"Snack Lunch"

We did very easy for lunch today! My kids always love getting the lunchables, but we don't buy those anymore! For a few reasons:
1) Way to expensive
2) Not enough food in them for my kids, so I always have to find more to add to it...
3) Processed meat

Yep, trying to stay away from anything that is processed. Although we do have a bit of ham in our supper tonite, that is if it turns out! ;) The beans aren't getting soft, grr.... Will have to be patient and see what happens...

Now that I TOTALLY steered away from our lunch.... ;)

I've been making the kiddos "snack lunches" for a while now. I used to put in the processed meat with cracker, cheese, and then just add a whole bunch of other things. My kids are kinda pigs, they eat, a LOT... Is this normal? Most kids I know don't eat this much til they are teenagers!

Now I am not saying to not buy the processed meat for lunches, ya gotta do what you gotta do. But for me and my family, we are staying away from those things for now!

So, this is what their lunch was today, and let me tell you, it doesn't have to be just like this, it can be WHATEVER!!! Do you do this for your kids, and if so, what do you put in their "snack lunch"?

These are GREAT for kids who go to school for their lunch as well! They sell those individual containers that look like the lunchable containers! Or you could just put them all in baggies in their lunch bag! I am not sure if it is GLAD or ZIPLOC that sells those containers, but I do know I just saw them last week at Target!

Ok, back to their lunch today, man am I getting sidetracked right now!!! Can I blame it on a rough morning? ;) Or the fact that I need to keep going upstairs to tell me little princess that she needs to stay in bed for her nap.....?

My kiddos had 2 types of crackers, wheat and poppy seed.
I found a big box at BJ's that have 6 different types of crackers! YAH!!!!
Then I gave them a slice of 2 different cheeses, Monterrey jack and co-jack
1/4 of an Asian pear
1/4 of an apple (JAZZ, have you had those? YUMMO!!!!!!!! Nice and crisp, sweet and juicy!!!)
a few carrots, depending on whose plate it was, they got more or less...
a few dried pea pods (found those awesome yummy things at Mom's Organic! MUST get more!!)
a few turkey mini pepperonis (I know, how can you call them pepperoni if they are turkey? Hmm...)
I know what you are thinking, hmm, no more processed meats, um, isn't that what pepperoni is? Yeah I guess, so let me re-state that. We haven't had any processed meat in FOREVER, so I figured I could treat them to these fake pepperoni's. Right? Like I say, ya gotta do what ya gotta do! This is their "treat" for today! ;)


So there ya go! You can mix it up, do little or more... Like I said, depending on whose plate it was, they got more or less... I have one that is allergic to milk products, but she LOVES cheese, so I gave her skinny slices of cheese! For my oldest, she got more because she can pack it in!

Try them and let me know what you think! It's WAY cheaper and you get to be in charge of what they eat!!!


Their "snack lunch"


All of them outside enjoying it!!


Hmm, this is good mom!!!


She wanted to smile, but she was chewing... Notice both hands have something in it? ;)


She had to get low for her pic... This is my stubborn princess.... ;)


My stubborn princess' way to eat her cracker!


My oldest that eats like a teenagers way for her cracker! ;)


My oldest boy, does it like his older sissy!


My youngest trying to figure out why they call it mini turkey pepperoni? ;)


Deep in thought, wondering if he should eat it, or play with it! :D

P.S.
I find that my kids like to eat lots of little servings of different things! It keeps it different for them so they aren't eating the same thing everyday! So you could make these everyday, but mix it up differently every time! Keeps them happy!! :D When the kiddos are happy, so it momma!!! :D

Monterey Beans and Cheese

So for the next 2 weeks we are doing simple, and healthy here. (We are talking hardly any cheese and meat food items! More beans and I guess there are quite a few that has bacon in it...) Ok, so they may not all be super simple, because I do have some gluten free things planned.... ;)

I also planned out breakfast, lunch AND dinner! Typical when making out menus, breakfast and lunch were more of a "go - with - flow", but I decided I want them all planned out, that way I know I have enough bread for their pb and j and not making these extra trips to the store! I am not gonna lie, buying for 2 weeks kinda stinks! Now, I will have to go to get more milk, but I know for a fact that I am covered with the rest of the ingredients, minus milk and bananas! :)
Not gonna lie, planning all 3 meals, whew... But then again using this cookbook I found a few really good looking breakfast ones! Lunch will be pb and j and then leftovers, or more like cracker, cheese and fruit and veggies... Will see how it goes!! :D

My mom had gotten me an AWESOME cookbook and will be taking many recipes from that. It's called More-with-Less.

Tonite I went with a bean recipe again, go figure! Last nite I made tostado's, will put that recipe up once I get the green sauce figured out! :)

Anyways.... This was super easy to make! I just put the beans in a pot and let it come to a slow boil and boiled them for about 3 hours.



Place your bacon in the frying pan...

While bacon is frying, cut up your pepper and onion....


Bacon nice and crispy, yummy!!!


Place your pepper and onion in the bacon fat and saute... Make sure the heat isn't up too high or you will burn those puppies! You want them soft, but not brown.... ;)


While the onions and peppers are frying, cut up the tomato(s)


Ok, so mine got a little brown, but they were nice and soft and now burnt... ;)


Add all the other ingredients next! The beans, bacon, cheese, tomatoes, chili powder...


Stir it up til the cheese is melted


Place your rice on a plate (sorry for the kid-monkey plate... We used kids plates tonite for din-din!)


Place some of your Moneterey Bean and cheese on top...


Mix it all up and ENJOY!!!! Loved it! Such GREAT flavors!!!!


Monterey Beans and Cheese

Fry drain and break into pieces, 2 - 3 slices bacon
Set that aside and saute in bacon fat until tender:
1/2 medium onion
1/2 green pepper
Add:
bacon bits
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1/4-1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 ripe tomatoes, diced (or 3/4 cup tomato sauce)
1/4 cup beef broth or tomato juice
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash of pepper
Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until ingredients are blended and cheese is smooth- about 5 minutes. Serve with rice.

*I didn't have any beef broth or tomato juice, so I just used water.
I also used 1 tomato instead of 2. My kiddos aren't too big on tomatoes, well, I take that back, 2 of them are fans, then other 2, not so much, so I was trying to please them all and just used 1! :)
I didn't add any salt or pepper.
I also used 3 slices of bacon, recipe calls for one, but we like bacon in this family!!! :)
You could use no cheese, or they have some milk free cheese that you could use instead!
Also, I used Jasmine rice, it is THE best rice out there! I won't every go back to bland, boring white rice! My friend got me HOOKED on this stuff!!!! Not as healthy as brown rice, but hey, baby steps right? ;)


Enjoy, let me know what you think! ;)