School Lunches

It has been difficult to find things to pack in the boys school lunch.  I probably like variety more than most people, so eating the same thing for lunch everyday would be horrible for me!  Thankfully my boys aren't picky and will eat a lot of foods cold that I wouldn't.  I don't have a ton of pictures (that early in the morning my brain isn't functioning well enough to think about taking pictures).  However I will post the pictures I do have, and share some ideas.

First I purchased a few different sets of "lunch kits", you know the containers with compartments and lids.  I also purchased 3 (expensive) soup thermoses (is that how it's spelled?!?).  I store all of these in an "under-the-bed" tote under one of my kitchen shelve units.  And I cleared a space in one of my hall "pantry" cabinets and set up bins of lunch items.  Now all set :)

First Day of School 2014

Taco Bowls

My oldest takes salad almost everyday.

Bagel Sandwiches

Homemade "burgers"

Breakfast for lunch

Other things we have done:

Soups in a thermos
Cold chik'n nuggets
Cold veggie dogs
Veggie Wraps
Waffle Sticks
Pasta Salad

Vegan/Raw 'cream' cakes

Long, UNINTENTIONAL hiatus.  Life has been busy, but with Thanksgiving this week, I have some "wait time" while pies are baking...time to catch up :)

Months ago I began working on a raw, vegan chocolate 'cream' cake.  Then I began playing with other flavors too.  They are still on my back burner for tweaking, but I'll post the progress now.

The Crust:
1 C. pecan meal (finely ground pecans)
1/2 C. cocoa powder
1 t. vanilla
1 pinch sea salt
agave nectar (drizzled in to make the crust "sticky")

Place everything in a food processor and process until mixed, drizzle agave nectar in until you get a crumble that sticks together when pinched between your fingers, a little like graham cracker crust. Press into spring form pans one big one or several small ones.  Crust thickness is totally up to you, use more or less of the crust mix to reach the desired thickness.  Set this in the freezer.

Filling (Chocolate)
2 C. soaked cashews, rinsed well. (soak 10-30 minutes--the longer you soak them the easier it is to get the creamy texture)
1/2 C. agave nectar or maple syrup
1 T. vanilla
1/2 C. water
3/4 C. cocoa powder
1/2 C. coconut oil
pinch of salt

Place drained cashews in a blender with agave or maple syrup, vanilla, and water.  Blend until creamy.  Add cocoa powder, coconut oil, and salt.  Blend until  smooth.  Scoop filling into your spring form pan(s) and return to the freezer for a few hours to set before removing them from the pan(s).  Garnish with a vegan chocolate ganache and/or pecans.

Delicious!

This was the day I experimented with other flavors...

And the result...

 Vanilla Strawberry from the trio

Chocolate from the trio

Almond Orange from the trio