mommy + me lunch box

This week marks the last week of the Lurong Living Paleo Challenge. It was an 8-week challenge and competition with points based on diet and WOD (workout) performance. Here is a round-up highlighting some of the lunches for work the last 2 months:    Fajita Chicken Salad w/dragonfruit Meatloaf w/sweet potatoes Pork Chili Beef Koftas Flank Steak w/Sweet Potato Hash Chicken Tenders Scottish Eggs                              Greek Sausage w/brussels sprouts packed in EasyLunchBoxes note: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links

We had a very busy summer! On June 28, we welcomed our precious bundle of joy.  Everyone, meet Miss E. She is perfect and Miss C absolutely adores her little sister! I {heart} this photo taken by Darcy Holsopple . Visit her blog for more pics The beginning part of the summer was consumed with baby prep while the latter was consumed by baby love. I'm sure we will settle into our routine soon and hopefully incorporating baby madness into it, actually, incorporating our own routine to the baby's routine. She's pretty much the boss right now. Well, her need to eat and cuddle takes precedence over a lot of stuff... like blogging and chores.  I am slowly getting back into my regular "leisure" activities, like showering, Crossfit, baking/decorating, and blogging. So this week is exciting and busy! My maternity leave went by really fast and  I am back to work full time this week. Which means back to packing lunches! AND most importantly, Miss C s...

Meatloaf (Paleo) and sweet potatoes cucumbers and clementine packed in an  EasyLunchBox My husband made the meatloaf with ground beef, shredded carrots, chopped onions, eggs and spices. He cooks the way I do (experimental, using recipes as "guidelines," adding stuff here and there.) Otherwise, I would share the recipe with you.

My husband is doing a Crossfit Open Challenge and decided to go Paleo(ish) during the next 6 weeks. We have a very busy schedule, both of us working full time and then working out in the evenings, (with Miss C tagging along with her own jump rope,) we needed to utilize our slow cooker (crock pots)  and plan out our dinners ahead of time. The other day we tried a recipe for Pork Carnitas from Mom Gone Paleo . It was yummy. We altered it based on the availability in our pantry (we had no cinnamon and green chilies.)  Rub your pork shoulder with the following the night before: 1 tsp of each: cumin, coriander, sea salt, ground pepper, paprika, oregano, garlic (we used fresh garlic) The next morning, slice one onion and place at the bottom of the crock pot, add 1 cup of chicken broth. Place the pork right on top and cook on low for 8 hours.  Shred the pork and put it in a baking sheet and place under the broiler for 5 minutes to give it a slight crisp.  ...

Mommy's Lunch:  Spaghetti squash  with my husband's yummy homemade spaghetti sauce and blackberries...  and someone snuck in a Lemonade Girl Scout Cookie! packed in an  EasyLunchBox

Mommy's lunch: quick and easy ground beef stir fry gluten-free pretzels w/Laughing Cow cheese and blueberries packed in an  EasyLunchBox recipe: quick and easy ground beef stir fry 1 lb. lean ground beef 1 bag frozen vegetables 1 clove garlic, minced 1 Tbsp oil  1/2 small onion 2 Tbsp soy sauce salt/pepper to taste Saute garlic and onion in 1 tbsp of oil. Add ground beef till cooked. (Drain if needed) Add frozen veggetables and stir frequently until cooked Add soy sauce and salt/pepper to taste. (If preferred, serve with rice.)

Miss C's lunch:   salad with turkey grapes and pretzel crackers cherry jello with fruit Mommy's lunch: Chicken salad over bed of lettuce, vanilla yogurt, grapes and wheat crackers

 Chicken and Gnocchi with Vodka sauce blackberries and caramel marshmallows  Peanut Thai Chicken with green beans, rice and pineapple  Creamy Basil Chicken and Tortellini with broccoli grapes and dark chocolate Lemon Garlic Pork Tenderloin with green beans celery w/Alouette cheese and dried mangoes

Mommy's lunch:  baked blue hake fish (baked with lemon, butter and dill) over carrot strings cauliflower, snowpeas and carrot blend, and an apple packed in an  EasyLunchBox

 Salad with chicken and cheddar sausage  packed in Lock&Lock rectangular divided container Salad with turkey roll ups  and miniature bananas with tomato hearts  ♥ packed in EasyLunchBox Salad with pork dumplings packed in a disposable Gladware bowl.

My husband and I both work full time. I am blessed with a husband that can and will cook during the week. Normally, since he gets off work earlier than I do, he'll dinner before I get home (Yes, I'm lucky, and I love him, and he's all MINE!).  Once in a while, I try to put something in the Crockpot or put something together the night before... but I have to admit, that's a rare occasion. Grilling, slow-cooker, casseroles, and stir-fries are our go-to dinner options weekly.  Easy Peasy Dinners = Easy Peasy Leftover Lunches Salsa chicken, greek yogurt and carrots Crockpot Salsa Chicken 4 frozen chicken boneless breasts 1 jar of salsa  1 pint of sour cream  1 can of black beans Place chicken in the crockpot, pour the salsa, sour cream, and beans. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6-8 hours. Shred chicken. Serve as chicken tacos with tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, and other preferred toppings. Grilled chicken sausages , steamed edamame,...

My lunch below is grilled salmon, grilled asparagus, steamed green beans and strawberries. But let's not talk about my food right now. Let's talk food photography. A few months ago, I bartered a home-cooked dinner for quick photography tips from my friend Josh . He also teaches classes at a local college and museum, so I know he knows his stuff. He gave me a few pointers about flash vs no flash, using natural light, ISO stuff, and other technical camera stuff. Well, over the summer, I did not blog much, and my iPhone camera became handier than my bulky Fujifilm FinePix camera. (Oh, how I wish for a Nikon DSLR...) I forgot all that camera settings stuff we talked about.  Another problem is natural lighting. Last year, preschool started at 9am, so by 8:30am, the sun has risen; even though I had to lug all the lunches to our master bedroom window on the other side, I get great natural light. Now, Miss C have to be ready around 7am. The sun is barely up at 6:45am, and when Day...

I forgot to post my lunch last Friday. It does not look like much, but I have to have morning and afternoon snacks/mini meals which typically includes a protein and veg/fruit (not pictured).  I'm trying this healthy eating thing along with working out. It's going really well. I'm not doing any specific "diet". Just trying to eat healthy. I'm trying to get 5-6 meals daily. Minimizing processed food. Minimizing grains, pasta and rice (which is difficult for this Filipino girl).  Lots of veggies and occasional fruit and focusing on protein intake with good fats like olive oil and avocados.  My exercise regimen Insanity ® (day 43!) along with bootcamp Mondays and Wednesdays, and Zumba on Tuesday nights.  Today's lunch: and check out a new addition to our collection. This 2 tiered bento box is super cute!