Pizza Fridays

At my son's school, pizza is served every Friday, along with a few slivers of iceberg lettuce drenched in ranch dressing, an enormous brownie and chocolate milk - all served in a styrofoam take-out container. This is my compromise:

Pizza from Zelda's (a local pizzeria) with mushrooms and black olives; red bell pepper strips and carrot sticks, a mini apple, and a Cliff Chocolate Chip ZBar.

waste generated: small rectangle of unbleached parchment paper, wrapper from ZBar

Almost Thai

Dinner last night was a Thai stir-fry with rice noodles, broccoli, and a coconut peanut sauce. This lunch was created with the leftovers sans sauce.

Thai rice noodles; sesame broccoli; roasted peanuts; and the first orange from our tree.

waste generated: none :)

Good Things Come in Their Own Packages

I felt rather clever when I came up with this themed lunch, but, if I am to be honest with myself, it was really laziness disguised with a clever title.

Miniature apples (how cute are they?); tangerine; banana; hardboiled egg; and pistachios. It's both a lunch and an exercise for developing fine motor skills.

waste generated: none :)

Turkey Pot Pie

Turkey Pot Pie with wholewheat crust, Diestal brined and oven roasted turkey, cauliflower, peas, mushrooms, and carrots in a white sauce; organic orange segments; redleaf lettuce; and organic chestnut sage stuffing.

waste generated: none :)

Turkey Sandwich, But Of Course

I have returned from my respite, although, as you can see, not exactly spilling with creativity. The classic turkey sandwich lunch: turkey sandwich on homemade organic honey wholewheat bread with orange cranberry sauce, canola mayonnaise and sage chestnut stuffing; berry pie; sliced raw organic cauliflower and carrots. Fingers not included.

waste generated: none :)

Thanksgiving Warm-Up

Diestal nitrate free turkey slices rolled around organic valley cheese sticks (sliced in half, lengthwise and crosswise), speared with a toothpick and persimmon slice; carrot sticks; organic Arkansas Black apple; and potato chips.

waste generated: 4 toothpicks and one paper napkin

Chilly Day

The chilly weather has finally taken hold, and for me, nothing says cold weather is here like hot soup and a sandwich. Today's version of that cold weather staple: Mexican Tomato Lime Tortilla Soup from Moosewood Cookbook (incredibly fast and easy); quesadillas made with sprouted wheat tortillas, monterrey jack cheese, chicken, corn and black beans; whole persimmon from a neighbor's tree; and berry muffin made with whole wheat and almond meal.

Don't worry, I didn't actually pack it all in that little camp pan, although that wouldn't be the worst idea I have ever had. The quesadilla and muffin packed nicely wrapped in the bandana. The persimmon was fine on its own and the funny little pan stayed home with me.

waste generated: none :)

TOFU CRANBERRY SQUASH PIE

I realize it sounds gross, but my kids' think it is a slice of heaven. Also, it doesn't look gross, and that's all that really matters.

Squash pie made with tofu, squash (Full Belly Farm organic acorn and delicata), eggs, chopped cranberries and a small amount of sugar (2 T. plus 1 t. stevia for the whole pie) on a whole wheat crust with cranberry strawberry topping; whole grain crackers with chunks of Organic Valley raw sharp cheddar (if you like cheddar, this is the best!); and an organic gala apple.

waste generated: small square of unbleached parchment paper

French Toast Sticks

I'm pretty sure some fast food restaurant started this concept (the french toast stick) a decade ago and, in fact, I do recall balancing said sticks on my lap while driving home from work one morning (this would be back in the days when I thought pulling all nighters at the office made me important and sophisticated). Now I am using that food of desperation for my son's lunch and writing about it. Have I evolved at all? I'll let you be the judge.

French toast sticks on whole wheat bread; maple syrup for dipping; half a Bosc pear; trail mix with peanuts, dried cranberries, almonds, raisins, and dried apricots.

waste generated: none :)

CALZONE: the sneaky vegetable

This calzone is made with mostly broccoli with a little ricotta and mozzarella all stuffed into a whole wheat crust. Pizza sauce on the side for dipping; kalamata olives; lettuce and red bell peppers. Frozen chocolate peanut butter bars for dessert (made with crushed Mid-Del wholewheat graham crackers, homemade organic peanut butter, and melted dark chocolate chips).

waste generated: small piece of unbleached parchment paper

TROPICAL SUNRISE

Cream cheese and homemade apricot jam on sprouted whole wheat bread "wheels"; pineapple chunks; sweet and spicy pecans mixed with plain pecans; and multigrain flake cereal.

waste generated: none :)

"I MADE IT MYSELF"

As the title suggests, this lunch was created by my eldest. It began with a diagram and some high hopes ("Mommy, if we make a sandwich out of candy bars, is it still candy?"), and morphed into what you see here. It took a total of 45 minutes to prepare. . . .I could have hollowed out another pumpkin in that amount of time, but I couldn't have replicated those smiles!

Half a peanut butter sandwich with homemade apricot jam on sprouted sourdough bread; raw almonds; a small organic gala apple, halved, Organic Valley string cheese, and a mini lemon cookie by Sunflour Baking Company.

waste generated: plastic wraps from both the cookie and cheese :(

Make Your Own Taco

If I am obsessed with gourds, my son is obsessed with lunchables. I don't believe that this will entirely soothe the itch, but I am hoping it will bring us closer to common ground. By the way, this is my children's favorite family dinner and the leftovers pack nicely with no alterations.

Make Your Own Taco Kit (all ingredients are organic): homemade corn and wholewheat flour tortillas; shredded lettuce; chopped tomatoes; shredded cheddar; and ground buffalo meat seasoned with tomato sauce, onions, cumin, chili powder and salt.

waste generated: square of wax paper

Tuna with a Twist

Tuna salad (made with line caught tuna, canola mayo, dijon mustard, shredded carrots, slivers of celery and capers) wrap on a sprouted wheat tortilla with crisp apple matchsticks; apple chunks; raw almonds; and all bran crackers.

waste generated: strip of wax paper used to hold wraps together

MAC & CHEESE & PEAS

Today I was given instructions: "something warm that is not soup."

Annies whole wheat macaroni and cheese made with plain yogurt (instead of milk & butter) with peas and wheat germ. I put frozen peas in the colander and dump the boiling pasta on top, Instantly unfrozen, but not mushy, peas. I throw in a handful of raw wheat germ at the very end.

Fully Belly Farm nantes carrots, peeled but end left untrimmed (wrapped in the versatile, re-useable wrap-n-mat), and sliced cucumbers with Annie's Cowgirl Ranch dressing.

waste generated: one paper napkin leftover from a pizza delivery

Back to Basics

Whole wheat pita bread stuffed with green leaf lettuce and chicken pesto salad (chicken with basil walnut pesto, sundried tomatoes and a touch of canola mayonnaise), sliced tomatoes, flour shaped "cookies" (whole wheat pie crust cut into the shape of flowers and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar); half a pomegranate.

waste generated: none :) By the way, the plastic spoon found its way home on the day of the great pumpkin. It has been washed and will be used again.