries
• Make-up
• In the kitchen
• Around the house
• On the go

The Snack Sandwich, Quart and Gallon boxes are $3.99 each.
Find out more at ecozip-bags.com.

More lunchbox ideas: Free printable lunchbox notes.

Free printable Lunch Box Notes

I stumbled upon this free printable lunch box notes post by Cindy from skiptomylou.org and loved the simplicity and originality of her ideas. To good not to share. She has cut out her lunch box notes, slipped on a ribbon and transformed a boring piece of fruit into something fun and memorable. Always good to remind our children and husbands just how much we love them. Creep into their hearts with a unique lunch note.

Free Printable Lunch Box Notes | Skip To My Lou
www.skiptomylou.org8/13/09
Skip on over to AlphaMom where I have some free printable lunch box notes waiting for you to help you get ready for back to school!

Like this idea? Please submit your comments in the box below. Send us a photo or share some other unique ideas with our readers we would love to hear about them.

Please also visit us on Facebook . Don't miss our next idea its comimg soon, Like Us on facebook and subscribe to our RSS Feed to the right.

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New Organic Snacks

I only promote products that meet certain criteria. Ecobrands asked me to review their new Organix Goodies Range for kids and my first response was naturally sceptical as I am quite often approached with products that don't make the grade. My curiosity was soon aroused with words like "no preservatives", "no colourants", "no sugar", "organic" and "pre-packed for quick and easy lunch box inclusion". The last statement intrigued me most as healthy lunch box alternatives do not come pre-packed in colourful packets and boxes. My sample box arrived a few days later. Eager to review the taste and ingredients for myself, I tucked in and started tasting the various snack alternatives. The packaging is unique with raisins and dried apples packed in tiny boxes and squeeze pack juice alternatives. They offer a wide range of organic snacks with foods consisting of biscuits, compotes, maize snacks, cereals, puree and fruit bars, catering for children from six months to 10 years, but even had my teen eagerly tucking into the box of gingerbread biscuits. Organix gives parents the choice of including safe, convenient, organic snacks in their childrens lunch boxes. Look out for this new range in Baby City Stores, selected Pick 'n Pay's and Dischem stores nationwide. I have a sample box of Organix goodies up for grabs, simply leave your comments below, share your thoughts or tell us where you have found them. All comments must be submitted before the end of October 2010 to participate. (This competition is only open to residents in South Africa.)

15 Snack Ideas for your healthy lunchbox

Adults and children alike love snack foods or snacks as we more commonly refer to them. They are eaten to reduce hunger pangs between meals or for pure enjoyment (which is usually the case). They provide some mystical feel good factor through spiking blood sugar levels and providing instant lifts when energy levels dip. Snacks foods receive far more advertising and media coverage than their nutrient dense counter parts and it is hardly if ever that a child or grown up will opt for an apple instead of a chip. So as part of your healthy lunchbox overhaul start reading the labels, don’t be conned by the bright colourful headlines that claim to be “sugar or preservative free”, as these usually contain other ingredients far more harmful to your health. Search for the actual ingredients and avoid any items that contain hydrogenated, or partially hydrogenated oils, sugar, preservatives, colourants, flavourants , MSG or any other numbers or letters that have no meaning. There is no half-healthy junk food, clean out the cupboard completely and replace it with some of the following healthier snack alternatives.

• Preservative free dried fruits
• Preservative free dried veggies
• Snack bars (Ideally make your own or include some natural way bars which are healthier alternatives).
• Raw unsalted nuts
• Raw unsalted seeds such as sunflower, pumpkin, sesame etc
• Homemade or preservative free trail mixes
• Replace regular chips which are high in salt and fat with corn chips or veggie chips.
• Rice cakes
• Sesame chips or bars (Opt for the sugar free variety)
• Oat cakes
• Vegetable crudités spiced up with some hummus dip
• Hard boiled organic eggs (You can draw on the shells or mould them into different shapes)
• Natural yoghurt flavoured with fresh fruit purees (Not for the lactose intolerant)
• Whole fruit
• Popcorn (use an air-popper if possible as stove popped contains saturated fat and microwave versions are filled with additives, flavourings and fat.)

Return from 15 Snack ideas for your healthy lunchbox to filled cucumbers.

The Right Smell for Your Lunchbox

Our sense of taste is greatly influenced by our sense of smell. Opening a lunchbox with a fresh pleasant smell can stimulate your tastebuds and make the contents seem more appealing. We have all opened a school lunchbox at some point and been overwhelmed with an unpleasant odour or the strong odour of a less favourite item and can remember just how this odour masks all the other contents of the lunchbox itself. Our hunger pangs disappear as we pick at the items somehow seemingly unaffected by the smell.

Our sense of smell plays a vital role in our sense of well-being and quality of life.

Try adding a small lunch of parsley, mint, cilantro, rosemary or other fresh herbs to your lunchbox for an instant lift. Place the herbs directly on top of your salad or sandwich to add colour and improve the smell. No more bad odours!

Heart Shaped Carrot and Zucchini Tarts for School Lunchboxes

This morning I packed 8 lunchboxes in 20 minutes and felt slightly pushed for time.The reason being I am not a winter person and waking up at 5am proves most challenging when there is no hint of sunlight. Every morning I seem to steal another 5 minutes until I find myself under pressure like today. The first think Kelsey says to me when she climbs into the car after school is "Mom I'm starving, have you got something for me to eat." At first, I thought that I was not packing enough substance into the school lunchboxes until it dawned on me that Kelsey is quite active at school and rarely finds the time to sit still and empty the contents of her lunchbox - this explains the daily starvation. I ensure each coolerbox is packed with an ice pack to preserve freshness everyday, but after 7 hours somehow the lunchboxes lose their "fresh" appeal. The reason being not so much due to the temperature control but more the wear and tear they have to endure daily tilted on top of the wheelie bags to free up hands for sports bags and other bits and pieces. I started making frequent trips to "Woolworths"en route to school everyday to grab a quick snack in preparation for the words "I'm starving!". Quite soon my grocery bill almost doubled, and the quality of the food I was resorting to for lack of better choice was extremely poor. It is actually quite frightning how little healthy choices are available when you start opting for fast food. So it has taken quite a few weeks for me to realise that I now need to prepare 8 lunchboxes every morning, keep two on ice and reach for them prior to my afternoon rounds. How will I survive the winter at this rate?

Pictured above some heart-shaped carrot and zucchini tarts prepared the night before, orange wedges, baby tomatoes, crinkly cut carrot fingers  and heart shaped green peppers. The carrot and zucchini batter whipped up in my Thermomix in less than 2 minutes. What a machine! It cooks, it makes sorbets and ice-creams, dips, kneads your bread dough, weighs, blends, mills, grinds and virtually cleans itself too. What did I do without it before? Drop me an email if you would like to see this piece of german ingenuity in action at one of my weekly cookery dems. Here is the recipe for you to try, please adapt it if you haven't yet discovered the TM31.

Carrot and Zucchini Tarts
Yields: 9 Servings
Ingredients
350 g Zucchini cubed
100 g cheese cubed
5 eggs
80 g olive oil
2 small carrots
1 large onion quartered and roughly cut
50 g cornflour
70 g wholehweat flour
10 ml baking powder
5 ml rosemary leaves
3 cloves garlic
3 cm piece of ginger
1 red capsicum roughly cut
Salt & pepper

Instructions

Place cheese into the TM bowl and grate for 3-5 seconds on speed 6. Set aside.
Place onion, ginger and garlic into the TM bowl and chop for 4 seconds on speed 6. Saute for 1 minute at 100C on speed 1.
Place zucchini and capsicum into the TM bowl and grate for 3-5 seconds on speed 6.
Place carrots into the TM bowl and chop for 10 seconds on speed 8.
Add all other ingredients into the TM bowl and mix for 10-15 seconds on speed 4. Use spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Bake in a well greased ceramic dish or shapes of your choice in a moderate oven for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
Great to eat warm or serve cold for picnics or lunchboxes.

More quiche like ideas for your school lunchbox.

Lunch Box Ideas: Packing the Right Lunchbox Beverage

We can live for weeks without food but only a few days without water. It this forgotten transparent substance we all take for granted until disaster strikes and it is not quite so readily available. It is then under abnormal conditions that we often crave water and long for a nice hot bath to soak away our daily stresses and long for that tall glass of ice cold water to pour down our throats. We have forgotten what a wonderful nutrient it is and how essential it is to life and our everyday bodily functions. So, if your child is not having enough water on a daily basis they could be suffering from a mild form of dehydration causing ‘brain-stress’ which can cause them to simply “switch off” exacerbating many learning difficulties and affecting optimal daily functioning and performance in many other different ways.


We know that we have to encourage our children to drink more water yet as you unpack their cooler boxes for the fifth day in a row to discover that their water bottles are untouched or only slightly sipped we realise what a challenging and arduous task this could prove to be. How are we going to get the message through to them that water is the first choice when thirst hits? Don’t think of making a simple statement and highlighting all the virtues of a pure glass as I have often wondered if the following statement ” if mom says it don’t do it” has formed part of the national curriculum.

I have sourced a few excellent ideas to camouflage water and help make it the delight that it should be, but first things first, the beverage container. Opt for a bottle that seals properly and is small enough to pack inside their lunch or cooler box. There are many different colours, shapes and favourites out there to choose from or if you are pressed for time opt for ready to go pre-filled spring water bottles which you can grab each morning. One of my personal favourites is the Cool Gear Hourglass bottle with flip top spout, it is small enough to fit into the cooler box and comes with freezable ice sticks that fit neatly into the inside of the bottle to keep the drink cold.

There are many great ways to add some excitement to water here are a few of our lunch box ideas. Simply infuse a bottle of water with a slice of one of the following:

• Lemon or lime

• Tangerine

• Orange

• Cucumber

• Cucumber and lemon

• Mint leaves

• Berries (Raspberries, blackberries or strawberries)

Slip a single slice of one of the ingredients listed above inside the water bottle, you can also squeeze a small amount of juice directly into the water to flavour it slightly. Don’t be tempted to fill the bottle with too many slices of lemon as most children are not too fond of this taste and the attempt at disguising the flavour might then backfire.

Lunchbox Idea: Citrus Pig and Sugar Free Muesli

Today Melissa and Kelsey have a citrus pig made from a naartjie, banana pieces, a grape and some raisins. They also have some sugar free muesli (rolled oats. chopped cashew nuts, raisins etc.) with a plastic spoon. A bunch of grapes and some kiwi fruits finish the lunchbox today.

Lunchbox Idea: Filled Cucumbers

Today the girls enjoyed hollowed cucumbers filled with cream cheese I also pulled out the cookie cutters and shaped some pineapple into daisies and popped in some strawberries to fill the lunchbox.

Perfect for school lunches Pea, Feta & Mint Frittata

Having no lunchbox basics in my pantry cupboard this morning I stumbled across this quick and easy recipe perfect for school lunches. The Pea, Feta & Mint Fritatta, the consistency resembles that of a quiche and is quite tasty and delicious getting a thumbs up by both girls and dad. I also added a handful of sumptious cherries, sliced peach and some heart shaped pineapple slices which I made using the heart shaped cutter from the Sweetheart Cutter collection. Its possible to  quickly and easily create fun shapes with fruit and veggies  for school lunches which liven up a boring lunch.

Raw Picnic Punch with Baby Potato Salad

A box filled with raw baby carrots, freshly podded green peas, sliced yellow pepper, naartjie, minneola and a few strawberries pack a punch today. I also included some baby potato salad and sliced red salad onions in a separate container to help calm the carbo cravings, see the small insert in the bottom right of the image. I recently had my body composition tested and to my surprise my body fat percentage was above norm despite my ideal body weight and water percentage way below norm. I have never really been a drinker and often a whole day will pass without me consuming any liquid at all this resulted in me being virtually dehydrated. We are now making a concious effort to up the water intake back to 6-8 glasses per day and so the girls once again have a bottle of spring water packed in to still the thirst.

Lunchbox: Strawberries and Cream

Both girls devoured this lunch. Kelsey arrived home and requested that I pack these exact same contents everyday. This lunchbox took exactly 5 minutes to prepare and I was almost tempted to do just that as it would drastically reduce my workload in the early morning rush hour. A bowl of hulled and sliced strawberries drizzled with a hint of cream is definately a winner, nachos (corn chips) and a cup of raw crudites (baby tomatoes, sliced beans, and yellow pepper sticks complete the meal.



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More lunchbox ideas.

Lunchboxes: Whole-wheat Apple Pies

The girls were extremely surprised to open their lunchboxes and discover "pies". A whole-wheat pastry base filled with sliced pie apples, dusted with cinnamon and sprinkled with raisins. Although slightly cumbersome to prepare the pastry can provide a base for many healthy and nutritious fillings. Giant strawberries, an alltime favourite, and peeled orange wedges fill the box.

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Lunchbox Idea: Sweet Temptations

A chocolate selection on a recent shopping spree provided the much needed inspiration for this weeks lunchbox idea. Voila! The sweet temptations - a healthier choice- far superior and just as enjoyable as their caffeine and sugar laden alternatives. Oat and date balls with almond and orange bites grace centre stage with sliced red orange and some extra large black grapes to top it off.

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