3 tools, 4 bloggers

Today I have the fantastic privilege of participating in a series called 3 tools, 4 bloggers being hosted by the fantabulous Wendolonia. Essentially 4 of us lunch packing blogger mamas use the same 3 tools to make a lunch. Hopefully you can see that tools can be versatile and are only limited to your creativity! If you'd like to see the 3 tools, 4 bloggers post from 5/21 you can see it HERE.

Today's tools are: Easy Lunchboxes, Ikea Woodland Cutters, and Food Markers

So I immediately knew that I would be running with the woodland theme with these cutters, but I didn't want to just use one cutter so I tried to figure out how to incorporate at least one more cutter. So I used the squirrel and the hedgehog (the cheese sun) from the woodland cutters, I used the food markers to put an eye and nose on the squirrel as well as outline the sun, and on the mushrooms. I tend to use food markers pretty sparingly since my artistic ability isn't very high. Of course it's all in my Easy lunchbox.

IN THIS LUNCH: 
Squirrel PB&J
Broccoli
Almonds
"Mushrooms"
Blackberries
Cheese Sun

The little mushrooms were super easy to put together! I used one stick of string cheese and a few grape tomatoes cut in half and I skewered them onto toothpicks. Monkey loves kabobs so she will totally be on board for these cute little guys. Plus what woodland theme would be complete without a few little mushrooms?

Make sure you check out the OTHER fabulous lunches that were made by 3 fantastic bloggers. :)

 

Happy Packing!

Lunch Round Up 5/12 - 5/22

Things are busy busy these days at our house! Between homeschooling, the baby who is now 3 months old!, my internship, running monkey to lessons, and writing a book I am exhausted! Haha. If you haven't already, follow the facebook page to get more frequent updates. The lunches get posted there usually before here these days. Hope you enjoy!

5/12/14

IN THIS LUNCH:

Mixed greens spring salad
Tomatoes
Avocado
Cucumber
Full-Fat cottage cheese
Pretzels

5/14/14

IN THIS LUNCH

Sandwich: turkey, cheese, tomatoes, pickles, red onion, lettuce
Avocado
Grapes
Strawberry

5/19/14

IN THIS LUNCH

Tuna Salad
Crackers
Cucumbers
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Cheese

5/21/14

IN THIS LUNCH:

Graham Cracker PB&J
Strawberries
Full-fat cottage cheese

5/22/14

IN THIS LUNCH:

Organic Whole Wheat Popcorn Chicken
Green Beans
Watermelon/Cantaloupe



Happy Packing!

Cupcakes for Lunch

So I will openly admit that I am one of those moms. The ones with a million boards on Pinterest with thousands of pins that I will probably never ever look at again. This isn't so when it comes to my monthly meal planning! I found two recipes that I was anxious to try and here are the leftovers in the lunchbox (which was actually requested by Monkey! 

IN THIS LUNCH: 

• Chicken Parmesan Cupcake
• Cucumber Salad
• Frozen Blackberries

Okay, so I was skeptical about whether or not these little ''cupcakes'' would turn out. I've done work with wontons before and I hated it. Luckily the hubby made dinner last night and the Chicken Parm cupcakes came out perfectly! They were sooooo yummy! So I got the recipe for the Chicken Parmesan Cupcakes from Emily Bites. You can click HERE to get the recipe! 

If you'd like the recipe for the Cucumber Salad it is available HERE. But I'll admit I think it could use some tweaking. Next time it gets made I plan to use one cucumber, two avocados, salt, pepper, and I want to purchase the marinated mozzarella balls and incorporate some of the marinade instead of the vinegar/olive oil mixture. I didn't taste any flavor from the balsamic vinegar. All in all though it was good and was really filling. Monkey totally gobbled it down!

Want more cupcakes? Check out another lunch I packed with these fabulous little guys HERE.

Don't forget to like me on Facebook & Pinterest for the most up-to-date postings!

Happy Packing!

Breakfast, Leftovers, & Cinco de Mayo

Things have been getting hectic in our monkey tree. In addition to our new little miss keeping us busy we also are in full swing of homeschooling, I'm writing whenever I can, and I got accepted for an internship dealing with all social media and related marketing for ''she-who-must-not-be-named". It's pretty exciting time for me and my family though. The internship will keep me fairly busy with her acting jobs, her producing company, her art gallery, her book recently released.... I'm hoping that I can balance it all and keep getting these lunches up to share with all of you.

April 25, 2014
In this lunch:

Organic Mini Waffles
Hardboiled Egg
Tropical dried fruit mix
Pineapple chunks
Whipped cream with cinnamon

May 1, 2014
In this lunch:

Turkey roll ups
Cheese stick
Leftover baked potato w/ salsa
Peaches

May 5, 2014
In this lunch:

Corn [cut off the cobb]
Refried black beans
"Homemade Hamburger Helper" [Click for Recipe]
Queso Fresco
Flan






Queso Fresco is the new love in my house. We love eating mexican food and mexican inspired food and I had never tried Queso Fresco until I went to my brother-in-law's for dinner! They made these really yummy enchiladas and topped them with it and let me tell you I fell in love and thought about it for over a month till I decided to throw it on top of our ''hamburger helper'' instead of our normal mexican cheese blend.

In our house we don't buy the boxed hamburger helper but it was something that I grew up with. My favorite was always the cheesy enchilada flavor. Well, when I started on my eating healthier journey one thing I wanted to do was cut down on questionable ingredients and as many pre-packaged foods as possible. Part of me still really thought about that darn hamburger helper though! So I came up with this as our alternative. Ever since, I don't miss it! I love knowing what's in my food, I love that it doesn't take any longer than regular hamburger, and it's really yummy! We use it on its own, on top of beans, in burritos, you name it!

Happy Packing!