bento

School Lunch Boxes

12:56 PM



I love making school lunches for my kids. I guess it is the thrill of coming up with new ideas to try that my kids will actually like and eat. I have this weird notion that if children can be diverse in their eating, they are more accepting of the diversity of people. We try lots of foods that are often cultural.

When it comes to school lunches, we try to be healthy and balanced. I include a fatty or sugary sweet but for the most part, everything is fresh. Since I include veggies, fruit and a dairy product along with the main entree, I like a certain look and vibe to the lunch boxes. No oozing, no leaks, no mixing of the foods from being tossed in the backpack. I need a box that will stand up to my now 11 year old.

Here are a few that I found that I really like.

These are by Bentgo Kids.  I love the compartments in the box it self and the tray is removable for when you are prepping the lunch. The lidded cups are perfect for sauces, dips, etc and a drinking cup with lid can be purchased. I love that they keep it simple and modern in design and they come in four colors: purple, green, blue and gray.  The box itself averaging $30. 



Available in a variety of colors with cute little drawings inside for food placement, I love the clear dividers and more whimsical approach that Yumbox takes. You can order a carrying bag from this company as well. You can get them with either 4 compartments or six. The tight lined lid sure ensure that there is no leakage or items mixing with others in the tray.




What I like about these is that they are collapsible. The Ultrathin ones are of course not collapsible but I like how they are so thin that they will take up less space in the backpack. My only concern with the Ultrathin would be the types of foods that could be packed.  These choices and more can be found by SmartPlanet. They have a nice selection of different design options to fit many meal packing needs.

While these are not lunch boxes, I fell in love with them when I saw them. Originally popsicle molds, they are perfect for packing snacks.  You can find them on Amazon, these Smoozie Pop molds are perfect for back to school. 








bento

Easy Falafel...

12:00 AM


I am always up for trying new things. Unless it is maggot cheese or something that reminds me of roadkill I am all for it. I love trying and introducing my family to meals that are not common in Mississippi. Thus we land on the falafel.

I was watching the food network one night and they were going over restaurants and their popular dishes when they showcased a diner that specialized in falafels. I was curious....what the heck is this tasty looking meatballish creature/recipe/meal-a-bob? I decided to try it. My kids were pleased. When you are a parent, pleased kids says a lot about your cooking.

I tried the recipe from food network and loved it. 

Recipe copied from Food Network:
Ingredients
2 1/4 cups cooked chickpeas
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
1 large clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Generous 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
Generous 1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1 egg
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup flour, plus 1/4 cup flour for shaping patties
Vegetable oil, for frying
Lettuce, for garnish
Chopped salted tomatoes, for garnish
Grated cucumber, for garnish
White Bean Yogurt Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
In a food processor, combine the chickpeas, scallions, garlic, cumin, coriander, cayenne, parsley, cilantro, egg, and lemon juice. Pulse to combine and season with salt. The mixture will not be smooth, but it should not have large chunks.

Add in the baking powder and 1/3 cup of the flour and pulse to just combine. Remove to a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove the chickpea mixture from the refrigerator. Add enough oil to a large saute pan so it reaches 1/2-inch up the sides and heat it over medium-high heat until an inserted thermometer reads 360 degrees F.

Meanwhile, drop spoonfuls of the chickpea mixture onto a plate with 1/4 cup flour. Roll into balls on the floured plate and press gently into patties. Fry in batches of hot oil for about 3 to 4 minutes each side and drain on paper towels.

Serve the falafel on a bed of lettuce with chopped salted tomatoes, grated cucumber and White Bean Yogurt Sauce.

Creamy White Bean Yogurt Sauce
3/4 cup cooked white beans
1 small garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Puree the white beans, garlic, yogurt, lemon juice, and olive oil in a mini food processor until very smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve with falafel or as a salad dressing

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/melissa-darabian/falafel-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

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