Cream cheese hemp seed sandwich

"I'm late!
 I'm late! 
 For a very important date!
 No time to say hello, goodbye!
 I'm late!
 I'm late!
 I'm late!"                    
                            White Rabbit's song, from "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll

Sometimes this is how I feel. Many parents, working and not working may relate. But do I really have to be pressed with time in order to prepare easy lunch? Making something quick will allow me to spend time on other things that really matter - reading, taking a walk or playing one more chess game.

Sprouted whole grain bread with cream cheese and hemp seeds, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers

Really, there is no recipe.
My 6 years old daughter asked to make it for her dinner today.
It was entirely her idea.

Cream cheese sandwich with hemp seeds and vegetables can be excellent speedy lunch.

Take good sandwich bread. I have used sprouted whole grain bread from Trader Joe's.
Spread cream cheese you like - I prefer whole milk to reduced fat.
Wash and cut some vegetables.
Sprinkle hulled hemp seeds on top for added taste and nutrition. Hemp plant has many uses and using hemp seeds for food surprised me first time I have heard about it. And hemp seeds considered to be super food. They are rich in essential fatty acids, vitamin E and minerals. Hemp seeds have pleasant nutty taste that can enhance many dishes, especially fresh salads. 

To pack lunch for yourself or your child, fold the sandwich over, cut it to fit into lunch box, add fresh vegetables and it is ready.

Fragrant ground turkey "stir in". With vegetables.

When I want something quick, easy and pleasing to both kids and parents I cook group turkey with fragrant spices and a lot of vegetables. This versatile dish can be used as pasta sauce, as a filling for tortillas, as an aromatic for plain rice or other cooked grains. Just stir in.
 

Almost ready! Ground turkey stir in with vegetables.

Fragrant ground turkey stir fry

Ingredients
ground turkey, 1 pound
onion, 2 small, sliced and diced
carrot, 1 grated
zucchini, 1, sliced to bite size pieces
olive oil, 1 table spoon
soy or tamary sauce (for gluten free), 1 tablespoon
turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon
sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon
garlic, 1 clove, diced
sea salt, to taste (reduce due to saltiness of soy sauce)
cumin seeds, whole, 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
adjwain seeds, 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
parsley, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup water

Note:
Add more vegetables! Green peas, asparagus, shredded cabbage, bean sprouts. Everything works.

Method
In large skillet heat oil on medium heat. Add the seeds, if using, and let them the flavor the oil - heat them for about 30 seconds. Add onions and stir fry them for about 5 minutes. Add carrots and stir fry for another 2 minutes. Add turkey and cook it till no longer pink. Break large pieces as you stir.

Add soy sauce, zucchini and rest of the spices. Add 1/2 cup water, stir. Cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes. Add parsley and serve.

Will go into lunchbox tomorrow with basmati rice and side of raw vegetables.

Getting ready to bake. With frozen orange zest.

Orange zest can infuse almost any cookie recipe. It also work well in many savory recipes, like pasta, chicken and fish.

Many times I am short in time and do not add orange zest.
Is there any simple solution?

Grating orange zest

Yes!

Making a batch! 
Whenever you have oranges and few spare minute, grate orange zest using microplane zester and freeze it in tight closing container for up to 6 months.

The same can be done for lemons. Conventional lemons, oranges and other citrus are heavily sprayed. Use organics, when possible. 

And whenever you are in a mood to add a little zest to your cooking - it is quick and easy.

Almost no cooking lunch. With avocado.

Would you like to add more vegetables to your menu? Green vegetables?

Buckwheat with green peas, avocado, broccoli, snow pea, red peppers, blue corn chips

Here is an idea for healthy lunch, made with minimum preparations. Half of avocado, organic blue corn chips, sliced peppers, steamed broccoli and snow peas. To prevent browning, dunk avocado cut side down into lemon water for a few seconds. To make lemon water, squeeze few drops of lemon juice into 1/4 cup of cold water.

I had cooked buckwheat, so I quickly reheated it with frozen green peas, added unrefined sunflower oil and packed in thermos. Any other cooked grains work well too - quinoa, brown rice, barley or couscous. Or pasta.

Questions? Comments?

Keeping it simple. With hummus.

How often do you ask yourself - does all this effort worth it?

Do I spend my time enjoying what I do or am I just making it complicated and myself overwhelmed?

This question is applicable to many ares of life, from choosing a daycare or a family vacation to selecting a recipe for weekday dinner or making a meal plan for a week. 

Some of the best meals are the simplest to prepare. Keeping it simple and pure can be quick and relaxing leaving more time for what is really important. Fresh vegetables are delicious and beautiful on their own. I often cut a variety of vegetables up in patterns - wedges, sticks, bites or wheels. My family loves them simply arranged on a plate. With hummus.

Hummus with cucumbers and carrots; gather it all together; ready to blend

There are many cut and serve vegetables. All of them will benefit your body and energize you.
Here are the most common ones that children and adults will enjoy in their lunchbox:

- cucumbers
- carrots
- bell peppers
- celery
- cabbage
- broccoli 
- beets
- radishes
- cauliflower
- lettuce
- tomatoes
- continue the list with whatever you like or want to try (jicama?)

A look in the fridge...  Moment of quick choice...  Sharp knife comes to action...
Half of the meal (or may be more) is ready in minutes.
How simple is that?

Hummus (Mediterranean chickpeas dip)

Ingredients
chickpeas, 1 can cooked - or you can choose to cook your own by soaking 3/4 cup dry chickpea beans overnight, boiling them for about 1 hour until soft, then straining them
1/4 cup of tahini (sesame paste)
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic
lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
water, 1-2 table spoons
spices to taste: salt, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chilies, paprika, etc
small bunch of parsley (optional)


Method
If using canned chickpeas - wash them in colander under running cold water.
Place all the ingredients in a food processor or a blender and puree them to a thick paste.
Taste the hummus to see if the consistency and spices are to your liking. If too thick add more water or lemon juice. Correct the seasoning if needed.

Eat!

To make it even simpler grab prepared hummus in the store. To make it all a nourishing vegan meal, you might add sprouted whole grain tortillas from a freezer section of your supermarket.

Only, but ONLY if you enjoy it and find that additional nutrition value will make your heart sing and your spirit elevate: 

Sprout chick peas for 24-72 hours. Small tails will show up. Sprouted chickpeas should be cooked for 1 hour. Add 2 inch square of kombu (dried sea weed) while cooking the chickpeas.
Blend cooked kombu into hummus together with other ingredients.

Great packed for lunch. 

Homemade baked chicken nuggets with potato and carrot

My husband said: "What is THAT?"

I replied: "My friend, Hila, has shared a baked chicken nuggets recipe when we had tea in Crema cafe today. I have noted to myself - it is time to do something different and new. So here it is".

My husband: "It is really good. Can you make it again?".

I am taking risks from time to time making new recipes. I am calling it risk because my family is not shy in letting me when I "ruin" their meal. So sometimes it is a success, sometimes it is a failure, but how will I know if I don't try? Even though I can have an idea for what my family might like, but I can get too excited with a new recipe. Like a little boy with a new fire truck toy. And it is OK.

David and Mai both loved the nuggets. I know it, they were dipping the chicken nuggets in organic ketchup and licking their fingers. The kids had those healthy baked chicken bites for lunch 2 days in the row, with great enthusiasm.

Baked chicken nuggets served with curry basmati rice, zucchini and shiitake mushrooms and cucumber, chicken nuggets before baking, mixture and bread crumbs in background

Healthy, filling and easy recipe.

Ingredients
ground chicken breast or dark meat, 1 pound
bread crumbs, 3 table spoons (I used homemade whole wheat sourdough breadcrumbs)
potatoes, 2 small
carrots, 2 small
1 table spoon olive oil (optional)
sea salt
black pepper
paprika (optional)

To coat - more bread crumbs

Method
Peel or scrab potatoes and carrots, cut to 8 pieces.
Put in small pot, cover with cold water.
Boil for 10-15 minutes, until soft when pierced with fork.
Remove from the heat, pour out the liquid.
Mash the vegetables to puree using masher or fork. Although it is tempting to use food processor to achieve homogeneous mass, don't. Potatoes contain a lot of starch and using food processor will make them into thick glue.
Let cool.
Add all the rest of the ingredients and mix through.
In a shallow plate, put bread crumbs.
Prepare large baking sheet with parchment paper. Turn oven to 395F.
With a real table spoon, scoop chicken-potato-carrot mixture.
Form nugget and coat it in bread crumbs. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat till all the mixture is done.
Bake for 10 minutes in 395 F on each side, for total 20 minutes.
You might need to adjust the time according to nuggets size. Safe internal temperature for chicken is 165F. When in doubt, use cook thermometer.

Note
To pack for lunch, I have reheated the nuggets in toaster and packed them in thermoses. 3 nuggets for Mai, 5 nuggets for David. Zero came back. Success!

Questions? Comments? Let me know what you think. 

Custom made again - steamed wild salmon and sandwish with cheese

I can't help making separate lunches for my children. One will "NEVER" eat fish, besides canned tuna, while I prefer the other to continue with healthy things that he already eats and enjoys. After all this is my free choice what to serve.


Yesterday, in preparation for the lunch today, I have steamed asparagus and moved individually packed frozen wild salmon from freezer to refrigerator.

In the morning, I have steamed the fish with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Again using the same wok with metal steaming basket.

on right - sandwich with cheese and butter, tomato, beets and asparagus for my daughter, on left - steamed wild salmon with asparagus, cucumbers, asparagus and tomato