mommy + me lunch box

My husband and I are taking part in the Lurong Living Paleo Challenge again this year. We did this last year and it was a great way to sort of reboot/restart/reset our eating patterns since we over-indulged over the summer. Time to get rid of sugar cravings. Our children usually eats what we serve for dinner, but lunch is usually when I let Miss C have an sandwich or grain or a treat. Baby E is now eating regular food and drinks organic whole milk.  Mommy's Lunch: (paleo challenge - day 1) Pork chili pear and nuts packed in an  EasyLunchBox note: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links Miss C's lunch: Cheese quesadilla with sour cream lettuce, rice and tomatoes (we had Mexican food for our "last dinner before the challenge" and this was leftover from Miss C's dinner that she wanted to pack for lunch) Breakfast: 2-ingredient banana pancake {paleo, gluten-free, dairy-free} Mash 1 banan...

Miss C's Lunch: Turkey rollups with lettuce and cheese raspberries and blackberries snap peas w/ranch kale chips packed in a Planetbox Rover Kale Chips {recipe} 1 bunch kale (remove stems, wash and make sure they are dry) splash of olive oil sea salt  optional parmesan cheese (omit for paleo) optional seasoning: garlic powder, red pepper flakes, etc Preheat oven at 350deg. Toss kale with olive oil, and salt (and/or optional seasoning) Arrange kale in a single layer on a cookie sheet. (optional - sprinkle parmesan cheese) Bake for 20-25 minutes until crisp, turning halfway. 

It's Superbowl Sunday this weekend! I need to share this super duper easy buffalo chicken dip with you. It's a little healthier than other ones with ranch seasoning or mayo!  I packed my leftover dip with celery, oranges  and a lactation cookie (oatmeal cookie fortified with brewers yeast and flax seeds) Buffalo Chicken Dip (primal or lacto-paleo or "paleo con queso") 2 cups of shredded cooked chicken 8 oz cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt 1/2 cup cheddar cheese (or crumbled blue cheese-I'm not a fan though) 1/4-1/2 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's Red Hot) 1/2-1 cup cheddar cheese (optional) Combine cream cheese, yogurt, 1/2 cheddar cheese, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Add shredded chicken. Pour into a 1-quart baking dish and top with additional cheese. Bake at 350 ° F for 20 minutes or until heated through. Serve with chips, crackers, or vegetables. packed in an  EasyLunchBox note: This post may conta...

Mommy's lunch:  (Miss C had a similar lunch) Grilled Honey Chicken spinach, and yellow tomatoes with sweet potatoes and grapes Packed in an  EasyLunchBox Easy Grilled Honey Chicken  1 lbs chicken (breasts or thighs) Marinade:  1/4 cup honey 1/4 cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce if not Paleo) 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 Tbsp olive oil Mix marinade and marinate the chicken for at least an hour (or overnight). Grill the chicken till it's cooked. (I'd post directions on how, but my husband is the one the grills.) note: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links.

Tortang talong (eggplant omelet) is usally made with sauteed ground pork. But I made this really quick version because I didn't have pork and I had my husband throw the eggplant on the grill while he grilled chicken sausages.   Mommy's Lunch: Eggplant Omelet,  quick tomato salad (EVOO, splash of vinegar, salt and pepper) pears Packed in an  EasyLunchBox Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong) -chinese eggplant (long and slender, not the fat ones) -1egg (more if using more than 1 eggplant) -salt & pepper (to taste) Grill or roast chinese eggplant (long and slender) until tender. Peel off the chard skin and mash the eggplant flat while keeping the stem. Beat the eggs, add salt and pepper. Heat coconut oil (or preferred frying oil). Place the eggplant flat on the pan and pour the egg on top.  Flip the omelet when one side has browned.  Filipinos typically serve this with rice. For a more authentic Tortang Talong (st...

Mommy's Lunch: Almond-crusted chicken strips green beans, tomatoes grapes, and strawberries mother's milk tea packed in an  EasyLunchBox note: This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links Almond-crusted Chicken Strips:  inspired by this recipe from Allergy-Free Alaska 1.5-2 lb. chicken breast (cut into strips) 1 cup almond flour/meal 1 tbsp ground flax 1 tsp paprika 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp kosher salt 1/4 black pepper 1/2 tsp dried parsley 2 eggs - preheat oven to 425 ° - mix dry ingredients in a deep plate - beat egg in a separate bowl - dip chicken strips in egg then coat with almond flour mixture - place in single layer on a baking sheet  (use parchment or Silpat to prevent from sticking) - bake for 18-20 minutes, flipping halfway.

Mommy's Lunch: Butternut squash soup ham, cucumbers and Alouette mini pear Butternut Squash Soup 1 large butternut squash (cooked--see below) 1 Tbsp olive oil 1-2 cloves garlic, minced 1 small onion, sliced 2-3 cups chicken or vegetable broth 1/2 can coconut milk Cooking the butternut squash (choose one of the following:) Option A   Roast butternut squash in the oven at 400°F If you cut in in half, roast cut side up for 50-60 minutes. If you cut it in cubes, roast for 35 minutes (roast until fork tender) Option B Cut in half and place in a Crockpot or slow cooker.  Add a cup of water and cook on high for 2 hours (low for 4) (a friend of mine suggested I left it whole, but I haven't tried it yet.) Option C If you have no time roasting or slow cooking,  just cut squash into cubes and boil until tender. Soup directions: 1. In a large pot, saute the garlic and onions in olive oil. 2. Spoon out the squash meat into...

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: 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.)

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,...

I was packing Miss C's lunch while eating a hardboiled egg for breakfast. After scooping her hummus into a dipping container, I smeared the remaining hummus from the knife onto my egg... ding!  * LIGHT BULB * What if I mashed up the egg yolks with hummus? So I unpacked the 2 eggs I had packed for my snack, sliced each one, scooped the egg yolks out. I mixed in about 2 tbsp of prepared red pepper hummus. and spooned it into the egg whites. Next time I will add a splash of olive oil to thin out the consistency and add some relish similar to this  Hummus Deviled Egg  from Sabra. Hummus is a great alternative to mayonnaise, and you can even leave out the egg yolks altogether if you wish. Hummus Deviled Eggs

I still have not decided whether or not going to a weekly summary of the bentos or the daily thing... So maybe I'll try 2-3 weeks of weekly lunches and incorporating a recipe day, "Pinday" a weekly Pinterest-inspired meme that was inspired from another blogging friend, and a random day where I can post whatever is on my mind that week. Sound okay to you? Okay. Thanks. :) Here we go... Wednesday Lunch:  Spam and Rice If you've never had Spam, don't knock it till you try it!  The whole rice and Spam thing is so Filipino. I remember having Spam and rice is a rare treat when we lived in the Philippines. Spam is also huge in Hawaii-- I've found Spam musubi  online which is sort of like Spam sushi. Serious yum. We had rice and Spam the night before. The recipe is pretty simple: Fried Spam 1 can Spam 1 egg, scrambled. Cut Spam into 1/4" slices. Coat each slice. Spray a frying pan or use a nonstick pan to fry until edges are brown and heated through...

Miss C's favorite Filipino dish is pancit. My mom (C's Lola {Tagalog for "grandmother"}) makes it all the time because its one of her most requested dish. Sometimes we get to come over and eat leftovers--and take more leftovers home! :)  Pancit Bihon is a very simple dish. It's flavored with just soy sauce so the flavor is mild and not strong and overpowering. It's not greasy and does not have a lot of exotic ingredients. A lot of our non-Asian friends and kids love this noodle dish. Pancit (Filipino Rice Noodles), watermelon, carrots w/ranch (dip transferred to a small container with lid because I totally forgot that this was going inside C's lunchbox) Pancit Bihon     (pan-sit bee-hohn) 1 package (8oz) thin rice noodles (bihon, or sometimes called rice vermicelli) 1 T oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 onion, diced 1 large carrot sliced/julienned (I use 1c precut matchstick carrots) 1 c shredded cabbage ...

My husband and I both work full-time so we share cooking responsibilities... I have to admit, he does more cooking than I do lately. This is what he made last night: Easy Chicken Penne: 2 boneless chicken breasts, cubed 1/2 package (1/2 lb) of penne pasta 2 cups broccolli (we used frozen but fresh is also good) Philadelphia Cooking Creme (Savory Garlic) (find it by the cream cheese at the store) Directions: Cook pasta according to directions. Brown and cook the chicken. Stir in the broccoli until its half-cooked. Throw in the pasta and add cooking creme. Stir for 3 minutes until hot. Voila! chicken broccoli penne carrot sticks+ranch, yogurt, juice This is my lunch... I should have grabbed a little ziploc bag of carrots. And I want to get fun lunch boxes, but I have a cabinet full of these gladware at work since I have a bad habit of leaving them there. Once every 3-4 months, I take a big bag of containers home.