Peanut Butter and Black Grape Bagel

My husband goes through food phases, as I assume we all do. His latest is Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream and black grapes. Not together though, just so you know. But hmmmm... I'll have to ponder that one.

This sandwich just makes sense. If peanut butter and grape jelly works, why not peanut butter and grapes?

Grapes are quite nutritious.  Grapes contain a large variety of nutrients, and are particularly rich in minerals such as potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and calcium, as well as vitamin C. In addition, grapes are very rich in antioxidants, one particularly beneficial antioxidant is resveratrol, which helps prevent a number of dangerous health conditions but most importantly it slows down the aging process.

Please pass the black grapes!

Peanut Butter and Black Grape Bagel

makes 1, easily multiplied

1 bagel (I used whole wheat bagel thins)

Peanut butter, or any nut butter of choice

7-8 black grapes, halved

Spread peanut butter on both sides of the bagel, top with halved grapes and combine.

Lunch Box Mishaps. They happen.

 Do you remember these cute tins? The ones you can buy here?

They have come in handy and have been quite the addition to our lunch boxes.

The other day as I unloaded and cleaned out lunch boxes, in 2 out of 3 lunch boxes I could still hear the nuts rattling around in the tin, so I set them aside assuming they just didn't get to their nuts before lunch was over. It happens. The next morning I put them back in lunch boxes.

After school both children let me know that they were disappointed when they opened their tins and only had shells.

Woops!

Do you have a lunch box mishap? I'd love to hear about it!



Sides: Triple Berry Fruit Leather

I have shared a tip before about having fruit strips on hand for those mornings that you realize that the fruit in the fruit basket has gone bad but you still need the health benefits of fruit in the lunch box. Dried fruits retain most of the nutritional value of fresh fruits and so are included with fresh fruit in dietary recommendations by U.S., according to MyPyramid.gov.

I used this recipe for these Triple Berry Fruit Leather. The kids love them. I love them. Husband does too.

Triple Berry Fruit Leather 

• 1 cup strawberries, stems removed, sliced
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 cup raspberries
• 1/8 cup 100% fruit juice

Add berries to blender with fruit juice and blend until smooth. Cover baking sheet with plastic wrap (I tried parchment paper and it does not work) and spread puree evenly over plastic wrap, staying away from the edge. Set oven to the very lowest setting. Remember, you are not baking the fruit, just drying it out. Leave in oven for 6-8 hours. (fruit leather will peel easily and cleanly off plastic when it's dry) When cool, use pizza cutter to slice. Keep stored in air-tight container or zip lock bag.

Chopped Veggie Roll Ups

What inspired me to make these roll ups is this pizza that my children love, it is served cold with a cream cheese spread and chopped veggies on top. Anything they love for dinner is something I consider to tweak for their lunch box. I'd say this tweak absolutely worked and it filled my children up with good veggies, just like I try to do.

You will want to use the vegetables your child will eat. I used zucchini, red bell pepper, carrots, yellow squash, cucumber and broccoli and my kids said it was missing cauliflower. I mix a tub of the cream cheese spread to use now and later, you can spread plain cream cheese on the wrap and top with the dill weed and garlic powder, instead of mixing all at one.

Chopped Veggie Roll Ups

8 oz. tub of spreadable light cream cheese

1 tsp. dill weed

1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Whole wheat tortilla or Flat Out bread

a handful of your child's favorite veggies, chopped

Mix cream cheese, dill weed ad garlic powder in cream cheese container. Save rest for later. Spread onto spread (about 2 Tbsp. if using Flat Out), then top with chopped vegetables. Roll up and wrap up.



Tip: Fun Shaped Fruit

Fruit salad is one of my kids favorites. Although it's true that fruit salad is pretty enough with all the different colors of fruit. And there are different shapes as is, with strawberries and the round grapes (and lets not forget the fun pattern a kiwi has).... using mini cookie cutters seems to make the extra special a little more extra special. 

I used a spring set of cookie cutters for the fruit salad pictured above, but my mini heart shaped cookie cutters are fun too, and will be great in February. I think the number cookie cutters would be a special way to celebrate a birthday in a lunch box.

Oh, the possibilities are endless!!

I like to make my fruit salad the day before, so the fruit can mingle overnight in the fridge. I think that a fruit salad that is already stunning and tastey gets kicked up a notch that way.

AND THE WINNER IS.......

Cindy Howard

Congratulations Cindy, you are the new owner of a fabulous lunch box and lotsa goodies!!!

Contact me with your info and I will get it in the mail to you.

And the Giveaway Will Also Include...

A 0.7 oz bag of Popcorn, Indiana all natural KETTLECORN.

Last school year popcorn was a popular lunch box item for my family. It's a healthier alternative to potato chips in the lunch box and a great after school snack.

Whoever wins this giveaway will get a free sample of this popcorn (or two, if I can get two to fit). 

Just click HERE and enter to win.

 Giveaway ends Friday, August 12th, and winner will be announced at about 9am.

Giveaway!

My kids are back in school. (already?!? already.)

To kick start the new school year with new lunch box recipes, tips and idears..... (I have relatives that would pronounce idea as idears) let's have a lunch box giveaway!

If you win, you get to choose between the green lunch box or the flower power lunch box. Inside the winning lunch box I will stuff a few goodies--- post-it notes for notes from mom to the lunch-box-eater, some small containers for the little things AND MORE.

(maybe a edible lunch box favorite from my house and maybe a cool little find that I just found, and ordered online, and it is suppose to arrive in my mail box any day now)

You have a chance to enter this fabulous giveaway multiple times.

1. Enter once by leaving a comment saying, "Count me in!" (or something along those lines)

2. Enter again for sharing the giveaway on your blog.

3. Enter another time for following this blog.

4. Lastly, you could enter a 4th time by sharing this giveaway on facebook.

the fine print::: You must live within the U.S. to enter.

Giveaway ends Friday, Aug. 12