Our First Giveaway!!!

Just over a week ago, I was contacted by the awesome Emily from Chobani Champions because I featured one of their new flavors in Molly's Lunch Box.  The wonderful people at Chobani Champions sent me a fantastic box full of goodies, (the Blogger Box!!) including samples of the new Vanilla Chocolate Chunk and Orange Vanilla flavors for our whole family to enjoy.  It was like Christmas!

     

They also sent me some great magnets that show off all of the Chobani Champions flavors!

They also sent me a LUNCH BOX!!!  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, you heard it right, a LUNCH BOX!

Now, I'd like to share the new Chobani Champions experience with YOU, yes YOU!!  All that you have to do is comment on this blog post to be entered into our little contest.  We'll have Molly pick two lucky readers to receive samples from Chobani Champions!  (US residents only, please)

If you are on Facebook, Like Chobani Champions!  They have great contests and ideas for different ways to enjoy Chobani Champions.

 http://facebook.com/chobanichampions

THANK YOU CHOBANI CHAMPIONS!!!!

Now on to Molly's Lunch!

Our main entree is a yummy pasta salad.  We cooked a whole box of whole wheat rotini as part of our dinner last night but we saved some for leftovers.  To our whole wheat pasta, we added mini turkey pepperoni, black olives, a little bit of cheese and light Italian dressing.

Our vegetable side is a plain spinach salad.  Molly enjoyed her salad today so much that she requested another for her lunch tomorrow.  We have her recent favorite, French dressing on the side, but just a little bit.

Our fruit side is red grapes.  We had these for our dessert tonight and immediately Molly asked if there was enough left to put some in her lunch tomorrow. 

Finally, our dairy/dessert is Chobani Champions Vanilla Chocolate Chunk Greek Yogurt!!!  This is one of our samples from the incredible peeps at Chobani!  Molly asked for the chocolate since she had the vanilla orange today.  THANK YOU CHOBANI CHAMPIONS!

*At CCD tonight, Molly received a small Nestles Crunch Chocolate Heart and asked to add it to her lunch even though it is not Fun Friday.  We were happy to add it for her. ☺

Leftover Monday

We are doing our best to eat healthy, incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our meals and not waste things that we buy.  We're trying to figure out how to list all of the things that are in the fridge or freezer so that they don't spoil before we get a chance to eat them.  We are also trying to do more menu planning, or better menu planning.  It goes well for a few weeks, then life's little chaotic episodes take over and the plan drops.  I guess it's a constant battle but it's one that we're willing to fight so that we can keep our food fresh and healthy and produce less waste.

Our main/vegetable entree is a large spinach salad.  We added some meat from leftover chicken legs that we had for our dinner tonight.  Also included are yellow peppers and some French dressing on the side.  Molly is a fan of French dressing lately and while it is not the healthiest, she doesn't use it often so once in a while, it's fine.

Our fruit side is mixed fresh berries.  Raspberries, strawberries and blueberries to be exact.  We had this mix in our dessert this evening.  We made some sugar free lemon pudding and topped it with the berries.  Everyone was very pleased.

Our dairy side is a Frigo Cheese Head cheese stick.  Sometimes a salad can be filling and sometimes it can leave you hungry, so we added this as an option in case Molly is still hungry.

Finally, our dessert is a Chobani Champions Orange Vanilla Greek Yogurt.  Molly said that it tastes like a creamsicle so it's a perfect dessert for her.  It's also a great size for kids and adults alike because it is not too much, just a perfect sweet note for the end of a meal.

Fun Friday Lunch

I'm keeping it short tonight because it is late.  Molly's Daddy and I have been busy making things for a bake sale on Saturday morning that benefits a little boy in Molly's school district who has cancer.  We don't know him or his family but we believe that it's important to help those in our community and we try to instill that in our kids.

Our main entree is a croissant sandwich.  We layered Castle Wood Buffalo Style Chicken Breast and some hot pepper cheese on a mini croissant.  Molly requested this sandwich because she likes extra spicy things.

Our vegetable side is sliced peppers.  We have yellow, orange and red peppers that are sliced in small pieces so that they are easy to pop in her mouth.

Our fruit side is mixed berries.  Strawberries, blueberries and raspberries are some of our favorites and Molly really enjoys them in her lunch.

Finally, our Fun Friday treat is vanilla and raspberry yogurt covered pretzels.  Molly's little brother picked these out at a recent shopping trip and Molly's eyes lit up when she saw them.  YUM!

*Huge thanks to Molly's Daddy for actually making Molly's lunch while I was cutting out sugar cookies.  It's wonderful being part of such a great team! ♥

School Lunch

Molly has chosen tomorrow to buy her lunch this week. We're happy about it because we're still in recovery mode from all of our illnesses.

Great Shopping = Great Lunch

Molly's little brother and I dropped the girls off at school this morning and headed to Sam's Club.  We picked up a bunch of fruits and vegetables as well as a few staples.  Everything is so fresh and delicious! The weather here was so wonderful that it felt like we were leaving the farmer's market in the spring instead of the store in the winter.

Our main entree is a salami and cheese sandwich.  We haven't had this for a while and the kids have been asking for it so in our cart it went.  We have Castle Wood salami and provolone cheese on our whole grain white bread cut into a heart.  (I can't believe tomorrow is February 1st already!)

Our vegetable side is sugar snap peas.  We saw a big bag of these and they are so tender and delicious.  They are a great alternative to potato chips because they are very crunchy and filling.

Our fruit side is a kiwi.  We just sliced this one up and fanned it out so that Molly can enjoy the beauty of God's creation.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is a new favorite, Chobani Champions vanilla chocolate chunk Greek yogurt.  The kids are saying that it's just like chocolate chip ice cream.  We say, BRAVO to Chobani for making a delicious and nutritious alternative to ice cream.

Planning Ahead

Back to normal is within our reach and hopefully we will all stay well for a long time.  Normal means that we are back to our routine and the activities that go along with that.  Tonight was CCD and tomorrow is dance so these are our busy days.  I'm trying to plan ahead and rely on re-heating several things that we've already prepared.  I cooked the tortellini that is in Molly's lunch so that we would have an easy re-heat for her siblings' lunch but it's a nice cool pasta salad in hers.  Time savers are a necessity in our house.

Our main entree is Trader Joe's Cheese Tortellini made into a pasta salad by adding light Italian dressing to the cooled pasta.  Molly likes this salad because it is a great combination of carbs and protein so it fills her up nicely.

Our vegetable side is carrot sticks.  Molly requested that they be cut like this because she has a wiggly tooth and it's easier to bite these on the side.

Our fruit side is mixed fresh berries.  Strawberries, blueberries and blackberries are so delicious by themselves or mixed into a favorite treat.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is Chobani Champions Orange Vanilla Greek Yogurt.  Molly said that the Chocolate Chunk was super yummy and can't wait to have the orange vanilla flavor.

Back at it

I've been very sick for over a week and I'm finally feeling mildly human again.  Molly is very happy to be packing her lunch again.  She came home hungry on two days last week (she was home sick on Tuesday and didn't have school on Friday).  Those two days were the days she bought lunch.  She was thirsty because a 1/2 pint of milk isn't nearly enough to keep thirst at bay all day long.  She was hungry because most of the things that they served weren't really to her liking.  She said that she only ate some of most of what was served.

Now, we're back to almost normal and Molly will be getting a delicious, nutritious lunch that has the correct serving sizes for a growing 7 year old girl and plenty of love from home.  Plus, we've added something new!

Our main entree is cheese pizza.  Since Mom wasn't feeling good, we got a fresh pizza from the deli of our local grocery store.  Molly's Daddy baked and served it for lunch today and Molly requested some of the leftovers for her lunch.  There is a small container of light ranch dressing for her to dip the crust in, just in case it gets too tough.

Our vegetable side is a green salad.  It is served with light Italian dressing on the side.

Our fruit side is sliced strawberries.  Molly requested these as well.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is a NEW Chobani Champions vanilla chocolate chunk.  These just came out as well as an orange vanilla flavor.  All three of our kids gave them both a resounding two thumbs up.  My cousin reminds me to watch the sugars in these so that is why they are a special treat once in a while.  (Thanks, Sarah!) ☺

Daddy's Lunch

Molly's Mommy (MM) is not feeling very well this weekend. She's suffering from some sort of evil Flu. Luckily, she has the best husband in the world to make Molly's lunch and write this super-awesome entry for her. ;) Actually, I am only half as awesome as MM's parents took all three kids today so that I could focus on taking care of the best thing to ever happen to me.

Our entree is Homemade Pasta with a meatball and red sauce. Molly, her sister, and Grandma made pasta today and sent it and the sauce home. 

Our veggie side is a salad with Italian dressing, 

Our fruit side is blueberries, blackberries, and strawberries. 

Finally, for dessert, we have vanilla yogurt and gingerbread graham crackers. 

As much I enjoyed making Molly's lunch and writing this blog, I hope that We all home that MM feels better very soon.

Molly's Daddy

Breakfast on Fun Friday!

We were trying to come up with ideas and looking in the fridge and pantry then we found a few things and breakfast was the winner.  This may not be our most nutritious lunch but it's still better than what the school is serving.

Our main entree is a waffle sandwich.  We toasted two whole grain waffles and added Nutella and peanut butter to them and sandwiched them together.

Our fruit side is a banana.  Something about a banana with peanut butter and Nutella.  YUM!

Our dairy side is vanilla yogurt with chocolate pearls for fun.  Molly really likes the chocolate pearls because they "stay crunchy" even when they have been in the yogurt over night.

Finally, our Fun Friday treat is two white chocolate Lindt truffles.  Molly got these in her stocking and they are the last two left.

Pizza!

Mom hasn't been feeling 100% lately so we're going for some easy meals.  We still try to keep it healthy but sometimes convenience trumps healthy and frozen pizzas won the race tonight for dinner.  That means that Molly is the lucky recipient of leftover cold pizza for lunch.

Our main entree is leftover Freschetta cheese pizza.  The taste is pretty great with a nice crust that isn't too chewy or too cardboard-like.  It also isn't greasy like the pizza parlor around the corner.

Our vegetable side is a vegetable salad.  It's actually called veggie lovers salad because it has carrots, snap peas and radishes in it.  We added some light ranch dressing on the side.  It's in the pizza container so that there was more room for the actual salad in the salad container.

Our fruit side is fresh blackberries and raspberries.  These are great in yogurt, on ice cream, in oatmeal or just plain by themselves.

Finally, our dessert is New Ocean Spray fruit snacks.  We received these in the mail as a sample and the kids just love them.  They are made with real fruit juice instead of tons of sugar like other fruit snacks.

School Lunch

Molly will be buying her lunch tomorrow because it's one of her favorites, a chicken sandwich. Mom is okay with this because it is on a whole grain bun and served with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

New Sandwich

After a long weekend, we are ready to try a little something new in Molly's lunch.  We are big fans of Castle Wood lunch meats and cheese because they are real meat, not something processed.  While at a Sam's Club we found a new Castle Wood lunch meat called Buffalo Style Chicken Breast Slices.  Our whole family likes spicy food, especially Buffalo style so this was definitely a no-brainer.  Molly's Daddy and I tried it yesterday for our lunch and it is delicious.

Our main entree is a Buffalo Style Chicken sandwich.  We added the new Castle Wood Buffalo Style Chicken Breast Slices, provolone and honey mustard to whole grain white bread then cut it into triangles.

Our vegetable side is carrot sticks.  Molly asked for them to be cut this way because, "they taste really good like that."

Our fruit side is a mix of fresh berries.  Blackberries, Blueberries and Raspberries are looking so yummy at the store these days so we couldn't resist.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is our regular vanilla yogurt but we added the Trader Joe's Elegant Cocoa Pearls for a little crunch and flavor variety.

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.

Tortilla Chip Lunch

Molly's school is serving baked tortilla scoops with taco meat for lunch tomorrow. This is something that we make at home on taco night. Sometimes the kids don't want soft tacos and the hard shells are too hard to manage so the baked scoops are perfect. I applaud the school (yes, you read that correctly) for choosing baked chips, low fat dairy and salsa as part of the kids' lunches. They are also serving tossed salad and fresh vegetables and fruit. This is definitely a school lunch that meets our standards. Molly is so excited to be buying this delicious and healthy choice tomorrow.

Something Different

Today was kind of strange when I was making Molly's lunch.  I usually have a main entree in mind when I am preparing Molly's lunch.  Today, I only had the sides planned and decided to just go with it and fill in from there.

Our main/vegetable entree is cucumber boats.  We mixed dill with some light cream cheese, scooped the seeds out of some small cucumbers and filled them with the cheese mixture.  YUM!

Our fruit side is sliced kiwi.  We weren't really going for a green and white theme but it just kind of happened.

Our dairy side is strawberry yogurt.  Molly likes strawberry yogurt once in a while for something a little different.

Our extra side is Scrabble Cheezit Crackers and Annie's Homegrown Bunny Graham Friends.  We thought that the Cheezits would be nice to scoop out any extra cream cheese.  The bunny crackers are a little something extra special.

Pizza Time!

After a fun weekend, we're ready to get back to a full week of school.  We are taking a cue from the school lunch menu again and made some pizza for Molly's Monday lunch.

Our main entree is cheese pizza.  We used a Trader Joe's Middle Eastern Flatbread as our crust, added sauce and cheese, then baked it off.  Molly said that she really likes having this pizza because it tastes like home.

Our vegetable side is a green salad.  When we were in school, salad was always served with pizza.  This is accompanied by some light ranch dressing.

Our fruit side is Granny Smith apple slices.  Our family goes through a lot of apples because all of the kids like  them, especially Molly's little brother.  He's the only person we know that would eat an apple at every meal.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is vanilla yogurt.  It's still Molly's favorite.

Fun Friday Surprise!

Molly is a bit down in the dumps right now because I think she would rather be home instead of school.  She keeps complaining that her belly hurts and that is the thing that bothers her the most when her nerves are shot.  I want to be that stern Mother that says, "suck it up kid, you'll make it."  Then another part of me wants to be the soft Mother that holds her child close and says, "Mommy will make it all better," and keep her home from school.  I need to find the happy medium in this parenthood thing.

I have all intentions of sending Molly to school tomorrow (unless it does end up being a true illness) and teach her that sometimes you may not want to do things but they aren't nearly as bad as your head makes them out to be once you are there.  I always had this problem when going back to school after an extended break.  But, when I got back to it, I was fine.  This is why we've decided to let Molly buy her lunch tomorrow as a surprise.  They are having something that she likes (cheese crunchers) or she can choose to buy peanut butter and jelly, a turkey or ham sandwich or a chef salad.  Hopefully, one of these options will help her belly feel a little better and make her feel special because she gets a choice, like at a restaurant.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Soup, Salad and Bread Stick Lunch

Molly ended up staying home from school today because her belly hurt, so no popcorn chicken for her.  We figured that if she isn't feeling 100% tomorrow, soup would be a nice lunch for her.  Also, if this combination works for the big restaurants, it should be perfect for our girl.

Our main entree is Chickarina soup from Progresso.  Molly really enjoys this soup because it is just like Wedding soup.  We like it because it has a good combination of carbs and protein.

Our vegetable side is a green salad with light Italian dressing on the side.  We used the large container but didn't fill it too much so that Molly won't get too full.

Our fruit side does not exist today but we'll make sure that she gets in some fruit with her breakfast and snack.  This isn't a problem because Molly probably doesn't know any type of fruit that she doesn't like.

Our fun side is a bread stick that has been torn into smaller pieces.  We figured that she could either dunk it in her soup or just enjoy it with her salad.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is vanilla yogurt, as usual.  This should be soothing for her if her tummy is upset at all.

Buying Lunch

Popcorn chicken calls again! Molly saw it on the school lunch menu and the rest is history. Mom's happy for a night off.

New Year!

Happy 2012!!!

One of our resolutions is to eat healthier all of the time.  Molly's lunch is generally on the healthy side but we are trying to get away from some of the other things that we have for breakfast and dinner.  We are just like everyone else and fall victim to convenient food.  Yes, it's easier to grab a pop tart or a bowl of sugar cereal than it is to cook oatmeal or eggs but if you plan ahead and get up five minutes earlier, it can make for a much better day.  We also will grab take out more regularly than we should.  Last year, we gave up fast food for lent and we've decided that it wasn't too terrible so we are cutting our drive thru trips to two times a month at most.

I find that planning a weekly menu, shopping the sales and prepping ahead can make it much easier to stick to the plan.  Hopefully the kids won't rally and scream for pizza every week.  But, if they do, we can make our own.

Our main entree is a faux pizza sandwich.  Since it is the first day back after the holidays, the kids will be served pizza for lunch.  We figured that using a bagel thin with provolone and salami all toasted together would be a nice alternative.

Our vegetable side is yellow bell pepper pieces.  We think that it will taste nice with our faux pizza sandwich.

Our fruit side is fresh pineapple and strawberries.  We found this incredibly sweet and juicy pineapple the other day and the flavor is fantastic.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is vanilla yogurt with Trader Joe's Elegant Cocoa Pearls.  They are sweet and crunchy and make the yogurt extra special.  

4th Lunch of Christmas

Tomorrow is the last day of school before Christmas vacation.  Molly and all of her little friends are positively giddy and it shows in the stride of their step and their smiles and giggles.  We're getting all of the teacher gifts together and also the candy canes that Molly is giving to her classmates.  Molly made cards for each of her teachers and can't wait to give them out.

At our house, we can't wait until it's time for Molly to come home.  That will signal the real start of vacation for all of us.  We have over a week where all of us are home and there isn't much on the agenda other than a few get togethers.  That means that we can spend lots of time playing and enjoying each other's company.

Our main entree is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  The sandwiches on Tuesday were a big hit so we decided to make mini-sandwiches and use our food safe markers to decorate them.  The one gingerbread man looks like his hand and foot got a little burnt but it's just a little bit of crust. haha!

Our fruit side is kiwi and apple slices.  We put them in the red and green pattern and added one of Molly's favorite picks from this season.

Our fun side is Utz Holiday Shaped Pretzels.  These are so cute.  They are shaped like Christmas trees, stars (or snowflakes) and bells.  We couldn't resist.

Our Fun Friday treat is a pizzelle cookie.  Molly's Daddy makes the most delicious pizzelles.  Our whole house smells amazing because he made about eight dozen anise pizzelles last night.  They are one of Molly's favorite cookies of all time.

Our extra Christmas treat is a small candy cane.  The story of the candy cane is that it was made to remind us of the true meaning of Christmas.  It is shaped like a "J" to represent Jesus and that is why we put it in her lunch that way.

From Our House to Yours, Merry Christmas One and All and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year to You!

3rd Lunch of Christmas

Family traditions are a big part of our Christmas.  Daddy makes fantastic cookies, the kids make special decorations, we light the advent candles and Santa falls down the chimney little by little every day until Christmas.  We also started a new tradition, The Elf on the Shelf, last year.  We didn't realize what hard work it is to keep up with the elf every single night.  There aren't that many places to put him in our house so we had to get very creative.  It's a really fun activity and it keeps the kids on their toes.  New traditions can be just as special as old traditions because all of them make the holidays so wonderful.

Our main entree is a waffle sandwich.  We spread peanut butter on two waffles, added a little honey, then sandwiched them together.  We used a big snowflake cookie cutter to cut it out and added a Christmas tree pick to the top.

Our protein side is turkey bacon.  We rolled it up a little bit so that it looks like Christmas ornament balls, or at least that was the thought. ☺

Our fruit side is red and green grapes.  These may not be the regular bright red and green of Christmas but they work for us.

Finally, our dessert is strawberry cheesecake yogurt.  We wanted to give Molly something extra special and we think that this will fit the bill.  We added a few sprinkles because they have gotten rave reviews lately.

*We had to share a fun Christmas themed dessert that Molly's little sister is bringing to preschool tomorrow.  We arranged cupcakes into a Christmas tree shape, then decorated them with frosting and cute little Christmas light bulb rings.

ps - Molly's Daddy came up with a great way to get these to school since the lid to the cupcake holder would've squished a few of the cupcakes.  He created a cardboard "border" and covered it with foil.  Just call him MacGuyver!

2nd Lunch of Christmas

It's the little things that count.  The smile on the garbage man's face this morning when I handed him a Christmas card said it all.  The grateful thank you of the Salvation Army red kettle bell ringer as a stranger handed her a cup of coffee to keep her warm.  The look on my son's face as he opened a new book from a family friend.  The shear giddiness of the girls as they hand their dance teachers the gifts that we picked out for them.  It's these little things that make Christmas so magical.  Hopefully the little things that we do for Molly's lunch will create a great Christmas memory for her.

Our main entree is Christmas pasta salad.  We used just the pasta the Kraft Winter Shapes Macaroni & Cheese.  Next we added some shredded mozzarella, pepperoni, red and green peppers (for our Christmas colors) and light Italian dressing.

Our vegetable side is the peppers in the salad.

Our fruit side is the Kiwi Elf!  We were feeling creative and channeled Frankenkiwi from Halloween.  First, we carved our kiwi into what started out looking like Yoda or Shreck. But then when we added the Santa hat and a few mini chocolate chips and sprinkles and our Kiwi Elf came to life.

Our dairy side is a colby jack cheese stick.  Molly asks for this "just in case" she needs a little extra something in her lunch.

Finally, our dessert is vanilla yogurt.  We added some sprinkles and a candy cane pick to keep the theme going.  

1st Lunch of Christmas

We're going to try to keep the Christmas theme running all week and hopefully there will be enough ideas to get us through Friday.  There is more red and green in our refrigerator than ever and we can't wait to see how fun things will get.

Our main entree is a salami and provolone sandwich with mustard.  (surprise, we know.  Molly keeps requesting this.)  We fancied it up with a snowman cookie cutter and a Christmas tree cookie cutter.  Then we used our food safe markers to decorate them.

Our vegetable side is sliced cucumbers.  We peeled these for something different and added a decorative Christmas tree pick.

Our fruit side is an apple.  Actually, it's half of two apples.  We sliced a red delicious apple and a green granny smith apple in half and cut the same amount of slices out of them.  Then, we replaced the same slices on each of them with the slices from the opposite apple.

Our dairy side is a colby-jack cheese stick.  We figured that the sandwiches were a little on the small side so Molly might want a little extra in her lunch.

Finally, our dessert is a melted snowman!  Really, it's just our regular old vanilla yogurt but we put a snowman hat on top of it to make it more festive.

Last Monday of the "Year"

The 2011 part of the school year is entering it's final days and the anticipation of the upcoming Christmas break has the kids giddy with excitement.  I can't help but be excited too.  Those last few days before Christmas are a mixed up in chaos, anticipation, wonder and happiness.

Because of this being the last Monday at school this "year" we have decided to let Molly buy the famous carb-loaded pizza lunch.  It's carb-loaded because they not only get a huge slice of Papa John's Pizza, but a hot pretzel to go along with it.  I guess it's better than sugaring them up. ☺

Here's to the last week of school!  (for 2011, that is)

Field Trip Lunch

Molly is going to Old Economy tomorrow.  I remember going there when I was a child.  It is so much fun and they do it up so nicely.  The old time German traditions are so much fun and the fantasy of Christmas from a different country just ups the excitement level.

Since it is field trip day, we are packing a sack lunch with a twist.

Our main entree is a salami and cheese sandwich.  We used a holly leaf and berry cookie cutter to cut it out.  We then used food safe markers to decorate them a little bit.

Our vegetable side is sliced carrots.  Molly said that these are easier to eat than sticks so we're making it as easy as possible for her.

Our fruit side is apple slices.  We quartered a small apple, cored it, then used our crinkle knife to cut it into smaller pieces.

Our dairy side is a babybel cheese with a little star cut out of it.

We are sending in a small bottle of water for her to drink.

Finally, our fun little treat is a small rice krispie treat.  We made these for a play date that Molly's little sister had yesterday and Molly is the lucky recipient of a left over treat.

Here are a few pictures of Molly's lunch bag.  She asked us to make it fancy so we did our best.

Front of the bag.












                                                Back of the bag.

Buying Lunch

Molly was very excited to see a chicken sandwich on the menu for lunch tomorrow.  She has chosen it for her school lunch this week.  Mom is okay with this since I will be checking out the Feast Navidad Burrito (with real Who Roast Beast!) at Mad Mex tonight after run club with my peeps from Mojo.

Molly is going on a field trip on Friday so we'll be packing a special lunch tomorrow night.  Stay tuned!

Santa Was Here

Santa came through our neighborhood tonight!  Our volunteer fire company drives around with the fire engine and a truck with Santa's sleigh hitched to the back.  They play Christmas music and hand out candy canes.  All of the neighborhood kids gaze at the jolly old elf in the big red suit as he waves and yells out a hearty "Merry Christmas"!  Their little faces are all rosy from the cold and their eyes are glazed with wonder and excitement.  It's hard to not catch the spirit.  It truly is the most wonderful time of the year.

Our main entree is leftover pasta bake.  We cooked up radiator pasta, added sauce and some leftover taco meat and beans, threw it in a 13x9 pan and sprinkled shredded mozzarella on top.  Then, we baked it off and then served.  YUM! (and the taco meat and beans was SO delicious, believe it or not)

Our vegetable side is red pepper slices.  We're kind of playing on the Christmas color theme.

Our fruit side is a sliced kiwi.  There's our green.

Our dairy side is vanilla yogurt with red and green sprinkles.

Finally, our little extra treat is snowman marshmallows.  They are french vanilla flavored and delicious but are extra yummy in hot chocolate.

Candy Cane Pizzas

Christmas chaos is in full swing.  We are done shopping and decorating but there are still so many things to do.  We need to have a wrapping party to wrap all of the presents, bake a plethora of cookies and still remember the real reason for the season, Jesus.  You can't have CHRISTmas without Christ.

Our main entree is candy cane pizzas.  We used a cookie cutter to cut out our Trader Joe's Middle Eastern Flat bread and provolone sliced cheese.  Next, put a little sauce between the bread and cheese and added some stripes of turkey pepperoni.  Finally we baked them off in the toaster oven.

Our vegetable side is a salad with grape tomatoes and light Italian dressing on the side.  Molly usually isn't a big fan of tomatoes but these are so sweet and not as acidic.

Our fruit side is sliced strawberries.  Molly's Daddy was nice enough to cut these up especially for her, even though it's his birthday, he's always helping.

Finally, our Fun Tuesday treat is blueberry angel food cake.  This is one of the lightest cakes you can make.  The recipe is below.

Angel Food Fruit Cake

1 box of angel food cake mix
1 can of pie filling (blueberry, cherry or even crushed pineapple)

Mix together and put in an ungreased 13x9 pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

THAT'S ALL!  Yummy, easy and pretty healthy.

Daddy's Birthday!

Tomorrow is Molly's Daddy's Birthday!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DADDY!!!!  We had a great weekend of celebrations with friends and family that included some scrumptious goodies and lots of laughs.  Some of the best things in life are these little get togethers.  The worlds' problems stop for those few moments when you are doubled over with laughter after a funny story that  a friend tells.

Tomorrow we will have a small celebration since it is Daddy's real birthday but Mondays are usually pretty busy at our house.  Sundays are too and Daddy was at church for most of the day today at a class for catechists.  The good thing about that is that he picked up a couple of hoagies (or sub sandwiches) on his way out.  Our youth group does this as a fundraiser and they are hard to pass up because they are so delicious. You'll see just below.

Our main entree is part of an Italian hoagie.  It's freshly baked bread with fantastic meats and cheeses.  Molly can eat an entire foot long sub by herself on some days.  We're hoping that this fills her up enough.

Our vegetable side is yellow pepper slices with Trader Joe's sun-dried tomato hummus.  We would probably put the peppers on the sandwich but Molly really enjoys dipping them in hummus.  This sun-dried tomato hummus is a little sweet from the tomatoes and had a fantastic basil flavor.

Our fruit side is a fresh plum.  This is paying homage to the sugarplum fairies of the Nutcracker Suite.  We've been listening to as much Christmas music as we can and the girls are always twirling around to the Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is strawberry yogurt.  Molly asked for a twist so we switched it up a little bit and went with the strawberry instead of the regular vanilla.

Buying Lunch

Molly has chosen to have tomorrow be the day that she buys her lunch in the school cafeteria. We enjoy giving her responsibilities now that she is old enough to understand what it means. Her newest task is toasting waffles. She did this a couple of times with my help and can now make waffles on her own. It really helps out when we are having a patticularly busy morning. She even spreads some peanut butter on the waffles too. Picking lunches and making breakfast may seem simple to you and me but they are big steps in Molly's life. Great job, Molly!!

Fun Thursday

Molly has decided to buy her lunch on Friday so we are doing our Fun Day one day early.  It's kind of fun to mix things up sometimes too.  I'm thinking that we may have to implement Fun Days on different days.  Who wouldn't want a Fun Monday Treat?  Hmmmmm....

Our main entree is leftover pasta bake from dinner tonight.  We cook up a pound of pasta, add marinara sauce and some cut up chicken sausages.  Then, we put it in a 13x9 pan, sprinkle a little bit of shredded mozzarella cheese on top and bake it at 350°F for about 20 minutes.  We think it tastes even better the next day.

Our vegetable side is carrot slices.  We try to cut the veggies up in lots of different ways to keep the kids excited about getting their daily servings.

Our fruit side is strawberries that have been cut with Christmas themed mini cookie cutters.  This is something different to keep the Christmas spirit thriving. (We put the scraps in the fridge to add to yogurt or oatmeal.)

Our dairy side is vanilla yogurt.  We added some Trader Joe's Elegant Cocoa Pearls on top to add a little extra flavor and crunch.

Finally, our Fun Thursday Treat is Market Pantry Holiday Fruit Snacks.  We bought these a while ago and now Target doesn't have any left.  Guess we really do need to stock up around Halloween. ☺

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. 

Breakfast for Lunch!

When in doubt, look at the school lunch menu.  They are having breakfast for lunch tomorrow so we decided to follow suit and make breakfast for lunch.  We also borrowed some inspiration from a friend who lamented about how his kids only eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches.

Our main entree is a waffle sandwich.  We added some peanut butter and honey to two waffles that were toasted a little extra toasty.  We also added two pieces of turkey bacon to bump up the protein factor.  Plus, everything is better with bacon. ☺

Our fruit side is strawberries.  Molly really enjoys strawberries and we try to keep them on hand as often as possible because she's not alone in her preference.  Her siblings enjoy them too.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is vanilla yogurt.  We were going to add some sprinkles to it again but decided that there is enough color and fun in this lunch, so we'll save them for another time.

Simple Lunch

We had a very full weekend, including a trip to the doctor for Mom.  Yep, I'm the one with the sinus infection, etc.  The good thing is that I feel alright (I sound a little bit like Kathleen Turner) and I'm not contagious, the bad thing is that it is wearing me out.  Hopefully the antibiotics will kick in and I'll be back to my normal self in a hurry.

All of this lead me to make a nice simple lunch.  We're hoping that pb&j will be okay on pizza day.

Our main entree is a peanut butter and jelly uncrustable.  We keep these on hand for those crazy busy days and for Molly's little brother who is a picky eater.  This is his alternative option when he doesn't want what were are having for lunch or dinner.  They aren't the most nutritious but in a pinch (or when Mom is feeling tired) they do provide a decent amount of protein.

Our vegetable side is seedless cucumber slices.  A little bit of green to welcome in the Christmas season.  These will be a good palate cleanser for after the peanut butter and jelly.

Our fruit side is a small Empire apple.  We found these at Sam's club and they are grown to stay small so that they are a better size for kids.  A little bit of red to welcome in the Christmas season.  We cut this apple into quarters to make it more manageable.

Finally, our dairy dessert is vanilla yogurt.  We added a few fun Christmas sprinkles for a special treat for Molly.

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.

New Mac and Cheese

Molly's little brother and I did some shopping today and found the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese had a holiday box of mac and cheese.  It says 'tis the Cheese'n on the box.  Pretty punny!  We made them for lunch today and Molly saw the leftovers and asked for it to go into her lunch tomorrow.  I was so happy to hear this because I have run club on Wednesday nights so the prep for Molly's lunch would be minimal.  Yay for happy coincidences!

Our main entree is Kraft Winter Shapes Mac and Cheese.  The noodles are in the shapes of snowflakes, snowmen, candy canes and stockings.  They are really cute and quite delicious.  Cook's note: this particular variety requires more time during cooking and  less milk and butter than the normal blue box.

Our vegetable side is green pepper strips.  Molly asked for these because "they taste stronger than the mac and cheese so I think they'd be a good thing to add."  Can't argue with that logic.

Our fruit side is a red bosc pear and pomegranate arils.  These look so festive together and also have very complimentary flavors.

Finally, our dairy/dessert is peach yogurt.  We like to mix up the flavors now and then and this one seems to go over very well with all of the kids.  A little taste of summer in the winter.

Popcorn Chicken

Molly is buying her lunch tomorrow, by choice.  She is all jazzed up about the popcorn chicken.  We're pretty excited for her too.  Sometimes it is awesome to splurge on something that isn't so healthy for you, but tastes great.  (Just ask me about my adoration for chocolate.)  Hopefully her future purchased lunch choices will be a little healthier but for tomorrow, it's all about fun over nutrition. ☺

Back to School!

We had a fantastic Thanksgiving and a great time over the break.  Our house is now in full on Christmas mode.  The tree is up, the lights are twinkling outside and the smell of Christmas trees is filling our house...care of a candle as our tree is artificial.  Before you know it, the jolly old man in red will be coming down the chimney with presents for all.  That is, if the kids start behaving.  I think that they are really excited and the excitement is taking over the part in their brain that tells them the proper way to act.  Or, maybe they are just ready to get back to school after a nice break.  Back to school and back to lunch.  Here is Molly's lunch for tomorrow.

Our main entree is provolone cheese, salami and crackers.  Molly asked for salami and cheese, but not in a sandwich and without any bread.  We improvised and added cheese crackers instead.  We used a fluted cookie cutter to make the meat and cheese into fun little shapes.

Our vegetable side is green pepper slices.  We had the choice of carrots or peppers and Molly chose the peppers because they are "softer" than carrots.  She lost another tooth over the break so now she is really cautious about what she eats so that the Tooth Fairy doesn't have to visit too often.  She'd rather have it spread out over time...and we're just fine with that.

Our fruit side is sliced strawberries.  Molly's brother picked these out on a recent trip to the store.  He would eat two or three bowls of these every day if he could.  They are a great source of nutrition and we are really lucky that they are available to us at this time of year.

Our dairy/dessert is strawberry yogurt.  We had to spell it out to Molly when we were talking about her lunch because if her brother gets wind of the word yogurt, all action stops and he wants some right then and there.  She requested that it be strawberry and lucky for her, we had some.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Last Day Before Thanksgiving

Our house is filled with the flurry and excitement of the holidays.  Molly's little sister having her preschool feast tomorrow and she can't wait.  Molly can't wait to have a few days off and neither can her Daddy.  We are all ready for some extra time together as a family. ☺

Happy Thanksgiving to Everyone!

Our main entree is Chickarina soup.  It is similar to Wedding soup but has a different, larger, pasta.  Molly has been requesting this for a while after we had it for dinner with some sandwiches.

Our vegetable side is carrot chunks.  We used our crinkle knife to chop up the carrot stick.  Its a fun different way to serve carrots.

Our fruit side is a D'Anjou pear and some pomegranate arils.  These are a huge hit in our house.

Our dairy side is a Babybel cheese and it is being served with some Triscuit thins in Chili flavor.  We figured that this would be a nice addition to Molly's lunch.

Finally, our special Thanksgiving treat is M&Ms.  We had a few of these left in our special treat jar and thought that Molly would really enjoy them.

Thanksgiving Week

There are only two school days this week because of Thanksgiving.  We are all very excited to have some extra time to spend with our friends and family.  We are planning our Thanksgiving feast and assigning side dishes and desserts to our helpful family members.  We always have a great time making everything but it is so nice to have guests offer to bring something.  Last year we had a great plan and we are going to follow it again this year with a few minor changes.

All of this preparation and lack of room in the refrigerator helped us to decide that Molly will be buying her pizza lunch at school tomorrow.  This is her favorite lunch to buy and we are fine with this purchase since she will be stuffed with yummy turkey and leftovers for most of the rest of the week.

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.

Classic PB&J

I had an incredible run tonight with the peeps at Mojo Running and Multisport, as usual.  My asthma was beating me up a little bit because the temperature dropped suddenly and it was very damp outside, but I kept on trucking as well as I could.

To reward myself, I went out with the crew afterward to have a beer and to try an anomaly called the "Gobblerito" at Mad Mex.  My girl, Jenn, has been raving about this concoction for weeks.  It is basically Thanksgiving dinner wrapped up in a flour tortilla, covered in gravy and served with a side of cranberry sauce.  It was phenomenal!  Seriously!  If you are anywhere near a Mad Mex restaurant, you must try it.  It's only around for a little while longer, then comes the Feast Navidad Burrito that just so happens to include roast beast.

Our main entree is a classic peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  We were inspired by the gobblerito when choosing which cookie cutters to use.  Thanksgiving is only a week away so we broke out the turkey cookie cutter and a leaf cookie cutter.

Our vegetable side is cucumber slices.  These will be a nice palate cleanser after the peanut butter.

Our fruit side is brought to you by the letter "P".  Pears and pomegranates.  These compliment each other very nicely because the pear is a bit on the mild side and the pomegranate arils are more vibrant in flavor.

Finally, our dairy/dessert it Chobani Champions Honey-Nana Greek yogurt.  Molly said that she really enjoyed this variety the other day and decided that she'd like to try it again.

Sliders

Molly begged to buy lunch tomorrow because they are having cheeseburger sliders.  There is just something about small food for kids.  It's like they gravitate toward it and that's the reason we use cookie cutters to cut things out a lot.  I find that my kids will eat more if it is cut into a fun smaller shapes.  That's how we get them to eat fruits and vegetables sometimes.  A regular apple is fine, but if it is cut into a flower shape it is even better.  I guess presentation really does matter.

So, tomorrow Molly will be buying her lunch at school and enjoying little cheeseburger sliders.  Mom gets the night off and we can finish planning our Thanksgiving menu for next week.  Yep, Thanksgiving is next week!  Where has the time gone? ☺

Where's Toto?

It is mighty windy here in Western PA.  We were wondering if we were going to see the wicked witch of the west or Dorothy's house falling.  The windows and doors are whistling and you can forget your hair-do when you walk out the door.  Hopefully it will settle down so that we aren't woken by the noise or a power outage.

Molly's awkward week continues with a spelling test tomorrow, which is usually on a Friday.  She is very confident and can't wait for her test.  I'm really excited for her because I don't ever remember looking forward to a test.

Our main entree is dinner leftovers.  We made a Macaroni Grill frozen entree, the Basil Parmesan Chicken variety.  This meal is meant for two but we stretch it out to make enough for five because there is enough sauce for it.  We add extra cooked pasta (choo choo wheels this time) and we usually add extra veggies but forgot to tonight.  It is really delicious.  Maybe not the healthiest meal but it is nice for a special treat.

Our vegetable side is a salad.  This is romaine lettuce with multicolored peppers, cucumbers and balsamic vinaigrette.

Our fruit side is strawberries.  Molly's brother picked these out at Sam's Club because he loves berries of any kind.

Our dairy/dessert is Chobani Champions Honey-Nana Greek yogurt.  Molly really prefers the verry berry but it's good to have something different once in a while.

 

Monday in the Middle

Molly didn't have school last Monday and Tuesday because of parent/teacher conferences.  Next week, there is no school on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday because of Thanksgiving.  This means that there were exactly ten school days between these vacation periods.  Molly's teacher is taking advantage of this by doing the normal weekly plans during theses two "weeks".  This also means that tomorrow will be like a normal Thursday for Molly with a spelling pretest, extra math and reading reviews.  This week and the few days next week will be a little confusing but I give Molly's teacher credit for actually getting these lessons in before the holiday.  I remember a lot of pre-holiday days at school being mostly wasted because the teachers didn't want to start something new.  Molly's teacher is on the ball and now she won't have to push through a lesson in a shorter amount of time.

Our main entree is a salami, pepper cheese and mustard sandwich on whole grain white bread.  Molly requested that we cut it into fun shapes.  We found this cool puzzle piece cookie cutter a few weeks ago and we added little moons to it because Molly is studying the moon in school right now.

Our vegetable side is sliced cucumbers.  We used the crinkle knife again and tried to cut them a little thinner.  When we turn the cucumber after one cut and then turn it again after the next cut, etc, the veggies look like waffles.

Our fruit side is a tangerine and pomegranate arils.  The tangerine has seeds in it so we need to remember to remind Molly of that, but then again, the grapes in Friday's lunch had seeds and she did fine with those.  She even brought them home to show us.  The pomegranate may be a little laborious in preparation but it is very worth it.  These arils are so sweet and they are a nutritional powerhouses.

Our dairy/dessert is Chobani Champions Verry Berry Greek Yogurt.  This has enough protein that no extra dairy is needed.  Also, Molly really enjoys it. ☺

Fun Friday Pasta

We are so excited to be able to use Molly's new thermos again.  The wheels in my head are turning with all of the new possibilities.  Molly requested a warm pasta entree for her lunch so we are trying something simple to start.

Have a great weekend! ☺

Our main entree is a simple version of macaroni and cheese.  We cooked mini shells, added a little bit of butter and then some parmigiana and cheddar cheeses.  This is accompanied by some white turkey pieces and a babybel cheese for extra protein.

Our vegetable side is cucumber slices.  We used our favorite crinkle knife to make these more fun for Molly to eat.

Our fruit side is red globe grapes.  They are very crunchy and sweet.  Plus, they are super juicy.

Finally, our fun Friday treat is some Halloween candy.  We decided to mix it up a little bit and take care of tart and chocolate.  We have Sweet Tarts and Whoppers, the best of both worlds.

Mom is Sick

Mom (and Dads) aren't supposed to get sick.  We are supposed to be invincible to germs, resistant to lack of sleep and be able to function no matter what.  This Mom is having some issues with that.  The extra hour that we got on Sunday resulted in less sleep at our house because Molly's little brother is only two and doesn't know how to read a clock.  I also have some sort of swollen gland, upper respiratory thingy going on and it is wiping me out.

I decided to go ahead and head out to Mojo Running tonight for a training run, despite my ickiness.  Speaking of icky, it was raining and cold during our run.  It was one of those times when I really questioned whether or not this whole running this was for me.  Well, it definitely is.  I felt SO much better after the run.  It helped me clear my head, work my body out and actually got my lungs working.  I may be saying something different tomorrow but as of now, it really helped me.

On my way home, I got a text from Molly's Daddy asking if Molly could buy her lunch tomorrow.  They are having baked tortilla chips with taco meat.  We are big taco fans here and since I am really tired I gave her the go ahead to buy tomorrow.

ps - Molly said that the soup was fantastic and she can't wait to see what things will now be available for her to eat since she can have hot food now.  I have to admit, I'm pretty excited too!

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.

☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺☺
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.

Feeling Much Better

It must have been a 24 hour thing that Molly had, thank goodness.  Unfortunately, she shared it with the rest of us but the fact that it was only 24 hours for her is very comforting to me.  Today, Molly went to school and ate her Halloween Lunch from yesterday.  She got rave reviews from her friends and enjoyed all of it.

I was asked by another parent whether or not I show Molly the lunches before school and most of the time I do.  I never know what it will look like by the time it has sat in the refrigerator all night, commuted to school and sat in Molly's locker until the lunch period.  I want her to see what they are supposed to look like.  But there are sometimes that I just tell her what is in the box and surprise her with a little something extra.

Tomorrow, Molly has decided to buy her lunch because she likes what they are serving.  This is fine with Mama since two of my three kids are under the weather and I'm not feeling 100%.