Fun Friday with a BIG Surprise!

My kids are all big time snackers.  In the middle of the morning when they are playing, they stop and say..."Mom, can I have a snack, please?"  Then, after school, that's the first thing we do, have a snack.  So, I figured, why not have a snack-like lunch?  This lunch includes many of our favorite munchies and snacks along with a BIG surprise for Miss Molly!

Snack #1 is Scrabble Cheezit Crackers, in a heart shaped silicone cupcake liner.  (per Molly's request.)

Snack #2 is salted peanuts and honey roasted peanuts for a nice mix.

Snack #3 is strawberries that are all sliced up and ready to just pop in her mouth.

Snack #4 is a cheese stick.  This is our "go-to" snack when we can't think of anything else.

Snack #5 is vanilla yogurt.  This is a great dessert alternative or mid-morning snack.

Finally, THE BIG SURPRISE......Molly gets to buy ice cream at school!  She's never done this before.  She's only had ice cream there when it came with a purchased lunch.  Molly is going to be so excited!  We can't wait to hear her reaction. ☺

Warm Lunch!

Winter is coming into it's own now in Western PA.  This means that we will be using Molly's thermos more often so that she can have something warm in her lunch.  This is the first of many warm lunches to come.

Our main entree is Trader Joe's Gnocchi al Gorgonzola.  This is a HUGE hit with all three of our kids.  It was part of tonight's dinner and Molly asked for the leftovers in her lunch.  It has tremendous flavor and it more filling than you might expect.

Our vegetable side is canned green beans.  These are the no salt added variety.

Our fruit side is strawberries, blueberries and star fruit.  There were lots of great fruits available at the store today.

Our dairy side is a colby jack cheese stick.  This will serve as Molly's protein in her lunch.  We also added some new Club Mini Crackers to go with the cheese.

Finally, our dessert is vanilla yogurt.  Molly will most likely put some of the berries in it so we left it nice and plain.

Christmas Ornament Apple

We love Christmas at our house and we are always looking for some new and fun ways to celebrate.  Molly's little sister is going to be the snack person for the Christmas Party at her Preschool later this month, so we got our thinking caps on and did a little internet research.  We found some incredibly cute ideas and decided to give one of them a try in Molly's lunch.

Our main entree is a croissant sandwich.  We found these miniature croissants at Aldi during our last shopping trip.  We sliced the croissant in half and toasted it to reduce the soggy factor.  Then, we added half of a piece of provolone and some salami.  YUM!

Our vegetable side is cucumbers that have been cut with our favorite crinkle knife.  We sliced them pretty thin and they look a little bit like pickles.

Our fruit side is our Christmas Ornament Apple!  We sliced an apple in half, cored it and then cut it into three sections.  We spread a small amount of peanut butter on the slices, then stuffed some mini marshmallows between them.  Finally, we added a little piece of a small pretzel knot for the hook on our ornament.  If it were Fun Friday, we would probably have added some mini M&Ms to adorn the marshmallows and make them look more festive.  

Our dairy side is a colby jack cheese stick.  Molly has been extra hungry lately (growth spurt?) so a bit of extra bone strengthening calcium and some hunger staving protein seemed like a nice addition.

Finally, our dessert is vanilla yogurt with Christmas sprinkles.  We're going to be adding a little more Christmas cheer to each lunch.  Sprinkles are a great way to add some fun to any lunch. 

New Fun Friday Treat!

The weekend is finally here and we can't wait! Our Christmas traditions are in full swing.  We've gone to see the lights at Hartwood Acres and the whole family ooh-ed and aaawww-ed.  It was awesome.  Next comes the cookie baking, card making and more decorating.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Our main entree is turkey and cheese skewers.  We had the most delicious deep fried turkey breast at Thanksgiving so we had to get another one for this week.  Deep fried seems like it wouldn't be a healthy option but it is 98% fat free, all white meat turkey and again, delicious.  We cut the turkey into cubes and skewered it with plastic lollipop sticks along with a colby jack cheese stick that had been cut into cubes as well.  We have a little bit of honey mustard on the side for dipping.  We also added some Cheez-It crackers so that Molly can have a few carbs to burn off quickly.

Our vegetable side is green pepper strips.  This was by request again.  Sometimes kids get stuck on one particular food and the pepper is it for Molly these days.

Our fruit side is a tangerine.  We segmented it for Molly so that she wouldn't have to waste any time at lunch. Something about orange-like citrus screams Christmas.  We used to always stud oranges with whole cloves and leave them out in several rooms of the house to make it smell good.

Finally, our NEW Fun Friday treat is Cinnamon M&Ms.  We reluctantly purchased these when the kids asked because they didn't sound all that appetizing.  They really enjoyed them though.  The cinnamon is not a hot cinnamon, it's more like the powdered stuff in the pantry.  It is a mild hint of it with a good chocolate flavor.  If you like cinnamon, give them a try but I wouldn't recommend eating them on a regular basis, just a special occasion.

Finally Friday?

I usually lament on how the weeks seem to drag on but this was one of those weeks that flew by for me.  It really feels like Tuesday, maybe.  We've been doing our normal routine this week but it has been moving at lightning speed.  I think that the thrill of Thanksgiving may be pushing time.  Next week, there are only two days of school but they will be filled with feasts and fun.  Then, Molly's Dad, some friends and I are going to run in a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.  After that, we will be hosting Thanksgiving dinner for our family.  We have so much to be thankful for this year and it's nice to have one day dedicated to giving thanks.

Our main entree is a turkey sandwich.  We are paying homage to one of our favorite holidays of the year.  We have an asiago roll from Sam's Club with turkey breast, pepper cheese and mustard.

Our vegetable side is peppers.  We used our crinkle knife to cut these peppers into fun shapes.

Our fruit side is a replay of today's fruit, pears and pomegranate arils.  Molly said that the pear was super sweet and requested them again.

Our dairy side is a colby jack cheese stick.  Molly hasn't have one of these in a while so we decided that it would be a good way to bulk up her lunch a little bit.

Finally, our Fun Friday treat is peanut M&Ms.  This is the last of the Halloween candy.  We tossed a lot of it and divided a lot out.  It was nice that only one of the three kids actually went Trick or Treating and that it was one of the little ones, so we didn't end up with a lot of candy.

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Our whole family is really big into soups.  I feel like my large stock pot may wear out by the end of the winter just about every year.  Whether it be chili, vegetable or chicken noodle, there always seems to be something simmering on the stove.

This fall, we've really be huge fans of homemade chicken noodle soup (recipe below).  Molly's Daddy and I especially enjoy it after a run in the colder weather.  Something about warm soup when your body is warm on the inside and cold on the outside just gets everything back to a happy warm fuzzy feeling.  We also enjoy this hearty soup before a run because it has a great balance of carbs, protein and vegetables.  This too is why we think that it is a great addition to Molly's lunch.  We purchased a small thermos for her so that she can enjoy some warm things this winter.  We also purchased a new lunch box carrier from Laptop Lunches that will house her current bento box, her water bottle and the new thermos.

Our main entree is homemade chicken noodle soup.  As stated above, it has a great combination of carbs, protein and vegetables so an all over great lunch.  (recipe below)  We are serving this with some old fashioned Club crackers

Our vegetable side is in the soup.  This recipe is chock full of onions, carrots and celery.  Don't tell Molly about the onions though, she's not a fan.  But she can't get enough of this soup.

Our fruit side is half of a banana.  Tip - if you leave the banana in the peel, only the end will turn brown and the kids don't seem to mind it.  We used our heart shaped micro cookie cutter to make light little imprints on the peel by pressing down very gently, not piercing the skin.  They are hard to see now but the should brown a little bit by lunch tomorrow.

Our dairy side is a Castle Wood Colby Jack Cheese Stick.  Molly asked for this in case she has any crackers left since cheese and crackers go so well together.

Finally, our dessert is strawberry yogurt.  We didn't fill it quite as far as we normally do because Molly said that the soup will probably fill her up.

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Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

1 large onion, diced
4-5 spears of celery in bite sized pieces
3 cups of carrots in bite sized pieces (nickled)
Salt and Pepper to taste

 - Add these to a large stock pot with a little bit of olive oil and saute on medium/low heat until the onions are translucent.

1 grocery store rotisserie chicken
(pull all the meat you can from the chicken and discard the skin and bones or keep them to make stock)
1 TBSP poultry seasoning
2 - 48oz. boxes of chicken broth + 2 cups water
1 bag Reames Frozen Homestyle Egg Noodles

 - Add the meat from the chicken and the poultry seasoning to the vegetables just to warm the chicken then add the chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Add the frozen Reames Noodles, return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, simmer for 10-15 minutes then serve.

*This recipe freezes well.

Fun Friday

Why is it when the kids are sick, the week seems to drag on?  Molly was sick on Monday and it seems to have made this week take forever.  I was afraid that Friday wouldn't come.  I'm hoping that next week will seem short because, well, it is.  We have Monday and Tuesday off for parent/teacher conferences.  Until then, we have a Fun Friday Lunch!

Our main entree is tortellini pasta salad.  We cooked some Trader Joe's fresh cheese tortellini, cooled it down and added black olives, hard salami pieces, orange peppers and light Italian dressing.  This is one of Molly's absolute favorites.  It's also a great way to add some extra veggies to her lunch.

Our vegetable side is golden tomatoes.  Molly likes these because they are less acidic than red tomatoes.  They are also lighter in flavor and have a nice sweetness.

Our fruit side is sliced strawberries.  We've been going through strawberries at rapid speeds here in our house.  We're okay with that because the kids are asking for them instead of Halloween Candy.

Our dairy side is a Castle Wood Colby Jack cheese stick.  This is one of the best ways to add bulk to Molly's lunch and she really enjoys them.

Finally, our Fun Friday treat is a little bit of that Halloween candy that we were just talking about.  A small bag of M&Ms and a small Nestles Crunch.  We think that Molly will be very pleased with our selection for her.

Running Lunch

I started a Couch to 5K training group this past Sunday and tonight was our first run.  It was so much fun!  I roped three of my friends in so that they can see how awesome running really is.  You might ask why I am doing this training since I've already run in several 5Ks and on a relay team at the Pittsburgh Marathon last year.  Answer: I want to learn more about this sport that I have learned to love.  I want to make sure that I'm doing it right and I want to get tips to help me become a better athlete.  I also want to be a positive face in this crowd.  I am an overweight asthmatic 30-something mother of three.  If I can do it, anyone can.

I always hated running because "I couldn't do it" because I was too heavy or because my breathing was bad, etc.  But, you know what?  I CAN do it and now I run on a very regular basis.  I don't consider myself a runner, I consider myself a glorified jogger but I strive to be a runner someday.  I've been working on losing weight, well most of my life (gotta get that thyroid to start working with me and keep working) and I train no matter what the weather or the hills around my house.

I do this to get out of my house, BY MYSELF!  I am lost in my own thoughts and my only worry is getting from point A to point B.  I have no kids yelling "MOM!" at me.  And I feel fantastic after I get back.

I have to say that my husband is an incredible support in all of this.  He's a runner too and we are always working in our training runs so that each of us has equal time.  I also get great support from my friends and family who are cheering me on.  Finally, the support of all of the "Peeps" at Mojo Running & Multisport is so wonderful.  It is a team that I am proud to be on.

Okay, stepping off of my soapbox and onto the kitchen floor to whip up Molly's Lunch!

Our main entree is a ham and cheese sandwich.  We used a multi-grain roll from ALDI, then added ham, pepper cheese and mustard.  Molly's Grammy was nice enough to share the delicious multi-grain rolls with us so we had to add them to Molly's lunch right away.

Our vegetable side is carrot sticks.  Nice and simple and a favorite of Molly's recently.

Our fruit side is a kiwi.  Not as cool as Frankenkiwi, but still just as yummy!

Our dairy side is a Castle Wood Colby Jack Cheese Stick.  Molly requested that this be added just in case she is really hungry tomorrow.  She's definitely feeling better. ☺

Finally, our dessert is Low Fat Strawberry Yogurt.  This too was a request of Molly's and we were happy to give it to her.  She and her siblings are pretty much over the Halloween candy (thank goodness) and are now asking for fruit, yogurt and graham crackers at dessert time.  I think our influence is rubbing off on them.