School Lunch--Packed Consciously at Home

                                                                                        Source: drfuhrman.com via Brittany on Pinterest

     This school year our family has decided to start packing lunch for school. While I believe our school has come a long way in offering healthier meals for our kids, and I truly appreciate the efforts of the lunch staff to provide an entire Gluten Free lunch menu for the handful of kids who suffer from Celiac Disease there, the bottom line is: my family needs to save every penny these days! School lunch is reasonably priced, but with three kids buying every day we would be spending more than if we packed our own. Not to mention, that as well as the school does with their menu...I feel even better when I know exactly what my kids are eating and where it is coming from. I like that I can control the quality of the meals I prepare for them, where it comes from, and the portions. My kids have really big healthy appetites (which would surprise you because they are itty bitties) I try to serve them fresh fruits and veggies that are local and organic more often than not. I steer clear of overly processed foods. I'm not trying to sound like a food snob here, I'm just saying this is the ideal I am striving for, this is what I want for my kids. Packing their lunches myself means I can meet my goals more fully.

     With such "high ideals" for healthy meals, it should come as no surprise to you that I am also concerned about many of the chemicals found in conventionally made food storage containers and lunch boxes out there. The good news is that many companies are jumping on the bandwagon now and either removing harmful things like BPA (to name only one) from their products or creating new products made from things like stainless steal, silicone or even cloth! If you've been following us over at Ladies Holiday then you know how much we love AgainBags reusable snack and sandwich bags. I have been coveting the LunchBots bento boxes for some time now, but my wallet keeps saying "No!" to me, boo.

*Be that as it may...if any kind soul over at LunchBots wants to send me something to try, I'd be happy to give it a whirl and tell everyone why they are worth the money!! :)

     I was absolutely delighted--only one day after deciding that I'd start packing school lunch--to literally just happen upon these nifty lunch boxes from SmartPlanetHome.  I had been wandering my local BJ's Wholesale Club while waiting for my new car tires to be mounted and BEHOLD! There they were. With great excitement I present to you, the consciously made collapsible ECO Lunch Box, made from silicone (dishwasher and microwave safe, BPA free.) The best part? On the SmartPlanetHome website these beauties cost $17.99...while I'll say I still think that is a great price in comparison with similar products out there, I probably couldn't have afforded to shell out the cash to get one for each of my three littles. BUT, at BJ's, I spent only $9.99 each! What a steal!!

     From top to bottom you will see:

• The ECO Lunch Box comes with minimal packaging (one thin sleeve of plastic and no paper but for the label.) 
• The ECO Lunch Box collapses to a slim, easily store-able size, but then pops open to DOUBLE it's size with lots of room for good, healthy eats. 
• It has secure, yet easy to use, snap closure lid on all four sides.
• Comes with a built in spoon/fork/knife (fork has a serrated edge to use as a knife--genius!)
• A nicely sealing small silicone cup on the top outside of the lid holds condiments.
• I packed my gluten-eater, Isaac, a PB&J on whole grain bread, strawberries, and multi grain chips, it all fit nicely.
• My two gluten-free kiddos got a Mom-Made-Gluten-Free-Lunchable on their first day using the ECO Lunchbox. Shown above (clockwise from the top right): Sharp cheddar, Applegate Farms Turkey Slices, Driscoll's Organic Strawberries, garden fresh cucumber, and packed in the AgainBags snack bag (to keep them from getting wet next to the fruit) Food Should Taste Good brand all natural chips called "The Works."

     I was a little nervous that first day, I'll admit it. Would they have trouble opening the box or putting the lid back on properly so there wouldn't be a mess on the way home? Would their food stay fresh? Well, they didn't seem to have a problem with the lid, they loved their lunches so I assume they hadn't spoiled to the point of smelling or tasting bad. I am still in search of an insulated lunch tote that will fit these babes (won't fit in a regular 9" lunch tote) in fact, I've got my eye on this one--but all in all I am loving this product. I did notice on the SmartPlanetHome site that there are smaller sized containers (square one compartment or round with two compartments, see them here) that would likely work for most kids and fit in regular lunch totes. For my kids though, the larger size was the way to go! Another thing I might try is getting some small, non-toxic cold packs that could lie flat in the bottom of the large section to keep a tuna sandwich cold (or the like.) I'll let you know how it goes.

     In other lunch system innovations, I know Seana from the Ladies Holiday team bought a couple of the PackIt lunch totes for her kids this year and is loving them! If I can fit one of our ECO Lunch Boxes into a PackIt, then you better believe I will be hopping on that train...especially because they have a great BOGO offer right now!

     What eco friendly lunch systems have you tried? What do you like? I'd love to hear!

All packed and ready to go, 

Tamar

 

Simply Gluten-Free & Visiting a Dear Friend

                                                                                        Source: Uploaded by user via Amy on Pinterest

     You might feel the same sarcasm represented in the above picture when you enter your kitchen if you are trying to prepare gluten-free foods, it isn't always easy. Whether you have "gone gluten-free" as a personal health choice, or if you have been forced to make the life-altering switch to gluten-free grains as treatment for a serious health condition such as Celiac Disease (CD), I want you to know that it doesn't always have to be complicated.

Our Story

     My daughter Piper was diagnosed with CD at the age of two, her younger brother began showing signs of his CD as an infant, and nearly four years after Piper's diagnosis we learned that her father--who had carried the gene--developed CD as well after a minor surgery caused the gene to "kick into action." But this post is not really about Celiac Disease, I'll save that discussion for another post. Here's what I really want to share today:

• Yes, going gluten-free can be a big and difficult change
• Yes, making gluten-free versions of your favorite tasty baked treats can be tricky
• BUT... I've found that there are a plethora of blogs and books/cookbooks out there that can ease the transition
• Yes, you can still enjoy a varied and delicious diet of foods
• AND...it can be simple (sometimes)
• ALSO...I recommend that you ask your GI doc* to refer you to a Nutritionist who is knowledgeable about CD and can guide you on your journey with gluten-free living.  *As always, please follow the advice of your doctor when making any dietary or lifestyle changes, and remember that this post refers to my own experiences, is not to be taken as advice in place of a doctor, and that the information I share here is not to be considered comprehensive of the many layers and details on the subject.

Wholesome Simplicity

     That said...over the weekend I popped in to see one of my favorite people in the world, my sister-by-heart and fellow Ladies Holiday contributor, Seana. Seana does not have CD, but she chooses to eat mostly gluten-free grains because she finds that it is easier on her overall system. When I stopped by, Seana was making a simple meal which happened to be gluten free and which looked and smelled so scrumptious that without thought I began taking photos (taking photos of food, though usually my own, has become a habit since I started blogging about food...I can't help it!) I wanted to share it with you today, not because it was gourmet or particularly "exciting" as meals go, but it was wholesome, healthy, gluten-free, and so simple! I knew right away that this was a perfect example of how easy it can be to make the switch, in addition to being careful about cross-contamination, making a traditional meal into a gluten-free one can be as simple as swapping out one ingredient.

Without further adieu, I give you...

Seana's Gluten-Free Garden Goulash

Aliment, Copyright 2012

by Seana (as told to Tamar)

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 10 min

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Ingredients

• 3 Fresh veggies of choice (we used onion, green bell pepper, and tomato)
• Protien of choice (we used lean ground turkey)
• Gluten-Free Rice elbow pasta (we like Tinkyada brand)
• Plenty of Extra Virgin Olive Oil for cooking and drizzling

Instructions

• Put a pot of water on to boil. When water starts to boil toss in your gluten-free pasta and cook according to package directions. Tinkyada has a simple, mess-up free method of cooking their pasta until it is perfectly al dente and not mushy!

• While waiting for water to boil...Toss your protein choice into a frying pan and cook over medium high heat until cooked as desired (we scrambled the ground meat and cooked until slightly crispy.)

• While protein is cooking, chop veggies into big chunks. Heat oil in a saute pan over medium heat and toss veggies in to lightly saute until crisp tender and bright in color, then remove from heat.

• When everything is done (pasta drained, protein cooked through, veggies crisp and tender) layer your plate with pasta, veg, and protein. Drizzle a generous serving of healthy Extra Virgin Olive Oil over the top. Dig in!

• It's that simple...and delicious!

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     I was astonished by how the flavors blended and exploded in my mouth in their simple, wholesome goodness. The tomatoes were especially sweet and everything was so flavorful. I am one who loves to add salt to my food, but as I've been going for a cleaner diet I have learned to take several bites of my food (not just one) before deciding if a little salt is in order. I had no desire to add anything to this meal. Feel free to add spices if you wish to liven things up, but I promise you there is nothing bland about this meal. Also, I recommend sticking to no more than three veggies, one of them being a savory choice (like onion, shallot, or garlic) this not only keeps your prep simple, it allows each flavor to stand out without being overwhelmed by too many flavors. Divine. Simply divine.

     Another interesting note, Seana adds a generous portion of healthy fats to pretty much every meal by adding a minimum of 2 Tbs of Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO) to whatever she's eating (that's not counting the EVOO she cooks with!) Choosing the right oil, with the most flavor is important. I also had a chance to pop in on my sweet pal Deirdre (Aliment and Ladies Holiday team member) yesterday, she happened to mention in passing that her new favorite EVOO is the Organic Whole Foods brand, I believe her words were "It's so good, you could eat it with a spoon"...I'm pretty sure she licked her lips just thinking about it too!

     I hope you take this recipe and run with it, change it up with whatever variation of protein and veg you have on hand. Save time in the kitchen with this simple meal and enjoy more of your time taking care of yourself, filling your body with wholesome meals, and hopefully enjoying at least of few of those meals in the company of dear friends...I did!

Bon Appetit!

Tamar

See below for more pictures of my lovely visit with Seana in the kitchen!

All Photos on this page are the property of Aliment, Copyright 2012   

Babycakes NYC & Orlando



The blurry photo is artistic.

Erin McKenna of Babycakes has built an empire based on cupcakes, doughnuts, cookies and all things baked. What sets her apart is that her recipes are free of: refined sugar, gluten, wheat, casein, soy and eggs and are vegan and are kosher to boot. How’s she do it? With style and finesse, not to mention hard work and lots of trial and error. But Erin, a model of a woman with a vision, made it happen and now we get to enjoy the fruits of her labor.

First I became emotionally attached to her cookbook and then her second one…I’ll get to that later…

I had the opportunity to visit one of her store fronts at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. There are also Babycakes bakeries in New York City and Los Angeles. Was it everything I imagine? Did the “happiest place on earth” give me the happiest tummy on earth? You betcha. Babycakes Orlando did not disappoint.  

After spending the day frolicking around the parks, I promised the kids a sweet treat with a very selfish motive in mind, I wanted me some real-deal Babycakes.

And Babycakes I got.

Clockwise from left to right: Blueberry Toastie Loaf, vanilla cupcake, vanilla glazed doughnut and carrot cupcake.

Blueberry Toastie



Loaded with blueberries, moist and delish.

So pretty.

Yes, I had to share. Four ways.

This is the doughnut. And it went in my mouth.

We had to have two. It was too difficult to decide.

Nom, Nom, Nom.

They were each unique in their flavor, but consistently moist and sweet, but not too sweet. It had been a long time since I’d eaten a cupcake or doughnut and these were definitely worth the trip. Remember whatever your own or a member of your family’s dietary restrictions, Babycakes has got you covered. You can order and have baked goods delivered (really!) or…Check back soon for a couple of my favorite recipes from the Babycakes Cookbooks...

Source: amazon.com via Federica on Pinterest

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Bon Appetit Bebe,

Deirdre