School's Out: BBQ Chicken Quesadilla's

When school is out, it's the perfect time to make a delicious lunch that wouldn't keep in a lunch box. May as well take advantage of that situation.

This one is a definite favorite for me and the rest of my family. My all time favorite pizza is BBQ Chicken, which is very obviously the inspiration for this lunch.

BBQ Chicken Quesadilla

• shredded or chopped chicken
• bbq sauce (I used Baby Ray's)
• quesadilla cheese (or your favorite cheese for quesadillas)
• red onion
• cilantro
• tortillas

Place tortilla on hot griddle, add bbq sauce, chicken (to taste), cheese, onion and cilantro. Top with the other tortilla and cook until it starts to brown. Flip to cook other side. Slice into quarters and skip the sour cream and salsa this time. The extra condiments and not necessary and would possibly clash.



Sides: Kiwi Cups

Kiwi! It's packed with potassium (more than a banana), vitamin C and has the fiber of a bowl of bran. All that and one of my favorite fruits. Oh, and my kids too. And this is about my kids and their lunch boxes. There are a few ways to send children to school with kiwi but I think this is one of the best ways for a lunch box.

Here is my tip (in recipe form for fun) for Kiwi Cups. Warm up that printer, you'll want to print this one out.

Kiwi Cups

serves 1, can easily be doubled :)

• a kiwi

Slice kiwi in half horizontally. Place in container green side down so that it doesn't roll around and get brown fuzzies on the flesh. Serve with a spoon so meat of the kiwi can be cleanly scooped out.



BLT Salad Sandwich

It just like a Chicken Salad or a Egg Salad Sandwich, except it's inspired by the King of Sandwiches. The BLT. It goes without saying, you can't go wrong with bacon. (so why did I feel the need to say it?)

BLT Salad Sandwich

makes 2

• 2 slices bacon (turkey, fake, reg'lar, the choice is yours)
• a cup of lettuce
• 4-5 grape or cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1 heaping tablespoon Mayo (I use Dukes Light)
• Bread (I used a whole wheat hamburger bun)

Cook bacon until crisp. Crumble into bite sized pieces and let cool. Toss a cup of lettuce with tomatoes and mayonnaise. Add bacon. Add to bread and then write a list of chores for your children because when they get home from school, they are going to feel they owe you for this treat.

Georgia Ham and Swiss Pita

This peach salsa is what makes this lunch. I live in Georgia, the peach state. So adding peach to a sandwich is what makes a sandwich more than a sandwich but a special Georgia treat. This pita is packed full of flavor and is one of my favorites. This Pita recipe is for one sandwich but the Peach Salsa will make many more.

Georgia Ham and Swiss Pita

• Pita bread
• 5 slices of ham
• 2 slices baby swiss cheese
• Peach Salsa 

Cut pita in half and stuff with ham and cheese. (I also added spinach) Spread Peach Salsa on top.

Peach Salsa

• 1/2 cup peach jam (I used Pollaner's all fruit)
• 2 T red bell pepper, diced small
• 4 T red onion, diced small

Mix together and think of all the ways you could use this Peach Salsa. Like, over a brick of cream cheese for crackers.... Yum!



Sides: Two Toned Blueberry Parfait

The truth is, the granola gets soggy in this parfait. The other truth is, my kids still love it. I reckon it shouldn't be surprising, they love oatmeal and oatmeal is.... well, soggy. If you are worried about the sog you could keep the granola separate and have your child add it at lunch.
 I used my 4 oz. containers for these so it's just the right size. I also make it the day before (at least) and freeze, so it's still cold when it's lunch time. This recipe makes one.

Two Tones Blueberry Parfait

• 1 T. Blueberry Yogurt
• 1 T. Vanilla Yogurt
• fresh blueberries, about 5 or 6
• 1 heaping teaspoon granola

Put spoonful of blueberry yogurt in the bottom of the container, add fresh blueberries, then granola. Top with vanilla yogurt and freeze.



Double Blueberry Bagel Sandwich

This is a favorite in our house. So much so that my kids asked for it for breakfast when they saw me making it for lunch. I warned them that it was for lunch but they were perfectly fine having it for both. With blueberries being ridiculously healthy, why not have blueberries two meals in a row, right???

Double Blueberry Bagel Sandwich

• Bagel (I use Bagel Thins, 110 calories)
• Cream Cheese (I used whipped)
• Blueberry fruit spread (I use all fruit, sweetened with fruit juice)
• Fresh blueberries

Spread cream cheese on one bagel half, the blueberry spread on the other. Dot the cream cheese side with fresh blueberries and put the two together and you have your Double Blueberry Bagel Sandwich.

***To make this a Triple Blueberry Bagel Sandwich, use blueberry cream cheese.
**** Quadruple? Use a blueberry bagel! Yum!

Crunchy Fruit and Nut Roll Up

Here is another lunch box winner according to my toughest critics. There are lot of health benefits packed into this roll up. I made one of these for my high schooler using Flat Out bread (because I had just one left over) and I used two small fajita sized tortilla's for my children in middle and elementary school. 

Fruit and Nut Roll Up

• Flat Out or fajita sized tortilla's
• Nut Butter (I used peanut butter, will use almond butter next time)
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used light)
• strawberry (about 2)
• banana (about half)
• 1 T fruit spread (I used Black Cherry Pollaner's All Fruit)
• toasted sliced almonds
• 1 tsp. Fiber One cereal

Whip nut butter and softened cream cheese together. Spread on wrap. Add sliced strawberries and banana. Microwave fruit spread until it's just the right consistency for drizzling. Drizzle over roll up. Add almonds and cereal. Roll up.

Sides: Creamy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cups

This is a little cup of goodness that fits with any lunch. Is it a dessert or a healthy side? You decide.

I have two different brands of mini containers I use with lids that have good tight seals, they are both just 4 oz. and one is made by Reynolds and the other is made by Rubbermaid. They both work perfectly for this. Glad has similar containers that are the 'can be disposable, can be reused' type that do not seal well enough for me to trust with this.

 (but I do use them for dry things like pretzels, nuts, etc)

Creamy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cups

• 2-3 strawberries, depending on size
• 1 T. vanilla yogurt, I used Danon's light & fit
• 1/2 tsp mini chocolate chips

Whipped PB&J

Whatever you do, do not think this is just an ordinary PB&J, and do not think that whipping makes no difference, because it does. It makes for a whole new sandwich. 

My middle schooler today informed me that when she was little, this sandwich was called Mom's Super Awesome Sandwich. (it's that good) I usually use Polaner's Simply Fruit in grape to get a more authentic PB&J taste but I was out this morning so I used Black Cherry. I would highly recommend trying this with peanut butter and grape jelly for your first go 'round but it will be delicious no matter what you use.

Whipped PB&J

• Nut Butter of choice (I use peanut butter for this one)
• Grape Jelly (or other favorite)

Place equal parts peanut butter and jelly in a bowl and use a spoon to whip. Spread on sandwich bread.