brown bag blues

fruit kabobs

2009-12-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

No brain science on this one: slice up small chunks of fruit and put on toothpicks or small skewers. Feel free to add a little container of yogurt for dipping. (If it is an after school snack, melt a little chocolate for your fruit-dipping).

Fruits for skewers:

strawberries
apples
tangerines
grapes
blueberries
pineapples
kiwi
melon: watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew

deviled eggs

2009-12-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

I think eggs are a great idea.

My boys love eggs: scrambled, poached, over-easy. Having hard-boiled eggs at lunch with a dash of salt and pepper is a treat.

But if you want to take it to yet another level, one that you can serve at a party or tuck into a lunch box, you can also make deviled eggs.

I can vaguely remember the first time I tried them. I was four. It was Thanksgiving. Relatives were mulling all about, conversing, standing around in cocktail-style. I was underfoot, a little kid where out of sight and out of mind came in handy. Usually, when it came to Thanksgiving thievery, I would find myself an accomplice. My nearest grabs were my cousin or my brother. And when it came to deviled eggs, no other thief was more perfect than my brother Kerry.

He loved deviled eggs---even more than I did. We would scramble through the conversation, the adult legs, the above-head chatter and steal passes at the nearby table. Buffet style? Even easier. Slide through, slide the egg in mouth, slide away. We were quite competent at egg inhaling. (A precursor to oyster-slurping)?

Adults wouldn't notice until almost no eggs were left. Maybe they caught us, maybe they didn't. Either way, it was too late. We had enjoyed these eggy jewels that belonged to holiday tables. Why not make your little thief's day? Add some deviled eggs to his/her lunch.

Peanut Butter and Apple Sandwiches

2009-12-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a great resource: All Recipes has a section dedicated to lunch box recipes:

One idea is to give peanut butter and jelly sandwiches a makeover. How about Peanut Butter and Apples? Here are more tips they---and I---suggest:

Because apples get brown, spritz them with citrus/water mixture (I use limes, All Recipes suggested lemon)
Substitute bananas for apples. Try almond or cashew butter instead of peanut butter, or chunky peanut butter instead of smooth.
Wrap sandwich ingredients in whole wheat tortillas instead of using bread.
Freeze a small carton of milk or bottle of water to keep lunches nicely chilled until ready to eat.
Use crispy apples! Have your kids try different apple varieties, so they become 'apple experts.' They will feel super lucky and smart when they find their favorite Pink Lady or Granny Smith layered in their sandwich.
Have a PB&J taste party: try different nut butters, different apple varieties and of course different combinations. Do they prefer the Golden Delicious with Hazelnut Butter? Let them decide---your lunches will be that much more successful.

I am a big fan of letting kids have ownership in the food tasting, deciding and vote-giving. At the end of the day, they vote anyway: by eating or not eating. If you can't beat them, join them!

brown bag returns... with panettone!

2009-12-20T05:57:00.000-08:00

I am back!

I am learning so much about blogging and online communities and I could not resist reinstating Brown Bag Blues. I think it has so much to offer, and is an important niche in the vortex of food-kids-parents. So many rich resources are out there, studded with lunch ideas, health updates, new snack ideas and products. Newsletters are flying all over the web, bloggers are multiplying, and companies keep trying their hand at filling our kids' lunches with the best of the best.

And ever is my goal to fill your brain---and mine---with good ideas for better lunches. To arm us with a marching food band: a regular, ticking supply of variety and honesty and interest to our kids' palates.

So here I am, ready to nab ideas from the web, share with you the lunch-rich blogs and sites that are ever popular, and of course extract recipes and inspiration from my own brown-bag-blues-beating brain. If ever there is a chance to educate our kids about quality versus quantity, about making good choices and about being open to novel flavors and textures: brown bags are the best.

And what a treat to be in Italy, exploring a whole new realm of snacks and seasonal foods. [In case you find me on this blog, you should know I blog at familyfrolics about living abroad for a year in Florence, Italy. And in case that isn't enough: I blog on talkoftomatoes about the other meal: dinner. Well, more than that. But you get the idea].

My boys are now 13 and 14, and hungry all the time. They are growing like crazy, their palates are evolving (they are growing out of the 'limited palate syndrome' that I think exists from around age 4 - 10), and snacks are of the utmost. School schedules here a bit different: they come home for lunch 3x a week, and eat lunch at school 2x a week. At home lunches are frequently focaccia sliced and filled with meat and cheese. And every day I send them to school with a snack; last week I sent them with slices of Panettone---a classic Italian dried-fruit studded bread (by the way, Panettone is fabulous toasted with butter and heavenly as french toast...).

bye-bye brown bag blues.

2008-02-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

Now, don't be sad.

I am not; authoring this blog has been a lovely endeavor, and has kept me on my toes.

The only problem is, my toes are tired. Instead of maintaining two blogs, I have decided to focus on just one, my original blog: www.talkoftomatoes.com.

Another reason to downsize my blogging commitments: there is a good chance I will be starting culinary school in the next few months. Something I will no doubt talk and talk about on my blog Talk of Tomatoes.

I still love the idea of Brown Bag Blues. I had a blast coming up with the idea and filling up this humble little blog with tiny size solutions for the lunch hour. All is not lost. If you enjoy this blog, note that:

At least for now, I will leave this blog and all of its' ideas intact. So even though I won't be posting regularly, the ideas will live on.
I have implemented a Brown Bag Blues category on my Talk of Tomatoes blog. Because I love to play around with food, a lot of recipes are developed for entertaining and dinners, but that doesn't mean I leave lunch out. I will post ideas for lunches in this new category; often it will include a recipe.
This idea for Brown Bag Blues will stay with me; if it finds its feet again---elsewhere---I will let you know.
THANK YOU for reading this blog; it warms my heart. Blogging is not about listening to oneself ramble, it is about reaching readers. You made it meaningful; please join me on my other blog!

Cheers, and thank you!

Janelle

green is the new brown.

2007-11-08T11:12:00.000-08:00

Green may very well be my favorite shade of brown.

Green is a special word, by itself touting all things healthy, farmed and critical to our fate. Walking through a farmer's market or produce section in a grocery store, you will be welcomed with long, green arms. Green is an important part of our diet, offsetting brown and offering essential contrast to all the other colors.

Green should probably be the color of our blood.

So, insert some healthy goodness, some greenified godliness into the lunch of your little ones. Their bodies will thank you. And don't make green out to be the bad guy, green can be just as playful and fun and tasty as the next color:

celery
snap peas
broccoli
cucumbers
sliced green bell peppers
sliced zucchini rounds
asparagus, steamed
pesto tortellini pasta salad
lime yogurt
green figs
pesto ranch or green goddess dressing (for salad or veggie dipping)
dehydrated peas (at whole foods or just tomatoes)
green chips (I love the Snapea Crisps variety from Trader Joes; aren't there guacamole chips?)
green olives (my son adores these!)
dried green apples
dried edamame
green jello
pears
kiwi
green grapes
granny smith apples
honeydew melon
spinach tortilla with green salsa and cheese (pre-melted)
guacamole with tortilla chips
dill pickles
pirate booty (the kale version is green; find in organic section of store)
green salad
green apple juice
limeade
green tea

Happy go Green!

slices of salami.

2007-11-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

For the love of salami.

My 10 year old adores salami. He would happily eat the same sandwich every day: salami, mustard and [sometimes] cheese, preferably shredded.

Just to push the variety button, I sometimes just stick a pile of salami and maybe some tiny chunks of cheese in his lunch.

We have had salami slices in our lives for YEARS. Recently, we upped the caliber a notch and started supplementing our salami stash with Salumi Salami (cool photo here).

Salumi Salami is famous; it is made in Seattle (nice article here), by Mario Batali's father. You can stand in line for sandwiches at his shop, but get there early because the lines are long. We lucked out; our nearby grocer started stocking Salumi, so we only have to travel a few blocks and no lines out in the rain!

mini-muffins for my muffins.

2007-10-30T10:36:00.000-07:00

I don't actually call my sons my little muffins; though when they were quite a bit smaller, I did occasionally call one of them peanut and perhaps even 'my little pumpkin.'

Now that they are a bit bigger I call them sweetheart, doll and darling. No more 'how is my cutey-cute?' Or my 'sweet little munchkin.'

Name-calling aside, even bigger kids like mini muffins; it just takes fewer bites to inhale a mini muffin than it used to.

I am a big fan of mini muffins; they are easy to eat when in a hurry, less messy than a large muffin and a nice way to tuck in some fruits, nuts, bran, oat, etc., into lunch. Sometimes I use muffins as a replacement for sandwiches---just to keep the whole brown bag experience interesting. After all, the goal here is to keep the brown bag blues at bay.

These mini muffins were from a mix, so use your favorite recipe or mix and pull out the mini muffin tin to bake off a lunch time treat.

I can't help it: M 'n' M cookies again.

2007-10-26T19:45:00.000-07:00

I make these cookies once in awhile. They don't have a long list of healthy ingredients, so don't hold your breath. (At least there are pecans, and nuts are good source of protein, right?).

These cookies generally show up at our house during holidays, an impulse that coincides with various colored M 'n' Ms. When I go to the store and there are black and orange M 'n' Ms, I just cannot resist. Same goes for red and green around Christmas and all the pale blues and pinks and yellows around Easter.

I think I am a sucker for a touch of holiday, a wink at the season and a smile from my kids who are tickled to find these cookies in their lunch box, again...

M 'n' M Cookies
2 sticks butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
2 cups m n ms
3/4 cup roughly chopped pecans

Oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars. Add egg, vanilla and mix. Add flour, salt and soda and stir to blend. Mix in M 'n' Ms and pecans. Place in spoonfuls on tray and bake 10-13 minutes. Happy Holidays!

eggs: crack me up.

2007-10-24T10:22:00.000-07:00

Eggs.

Yes, eggs. Put them in your kids' lunches! Hard boiled eggs are a great idea for a brown bag snack.

It might be wise to peel them in advance---though if the lunch break is long enough---leave the cracking up to the kids. It is a rewarding, fun event to peel an egg at noon.

I put in an egg or two, then slide a tiny container into their lunch with a mixture of salt and pepper for dipping.

tucking in a treat

2007-10-18T00:49:00.000-07:00

Nothing says you are special like a special beverage. Don't get me wrong: I think milk and water and boxed juices are great. But for my boys, those are pretty standard brown bag fare. So once in awhile, I like to tuck in a treat---of the drinkable kind.

I happen to know my boys love sparkling apple juice. They only get to drink it on occasion, so when I tuck in an individual size sparkling cider, it takes their brown bag to a level above. An otherwise usual lunch time becomes its own 'occasion,'---and they feel rightly special.

clever combos for brown bags.

2007-10-08T13:34:00.000-07:00

...Or I can just put it together myself. I actually don' t mind all the marketing by grocers, companies and coffee shops that cater to parents who pack or plan for brown bag lunches.

I am amused by all the packaging of lunchable, easy-to-grab, pre-sliced and diced items. The carrots come in small packs with ranch dip, microwave popcorn comes in single servings, craisins are packaged in tiny boxes and apples are pre-sliced and sealed in small bags: all ready to drop into a nearby lunch.

In some instances, I don't mind the quick grabs, especially when I am out of time to cut, slice or sandwich things myself. I especially applaud when these prepared snacks serve to increase the number of healthy options for brown bags.

Coffee shops are even getting into the groove, offering non-pastry options for the mid-morning snack or quick lunch. One such coffee shop offers a small container of fruit, cheese and bread. More precisely fruit/nut bread, with a few slices of apple, some red grapes, a wedge of brie, and small 1/2 inch squares of cheddar and dill havarti. I confess to grabbing this snack, and now my 12 year old asks for it as well.

Sometimes, instead of grabbing the quick fix at the coffee shop, I DO take the time to assemble this healthy snack combination. Into my son's lunch I will put this exact fruit, fruit/nut bread and cheese chunk snack. The flavors together pack a punch, the dill havarti with the fruit/nut bread is our favorite pairing in the pack.

...In fact I sometimes serve dill havarti and fruit and nut studded bread toasts as an appetizer for guests! The good news is this: there are more healthy snack options appearing everywhere, all the time. AND even if you don' t grab them on the go, the snackable packs can simply serve as a bagful of ideas for brown bag lunch making!

product review: sigg water bottles

2007-10-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

A fellow blogger, Michelle, over at What's Cooking, has an impressive site full of information for dinners and snacks and above all: cooking with kids.

She asked me to review a SIGG bottle, the stylish new icon to the water bottle world. We bought one and I gave it to my kids, in passing, to see what feedback they would provide.

One of my sons didn't prefer the metal with water experience. My other son liked it, especially that it could be thrown on its side in the back of a goalie box, where he might steal a drink between saving goals (he is a keeper in soccer, and takes his role very seriously). The one thing my goalie son didn't prefer is that the top was a bit small to fit in normal sized ice cubes. Once the ice is in, though, it DOES keep the water colder for longer than other, non-thermos water bottles.

Mom's take? I like that it keeps the water cold, but prefer wares that can be popped into the dishwasher. Sigg bottles are hand wash only. I DO like the idea of reusable water bottles, instead of buying crate after crate of plastic bottles (though a hard habit to break, I am working on it!). Just reusing a water bottle feels environmentally responsible, if just in the tiniest way.

And did I mention cool? Put these bottles in your kids lunches, to keep them hydrated and hip at the same time. You can pick out a SIGG bottle with a surfer guy, astronaut, hello kitty, numerous pets and bugs or designs, you name it. If you are going to carry around a water bottle, why not have it be a fashion statement? If you want to buy a SIGG bottle, go visit Michelle and check out her supply. (You can also find Sigg bottles at REI, Whole Foods, and online at MySigg).

Other reviews:

and a little chocolate to finish the meal.

2007-09-30T17:23:00.001-07:00

I get a hankering for chocolate after most meals.

It used to just be after dinner, but my daily temptation for a morsel of chocolate has started showing up for lunch as well. In fact, I have been known to tuck a single chocolate, truffle, chocolate covered mint or chocolate covered pretzels into my children's brown bags.

Well... chocolate is good for you... just in moderation and the darker it is the easier to justify its health benefits. Here are a number of links---no doubt there are many more---that give a nice overview of the health benefits of chocolate:

I think of the sweet little chocolate treat as a message to my kids: something sweet for my sweet(s), a tiny treasure with health benefits, and an example of moderation (one satisfying bite is enough, and treats are encouraged). It is good to practice enjoying one divine bite, when all you have is one instead of ten. Ideally, then, they learn to be satisfied and focused on a few bites rather than inhale a full plate only to realize they didn't notice the flavors or textures of any bite, let alone one really good one...

I don't like soup.

2007-09-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

When my kids put up the hand like the school traffic patrol, denying passage of certain foods, I remain unconvinced.

I can hear one son say: "I don't like soup," as an umbrella response to any and all soups, regardless of color, texture, ingredients and the like. Certainly, I would agree, you don't like SOME soups; but I bet you like SOME soups? No soup at all? Are you sure?

If my child says "I don't like this food"; my response is "we'll see." I view blanket denials of food as a challenge to find an exception to their full-out denial.

You don' t like green beans? Well, you don't like them boiled or canned. But how about steamed or sauteed with bits of bacon? You don't like brussel sprouts? Me neither, but then I roasted them until crisp and sprinkled them with salt and now I love them... that way anyway. You don' t like tomatoes? But you like ketchup. Ketchup has tomatoes. You don't like soup? How about pureed carrot curry or tortilla soup? Lentil, sausage, clam chowder or simple macaroni soup? They are all so different, certainly you like SOME soups?

If your child, like mine, decides they don't like a food: congratulate their intuitive palate and move onto other variations of that said food. Broccoli can be raw or cooked, cheeses are flavored from mild to sweet to sharp; lettuce can be mild or spicy, crunchy or tangy. I tell my boys: think of it as a taste test, a treasure hunt to find your favorite---or acceptable---version(s) of a food.

And from me to you: good luck with the soup!

not-so pumpkin cookies

2007-09-18T10:12:00.000-07:00

Is it really that time of year? The leaves are turning and the lunch bags cross my counter every morning. The kids' backpacks are strewn throughout the house and school projects are the talk of the day.

I am tickled to be back in the brown bag lunch season, where I dig deeper for new ideas and recipes, and try to rally my boys to try new snacks, dips and sandwiches.

One recipe that I reach for each fall is our pumpkin cookies; though the irony is that they are made with cooked carrots: not pumpkin. Don't be fooled, though, even though carrots are front and center for these cookies, the kids will scarf them down. They are called pumpkin cookies for two reasons: 1. they are orange, and 2. you can decorate the tops of them to look like jack-o-lanterns.

With mini chocolate chips and ideally some kids to help decorate, these cookies look like small reminders of Halloween. Though I must confess, the last time I baked these I only made a few pumpkin faces; the rest of the cookies were adorned with mini-chocolate chips in a happy clump on top. Pumpkin faces or not: the kids gobbled them up in true goblin style.

Carrot Jack-o-lantern Cookies, or
Iced Carrot Cookies, or
Wannabe Pumpkin Cookies... what to call these?

1/2 cup butter (room temp)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup mashed cooked carrots
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
topping: mini chocolate chips

icing
2 T orange juice
1 cup confectioners sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugar; mix in egg, carrots, extracts. Blend flour, baking powder and salt; mix just until blended. Drop onto cookie sheet, bake 12-15 minutes (makes 15-18 ping pong ball size cookies). Meanwhile, whisk together orange juice and sugar to make icing. Let cookies cool, then ice and adorn with chocolate chips.

a special first day lunch

2007-09-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to school! I look forward to this fall and a new year, of finding new foods, fast favorites and revamped standbys to tuck into my children's brown bag lunches. To kick off a new year, I posited this question to the Editor, Silvana Nardone, at Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine:

1. Is there anything special you will pack in your son's lunch on the first day of school?

I packed Isaiah plenty of variety, knowing that he’d be distracted by all the excitement of the first day of school: a ham and cheddar sandwich on whole wheat bread, a fruit-and-nut granola bar, cheese crackers, dried pineapple slices and a tropical blend 100% juice drink. Of course, I also packed him a note wishing him a fun, great day!

Thanks, Silvana. I will have to have my boys try those pineapple slices!

My boys had their favorite sandwiches, some yogurt covered pretzels, apple slices and a special orange drink: Orangina. What did you put in your child's lunch on the first day?

nune's nuts at noon.

2007-08-27T22:06:00.001-07:00

I love inserting a deliberate punch of protein into my boys' stomachs in the middle of their school day. And because school is just around the corner, I find myself seeking for and stocking up on protein-packed, bagable snacks.

Nuts, in general, are a great way to insert protein and good fat into kids' diets. Nune's nuts come from Nune's farms, and these nuts are perfect for noon-time munching!

Years ago, I worked a short stint at a company where I helped them determine what specialty food items would prance on their shelves from one season to the next. It was fun: we tried all sorts of sauces, dips and chutneys, mustards and chocolates, chocolate covered sunflower seeds and hot chocolates. When it came to nuts, this particular brand/maker made a notable impression on me: to this day when I see it in a store, I have to buy it.

Nune's nuts aren't as easy to find in a store as their flavors merit; but if you are curious and a bit ambitious, consider purchasing these online. Nune's farm provides small packets of nuts, just the right size to pack in a noon-time brown bag (I buy the 1.5 ounce packs of whole, seasoned almonds).

Our brown bag vote? Nune's nuts are Absolutely Bagable.**

**Rated on a Bagable Scale: Not---Possibly---Probably---Easily---Absolutely

product review: Ian's nuggets

2007-08-14T16:08:00.000-07:00

I really wanted to say good things about these nuggets, but alas reviews are not always raves, nor are raves always reviews.

I will not give up. We will keep trying different Ian's products, hoping for the best. Ian's has the right idea: all natural, no artificial anything, hormone and hydrogenated fat free. Ian captures the heart of eating healthy; my hope is that the flavors will eventually capture our heart, too.

If you DO love Ian's food, you can order their products right online; hey, at least they are aiming to replace the bad version of frozen food.

Ian's chicken nuggets & Ian's wheat/gluten free chicken nuggets: My boys and I tried these, twice. We tried the wheat and gluten free version, and the standard Ian chicken nuggets. The first time my boys ate them, they only ate 1-2 and claimed they tasted like dry bread with some semblance of chicken flavor. The second time we tried the nuggets, we achieved one, disappointed bite.

Sorry, Ian, we tried! Wish they would've been more of a hit, but for our family they didn't make the grade. These nuggets will never again see the inside of my freezer. Not bagable.**

I think next time we will try the fish sticks.

**Rated on a Bagable Scale: Not---Possibly---Probably---Easily---Absolutely

chocolate chip studded banana mini muffins.

2007-08-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

I am a huge fan of bite-size bagables: easy to eat, fuss-free finger food. I sometimes pack muffins instead of a sandwich, to keep the boys' brown bags interesting. As long as they keep guessing, and new foods appear in their lunches, the interest and curiosity should stay on an elevated level (or so I tell myself).

Mini muffins are a favorite way for me to bake---and pack---muffins: they are less messy than large, crumbly muffins and easy to eat mid-conversation.

And I think my boys get more excited about mini-muffins than they do 'regular size' muffins. This is probably the mini-muffin they see most often:

banana chocolate chip muffins
1 stick (1/2 cup) room temp. butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup mashed banana
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup mini or regular size chocolate chips

Oven to 350; cream butter and sugar in mixer. Add eggs, beat well. Sift together dry ingredients, then add to mixer. Blend. Add bananas, sour cream, vanilla and blend. Add nuts and chocolate chips; mix in. Butter or spray mini muffin pan; bake 18-20 minutes or until just golden on top.

product review: Pie Oh My's

2007-07-31T14:50:00.000-07:00

They are good. In a pinch, if you don't have the time to make a pie, you can pop open a Pie Oh My.

Though nothing is as good as homemade, these pies---we tried both Apple and Wild Berry---were far closer to grandma's pie than those nasty, sugary, all processed no fruit and very scary pies we found in lunch boxes when we were kids.

Do you remember them? The lemon pie or berry pie and all that was inside was a scary, thick berry colored syrup mess (or yellow ooze?) with a sugar glazed crust that made your teeth hurt? I think those original, over-processed pies received some award for epitome of nothing redeeming, overly processed, bad-for-you food.

But not the Pie Oh My's. Perhaps there is hope? Where care is taken to provide snacks---sweets even---with good health and good taste in mind?

Pie Oh My's are Nature Path products; the individual pies are frozen, made with organic whole grain flour and are microwavable. The crust was a pie crust flavor, light but closer to chewy than flaky. The fruit is real. I probably won't buy Pie Oh My's too often, because there are so many choices for food items and I like to keep it varied. But my eldest son will certainly smile when he finds these pies in his brown bag.

Pie Oh My Apple & Pie Oh My WildBerry**: Easily bagable.

This product was discovered by---and the review coordinated with---my friend Alisa from GoDairyFree.

*Rated on a Bagable Scale: Not---Possibly---Probably---Easily---Absolutely

life is a muffin full of cherry.

2007-07-23T17:19:00.000-07:00

I am always on the lookout for special treats to put in the boys' lunch. A twist, something new, and in this case a muffin with a surprise inside.

When I saw these little gems in Martha Stewart's July magazine, I knew I had to give them a try. Any kids would think how cool, when they saw a cherry---stem included---baked right into the middle of a mini muffin.

In fact, I baked this lunch-worthy muffin at a recent brunch that I made for extended family. I loosened these little 'cherry envelopes' and then served them right in their muffin tin. Everyone was delighted; the cherry gave a surprising and sweet burst in the middle of an almond-meal muffin.

Cherry Almond Mini Muffins
Makes 24.

1 1/4 sticks butter
1 cup flour
1 1/4 cup finely ground almonds
1 cup sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
5 large egg whites
4 tsp cherry brandy
24 stemmed cherries

Preheat oven to 400. Butter and flour muffin tin. Melt 1 1 /4 sticks (10 T) butter in skillet over medium high; when sputtering, lower heat, swirling, until butter just begins to brown. Off heat; skim off foam. Mix flour, almonds, sugar and salt in bowl. Whisk in egg whites. Add brandy and butter (pour in all but the brown residue) and blend. Put 1 T batter in each muffin cup, press cherry into each and top with enough batter to cover. Back 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly; loosen in molds and serve.

Yummy Granola from my kitchen.

2007-07-15T20:51:00.000-07:00

I always had thoughts of making granola, but the recipes I found seemed too complicated. Then my mother-in-law put a recipe in front of me that was easy to make. So I tried it: and loved it. The flavor is spot-on and the recipe simple and unassuming. It is a granola my children would be willing to try, in part because it is not overdone or filled with too many unknowns.

Granola
4 cups oats 1
1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
pinch salt
pinch cinnamon
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
2 tsp vanilla
optional: raisins, dried cranberries/cherries/blueberries/apple

Oven to 300 degrees. In large bowl mix first five ingredients. In a small bowl, blend honey, oil and vanilla. Pour over dry ingredients and stir to blend. Spread in big pan and place in oven for 40 minutes. Stir occasionally. Keeps for a week sealed at room temp, or frozen up to 3 months.

kids like festive drinks too.

2007-07-04T19:55:00.000-07:00

When I host a dinner party, I love making cocktails for my guests. But adults aren't my only guests; I like to serve special drinks to kids too! It makes them feel included and important. And I love sending them that message!

To celebrate the fourth of July, I decided to concoct festive beverages for both the adults and children. The adults will be served BLUE citrus drops, a twist on the famed lemon drop cocktail.

For the kids, an equally eye-appealing drink: Raspberry Italian Sodas. I usually make my own simple syrup, but this time broke down and bought a bottle of raspberry simple syrup. With half and half or whip cream on top, and maybe some blueberries or a blue straw, you can deliver a flag in a glass! Who wouldn't feel patriotic drinking the American Flag on Independence Day?

Raspberry (or Strawberry) Italian Soda
Raspberry simple syrup
Club Soda
Half & Half
Optional: whip cream

Fill pint glass with ice. Pour syrup and fill glass 1/3 full. Pour remaining 2/3 with soda, leaving enough room for some cream. Top with half and half and/or whipping cream.

interview with Silvana Nardone.

2007-06-30T18:23:00.000-07:00

Silvana Nardone is the Editor for Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine. She has two children: Isaiah (10) and Chiara (9 mo). I had an opportunity to ask her a few questions, and thought it might be useful to pass along her answers to all of you:

Question: What are good snacks kids can make themselves (after school)?

Answer: Keep things simple. For teenagers, the toaster oven can be handy to make mini pita pizzas or a quick quesadilla.

Question: Do you have any tricks or tidbits you can share re: getting kids to eat more vegetables?

Answer: It’s not easy—my son even has issues with carrots! I’ll puree carrots with water or broth and mix the puree into meatballs. Soups work pretty well. I just keep trying new things and every once in a while, I’ll reintroduce vegetables he’s refused before. It’s a challenge, but what has helped is involving him in the process. A couple of years ago, I asked him to pick at least two vegetables he would always eat: He chose grape tomatoes and asparagus.

Question: What do you think kids most enjoy doing in the kitchen?

Answer: Everything! I taught a cooking class for kids—preschool to fifth grade—for years. Even the little guys got into it. Cooking uses the five senses, so every second they’re experiencing something new. It’s also instantly gratifying to make something from start to finish—and eat it! Plus, who doesn’t love to get their hands dirty and make a mess?

Question: What are a few recipes that you think work well for kids to ‘make dinner’?

Answer: You can check out the recipes from our “Kids” column in the magazine or online www.rachaelraymag.com—just click on Kids. All the recipes were written for kids to make.

Thanks Silvana!

I hope you found this short interview helpful; it is useful to gather ideas from parents-feeding-children everywhere, including the editor from Rachel Ray! You already know: I love the idea of getting kids involved in, learning about and ultimately interested in the food they consume. I tell my boys they probably haven't tried their favorite food yet (and think of all the foods you love!), so it is worth trying new foods, just in case...

silly dilly dip.

2007-06-26T21:24:00.000-07:00

Because if it is silly, it cannot be boring. And Brown Bag Blues are all about chasing away the blues, the boredom, and the roll-your-eyes usual of midday munching.

Though this Silly Dilly Dip can scoot into a lunch alongside the daily veggies, it also mixes well with last night's roasted red potatoes. For a lunchtime treat, put in a very simple potato salad. Why not?

My kids would try it, as long as it is only Silly Dilly Dip and potatoes (they are still getting used to extra colors and textures and wierd, unfamiliar additions. I bet in the next few months I could add one more veggie into the potato salad mix...).

Silly Dilly Dip
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
2 T lemon juice
2 T finely chopped shallots
3 cloves chopped garlic
1 T Worcestershire sauce

Mix all in blender; add salt and pepper to taste. Chill and serve.

because basil is better.

2007-06-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

My very wise son appreciates basil. On sandwiches, he asks for basil instead of lettuce. Hey, let's be frank: I am just tickled he wants greens with his sandwich.

A good friend of mine, a few years ago, was piling basil on a sandwich. My eyes grew large, and of course I was riveted and even mildly giddy at the sight. Happily the bystander, I now had a new way to experience sandwiches: a flavor that had been sorely missing from my sandwiches, a flavor profile that makes so much sense, and is so delightfully consumed, I cannot imagine how I came to be so far along in my life without basil on my sandwiches (big apologies for the run-on, but it was in all one breath).

So my son now gets to enjoy it at a younger age: basil on his sandwiches. His sandwiches may very well consist of turkey, maybe a bit of mayo and olive oil, a slice of white cheese---white cheddar perhaps---and a pile of stately basil. In this particular picture, the sandwich has the special presence of being compiled on an Italian roll. The roll smelled so good, it is surprising I had time to build the sandwich before it was gobbled up.

Try this: instead of other salad greens on your sandwich, use basil. You will have a sense of... being good to yourself. No boredom here, just a measure of self-care.

what kind of granola do you like?

2007-06-21T11:16:00.000-07:00

You may already toss this into your brown bag, or in the very least you have tried granola with yogurt. Ideally, this little note is a friendly reminder of a winning combination that had otherwise slipped your mind.

There are so many granola varieties out there, whether your own recipe, in a box, from the bulk section, organic or not. You can keep it simple or find one chocked full of nuts and dried fruits.

Granola flavors are abundant, and it can be a fun exercise to offer your child [or self!] a taste test. Granola can often be found in bulk: scoop a cup of 4-5 different flavors of granola and bring them home. Set up small bowls with some of each, label them with numbers and have your kids be the judge!

They can place them in order of like to dislike (1-5, 1 being their favorite) or just rate them (from 1-5 smiley faces: the more the better!). With this fun experiment, there is a good chance your child will have more of a vested interest---a bit of pride even---in eating their selected granola. Put a package of granola in their lunch box with any variety of yogurt. They can scoop the granola right onto the yogurt. Just for fun, if you read this and try some granolas, tell us your favorite (in the comments below)!

cheese sauce for veggies.

2007-06-18T22:25:00.000-07:00

Cheese Sauce
1 T butter
2 T flour
1 1/4 whole milk
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg

Melt butter over medium low heat; add flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. It will thicken and bubble 5-7 minutes. Off heat and stir in cheese and nutmeg.

I liked it. One out of two sons liked it. That counts for something, right? Any vehicle to get those kiddos to eat more veggies! It is a warm cheese sauce, and I lightly steamed broccoli and cauliflower to dip into this cheese sauce.

The good news is, although I made it this first time with sharp cheddar, you can make it with swiss, fontina, gruyere, mozzarella, white cheddar, a touch of Parmesan, etc. Good melting cheeses with their distinct, family preferred flavors will clinch the deal on this cheese sauce!

message in a bag.

2007-06-11T22:53:00.000-07:00

I have rarely written notes to my kids in their lunch bags. But I love the idea, and the opportunity to send a midday message to your child.

The message I send is a different kind of message, one that is not hand-written on a little piece of paper, but is loving and deliberate nonetheless.

It is the message I send my children via the contents of their brown bag.

My children carry crumpled brown bags---with names handwritten on the side---in their packs with them every single day. To me, that represents a daily care package from home. And just as each individual brown bag is important in and of itself, so to is the cumulative effect of 'brown bags sent from home.'

What message am I sending, day in and day out, via each humble little brown bag? Is food interesting, boring, prescribed, varied, healthy or not? What food choices are they given? What are they learning about food? Do they enjoy their brown bag lunches? Look forward to them? Do they find the brown bag experience one for exploration, opinion and interest?

If everything is the same every day: I deliver them boredom. If they know fruits and vegetables are important to health: then they have learned something. If I put in a new fruit or granola bar: they learn to try new things. If I try to keep things changing, different, varied and novel: hopefully, they learn that change is okay. If I make them eat everything: food may seem like a power play. If I let them just try things, and choose not to like or eat some: then they are empowered to explore their palates. I could go on... but that is enough for today!

Here is a message I aim to deliver to my brown bag eaters: food is interesting, it can be fun to try new flavors---you won't like them all, but you will love some. The food you eat should be varied and balanced, it may be colorful, you can develop your palate by forming opinions about different foods, the more you learn about nutrition, the better equipped you are to make choices. Food is an adventure and brown bags are just the beginning. Food doesn't have to be boring, or bad. It can be exciting and good!

double the flavor, double the fun!

2007-06-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

Let's face it: two kinds of fruit are more interesting than one. Two kinds of fruit gain twice the attention, offer double the flavor, and provide context for contrasting colors, flavors and shapes. This little bag of grapes plus kumquats offers more than just, well, grapes and kumquats. It adds interest: and that is saying something. In fact, in this bag particular bag of mixed fruit, there was entertainment for lunch hour at my children's school.

I am always trying to inject my boys' palates with attention to detail and an edge of curiosity. I prefer they learn to have opinions by tasting an ever-expanding range of flavors. So when I told them that these dainty 'mini-me' orange wannabes packed a shockingly sour punch [mom grimaces on cue] then a surprisingly sweet finish, their curiosity was adequately peeked. And what elementary school boys wouldn't want to trick their friends into eating a blithely jaw shuddering round orange ball? "Sure, it is sweet," they would say to their friends, watching them take their first bite. Eyes popping out of their friends' heads, they exclaimed coolly: "Well, sweet in the end."

And so lunchtime entertainment goes, palates and friends amused with this little fruit-like dynamite. Though you can pop the kumquats into your mouths whole, I don't prefer the seed size or crunch, so I sliced them in half, pop out the seeds with the end of a knife, and throw the half-sphere jaw-shockers into a bag with their lovely, sweet, seedless red grape counterparts.

Welcome to lunch, boys.

In case you end up trying and loving kumquats:

bored brown baggers

2007-06-01T12:20:00.000-07:00

I was writing an email to someone, telling them about this site: "...it is called brown bag blues... it is about what to put in your child's lunch to keep it interesting, varied, healthy and fun. No more bored brown baggers, no more brown bag blues or blahs..."

...because my brown bag for all the years I went to school looked the same day after day. And it was boring. So my own childhood case of brown bag blues catapulted me to this here blog, where I have carved out an agenda for my children: to entertain them, to entice them and to educate them via their brown bags.

For anyone else bored with eating or making brown bag lunches: you have come to the right place. This blog exists solely to help you chase away those brown bag blues! This site was born out of my need to establish a long---ongoing---list of new, interesting, healthy and varied lunch possibilities for my children---and hopefully yours. No more brown bag blues or blahs; here is a site to pull together brown bag brilliance from both my bagging forays and my deliberate hunt for brown bagging ideas from all over the web. I will pursue--and share---mine and others' brown bag bests.

Please don't hesitate to email me your ideas, recipes, and resource tips (janelle AT talkoftomatoes DOT com). This is a unified effort, a centralized place to pile on brown bag ideas, to find great resources and to build a community of inspired, informed, curious and deliberate brown baggers.

At brown bag blues you will find 'bags full' of lunch making ideas---ways to keep your children coming back for more. The links on the right represent resources for food choices, lunch bag items you might want to try (bagable foods and bagable drinks), how to find farms and community agriculture near you (beyond bagging), easy access to the USDA food pyramid and a lineup of online food trends/ideas.

Also, my children and I will be trying out new foods and rating them. We will apply the Brown Bag Blues rating system, which is based on these questions: Is it bagable or not? How bagable? The scale is the answer: NOT (bagable)---MAYBE---POSSIBLY---PROBABLY---ABSOLUTELY (bagable)!

Thanks for visiting Brown Bag Blues!

orange is the new brown.

2007-05-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite ideas for curing the brown bag blues is to introduce a color of another kind. This particular brown bag is loaded with the color orange.

A good idea for adding a layer of interest and drama to your child's school lunch its to go monochrome. It helps me 'think outside the bag' when it comes to filling their bags with varied, healthy foods.

Orange is just one idea, I also have bagable ideas for red, purple, yellow and white lunches! The possibilities are endless; the goal is to get your brain flowing with ideas while increasing lunchtime variety and interest for your child.

So, have at it: start brainstorming all the possibilities for orange.

In this photo I help you get started:

Cheese Crackers
Carrots
Dried Apricots
Kumquats
Baby Orange Bell Peppers (sliced in strips with a cheesy dip?)

A bagful of orange ideas:

Sweet potato chips
Oranges/tangerines
Thinly sliced orange beets
Cheddar cheese sandwich
Any orange cheese
orange pear tomatoes
Pumpkin Muffins
golden raisins
Sesame crackers
Madarines/tangerines
Smoked Salmon
Salmon sandwich
macaroni and cheese
baked cheese puffs
Orange juice
Peach/mango juice
Peaches
orange-colored fruit leather (peach, apricot)o
orange/peach/apricot yogurt
Dried mangoes
golden raisins
papaya
mango
cantaloupe
carrot muffins, bread or cookies
pumpkin muffins, bread or cookies
cheddar cheese crackers with peanut butter
cheese dip
tomato tortilla with melted cheddar
orange juice
orange vitawater

Orange you glad to have brown bag ideas?

simbree foods

2007-05-21T23:16:00.000-07:00

I heart Simbree. This is a long overdue review of Simbree product(s). Simbree products include granola, bars and bites (1 inch cubes of goodness). Sally from Simbree has been so supportive and lovely about sending me simbree granola, bars and bites to try: I was even able to donate some bites in red tins to an auction!

I really love the bites. I carried them around in my car for weeks, so whenever hunger pangs came knocking I would have a thoughtful, healthful snack to answer. What I loved: it only took a few bites to satisfy my appetite. What I loved even more: they are good for me!

Simbree bites---and the bars---come in 3 flavors: Oat Almond Pistachio, Maple Walnut & Chewy Cashew Coconut. They are all delicious and satisfying; next time I promise to eat them all at once and rate each using my Bagable Scale** (Sorry, I hadn't developed my Bagable Scale---for reviewing products---when I first tried the Simbree products).

I used the Simbree Granola for making cookies, and added dried cranberries as a bonus! I made my favorite lunchbox cookies and used Simbree's Maple Walnut Granola instead of the cornflakes. Find recipe here. Granola flavors include Cherry Berry, Grain & Nut and Maple Walnut.

You will notice on the right of this blog I have links to bagable products and bagable drinks. I have tried these products and like them. If I didn't, they wouldn't be there.

You can find Simbree products at Whole Foods; you can also buy them online.

**Rated on a Bagable Scale (Is it brown bag-worthy or not?): Not---Possibly---Probably---Easily---Absolutely

the zesty 'not ranch' dip.

2007-05-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

My kids have tried ranch dressing as a partner to their lunch-time veggies, but I must be honest, it isn't their favorite. Over the years we have tried this bottle and that, but to no avail. After a pleasant visit on the shelves of our refrigerator, each round of ranch found its way less into our mouths, and more into the garbage.

And I find it funny that I bought bottled ranch, since 90% of the time I make my own salad dressings. They taste so much better, and really are easy to make. Typically, I throw together olive oil and vinegar concoctions, but I do venture out and sometimes mix a mean blue cheese dressing. So why had I not tried to replace the infamous ranch? Especially in my consistent pursuit of making my children's lunches varied, interesting and new. Especially in my attempt to tempt their palate, nurture their curiosity and push them to have informed opinions about food. It is probably my fault that they didn't really like ranch, or really most store-bought dressings, now that I think about it.

They are far better connoisseurs than I was at their age, but then that probably reflects a shift in our culture---and I think they are better for it. All of that to say: we have replaced bottled ranch dip inside the lunch box. I borrowed and slightly modified a recipe for "Basil Green Goddess Dressing" from the Barefoot Contessa (in her new book Barefoot Contessa at Home, p.70). And my children loved it. Their token description was "it is zesty!"

So I whip up a batch for a week's worth of lunchtime vegetables. I send 'zesty dip' in a little Tupperware container, along with a bag of carrots or broccoli. I could probably send cauliflower and parsnips, zucchini or cucumber rounds. I couldn't send---but perhaps your child might like---cherry tomatoes, bell pepper chunks/strips, radishes and/or celery. This 'not ranch' zesty dip is a keeper:

Zesty 'not ranch' Dip
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 cup chopped basil leaves
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp course pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup scallions, white and light green parts

Place all in blender, puree. (I am a big fan of short instructions).

Note: to de-zest it a bit, substitute dill, oregano, Italian flat-leaf parsley or fennel fronds for the scallions.

pink is the new brown.

2007-05-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Spring brings thoughts of pink: pink flowers, pink clothes and in this case, pink lunches. Ask your child to help you make an all-pink lunch and see what they come up with; my boys loved coming up with a list---they even wrote up a list with pink felt pens!

What fun to show off a pink lunch to friends. If you have some pink ideas, put them in the comments section so we can all add to our list of pink. Here are some pink food ideas to get you started:

Salami
Ham
Tuna
Salmon
strawberry yogurt
strawberry cream cheese
radishes
watermelon
grapefruit
pink yogurt raisins
pink yogurt pretzels
Strawberry or watermelon juice

You could even soak jicima or hard boiled eggs in a little beet juice for a pink effect---have fun!

If you get a kick out of 'colored lunches' you can click on red, purple, yellow or white for more ideas!

black is the new brown.

2007-05-07T10:26:00.000-07:00

Don't for a second think that there isn't a pile of black foods to go into your brown lunch. There are, and it is a fun challenge to try and find them! Beyond Halloween and someone's 40th birthday, black lunches need not be spooky nor tacky. And who wouldn't get a chuckle out of an all-black lunch?

We discovered, at Whole Foods, black radishes. It is true! And I have a recipe for black bean soup, if soup is your idea of chasing away the brown bag blues. And you can always count on black olives, black currant soda or juice, black beans on a quesadilla, and grapes that are more black than purple. And I have seen black pasta noodles: toss some of those with olive oil and Hawaiian black salt and black sesame seeds. Raisins! Prunes! Blackberry jam and baby, roasted eggplant (with darkest purple basil leaves). Maybe the eggplant in a dip with blackish crackers or the darkest purple tortilla chips you can find. Kalamata or olive tapenade, fig spread...

...okay maybe there aren't THAT many black bagables, maybe you can help name some? Ideas? Recipes anyone?

product review: crispy cat bars

2007-05-03T13:03:00.000-07:00

Crispy Cat. Love the name. Love it. From Tree Huggin' Treats.

A product review. My boys are growing rapidly, are in sports and it appears they have started down the path of being 'always hungry.' They use their energy faster than they can consume it.

So I have wisened up to their constant requests for food and beverages and added a snack box and drink boxes to our Eurovan. Yes, as you can well imagine I have to vacuum it out once a week. That being said, they take care not to over-crumble my humble vehicle and all the while getting the jolts of energy they need via protein, carbs and fruits.

So when they piled into the taxi---er, van---the other day after school, I handed them a Crispy Cat bar (I love saying it: crispy cat, crispy cat). I like giving them new foods to eat while they are hungry. It seems [my] kids are more willing to try new foods and eat their vegetables if they eat them when they are hungry.

We had three of the 'world's first organic, vegan candy bars' to try**:

Mint Coconut: smells of peppermint patty, taste reminiscent of mounds/almond joy, texture somewhere in between. This was my favorite of all three bars. My fifth grader adored it. Easily bagable.

Peanut Chocolate: upon opening the wrapper, one son said it reminded them of a Snickers, the other said it reminded them of peanut butter cups. Though, neither of them finished it and it stayed on my counter, opened until the next day. I thought it was pretty firm to the bite, not sure about the aftertaste, not dry but not moist either. I will buy it so we can try it once more. Possibly bagable.

Toasted Almond: good bar, I was happily surprised with the crispy rice and remain a fan of dark chocolate. I ate it before my boys had a chance to come home from school. I will have to buy them another one to try. Probably bagable.

Click here to find out how to buy these treats. This product was discovered by---and the review coordinated with---my friend Alisa over at GoDairyFree.

**Rated on a Bagable Scale: Not---Possibly---Probably---Easily---Absolutely

cringing and reviewing brown bagables.

2007-04-30T11:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it appears my boys and I are in a prime position to taste some lunch-worthy products. Because we are making it our job and intent to supply you with an ongoing list of bagable foods, recipes and ideas: it makes sense that we will taste products to determine if they are bagable---or not. So going forward, expect us to occasionally give our opinions on foods/products and whether we think they 'make the bag.'

Disclaimer: I have no doubt my taste buds are different from yours are different from my children are different than your children. So take our reviews with a grain of salt; keep in mind you might like what we don't or dislike what we love! Hopefully, in the least, our product reviews will 1. increase your likelihood of trying new foods yourself, 2. make your kids curious to try new things, 3. increase your propensity for picking up new, intriguing products in your grocery aisles and 4. finding products that you and your children love (and might not have known about)!

Confession: I cringe a bit at the thought of reviews. On the one hand, I love trying new products and equally love that my children are willing to 'at least take a bite.' What makes me cringe is admitting to you that I don't like something. More pointedly, I don't want to hurt the feelings or reputation of the granola bar/fruit bite/bake-your-own/freeze dried vegetable/grandmother's cookies. Those people and companies have worked hard to build a company, promote their product and try to make bagable foods for you and I. So I feel bad when I don't 'just love it.' But I will be honest, and if I don't love it and my kiddos won't eat it then by all means you will know our precise experience of that product. So you can trust when I say: wow, that was good and I will buy it again. Or when I say: interesting, a bit bland and at least in my house not bagable.

If you really want to read a product review where I am squirming due to uncomfortable dislike of a product, one of my very first product reviews---one I would not put 'into the bag'---was for Trailblaze Oatmeal Energy Bars.

More reviews to come!

a flurry of tzaziki

2007-04-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

It is thick and white but won't be coming down from the sky. This flurry should be in kitchens all around, in a hurry to pop dipping options into brown bags the world over.

I thought flurry was a nice description of mixing up this recipe and/or filling a brown bag since for me that process is usually hurried. When I am really on top of my game, I make lunch the night before... but time and again I am throwing, chucking, shoving and grabbing all the nearest bagable items to rapidly insert into the bag on our way out the door: quick---before we are late! So, I make sure at least recipes are made the day/night before, to assist in my morning flurry. Recipes just are not going to happen at my house during the morning rush; but that is just me.

I made tzaziki so my boys could try it as a dip for cucumber half-moons, zucchini matchsticks and pita triangles. Turns out, one son prefers it with broccoli, another on pita with grilled (cold) lamb.

By the way, if my boys ate tomatoes, a pile of cherry tomatoes would be a perfect accompaniment with tzaziki; hopefully your kiddos like tomatoes. Tzaziki is a great partner for adding veggies to brown bags!

Quick facts I borrowed from Wikipedia:

Tzatziki is a Greek appetizer.
The Greek name is based on/means chutney.
Tzatziki is traditionally made with strained sheep/goat yogurt, cucumbers, onion, garlic.
It also might have: olive oil, vinegar and herbs (dill, mint, parsley).
It is often served with pita bread/flat bread, olives.
It is a standard condiment in Greek souvlaki and gyros.
Tzatziki is served cold.

I adapted a Tzatziki recipe from Barefoot Contessa:

Tzaziki
Kosher Salt & Coarse Pepper
2 cups plain (or Greek) yogurt
1 medium cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
1/2 cup sour cream
1T champagne/white wine vinegar
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh dill

Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth or paper towel-lined sieve and set it over a bowl. Grate the cucumber and toss it with 1 T of kosher salt; in another sieve. Place both bowls in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours so the yogurt and cucumber can drain. Squeeze as much liquid from the cucumber as you can; mix/blend yogurt, cucumber, sour cream, vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, dill, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to allow the tzatziki to sit in the refrigerator for a few hours for the flavors to blend. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

A flurry of recipes:

Chevre Tzaziki from Anne's Food.
Beetroot Tzaziki from Cook (almost) Anything at least Once.
Tzaziki from Cooking Light.
Santa Cruz Organic based Tzaziki.
Elise from Simply Recipes provides Tzaziki with Swiss Chard.
Tzaziki from Family Fun.

subway my way

2007-04-25T12:53:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we need food fast. When we are on the road, and/or in a rush we can usually locate a Subway. We occasionally stop to eat a sandwich and over the years, my boys' preferences have solidified: one always orders salami and shredded cheese, warmed with olive oil, salt and mustard. The other jumps in with the turkey/ham/bacon melt which means a warmed up meat sandwich with provolone, olives, olive oil, balsamic, salt and pepper.

The other day I found a bag of mini-baguettes and decided to load up their lunches with their favorite subway sandwich made via yours truly. Does your child have a favorite sandwich? Consider buying a special roll or deli-bread, or use part of a baguette sliced lengthwise to create a fun twist on an old favorite. So when they open their brown bag lunch, they aren't met with the usual. In fact, far from being bored they are delighted to find such a treat made by you!

your kids can make these strawberry bars.

2007-04-22T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the secret is in the sauce. We have 'grandma's strawberry jelly,' which is the only kind my fourth grader will consume. No, it isn't sugar free, not even close. In fact you would probably be mortified if (and when?) I share the recipe. Hey: at least there are strawberries in it, too.

Sugary treats aside, you can use any number of organic or sugar free jam or jelly in this recipe. These bars can be made with apricot jam, raspberry, blackberry or blueberry jelly, you name it. I should probably just call them Jam Bars. But for us and our strawberry-based nostalgia, they will forever be:

Strawberry Bars
1 cup flour (I use wheat)
1 cup rolled oats (good for you!)
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup strawberry jam

Butter 8x8 inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350. Mix everything in bowl, except jam. Press 2 cups of mix in pan, spread jam, sprinkle remaining mix over top. Lightly press down, bake 25 minutes.

By all means, if making this to honor Heart of the Matter (HOTM), eating well for your heart: use healthy jam. As in, less sugar and more berries. Or even marmalade, or another fruity condiment that is good for you! Plus the oats and wheat flour and this little bagable dessert is worth making for breakfast, lunch or a kid-friendly dessert!

The ubiquitous PB&J

2007-04-19T17:57:00.000-07:00

My son went to visit a new school, to help him decide 'where to go to school next year.'

He knew some of the kids at the school, and met others that he really enjoyed. Not too long after his visit, I was having coffee with my new, favorite friend who also happens to be a mom of one of the boys in this particular 5th grade class.

I had to share with her. I mean, how often do you get the fun, social scoop on your own child? I had asked my son what he thought of her son. We were having lunch and he peered at me over his fork and said, "yes, I remember him, he is very sanguine." And, perhaps noting the demise of my education on such highly appointed verbiage he paused to share the definition: "happily confident."

I smiled, to pretend I understood and mask my amusement at his use of vocabulary. As if it were normal. As if his mom even knows how to pronounce, let alone define the aforementioned word. Sanguine. It does roll of your tongue, though, doesn't it?

So I shared with my friend that she had a very sanguine son. And then, adult to adult, I shared the definition. We had a good chuckle and drank our coffee, like grown-ups should.

You would think 'nice' or 'friendly' or even 'outgoing' would have come to mind. Sort of like when you make a PB&J you would describe it as simple, basic, or standard.

But that is not always the case. In fact, PB&Js can be so much more. It is the quintessential sandwich to initiate good ideas; the ubiquitous combination that is the foundation for unveiled ingenuity... (Touché---mom knows big words too!)

I emailed some friends to ask how they reinvented the PB&J; here are some of the responses to my PB&J query, to bring these slices of bread and condiments beyond 'classic,' 'nice' or 'usual.' Here are personality-filled sandwiches that might even be considered sanguine:

Erika from Tummy Treasure had this to say: "My favorite is a peanut butter and banana sandwich with a sprinkle of toasted coconut. When blueberries are in season I also like fresh blueberries and almond butter on whole wheat bread."

Stefania from Family Food had this amazing rendition: THAI-STYLE PEANUT BUTTER SANDWICH. Serve on a toasted, halved whole wheat bagel (or wheat toast) spread a layer of creamy peanut butter. Then top that with chopped salted peanuts. (You could use chunky peanut butter but this method is waaay better.) Then, top the peanut-y peanut butter bagel with: thin slices of red onion, thin slices of cucumber, Thai or regular basil leaf.

Michele from What's Cooking? has reinvented PBJs twice over: her daughter loves hers open faced on Naan with lemon curd, her son isn't allowed to have peanut butter at his preschool, so she uses sunflower seed butter and jam. He can't tell the difference---and the kids at school are safe!

Julie from Bad Home Cooking offered this: "my son loves his PB&J's...but he also likes peanut butter and honey sandwiches (me too: especially with creamed honey and crunchy peanut butter!). A Japanese version of the ubiquitous (hey---that is where I got that word from---thanks Julie!) American PB&J that my kids love is Onigiri.

Alisa at Go Dairy Free offered her toasty "PBJ": I love almond butter on toast with just cinnamon or a bit of honey and cinnamon. I like it in toast format, but a sandwich works as well. Also, very un-nut-like, I am addicted to Toby's Tofu Pate with tomato slices and lettuce. Still a non-meat spread though, only partially with the theme.

Karen's son prefers FlufferNutters made with REAL marshmallow fluff; she likes to sneak in the occasional crunchy peanut butter & piece of milk chocolate---a PB&smores! You can find more of her ideas at Family Style Food.

Janelle from Talk of Tomatoes (Okay, that is kind of a joke, since that Janelle is ME---I write on talkoftomatoes as well as brownbagblues---follow THIS link to my article on the Wellfed Network where I uncover the unusual way my kids like their PB&Js!) talks PB&Js, too.

So instead of landing a basic, borderline boring PB&J in your brown bag, aim for better, brazen and brilliantly revised PB&J's! Please share your brown bag brilliance so we can all bag some novelty sandwiches! And to continue to curb your appetite for PB&Js:

PB&J according to Wikepedia
PB&J ideas by the bagful
Consider an Elvis Sandwich, Nutella or Ed Levine's article on building a perfect PB&J

purple is the new brown.

2007-04-16T23:07:00.000-07:00

What child wouldn't chuckle at an all-purple lunch? Even better would be some musical attachment where the bag, once opened, belted out a raucous rendition of "Purple People Eater."

In the very least, color-coded lunches provide the brown bagger a new way of coming up with lunch ideas. Think 'purple' and scour your pantry and fridge, think 'purple' and visit the grocery store or farmer's market. And tell me what you find! Here is just a small little list to get you started:

purple cow drink (mix small amount grape juice with milk and put in thermos)
blue corn tortilla chips (with black refried beans for dipping)
blueberry yogurt
grape fruit leather
red grapes
blueberries
prunes
plums
figs
raisins
kalamata olives
blueberry cream cheese on a bagel
grape or raspberry jelly on wheat or pumpernickel bread,
grape juice
Purple cabbage slaw (with black sesame seeds?)
Radicchio---or purple tinted endive---with raspberry dressing
prune juice
blackberries
eggplant

Sometimes I cheat and include a 'purple package' of food like the picture of the granola bar or vanilla milk, above. The contents might not be purple, but the package is!

New friend: nutty results

2007-04-10T17:14:00.000-07:00

My favorite new friend has a son who is in fifth grade: aka growing like mad, and athletic to boot. He isn't much of a lunch eater, and she is always looking for new ways to 'punch up the protein' in his lunch. I told her I would give it some serious thought, as I too can appreciate growing boys who need the energy for their bodies and brains!

My first thought was nuts: pepitas, pine nuts, brazil nuts, almonds, hazelnuts. My kiddos love pecans, cashews, walnuts and macadamia nuts. Nuts are a grand source of protein and 'good fat.'

Sometimes nuts are just nuts; other days I make nuts into a brown bag 'treat.' In fact, we went to dinner at my---new, favorite---friend's house, and I brought Ginger Sugar Pecans as a thank you hostess gift. Guess what? Her son loved them!

My boys love eating them for lunch too; they also love the candied walnuts I sometimes tuck into their crumpled brown bag. Click here for the walnut recipe; below find the gingery pecans:

Ginger Sugar Pecans
5 cups pecan halves
½ cup sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground ginger
2 T honey
2 tsp olive oil

Toast pecans in single layer on rimmed cookie sheet at 325 for 10-15 minutes. Shake once during baking. Combine sugar, salt, ginger in small bowl and set aside. Mix honey, 2 T water and oil in sauté pan; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce to medium, add pecans and cook for a few minutes until liquid has evaporated. Immediately throw into sugar mix and toss well—these are fabulous warm or at room temperature. They taste even better on day 2 when the flavors have had a chance to settle.

yellow is the new brown.

2007-04-06T22:38:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year, when I keep reminding myself, in Annie-like fashion: "the sun will come out, tomorrow!" For some reason, this year in particular, I have been craving the glowing warmth of that blazing ball of fire. And although I cannot do anything about the sky, I can add a little warmth and sunshine to my children's lunches. So when they open up their brown bags, they will be filled with glowing yellow on top of yellow: a bag full of sunshine to brighten their day.

What goes into a 'yellow brown bag'? Here are some ideas to get you started:

freeze dried corn pieces (buy at whole foods or online at just tomatoes)
mini corns (canned tiny corn cobs)
yellow squash
yellow pepper slices with ranch (maybe ranch with a tsp of mustard for color?!)
quiche wedges
egg pasta with olive oil and Parmesan
egg salad sandwich
Hawaiian bagel w/pineapple cream cheese
yellow beets, roasted with olive oil and salt
egg bagel with cheddar and butter
granola or yellow-colored cereal with milk
lemon yogurt
golden yellow apple slices
dried apple, pear, banana, pineapple or mango slices
pineapple
banana
lemon bars
cheddar rice cakes
popcorn
lemonade

It you like colorful, bagable ideas, here is a bagful of white ideas and a bagful of red.

the back-talking bag.

2007-04-02T23:24:00.000-07:00

This is where you use the bag as a communication device.

Brilliantly implemented by preschool teachers, my boys inadvertently learned to talk back to me via their brown bags. Huh? Instead of me remaining a clueless parent regarding my child's food likes and dislikes, eating habits and bottom-line consumption, the teachers had the kids return all unconsumed items to their lunch box (subliminal messaging to otherwise clueless parents).

In other words, if you ate half the sandwich, the uneaten half went back into the container, then back into the bag. If you ate none of your grapes, for the twentieth time, then when they return home uneaten yet again, the teachers hoped you clued into the fact that Annie really doesn't like grapes and John always takes the cheese off his sandwich.

Maybe when the only thing returning every day is a bag of carrots and those apple slices, you should regroup and redirect lunch time initiatives for your children: no more cookies or chips or granola bars until you eat your 'growing food' (heard that one before, have you?). Or, when very nearly the entire lunch contents return, you will then be informed that it was pizza lunch day, or that they were rushed b/c of play practice, or equally helpful: it took too long to open the dip container and carrot bag and yogurt container and unwrap the cheese stick. Note to self: limit how many things they have to unwrap, rewrap, unscrew, yank off or otherwise insert into a box.

I have loved that lesson they learned in preschool: to this day they return everything in their lunches and I have a clue into their food consumption, eating habits and preferences, timing and lunchtime activities (among other things). As it turns out, back-talk isn't always a bad thing---especially if it comes from a bag.

another day, a different angle.

2007-03-29T16:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes the best idea is just to look at things from a different angle. A bad situation, different options that life hands you, or in this humble bagable blog: a piece of fruit.

I don't mean you have to cut all their sandwiches into stars and hearts and cars, in fact I wouldn't recommend doing that except very occasionally. It isn't about catering to the little princes and princesses out there, but it is about adding interest and intrigue to their lunches. And maybe, help the brown bag maker stave off boredom.

Cutting pieces of fruit at different angles doesn't mean adding time to your efforts, but it may offer a moment of interest to your child's lunch hour. Cutting sandwiches they don't like into stars isn't going to make them like the sandwich. Take a pumpkin muffin for example. If they don't like it---the giant size muffin top or bag of miniature muffins won't make your kiddos crave pumpkin. But if they DO like pumpkin muffins, it will add a little fun---and a different angle---to their lunches.

So, take a new approach: instead of four big slices of apple, slice them as thin as possible. Instead of cauliflower florettes, take a whole cauliflower, cut off the base, set it upright and slice straight up and down in 1/4 inch slices like you would slice a loaf of bread. Add that with some dip in their lunch. (No, they won't magically love the flavor or cauliflower, but if they already like it, this can draw attention to the veggie they are eating).

My latest way to cut pears and apples is in thin, thin slices. I cut off the sides, place cut side down and slice as thin as possible. So, brown bag boredom be gone! Time for a new slice in life---or maybe just in a piece of fruit.

white is the new brown.

2007-03-26T11:08:00.000-07:00

These little yogurt pretzels show up only occasionally in my boys' lunches, and they love finding a bag of these pretzel treats.

Trying to put together a color-themed lunch can be challenging, but forces me to 'think outside the bag.' I rustle through cupboards and the fridge for whitish foods, and if I really have my 'thinking cap on' I will think 'white lunch' while walking through the grocery aisles.

Though this list is only a beginning, it may help you find your thinking cap:

White Bagables
* mini mozzarella balls
* string cheese
* vanilla yogurt
* cream cheese or white cheese such as swiss, Havarti, jack on plain bagels (try the mini bagels)
* white cheddar popcorn
* white cheese quesadilla on plain tortilla
* jicima sticks
* cauliflower w/ranch or zesty non-ranch
* cucumber moons (remove seeds and skin)
* cheese filled raviolis or pasta with oil and Parmesan
* hard boiled eggs
* crackers w/white cheeses or hummus
* rice crispy treats
* white rice with chicken
* white bean soup
* mushrooms w/ranch or zesty non-ranch
* tofu
* macadamia nuts
* white grape juice or milk
* white cheese sandwich with hummus, sprouts, butter
* baked potato slices

the juice on jicima

2007-03-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

My friend just told me about her favorite new veggie to pop into her children's lunches: jicima. Jica-who? Ah yes, that oddball whitish thing on the shelf at the grocery store, resting---more like hiding behind---roots of this and rutabaga that. I was wondering what that homely brownish sphere was, and always meant to pick one up and take it home. But alas, life is busy and newbies don't always find their way into my grocery basket.

So, it took a nudge from a friend, and now I am giving you that same friendly nudge: go try this. Buy just one little, homely blob and take it home. Then shave it like you would a potato and dice it into tiny 1/4 inch cubes or even matchsticks---the longer and skinnier the more enticing.

Now, all you need is a little loving dip and you are home free. My friend uses a mix of fresh squeezed lime juice and agave juice (I made it with the juice of two limes and 2 T of agave juice). You can just pour a bit of it over, unless the dipping is part of the daring, then by all means add an extra container in their lunch!

My sons just had a friend over; I plated this jicima and lime/agave concoction and set it out for pre-lunch dipping. I stated: "it is jicima, and tastes a lot like a carrot. And the dip is lime juice and sugar (because agave is a natural sweetener---but that is a post for another time)." My boys both tried it, but their friend gobbled it down. "Hey, did you know your kid loves jicima?" And I imagine they would say , "Jica-what?"

p.s. This would be the perfect bagable veggie in an all-white lunch!

p.p.s. My friends Ilva and Joanna just started a new site that will focus on eating healthy for your heart. This month they are focusing their efforts on finger foods---right up my alley since brown bag blues often focuses on finger-friendly foods (for fingers of all sizes!). I sent them these little jicima sticks to add to their list of healthy, heart-worthy foods. Keep up the good work Ilva and Joanna! (Click to read Joanna's list of heartable foods).

lunchbox cookies

2007-03-20T16:53:00.000-07:00

I pulled this recipe out of some random magazine a million years ago, then changed it a bit. I was excited to find a granola bar disguised as a cookie; something still a treat but with more of a nutritional punch.

In fact, I have been known to put granola (sub varying cereals in place of cornflakes, even add a little coconut) and a variety of nuts (sunflower, walnuts, pepitas) and dried fruit right into these cookies. I will tell you the basic recipe, then you can improvise from there (note: if substituting, just stick with similar proportions):

Lunch box Cookies
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 cup flour (I use wheat)
1 cup oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt
1 1/2 cups cornflakes cereal
2/3 cup roughly chopped pecans

Oven to 350. Beat sugars and butter; beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, oats, soda, powder, salt just to blend. Add cereal and nuts. (If you are a dough eater, this dough rocks). Shape into 'golf balls' and bake for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 dozen, though I never count.

red is the new brown.

2007-03-18T22:20:00.000-07:00

When you need an injection of brilliance for your otherwise boring bags: try a color themed lunch! This will spur the brain forward amidst your busyness. Even walk through the grocery aisles with 'red' on your brain; with your 'rose-colored glasses' you may be surprised at all the new foods, lunch ideas and variations you might find!

Keep your child's [food] curiosity alive while at the same time providing them with a healthful, practical lunch. My boys helped me start a list of possible red bagables to get you started:

* strawberry jam on wheat bread
* Tomato tortilla with cheese and salsa
* pepperoni sticks
* salami slices
* mini pizzas
* strawberry yogurt
* red apples
* cherries
* raspberries
* strawberries
* watermelon
* sliced red peppers
* cherry tomatoes
* radishes
* red fruit leather
* red vegetable chips
* small bites of roasted red new potatoes
* dried cranberries
* strawberry juice
* cranberry juice
* red grapes
* sun dried tomato dip (for veggies)
* red pesto mayonnaise (for sandwich)
* tomato bagel
* red pasta in olive oil with salt (with roasted red peppers?)
* red tortilla chips

brown bag begins

2007-03-15T13:24:00.000-07:00

Routine can put a furniture clamp on one’s brain. Creative functions are put on hold as we attend our To Do List: drop by the post office, dry cleaners, hardware store, respond to email, phone the coach or teacher, fold laundry, clean car, dog, and kids, make dinner, transport kids to the gym or rehearsal or music---you get the idea. It is no surprise to me that coffee is such a long-term fad, where moms like me seek boosts of energy, spontaneity and inspiration.

So when it comes to finding inspiration during that lunch making moment, I was as uninspired as the next person. I am stuck in the muck too; that is how I realized you---and I---needed help. So I started researching online and with other lunch-makers, to compile a list of ideas so when our creative juices are on the fritz, we would have a resource to go to for truly inspired lunch making.

This way, when you look into the fridge and pantry and stand before them like a deer in front of headlights (been there, done that), you can close the door and blog on for some quick jolts of inspiration. Too often in the midst of routine, our creative juices fail us at that precise moment we need them.

We want our children to eat well, to be healthy and well-rounded in their diets. They should have variety, both for basic nutrition and for the exercise of their curiosity. Teaching kids to try new things today will open up a land of possibilities tomorrow. Note to children: taste buds beware, we are on a quest to educate, tease and excite you.

To help you, and myself, I asked many moms about the brown bag lunches they sent to school with their children. What would their children eat? How much did the lunch vary from day to day? What lunch goodies do you consider your best ideas? Any tricks of the trade? How do you incorporate vegetables into their lunch menu? Sometimes, especially on field trips, I walk around during lunch time and take mental notes of lunch contents. I ask the kids what they like, and find out what their parents put in their lunches.

My great fascination likely stems from the fact that I made my own brown bag lunch starting in kindergarten. I ate the same thing almost every day from kindergarten to high school. I had an apple or orange, bag of chips and a sandwich. The sandwich was peanut butter and honey or meat, cheddar, mayo and mustard. In third grade I skipped the sandwich for an entire year---you guessed it, out of boredom---and jealously eyed the Twinkies and Ho-Hos my neighbors devoured. I am glad I didn’t have a Twinkie a day, but I am acutely aware of being bored with one’s food. I want my children to eat healthy and enjoy the goodness of food. Life is short; lunch should be interesting.