healthy

4 Days before the much anticipated event and amid the hell of pre-Christmas . . .oops, I mean the joy of Christmas, I finally stumbled upon the inspiration for a fun lunch. Candy canes! The candy cane I stumbled across was actually a large chunk wedged tightly into the sole of my shoe, causing some mid arch discomfort and creating a sticky trail upon my floor, but who am I to speak harshly of my ill placed muse?

Whole wheat candy cane bread (this was shamefully easy - -make 2 batches of dough for whole wheat bread, but add food coloring to one batch while you are proofing the yeast). After the first rise, divide each piece of dough into 4 to 8 sections (depending on how many and how big you want your candy canes to be). Roll each section into a long rope (approx. 12 inches to fit in a laptop lunchbox). Twist a red rope and natural rope together (making sure not to leave any airspaces between the twists) and shape to resemble a candy cane. Allow to rise on cookie sheet and baste with egg yolk and water just before baking. You will probably have to adjust your cooking time (my recipe called for 25 mins. shaped as a loaf - but it took only 12 minutes as a candy cane). By the way, this project is kid friendly and I dare say it kept all mysterious thumping sounds and subsequent screaming at bay for at least 15 minutes.

Oh yeah. . I added a mixture of peanut butter and honey to spread on the bread and a fruit salad of mandarin segments and kiwis. Cream cheese and chopped cranberries would have looked prettier, but I didn't have any on hand.

Merry Christmas!

P.S. School is out for a couple of weeks so my postings will be scarce until early 2008.

waste generated: rectangle of unbleached parchment paper - - I think I am a parchment junkie.

Portoguese Kale soup with carrots, red russian kale, new potatoes, leeks (all from our CSA box), turkey sausage, Muir Glen fireroasted tomatoes and pinto beans; homemade half whole wheat (half bread flour) sesame rolls; and a pear.

The photo directly above, along with several other holiday cooking projects have usurped Aidan's lunches this week. He is not complaining.

Peanut butter and homemade applesauce on Rudy's organic honey whole wheat bread; Earth's Best chocolate milk; snack mix made with raisins, dried bananas, and pretzel sticks.

waste generated: milk box, plastic snack bag (and you may have thought I didn't actually own any of these - - one of my dirty little secrets is out)

I'm not sure if Smart Dogs are really all that smart, especially now that I notice their color blends a little too well with the very unnatural shade of orange found in my son's lunchbox, yet he loves them them and they are better than mystery meat.

Sliced smart dogs and organic Muir Glen ketchup for dipping; organice green leaf lettuce; 2 mini apples; almonds and raisins.

waste generated: none :)

Organic almond butter and homemade berry jam on a sprouted whole wheat tortilla; grapes; applesauce; and organic low salt potato chips.

waste generated: applesauce container & sticker

My CSA box has overflowith with cruciferous vegetables. This would be grand if my children found cauliflower, radishes, and broccoli appealing, but they do not. Additionally, it is the time of year when little black bugs like to call the broccoli home and no amount of washing, soaking and meticulous picking can ensure they have all disappeared. Like many people, my children are horrified by the idea that they may have ingested a bug (these ideals are not without their contradictions as any of my children would consume, with little hesitation, a stray m&m found on a public restroom floor).

In an attempt to make the broccoli more appetizing I have included it in a brown rice casserole with lots of swiss cheese and a sauce made of eggs and milk. The orange is from our tree and has been segmented so it can be eaten with a spoon (like a grapefruit); cucumber sticks and a new treat bar (made with honey, sesame, and almonds) round out this lunch.

waste generated: packaging from candy bar thingy

The curry did not go over well. This is my apology, which was met with great enthusiasm:

Organic bow tie/ farfalle pasta with olive oil and grated pecorino cheese; cheese stick; slices of homemade organic whole wheat baguette with olive oil and balsamic vinegar dipping sauce.

The olive oil, in both instances, was a mix of olive and flaxseed oil for some added nutrition. I packed soymilk (not pictured) with a little protein powder instead of the usual water.

waste generated: cheesestick wrapper

Spring rolls made with rice paper wraps stuffed with shredded carrots, red cabbage, lettuce, and tofu, served with slightly spicy peanut sauce for dipping. Edamame, tamari flavored rice crackers, and dried sweet banana chips.

The chopsticks are decorative and stayed home with me.

waste generated: none