Tag Archives: school lunches

Quinoa & Lentil Salad Vegan Recipe

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Quinoa & Lentil Salad Vegan Recipe

Recently, I’ve been posting about the important health benefits of fiber in kids’ diets.  I’ve also gone through a top ten list (part 1 & part 2) of the best high fiber foods to try on your kids.  But having a good recipe or two helps, so here’s one I made this week for my family: Quinoa & Lentil Salad!

Sadly, much of the processed food kids eat today is very low in fiber.  Refined carbohydrates, like white flour and white rice, have the fiber-rich outer casing of the grain removed.  And of course, animal products don’t contain any fiber at all.  Meat, poultry, fish, dairy, and eggs, are lacking in fiber.  Kids who eat lots of these foods are likely to not be getting enough fiber and can end up developing other health issues.  Constipation is the health issue most likely to arise first, and should be taken as a major warning sign.  Unfortunately, other more life threatening diseases such as heart disease and cancer are also linked to low fiber intake.  It is very easy to increase fiber intake if you have a few good recipes!

One of my favorite ways to increase fiber intake is to use juice pulp left over from juicing fruits and vegetables.  There are many ways to use this leftover pulp!  One of the most popular ways to use leftover fruit pulp is in muffins or cupcakes.  I also use vegetable pulp to make crunchy crackers we all love to snack on.

But the best way to get more fiber in your kids’ diets is just to give them fiber-rich foods as part of their daily diet.  That’s why I made this Quinoa & Lentil Salad.  My kids are both happy to eat it (my 2 year old likes to pick out all the lentils and eat them first).  It also keeps well in the refrigerator and is easy to pack in a container and take to school.  Unlike leafy salads, it won’t get soggy or gross, so make a big batch and it can easily be lunch for a few days!

This quinoa & lentil salad contains not one, not two, but three high fiber ingredients.  Quinoa, lentils, and artichoke hearts all feature in this delicious salad.  One one-cup serving of quinoa & lentil salad will give your kids more than half their daily fiber requirements! And it’s vegan and gluten free, too!

quinoa salad

Quinoa & Lentil Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 cups uncooked quinoa, rinsed
  • 1 cup uncooked brown lentils, rinsed
  • 8 large artichoke hearts, quartered
  • 1 large English or 2 smaller Lebanese cucumbers, chopped (peeling optional)
  • 2 large or 3 medium tomatoes, chopped (I omitted these because my hubby cannot eat them, but added them into the salad when I served to the kids & myself.)
  • 1/4 cup fresh herbs, finely chopped (I used dill, basil, and tarragon in equal amounts, but use whichever herbs you like best or have on hand.)
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbsp organic apple cider vinegar
  • pinch himalayan pink salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cook the quinoa with 4 cups of water, per package instructions, until all water is absorbed.  Fluff cooked quinoa with a fork.
  2. Boil lentils until soft but not mushy (approx. 25-30 minutes).
  3. If using fresh artichokes (as I did), quarter & steam your artichoke hearts.  If using jarred/preserved hearts that are ready to eat, simply quarter them.
  4. Allow quinoa, lentils, and artichokes to cool.
  5. Combine quinoa, lentils, artichokes, cucumbers, and tomatoes, and mix.
  6. Mix herbs, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and salt to make dressing.
  7. Pour dressing over salad and mix well.  Serve immediately while salad is slightly warm or place in fridge and allow to sit.  Keeps for 3-4 days.

Variations

  • For a non-vegan version, replace the salt with some finely crumbled feta cheese or some finely grated parmesan.
  • For a vegan alternative, omit the salt and add in some finely chopped olives (black, green, or kalamata are all fine).
  • Vary the vegetables!  Consider adding some other veggies or fungi, such as mushrooms, finely diced red onion, capsicum (bell pepper), wilted or fresh baby spinach, or baked pumpkin cubes.
  • Mix up the herbs.  Changing the herb mixture will greatly alter the flavor of the dish.  Quinoa, lentils, and atichokes all have mild flavors, so the flavor of this dish is pretty much controlled by the herbs in it.

This quinoa & lentil salad is pretty much a complete meal in itself.  Most of the major nutrients are featured in it.  Jazz it up by mixing in some baby kale or baby chard and you’ll be certain to have hit all the high points.  It is not only a high fiber dish, but a high protein one, too!  Quinoa is pretty much a complete protein in itself, but lentils are also very high in protein.  Other essential nutrients like iron and vitamin C also play a major role.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we have!

Trick Your Kids Into Eating Healthy Away From Home

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Trick Your Kids Into Eating Healthy Away From Home

If getting your kids to eat healthy food or choose healthy food options is a regular struggle, maybe you’re going about it the wrong way.  Most kids will be happy to learn to eat healthy foods using the techniques I have previously suggested (here, here, here, and here), but some kids really make it a struggle.  What if there was a way to get them used to eating healthier foods without fighting? If only there was some way to trick them into eating healthier.

The idea of tricking kids into eating healthy food may seem disingenuous, but it doesn’t have to be. The idea of tricking kids into eating veggies often means hiding veggies in cake, lying about the contents of a dish, or giving kids green juice in an opaque bottle.  I’m not opposed to disguising the color of an item or hiding vegetables in a food kids already enjoy, but outright lying is only going to damage your child’s trust.  If we want kids to value what we have to say and to really take on board the lessons we are trying to teach them, we have to maintain a high level of trust.

But we can still trick them into eating healthier.

There is a lot of research out there about how different psychological factors impact how much and what we choose to eat.  If we have concerns about obesity, we can start by reducing the amount of food our kids eat, and we can do it all without their even knowing.  We can do it by using psychological tricks.

In a Restaurant

Americans eat 43% of their food away from home, so it is good to have a few tricks up your sleeve when it comes to eating out.

Where are you eating out?  Most restaurants offer a range of healthy and unhealthy foods, so just picking a “healthier” restaurant may not be enough.  Consider the atmosphere and mood of the restaurant.  Sound and lighting can actually influence what we eat.  A restaurant with dim lighting and loud music will encourage you to eat more calories.  Also consider that certain types of music will enhance your dining experience.  Higher pitched music makes sweet food taste better while deeper notes improve the taste of bitter flavors, so if you’re trying to stick to an enjoyable savory meal and avoid the dessert, find a restaurant that tends to play deep orchestral music, rather than one with a piano in the corner.

Choose the right seat.  In a conventional restaurant, select a spot near a window, which increases the likelihood of ordering salad by 80%.  Avoid dark corner booths where nobody can see you – instead choose a spot near the front door – they increase your chances of ordering dessert by 73%.  And if you can, choose a high-top bar-style table.  These tables make you sit up straighter and reduce the risk of you ordering fried food.

When it comes time to order, resist the urge to order healthy food for your kids, or to pressure them to order that healthy salad.  People who are pushed to eat healthy food make up for it later by “treating” themselves, and you don’t want your kid dipping into the cookie jar as soon as he/she gets home.  (I think a lot of people do this with the gym, too, which is why exercise alone is not enough to lose weight.)  Instead, trick your kids into ordering a healthier option by asking them what someone else they admire – say, Batman or Dora the Explorer – would choose to eat.  Having to order for someone else encourages kids to think more deeply – and often they will change their order.

Going to a buffet?  Sit as far away from the buffet as you can – it encourages you to eat less.  Make sure your kids are facing away from the buffet, as well – they won’t be as likely to keep returning for more if they aren’t staring at it.  As above, encourage them to use small plates, rather than large ones.  Walk them through the buffet and look at each option before taking any food.  (Letting them take before looking encourages them to just grab the first things they see and end up eating those things in addition to what they really want.  Buffet-goers who look first only take those foods they really want to eat.)  Finally, if it’s an Asian buffet, teach your kids to eat with chopsticks.  Many Asian restaurants even have some special chopsticks for kids, to help them learn.  People who eat with chopsticks rather than forks tend to eat less, probably because chopsticks force you to eat more slowly, and allow the signal of fullness from your stomach to reach your brain before you’ve eaten too much.

At School

School lunches have improved in recent years… and also haven’t.  Consider packing a healthy lunch for your kids.  People at work who bring bag lunches eat less food than people who eat out, so why not apply this principle to your kids?  You also have more control over how healthy the food is that you are sending your kids.  Healthy lunch ideas like falafel plates, shish kabobs (and more shish kabobs), and roasted vegetables are filling and nutritious.  Homemade snacks like pizza crackers, fruity muffins, and even healthy cookies or mini cakes will be more nutritious than the snacks your kids are likely to eat from the school vending machines – even if they meet new health standards for “smart snacks”.

If you are going to send your child to school with snacks, consider some ways to get your child to snack less.  Try transferring snacks to clear bags.  If you are sending a snack that would normally fit in a sandwich size bag, send it instead in two or three small snack sized bags.  Studies show that snackers who have one big bag are likely to eat the whole thing, whereas snackers with the same amount of food in multiple small bags often only finish one of them.  And if you are concerned that your child might waste the healthy fruit you are sending, try cutting it up – one study found that 48% fewer apples were wasted when they were cut up, as opposed to served whole – and that there was a 73% increase in kids eating more than half of their apples.

Conclusion

These tips will help you trick your kids into eating healthier even if they are eating a lot of their meals away from home.  When kids are not eating at home, where are they most likely to be eating?  Primarily at school and a restaurants (whether with or without parents).  If you use these tricks, you can help get your kids to eat less and to eat healthier.

But that’s not all, folks!  Stay tuned for a new post soon, on how to trick your kids… at home!

Slim by Design

Go ahead, shamelessly trick your kids into eating healthier.

*Many of these statistics have come from the research of Brian Wansink, who is a food psychologist and the director of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab.  You can read more about tips and tricks for psychological food mind games in his new book, Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Life.

Healthier School Lunches ARE WORKING!

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Healthier School Lunches ARE WORKING!

Last month I posted a series about American school lunches and the changes they have undergone during Michelle Obama’s leadership.  The lessons we can learn from this “experiment” in good childhood nutrition are applicable all over the world.  However, at the time I was writing, there was no scientific report yet out about the impact of these changes on kids, although I did share about one inspirational case study.  That report was released just days after my post on the subject!

Lessons from the Lunchroom: Childhood Obesity, School Lunch, and the Way to a Healthier Future is a report by Lindsey Haynes-Maslow, PhD, MHA and Jeffrey K. O’Hara, PhD that was released at the end of February.  This report highlights that although healthier school lunches on their own will not solve the childhood obesity epidemic or make our kids instantly healthy, they do have a meaningful impact.  Kids who eat the healthier school lunches consume more fruits and vegetables, which is really important when so many kids today eat less than one serving of fruits and vegetables per day.

Obesity is a huge problem for the children of today.  Obese children are ten times more likely to become obese adults.  With one third of kids in America overweight, this means we are raising a generation of unhealthy children who will become unhealthy adults.  The United States alone spends $210 billion treating obesity-related diseases every year.  And those are just the obesity-related diseases, not the figure for all diseases that could be prevented with a healthy diet.  This affects everyone in society, as we are all affected by the economy that bears the brunt of this heavy burden.

Minorities are especially at risk, with African American kids 43% more likely to be obese and Hispanic American kids 59% more likely to become obese.  Interestingly enough, minorities are also those groups most likely to be granted free or reduced lunch status, as minority groups in America have a greater likelihood of having a lower socioeconomic status.  In a surprising twist of fate, this could actually be a good thing – it means they are most likely to benefit from positive, healthy changes to school lunch regulations.

Lessons from the Lunchroom reveals some surprising proof that healthier school lunches have a meaningful impact on kids who consume them.  The report analyzes kids’ eating habits over time and concentrated on kids who consistently eat school lunches, i.e. kids on the free or reduced lunch program.  This study found that kids in the fifth grade who receive free or reduced lunches ate three more servings of fruits and vegetables per week than their peers.  This benefit carried forward into the future as well, with the study finding these same kids ate more fruits and vegetables than their peers three years later.

Three more servings per week of fruit and vegetables on the face of it may not sound like a lot, but with 30% of 6-year-olds consuming fruit less than once daily and nearly 20% of 6-year-olds consuming vegetables less than once daily, adding an extra three servings of fruit and vegetables per week into kids’ diets can make a huge impact on their overall nutrition and health.

Furthermore, this study confirms yet again that positive dietary habits formed young continue to impact kids.  It is never too late to start teaching kids good nutrition habits!  However, the younger kids are, the more likely the changes are to stick.  Repetition helps as well.  Kids who take a fruit or vegetable with their lunch every single day are more likely to eat that fruit or vegetable and are also more likely to form a lasting habit.

Remember, as taxpayers we are all paying for school lunches.  School lunches are subsidized not only directly, in the form of free or reduced lunch programs, but also indirectly, through agricultural subsidies.  Later in life taxpayer dollars help underwrite the healthcare system that pays for obesity-related diseases.  The health of our nation’s youth depends on us making a statement and pushing for healthy change!

This is of concern to all of us, now.  This is not some nebulous issue or even something that requires you as an individual to overhaul your local school lunch program (although I applaud you if you do attempt this!).  This is an issue that each and every one of us has a stake in and has a say on.  The report’s press release says it well:

By September 30, 2015, Congress must again reauthorize the National School Lunch Program and related programs—another chance for Congress to improve school nutrition. UCS recommends that Congress maintain the gains made in the 2010 law, while increasing funding to programs that support serving nutritious produce in schools. Congress should also increase the federal reimbursement rate for school lunches to assist schools with providing healthier lunches.

So go forth and contact your representatives in Congress! Let them know what you think and agitate for change.  Together, they will listen to us.  Together, we can make a change.

The Union of Concerned Scientists also published a snazzy infographic summarizing the report, which you can share with your friends:

Inspire Healthy Kids: Teaching Healthy Diet to Kids in Schools

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Inspire Healthy Kids: Teaching Healthy Diet to Kids in Schools

When it comes to healthier school lunches and eating better, kids have been notoriously critical.  And this comes as no surprise, as habits and tastes once formed are exceedingly difficult to change.  Classes teaching health and diet in schools have been disappointingly unsuccessful.  Today I would like to look at some ways to change our school health and diet education programs to make them more fun, compelling, engaging, and effective so we can get kids on board and make them partners in healthy change!

There are two main elements at work in school programs that teach kids about healthy diets: what they teach and how they teach it.  All too often classes on health and diet are underfunded, so teachers turn to industry publications for assistance.  Coloring pages and activity sheets from source like the dairy industry or the cereals industry become important teaching tools.  This has to be the first thing to change.  Another major problem is that too much classroom learning involves sitting at a desk for long periods of time, and health and diet education has been no exception.  Teaching kids about health and diet needs to become a fun activity.  More than any other subject, what kids learn about health and diet will affect them every day, several times a day, for the rest of their lives.  Schools need to teach the right things and they need to make it fun.

Teach Substitutions

Firstly, we need to teach our kids about how to substitute unhealthy food with healthier options.  Kids need to learn that just because something is unhealthy does not mean they need to give it up altogether. They can learn how to substitute in healthier options that taste similar or in some cases exactly the same.  Kids can learn about how to substitute foods like zucchini and squash for spaghetti so as to decrease their caloric intakes.  They can learn to substitute cheesy vegan red pepper dip for processed cheese sauce.  It is even possible to make healthy cake and healthy cookies that are delicious!

Teach Portion Sizes

With childhood obesity on the rise, many kids are simply eating too much.  Even kids who eat a relatively healthy diet can become overweight if they are eating too much high-calorie food.  In addition to teaching what kids should eat, schools need to teach kids how much to eat.  Make it fun and entertaining by actually having the foods in the classroom and having kids select how much is in a healthy portion – if they get it right, they get to eat it!

Teach About Nutrition Labels

Kids can only make good food choices if they have the right tools.  Nutrition labels are meant to be a tool for helping kids make good decisions, but they only work if kids know how to read them.  Teaching kids what each of the lines on a nutrition label means, and showing them how to tell what ingredients are in a food are essential skills.  Kids won’t know that the snack foods they are eating are unhealthy if they have no idea what is in them.  But if we teach kids that ingredients like sugar, fat, and salt are going to hurt them, and they know how to find those elements on a nutrition label, they are more likely to avoid them.

Teach Practical Skills

Forget the workbooks, activity sheets, and drawings of a “healthy” plate of food.  Teach kids skills they can actually use!  Get them in those home economics kitchens and teach them how to cook healthy food.  Even very young children can learn the basics of cooking and putting together a few healthy dishes.  Teach kids how to make healthy snacks they can have when they get home.  Kids who learn how to cook are much more likely to actually implement their new healthy food skills.  When I took home economics, I learned how to make super sweet and buttery cinnamon buns.  I want my kids to learn how to make healthier foods!

Another practical skill kids should learn is gardening.  Let kids get their hands dirty and plant something in school.  Some schools have space for a garden plot, but if your school doesn’t, give each child a pot and teach them to grow something.  If your schools doesn’t have money for such a project, try asking around at some local garden centers and inquiring if they would be willing to donate some of the materials you need, like pots and soil.  Many local companies will be happy to give to such a cause, especially if they can then claim they donate to schoolchildren to help them learn about gardening!  When children learn about gardening, they feel a sense of ownership over the vegetables they grow and are more likely to eat those healthy foods.

Getting kids involved in activities like cooking and gardening makes it fun for kids.  Not only are they both creative processes that result in kids feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride, but they are also fun activities that get kids up and moving.   In a world where kids spend too many hours of every day sitting immobile at desks, any chance to get them moving around is a chance to capture their attention and excitement.  Associating cooking, gardening, and overall healthy eating with a feeling of “recess” gives it fun associations for kids that will last a lifetime.

Start Young

Get a health and nutrition education program going in your local preschool and kindergarten.  Even daycares can begin teaching these things!  The younger kids begin learning about healthy food choices, the more likely they are to stick. This is especially true in care centers where food is provided.  Mealtimes can be important teaching times even for very young children.

Make it Fun

Teaching kids about food doesn’t have to be boring!  One business startup promoting healthy kids that has been meeting with success is called FoodPlay Productions.  They have won awards for their entertaining teaching of nutrition, which involves theater productions, juggling, and bright colors designed to catch kids’ attention. By acting out funny interactions on stage, they get kids curious and leave them amused. Older kids in the classroom can make up skits in groups and perform them for the whole class – teaching information makes it more likely to stick in students’ minds.  They combine nutrition education with other basic skills, like math, as they count the number of teaspoons of soda in a can, calculate how much money the average child spends on soda in a year, and figure out what other fun (and healthy) toys, like skateboards and bicycles, they could be buying with that money.  Activities like puzzles and games are also good tools  for making teaching nutrition fun.

Get Families on Board

Schools running nutrition programs need to do more to get parents active in the program.  Running a parents’ information night and explaining to them the basic concepts of healthy eating and portion control can help get them involved, too.  If parents understand the importance of doing something for their kids’ benefit, they usually will do it.  After all, most parents want their kids to be happy and healthy, and giving up something like white bread at dinner every night will likely seem a small price to pay for kids with healthier future outcomes.

Getting schools to change their nutrition education programs may take some work and some time, but it is being successfully done in schools all over the world.   It is possible to get such a program integrated into your school, too!  Let’s teach the whole world to inspire healthy kids!

Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

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Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

Roasted root vegetables

Following on my last couple of posts about roasted vegetables, here is an alternate and incredibly easy use for roasted root vegetables: soup!  My husband loves soup and although he prefers chunky soups to purees, I find a hot and hearty pureed soup really comforting.  This is another way to repurpose one meal into another.

Roasted root vegetable soup is so simple to make, I don’t even think I need to post up separate instructions:

  1. Dump roasted root vegetables into a blender.
  2. Add some vegetable stock.
  3. Blend.
  4. Serve.

The thing about making roasted root vegetables is that I find it incredibly easy to make a massive amount at once.  But eating roasted vegetables every night for a week can get a bit boring, so it is worth it to find alternate uses for them.  If it is possible to make a huge amount of something one night so I can do minimal cooking the other nights of the week, I am game.  Who doesn’t love a life hack like that?

Often when we repurpose leftovers, it’s tempting to just change them marginally.  But they still retain the same mouthfeel, even if the flavors change a bit.  By turning the roasted root vegetables into a soup, you completely alter their texture and taste.  Normally when we eat roasted root vegetables, we taste each individual vegetable.  You can close your eyes and tell if you are eating a potato, a carrot, or a beet.  Even if you get a couple of different flavors in one bite, they are only marginally mixed and still identifiable.  But once they are blended into a soup, the flavors meld seamlessly and create a new taste.

Simply adding all these vegetables to a pot, boiling, and blending will not give you the same result as roasting.  Roasting is a process that tends to intensify and concentrate flavors.  The caramelization process that takes place during roasting naturally intensifies the sweetness of even the most bland ingredients.  Boiling and then blending will leave you with a soup that is much more bland and flavorless, whereas blending up roasted vegetables will give your soup all the oomph and power of sweet, concentrated flavors.

Another bonus of turning leftover roasted root vegetables into soup is the freeze factor.  Roasted root vegetables cannot just be frozen as they are because some vegetables just will not maintain the right kind of texture and flavor when later defrosted, plus you’ll lose all the crunchiness that comes from roasting and be left with soggy cubes.  Not appetizing!  But once you blend all the vegetables up into a soup, you can definitely freeze it.  Just remember that if your mixture contains potatoes, you will need to stir well when you reheat it to redistribute the moisture in the soup evenly throughout.

Perhaps the best part about this soup is that it is so easy and fast.  Once you have your roasted root vegetables, you basically just need to spend one minute blending them.  If they’re cool, then just heat and serve.

And of course, it is versatile, too.  You can change the flavor of the soup dramatically depending on what vegetables in what amounts you’ve chosen to roast.  Is it a sweeter soup with lots of things like pumpkin and beets?  Or is it more savory, with flavors like potato and celeriac?

Changing the seasonings on the roasted root vegetables also dramatically changes the flavor profile of the soup.  Make Indian-style curried root vegetables and you’ll have a curried soup.  Italian herbs give you an Italian style soup.  Virtually any flavor combination that works for roasted root vegetables works for roasted root vegetable soup, too.

Finally, jazz it up with different toppings.  A soup heavy in orange colored vegetables, like pumpkin, carrot, and sweet potato, begs for a sprinkle of nutmeg and some toasted pumpkin seeds.  Pine nuts and soaked raisins are the perfect topping for a Moroccan-style blend.  Try sour cream and spring onions (or finely diced jalapenos) on a Mexican-style blend.  A curried soup goes great with some yogurt and chutney on top.  As far as toppings go, they sky’s the limit!

Because roasted root vegetables often include more starchy or high-calorie ingredients, a big bowl of this soup is satisfying enough to constitute an entire meal.  Alternatively, serve it up as a pre-course, or even during the meal itself.  A curried soup can be a nice side during a meal of thali while a Moroccan-style soup could even be poured over a mound of couscous.

Heat it up really hot before school and fill a thermos to send with your child as a healthy school lunch choice – it should still be hot, but not too hot, by the time they are ready to eat it.

To me, roasted root vegetable soup is the ultimate comfort food.  It’s easy and fast and is a great way to repurpose leftovers.  I hope you enjoy!  We enjoyed it so much I completely forgot to take a picture until it was all gone!

Roasted Vegetables: A Healthy Meal How-To

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Roasted Vegetables: A Healthy Meal How-To

Roasted vegetables sounds like the easiest healthy meal/side dish in the world.  And in some respects, it is.  It is simple to prepare, highly versatile, and is usually very healthy.  But there are a lot of ways to roast vegetables, some better than others.  This is a guide for how to make the very best healthy roasted vegetables.

 Preparing a huge batch of roasted vegetables

What Vegetables?

Before making roasted vegetables, you have to ask yourself what kind of veggies you want to roast.  Do you want it to have a more savory flavor or more sweet? Do you want to do winter/root vegetables or summer vegetables?  You can’t just mix and match any vegetables.  Some cook slower and others faster, plus some flavors just go together better.

Some vegetables can go either way, which I tend to think of as onions (especially yellow/white/brown/Spanish onions for winter vegetable roasts and red onions for summer vegetable roasts) and garlic primarily.  Tomatoes can also be nice in a winter vegetable roast, especially if you’re planning to puree it into soup later.  I find eggplant can also go either way.  If you do want to mix it up a bit, for instance to mix carrots in with “summer” vegetables, put them in to roast for a while before adding your other vegetables.  For the most part, however, I divide vegetables into “summer” and “winter” vegetables, although there may be some crossover as to when the veggies are actually in season.

Winter Vegetable Mix for Roasting

Winter Vegetables
Winter vegetables tend to be hard vegetables that take a bit longer to cook.  The ones in bold below are especially sweet and can be mixed in with a more savory mixture or selected on their own to make a sweet mix that will appeal to kids’ sweet tooth palates.

  • Carrots
  • Parsnip
  • Turnip
  • Rutabaga/Swede
  • Celeriac/Celery Root
  • Potatoes
  • Sweet Potatoes
  • Beets
  • Pumpkin/Butternut/Winter Squash
  • Kholrabi
  • Radish/Daikon
  • Yam
  • Cassava/Yuca/Manioc
  • Jerusalem Artichoke/Sunchoke

Summer Vegetables
Summer vegetables tend to be softer, quicker to cook, and more varied in type.

  • String Beans/Green Beans/Wax Beans
  • Asparagus
  • Summer Squash/Button Squash
  • Zucchini
  • Tomatoes/Cherry Tomatoes/Grape Tomatoes/Heirloom Tomatoes
  • Eggplant
  • Corn
  • Capsicum/Bell Pepper
  • Sweet Mini Peppers
  • Spring Onions
  • Cabbage
  • Cauliflower
  • Broccoli
  • Mushrooms
  • Brussels Sprouts

Unusual Additions
Some foods are not “traditional” additions to a tray of roasted vegetables, but can actually complement a tray of roasted vegetables, make it “pop,” or become a great talking point.  If you’re making a savory dish, adding one sweet or tart element, like fruit or berries, creates an added flavor dimension that takes a dish above and beyond.  Who says roasted vegetables have to be simple or boring?!  For instance, adding sliced star fruit into a tray of green and red summer vegetables will be both visually and flavorfully appealing, but will also be a great talking point around the table.

  • Baby Bok Choy
  • Celery
  • Cucumbers (salt first to draw out extra moisture)
  • Olives/Capers
  • Berries (Strawberries, Blackberries, Raspberries)
  • Figs
  • Peaches
  • Pineapple
  • Apple
  • Grapes
  • Tofu
  • Tempeh
  • Seitan

Cut Them Up

Vidalia Chop WizardCutting up veggies to roast sounds simple, but some techniques are better than others.  I used to just roughly chop up vegetables into big bite-sized pieces, but after having kids I realized this was less than ideal.  Not only did it mean I had to cut them up further for my kids, but uneven sized meant some small pieces were overcooked while other big pieces were undercooked.  If you’re just planning to whiz them into soup, this won’t matter, but if you actually want to eat your roast vegetables, you need consistency.  Ideally, you want all pieces about the same size and you want them small enough for your kids.

Vidalia Chop WizardI use a Vidalia Chop Wizard to attain an even dice on all hard vegetables.  The cubes it makes are always the same size and are perfectly bite-sized for babies and toddlers.  Because they are smaller, they cook a faster, but it is so easy to use that you won’t have to spend lots of time chopping your vegetables.  I just slice them and then push them through my Vidalia Chop Wizard.  I have been using this thing for at least 10 years now and it’s still going.  I have tried other brands, but I’m nowhere near as enthusiastic about them.  This one, I would actually buy again.  It’s cheap and it saves me loads of chopping time. And it is apparently indestructible. What’s not to love?

For summer vegetables, I just try my best to get them in bite-size pieces all of approximately the same size.  I might slice beans and asparagus all into one-inch pieces.  Zucchini I will slice lengthwise in quarters and then slice into sticks or chunks depending on how skinny my zucchini are.  (Zucchini are my favorite summer vegetable.  LOVE their versatility!).

Seasoning

I use a huge variety of seasonings and I tend to season winter and summer vegetables differently.  In fact, seasoning roasted vegetables really merits its own post, which I think I’ll save for tomorrow.

Mixing Vegetables for Roasting

The most important part of seasoning roasted vegetables is getting the right amount of oil on.  You want just enough to lightly coat them.  Too little and your veggies will become too dried out.  Too much and you’ll have a disgusting oily layer at the bottom of your pan.  I used to just dump a whole bunch of oil on top of the vegetables in the pan and hope for the best.  The best was never what I got.  No, to get the right result, you really must season first in another bowl where you can thoroughly toss your vegetables.  I always used my hands so I can get a literal feel for how much oil is on my vegetables.  As a rule, I add just a couple of tablespoons, mix, and add more if necessary to coat.  By tossing in a separate bowl, you can make sure oil and seasonings are evenly distributed, but you also avoid gross roasted vegetables if too much oil goes in.  Just leave the extra at the bottom of the bowl when you transfer to a baking tray/pan.  (Don’t just dump the vegetables in – spoon them or scoop them in.)

At their most basic, season your vegetables with sea salt and cracked black pepper.  Roasted vegetables caramelize nicely so they really have amazing flavors on their own, which just need a note of salt to highlight.  As I said above, you can season with all sorts of flavors, herbs, and spices, but that’s for another post…

Now Roast Them!

Roasted Vegetables

For root vegetables chopped small, I will fill a whole tray with them – they shrink as they cook – and I won’t worry about even trying to do a single layer.  I then mix them up during the cooking process so that as the top layer gets a nice caramelized brown color, I mix it to put the bottom layer on top.  This ensures the nice crunchy caramelized bits are distributed throughout and nothing burns.  Summer vegetables, on the other hand, I always try to get in as much of a single layer as I can, because they tend to be more watery types of vegetables and benefit from having more access to the air circulating in the oven.

You want to get the temperature such that it is hot enough to cook the vegetables but not so hot it burns them before they have time to caramelize.  I generally cook mine at 180 C fan forced or 200 C if not (Americans should use 400 F).  Root vegetables take 45-60 minutes to cook through if they are chopped small or 60-75 minutes if chopped large.  Summer vegetables generally take 30-45 minutes.

Serve Them

Roasted vegetables are delicious as a side dish, but I also use them as a main so they can be the star of the show.  Starchy winter vegetables are hearty enough to really fill you up.  Pair them with a less conventional grain dish, like polenta, quinoa, or even couscous.  Roast some marinated tofu or tempeh in the oven at the same time or add cubed tofu or tempeh to your roasted vegetable dish and you’ll have a complete meal.

Roasted vegetables are also good cold.  This makes them an ideal part of a school lunch.  Both winter and summer vegetable roasts are good cold and lend themselves to becoming portions of a school lunch.  You can also send them as filling in a wrap or, rather than using a grain-based wrap, make a flat omelet and wrap that around your roasted vegetables for a high-protein lunch option.  This is where the small dice method really comes in handy – it is just the perfect size and shape for filling wraps and omelets!

So go ahead, enjoy your perfectly roasted vegetables.  Winter or summer, hot or cold, they are a delicious and nutritious addition to your kids’ diet.  Remember, even if your kids are vegetable-averse, you can tempt them by doing a sweet mixture, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, butternut, and beets with apples or peaches mixed in.  Delicious, nutritious, and kid friendly! Yay!

(Raw) Vegan Gluten Free Pizza Crackers

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(Raw) Vegan Gluten Free Pizza Crackers

Maybe it is because I am a child of the 80’s that I remember eating pizza-flavored crackers as I grew up. I’m probably thinking of the Combos Pizzeria Pretzel, pizza flavored bugles crackers, or the inimitable Combos Pepperoni Pizza Cracker, although the thought of pepperoni-flavored anything pretty much freaks me out now.  Still, I love pizza and it is probably one of my favorite foods.  So what could be better than a pizza-flavored snack?  A healthy pizza-flavored snack, of course!

Carrots, beets, and red capsicum/bell pepper cut up and ready to be juiced.

Carrots, beets, and red capsicum/bell pepper cut up and ready to be juiced.

So here it is, the ultimate snack of goodness that your kids will love because it tastes like pizza and that you will love because there is nothing that could even remotely be construed as unhealthy in it.  That’s right, they are vegan, gluten-free, raw (if you keep the temperature on your oven below 115 F/46 C), fat-free, and they are even kosher enough for the strictest of Passover-keeping Jews (and there is no diet more strict than that – they make gluten free and paleo look like wimps).  I am honestly convinced that this recipe is the snack recipe to end all snack recipes.  Because it is made of amazing.

Add spices to juice pulp to flavor it. When the pulp is dehydrated, the flavor concentrates and makes these crackers FULL of flavor!

Add spices to juice pulp to flavor it. When the pulp is dehydrated, the flavor concentrates and makes these crackers FULL of flavor!

The key ingredient in this recipe is juice pulp, so you actually kind of get a two-for-one deal in this recipe.  Sure, you get a crunchy snack cracker that tastes like pizza, but you also get some super healthy (and yummy) juice to drink.  It really is an all-around winner.

Juice pulp and spice mix spread on a baking tray, ready to be dehydrated into crackers

Juice pulp and spice mix spread on a baking tray, ready to be dehydrated into crackers

Vegan Gluten-Free Pizza Crackers

Ingredients

4-5 packed cups juice pulp from red/orange veggies (I used carrots, beets, and red capsicum/bell pepper)
1 heaping tbsp tomato paste
1 heaping tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)
1 tsp rubbed oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp salt (I use pink himalayan salt)

Instructions

  1. Juice your vegetables and discard the juice.  Just kidding! Drink the juice and keep the pulp to make these crackers.
  2. Mix all ingredients.  I recommend using your hands to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed and to break up any clumps of pulp.
  3. Using the flat of your palm, press pulp mixture evenly onto 2 cookie trays lined with baking/wax paper.  Depending on how thick you want your crackers to be, this will fill 2 medium or 2 medium-large trays (or 1 giant tray).  Alternately, press into the trays provided with your dehydrator.
  4. If you are making thicker crackers, score the pulp with a knife so you can break the crackers apart easily later.
  5. Optionally sprinkle top of crackers with sea salt.
  6. Place the trays in your oven on the lowest setting.  I use 50 C fan forced, but keep it below 46 C if you are going for a raw option.  (Although this designation makes me confused, as it definitely gets above 46C in the Aussie outback on a regular basis, so I suppose nothing grown there could be considered raw… but I digress.)  Bake until crispy.  Times vary depending on your oven, settings, and thickness of the crackers.  I make mine quite thin and with fan force on it takes only 3 hours to fully dehydrate these crackers.  If you are doing thicker crackers, do not have fan force, or use a centrifugal juicer that does not get out as much juice as a masticating juicer, it may well take 5 hours to complete this.
  7. Break apart crackers and test.  If you made thicker crackers, break on the lines you scored.  If you made thinner crackers like I do, you will find they have shrunk and cracked on their own during the dehydrating process.  They won’t be perfect little squares, but who cares when they taste so good?!  If crackers are not crunchy and brittle, return to the oven and check again in 30-60 minutes.
  8. Enjoy crackers on their own or with toppings that pair well with pizza, like sliced olives, sun dried tomatoes, etc.  Store extra crackers in an airtight plastic container or ziplock bag.

Variations

  • Finely chop up “pizza” toppings and mix them in.  My favorite is olives but other toppings such as sun dried tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, roasted red bell peppers/capsicum, crumbled tofu, mushrooms, tempeh, or vegetarian meat substitutes.  Be sure not to overdo it with the “toppings” as you still want your crackers to be crackers!
  • Change the spices added.  These crackers really smell and taste like actual Italian pizza, but mixing in other flavors like basil won’t hurt.  Or change the spice mixture completely, swapping for instance with Mexican spice mix to make “taco” crackers.
The final juice pulp crackers have a nice reddish-orange color that suits their pizza flavor. They're very high in fiber and also have lots of great nutrition. Because they are so highly concentrated, they also have a delicious flavor - you will be really surprised!

The final juice pulp crackers have a nice reddish-orange color that suits their pizza flavor. They’re very high in fiber and also have lots of great nutrition. Because they are so highly concentrated, they also have a delicious flavor – you will be really surprised!

I hope your kids love these crackers as much as mine do!  I’ve actually had to restrict my older toddler from eating too many or he’ll eat the whole lot of them.  Of course, if you have a child who suffers from constipation, eating the whole lot of crackers might be a good move – these snacks will keep your kids very regular!  But given that most kids today do not enough enough fiber, these crunchy crackers are a really healthy addition to your kids’ diets.  In fact, even my “big kid” had been sneaking crackers from their box constantly – and he’s the one who’s supposed to be doing a juice fast!

Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Shish Kabobs (Part 2)

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Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Shish Kabobs (Part 2)

Yesterday, I posted the amazing lunch idea of shish kabobs.  However, I was only able to get through the cold shish kabobs.  Don’t let that fool you – grilled shish kabobs can be made hot for dinner one night and put in the fridge for a yummy lunch the next day.  Trust me, they are delicious!  Don’t have a grill?  Place them on a tray on the top rack of your oven and turn on the grill/broiler setting (just keep a close eye on them so they don’t burn).  Remember to thoroughly soak wooden skewers so they don’t burn.  Here are some amazing and delicious grilled kabob ideas to help inspire your healthy kids!

Grilled Kabobs

Grilled kabobs can be served hot for dinner and then cold for lunch the next day, so this is a great opportunity to make two meals at one time.  Grilling makes it possible to include a much wider variety of vegetables that are not so palatable raw.  It also introduces a greater variety of vegan protein options.  You can grill kabobs with a marinade or send grilled kabobs to school with a dipping sauce.

Grilled Vegetable Kabobs

Any vegetables and fruits that can go on the grill can go on a kabob.  Zucchini and button or yellow summer squash are my go-to favorites, but cauliflower also ranks very high on my list of favorite slightly-blackened vegetables.  (Just make sure to spear cauliflower and broccoli through the stalk of each floret so they don’t fall off when grilled.)  Other good kabob vegetables are baby eggplant, button mushrooms, capsicum (bell pepper) – any color, banana peppers, red onion, thick asparagus, and cherry tomatoes.  Alternate colors for a beautiful kabob that will be especially appealing to young children.  Slice vegetables more thinly than you might normally to ensure they cook all the way through (if you hate biting into a kabob to discover your zucchini is still raw inside, then why would your kid like it?).  Include a small amount of fruit, like pineapple, to give a different flavor.  Marinades can run the gamut from Asian-inspired to garlic and herb.  Alternatively, grill vegetables plain and provide a simple dipping sauce.

Grilled Cheese Kabobs

If your mouth is watering with visions of a grilled cheese sandwich, I’m sorry to disappoint you.  Processed American cheese isn’t particularly healthy, but it also won’t do well on a kabob.  It will just melt and fall off.  However, there are some cheeses that can stand up to a flame.  Paneer (an Indian cheese), halloumi, and feta are all cheeses that do well on a grill.  You can of course pair them with any of the vegetable options listed above.  With the paneer, marinade vegetables in a (mild) curry marinade before adding them, to give an Indian touch.  Pair halloumi with flavors like basil, oregano, or thyme; vegetables such as red onion, cherry tomato, and zucchini; and fruit like lemon. Feta is amazing with olives, cubed whole grain bread, red onion, cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced lemon.  Grilling the cheese will give it a smoky flavor it will maintain even once cool and in the lunchbox.

Grilled Seitan Skewers

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Gluten intolerants beware: Seitan is made from wheat gluten, which is awesome if you’re a vegetarian or vegan who thinks gluten is the protein of the gods, but not so good if you’re allergic.  I find the texture of seitan closer to meat than other substitutes I have tried.  It absorbs flavors wonderfully and is amazing on a gril and on a kabob.  You can grill it on its own, as you see above, or you can combine it with vegetables. Be sure to marinade it. Try something with personality like a green goddess dressing and chimichurri sauce if you’re grilling it on its own.  But you can also combine it with veggies.  Pair it with some broccoli and brush with a tamarind glaze, or add some baby corn and snow peas and brush with teriyaki sauce.  You won’t regret it, and your kids won’t even realize they’re not eating chicken.

Grilled Tempeh Kabobs

Unlike tofu, which is rather bland, tempeh has a more distinct flavor, which is pleasantly nutty.  Add it to any of the grilled vegetable kabobs and brush them with any marinade you like.  It pairs with just about anything and adds a great vegan source of protein.  Alternatively, grill it plain and send kabobs to school with your kids with a satay sauce. No peanuts allowed in school? Sub in cashews instead.  Kids go to a nut-free school? No problem!  Use a butter made from sunflower seeds to make your satay sauce!

Grilled Tofu Kabobs

Tofu is more bland than tempeh, but absorbs flavors wonderfully, making it perfect for marinades.  Marinate your tofu and vegetables together before grilling. Before marinating, ensure you are using extra-firm tofu, and squeeze the extra water out by pressing gently on the block with a tea towel.  Personally, I prefer tofu in Asian-style sauces, but it is so versatile there is no reason to limit yourself.  Want to marinate it in herbs and garlic? Go for it!  You can also cut your tofu in long sticks rather than cubes, so your skewer contains only tofu.  Consider coating your tofu in panko breadcrumbs or crushed wasabi peas after thoroughly marinating, for a crunchy outer coating.

Grilled Fruit Kabobs

Another dimension to dessert is actually grilling fruit.  I don’t find many people cook fruit these days, aside from the very occasional stewed fruit or cold fruit soup.  But trust me when I saw that grilled fruit is amazing.  Peaches, apples, pineapple, and star fruit are my particular favorites.  But step outside the box and try including fruits like bananas, watermelon, plums, apricots, strawberries, fresh coconut, and cantaloupe (rock melon).  Fruit kabobs are grilled to perfection in just about 7 minutes, making them easy to throw on the grill for dessert after a meal – just make some extra and chill them to send to school for a fruit kabob with a different and distinctly smoky-sweet flavor.

Get Kids Involved

Getting kids involved is one of the best ways to inspire them to be healthy kids and make good food choices.  They are also much more likely to eat foods they have helped make.  Plus, they might be tempted to snack on the leftover fruits and vegetables.  Putting together shish kabobs is also an entertaining activity for them, which saves you on finding something to entertain bored kids late on a Sunday afternoon, while also saving you time making their lunches!  Just place some sticks on the counter with a wide variety of items they can skewer.  Make sure you supervise them so they don’t hurt themselves (or each other) with the skewers.  That way they can add exactly the things they like.

In general, kabobs are a fantastic lunch food.  They are easily portable and they are lots of fun, especially if you send them with a dipping sauce.  They can be hot or cold, sweet or savory.  They can easily contain vegetables, fruits, protein, and grains all at once, so enough shish kabobs pretty much make up a complete meal.  They are a perfect way to use up leftover largely chopped, sliced, or diced vegetables.  I hope you enjoy these recipe ideas and please let me know how your kids enjoy them in their lunch boxes!!

Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Shish Kabobs (Part 1)

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Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Shish Kabobs (Part 1)

Cold kabobs make great party hors d oeuvres, but they can also make fantastic lunchbox additions. Try Italian style with mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil, or Greek style with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Cold kabobs make great party hors d oeuvres, but they can also make fantastic lunchbox additions. Try Italian style with mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil, or Greek style with kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese.

Yesterday, I shared a healthy school lunch idea: falafel plate.  Another great school lunch idea is shish kabobs.  Shish kabobs are basically skewered foods, which can then be grilled or eaten raw.  They are easy to hold in the hand and eat, easily portable, and very flexible. You can make them in so many ways – your imagination is the limit!

Shish kabobs are easily made with short wooden sticks sold at grocery, homewares, or cooking stores.  You can buy metal ones, but because they are sharp and you want to be able to send your child to school without fear of them getting in trouble, I recommend the wooden ones.  They can also be a bit sharp, but the good news is that you can use a scissor to just snip off the sharp ends before sticking them in the lunchbox! If you are grilling with them, just be sure to soak them in water for a while so they do not catch fire on the grill. Here are some of my favorite shish kabob lunch ideas:

Cold Shish Kabobs

Cold shish kabobs can come in many shapes and forms.  The benefit of these is that you do not need to cook them.  They are usually items that can keep well in the fridge, so you can make them the night before, or even make enough to send for lunch for a couple of days.  There’s also the benefit of being able to use raw fruits and vegetables, which contain more nutrients.  You can also use things that melt, like cheese, or that might burn, like cubes of bread.

Sandwich Kabob

A sandwich kabob is like a sandwich on a stick, in little pieces.  Think of what you would normally make a sandwich with and use those items.  This works best with homemade bread or a loaf of artisan bread you can cut into bigger squares (sliced sandwich bread is a bit too flat).  Use chunks of good sandwich foods, like tomatoes, cucumbers, capsicum (bell pepper), baked tofu, or cheese.  Then send the sandwich kabobs to school with your kids with a container of a good sandwich spread.  (A slightly more liquid one is best – think tahina rather than hummus.)  It’s a different twist on a sandwich and you can load it up with more veggies than you would normally put on a sandwich.

Breakfast Kabob

Why not send your kids to school with breakfast for lunch?  In general, I think this is a great idea because it mixes things up a bit.  I love an egg or some lox and cream cheese on a bagel (okay, gluten free and vegan people you can hate me now).  But you can also make breakfast kabobs.  For a sweeter version, make some thick whole grain pancakes (these gluten free strawberry pancakes are super yummy) or waffles and cut into squares to put on skewers.  Alternate layers with fresh fruit and berries.  If you need added sweetness, drizzle on a tiny bit of date syrup.  A savory one can include lots of foods.  For an omelet kabob, make a nice thick omelet, let it cool completely, and cut in cubes.  Skewer with vegetables and cheese.  Add some carbohydrates by cutting up a toasted whole grain bagel.  You can also poach some egg whites and skewer those.  They are great with some home fries – cubed potatoes sauteed on the stovetop with diced onion, olive oil, and spices.  You can also add some savory pancakes or folded pieces of crepe for grains on this kind of kabob.  I find that for kabobs poached egg whites or whole egg omelets work better than fried or boiled eggs for staying on the kabob and not falling apart and making a mess.

Cold Vegetable Kabobs

I suppose in a way you can think of this as salad on a stick, minus the lettuce or cabbage (they aren’t so great for skewers).  For a less messy approach, try using cherry or grape tomatoes rather than cutting up regular tomatoes.  Cubed cucumber is also good, as is capsicum (bell pepper) cut in squares.  Avoid vegetables like carrots, that will be too hard to spear, or those, like onions, that will be too strong in large squares or cubes.  Don’t limit yourself to these traditional things, though.  Add some cheese or olives for a treat.  Wide leaves of herbs like basil also give a nice flavor and a different dimension.  For a grain component, include cubes of toasted bread (actual “croutons” will shatter but homemade ones that are just slightly undercooked will stay together but still give lots of yummy crunch). You can even add a small amount of fruit for a different flavor – fruits like strawberries, mango, pineapple, and figs all go exceptionally well in salads and do well on kabobs. Include a small container of a healthy olive oil vinaigrette for dipping.

Fruit Kabobs

Fruit kabobs are a great healthy dessert option and a good way to get your kids to eat their vegetables.  Basically the sky is the limit as to what fruits you can include, although for lunches some are definitely better than others.  Exceptionally juicy fruits like oranges can be a bit messy (unless you get mandarin sections), but more solid fruits like melons, berries, and pineapple are all great.  Apples and bananas can work well but you need to sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent browning.  Sandwich tart fruits like berries between sweet fruits like melon so you do not need to artificially sweeten.  Want a super treat? Drizzle with a tiny bit of raw vegan chocolate drizzle mix extra virgin raw coconut oil, raw organic agave nectar, and raw vegan unprocessed cocoa powder (not Dutch process!) in equal amounts and drizzle over the kabobs, then chill.

More To Come…

These are just the cold kabobs.  However, grilled kabobs also work really well for school lunch boxes.  They taste delicious cold and provide you with a good opportunity to make dinner one night that you can send for lunch the next day.  They also include more protein options than the raw kabobs.

If you have any other uncooked kabob recipes or ideas suitable for lunchboxes, please do share in the comments section!

Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Baked Falafel Plate

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Healthy School Lunch Ideas: Baked Falafel Plate

In my mind, falafel is one of the most perfect lunch foods for kids ever.  Not only can it be incredibly healthy, but it also covers all major nutritional groups, includes a variety of colors of vegetables, and gives kids a chance to mix-and-match to make their ideal sandwich.  Here’s what to include:

Baked Falafel

Falafel are balls of ground chickpeas, mixed with onion, parsley, cilantro, garlic, and cumin.  Usually they are fried, but they are much healthier if baked.  Because they are mostly made of chickpeas, they are a fantastic source of vegetable protein.  The fact that they are ground up also makes them easier to digest.  They are great for school lunches because they are just as delicious cold as they are hot.  Falafel balls can be eaten on their own, but are usually stuffed inside a flatbread along with a variety of spreads and salads.

Whole Wheat Pita Bread

Pita is a type of flatbread that naturally forms a pocket when you slice open one side of it.  You can fill it with all sorts of things, including falafel, spreads, and salads.  Because it is a pocket, the food doesn’t drip out of the bottom, which makes it great for mess-free eating by little kids.  And it is a good source of whole grains for kids.  (For those of you who are gluten free, check out this recipe for amazing gluten free pita breads!  Use rice milk and egg replacer to make them vegan.)

Tahina

Tahina is actually sesame paste.  You can buy it in jars in the supermarket.  It is shelf-stable and keeps for ages.  It’s really high in calcium, as well as B vitamins and lots of trace minerals.  I use it in all sorts of things – sauces and salad dressings and even desserts!  For sandwiches, mix some of the paste up with fresh lemon juice, a tiny pinch of salt, garlic (garlic powder works fine), and some water.  Send a small container of tahina for spreading on a falafel sandwich.  Or send a bigger container as a great dip for fresh vegetable sticks during snack time.

Hummus

Hummus is a chickpea spread, so it’s another good source of protein.  It’s great spread on a falafel sandwich or plain bread.  It’s also delicious for dipping fresh sliced vegetables in.  Send a small container with your child’s falafel lunch and they can add as much or as little as they like to their sandwich.

Matboucha

Matboucha is a middle eastern tomato spread.  It is made by sauteeing together fresh tomatoes with lots and lots of garlic and (optionally) hot peppers in olive oil.  Make a big batch when tomatoes are in season and freeze it in small containers to use throughout the year.  It is a much healthier substitute for conventional ketchup as a sandwich spread.

Israeli Salad

Israeli salad is another traditional item added to a falafel sandwich, but it is also amazing eaten on its own.  It is basically made up of tomatoes, cucumbers, and capsicum (bell pepper) (my favorite is to use yellow ones), diced into small cubes, with some finely diced red onion, and dressed with a bit of salt and pepper, lots of lemon juice, and some olive oil.   In my opinion, the longer it sits, the better it tastes!

Cabbage Salad

Basically any cole slaw will work here, but those heavy on the mayonnaise or sour cream are definitely less healthy (and less well suited to a falafel sandwich) than those dressed with a touch of lemon juice and olive oil.  Use purple/red cabbage to get more sweet flavor and more antioxidants into your child’s diet.

Fresh or Dried Fruit

As a sweet end to your child’s meal, consider including a piece of fresh fruit.  Figs are particularly well-suited to this meal, as they are common in the middle eat.  Fresh figs are absolutely a delight and are also a good source of calcium.  Of course, dried figs are a good option, too, as are dried dates (fresh dates are amazing if you can get them, but in my experience very hard to find).  Medjool dates in particular are juicy and sweet. For my kids, dried dates are their version of candy!

Sending a falafel plate should cover all your nutrition bases: it has protein and grains, fiber and a touch of healthy fats (from the olive oil).  It includes fruits and vegetables in a variety of colors: green cucumbers, red tomatoes, yellow capsicum/bell peppers, red onions, purple cabbage, and brown dates (or dried figs).  Unlike most sandwich spreads, all the options listed here are really healthy, with no nasties in them (if you make them yourself – you can buy them in the store but they will generally include preservatives).

Not only is a falafel plate incredibly nutritious, but it is also a lot of fun for your child.  They can assemble it on their own, giving them a sense of control and power over their lunch.  It makes them a partner in lunch preparation and gives them creative license to accept or reject foods according to their preferences, all the while ensuring that no matter what the foods they are consuming are healthy ones.  This, to me, is one of the very best lunch meals to help Inspire Healthy Kids!