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Healthy lunches are deceptively easy to prepare, whether we’re talking about simple sandwiches, sliced fruit or even side dishes cooked the night before. We’ve listed some kid favorites here, but feel free to send us any of your simple lunch recipes!
Marinated Tofu
Corn Salad
Cucumber Salad
Gluten-free options from gluten-free musings:
White velvet cutout cookies
Quinoa & edamame salad
Pasta and chick pea salad with mint
Marinated Tofu
Firm tofu 1/8 inch slices
1/2 cup soy sauce
2 cloves minced garlic
2 teaspoons grated ginger
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 - 2 tablespoons
Add sesame seeds, red pepper flakes to taste
Combine ingredients and marinate overnight. Good cooked or cold. Use in replacement of cold-cuts or on salad.
Corn Salad
2 cups corn (cooked, fresh, or canned)
1 bell pepper
3 celery stalks
1/4 cup onions (shallots)
5 green onions (scallions)
1/2 jalapeno (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons vinegar of choice
Salt and pepper
3 splashes Tabasco (optional)
Carrots and other crispy veggies do well in this recipe. Mix and enjoy!
Cucumber Salad
1 cucumber (sliced thin, or cubed if easier)
1 onion (preferably white, but it doesn’t really matter)
2 tablespoons oil (olive or vegetable)
4 teaspoons rice vinegar (adjust to preference)
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Salt & pepper
Mix all ingredients. Kids love this one!
White Velvet cutout cookies
link to the original recipe here
2 cups butter, softened
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened (use the bar, not the whipped kind)
2 cups sugar
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
4-1/2 cups GF flour mix (I use Whole Food's 365 GF All Purpose Baking Mix)
- In a mixing bowl cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy
- Add sugar, egg yolks and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour.
- Cover and chill 2 hours or until firm.
- Roll out onto a floured surface to 1/4" thickness. I rolled mine between two sheets of lightly floured plastic wrap. Because this makes such a large amount of batter, you may want to keep what you are not rolling in the fridge to keep cool until you are ready to roll.
- Cut with cookie cutters.
- Place on cookie sheets about 1" apart, these should not have much spread.
- Bake at 350'F for 10 minutes or until set (barely browned...these will mostly
still look white).
- Cool 5 minutes on the cookie sheet, then place on wire rack.
And decorate!
For the frosting, I did a simple buttercream frosting:
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3-4 tablespoons milk
food coloring as desired
- Combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, vanilla and 3 tablespoons of milk in a bowl and blend until smooth.
- Gradually add the remaining sugar and blend until light and fluffy.
Add the remaining milk if you would like it thinner.
- Separate into different bowls for different colors of frosting, and add food coloring.
Enjoy!
Quinoa & edamame salad
link to the original recipe here
1 C quinoa
2 C broth (I use veggie broth by Celifibr)
2 C frozen edamame (already shelled)
1 t. lemon zest
2 T lemon juice
3 T olive oil
2 T fresh chopped tarragon
3 oz. jarred diced roasted red peppers
1. Toast quinoa over medium heat in a pan, stir often until crackles, darkens and becomes aromatic...about 5 min. Then put in a colander and rinse with water thoroughly.
2. Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil, add cleaned quinoa, return to a boil, simmer covered for 8 minutes.
3. Remove lid without disturbing the quinoa, and add the edamame. Cover and continue for another 8 min.
4. While that is cooking, whisk the lemon zest, juice, oil and tarragon in a bowl.
5. Add dressing to quinoa once it is done, and toss in red peppers.
My friend also adds some chopped walnuts, but I prefer my food nut-free.
Enjoy!
Pasta and chick pea salad with mint
link to the original recipe here
1 package of fusilli, I like using Tinkyada
1/4 cup fresh chopped mint
2 T lemon juice
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T chopped garlic
2 t lemon peel
6 T olive oil
2 C chopped cherry tomatoes
1 can chick peas, drained and rinsed
4 oz. feta
1.Cook the pasta.
2.Combine 2nd set of ingredients, gradually whisk in oil, let sit.
3.Drain pasta, rinse.
4.Add pasta, beans and feta.
5.Let stand 1 hour for flavors to combine.
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