Vegmom Moments

It is a Fruity Nutty Lunch and Snack Day

My Lunch + Snack is in the Tiffin...  The Vegman needed snacks packed so his are in the Laptop Lunch Box.  It is a Good Food Day + Smoothie

In this Tiffin, we have...Blueberries, Dried Peaches, Eggplant Jerky and Raw Pecans.

Guess?

And um, pretty self explanatory!  *smile*

Can't forget this guy!  It wasn't as tasty as all my other smoothies for some reason... but still lots of green goodness.

Last but not least:

Nutty Krisp Treats, Raw Pecans, Local Blueberries, Fresh Picked peaches (these were little so there are two), some Dried Peaches (from our own dehydrator) and Organic Vegan Crackers.

These should keep my Vegman's belly full and happy!

 Have a happy day!!!
   

Last Minute Vegan Pizza

If you haven't figured out by now, what my Vegman wants, he usually gets... Especially since he doesn't ask for much...

Its been a long time since he's asked for Pizza, but first thing this morning I discover it is "Pizza Day" at camp, and he really wants to bring his own pizza so he can have some too....

AHHHHHHH... OK, I have like an hour before we need to leave the house!   What to do?  What to do?.....

I pulled out my handy dandy Vegan Lunch Box Cook Book... Quartered the Biscuit recipe.. Used Mr. Vita-Mix... Some quick Toppings, and the oven...

Voila!  One Vegan Pizza in less then 30 minutes

He was a Happy Camper, and that of course makes me a Happy Vegmom!!

(except for the little moment that the dry batter flew up in my eye, and each time I blinked my eye made its own dough.. yeah, that part I wasn't so happy about... Hey, you win some you lose some)
 
 
 

Colorful Tiffin

Today's Lunch + Snacks were quite colorful...(either that or my new camera takes much better pictures)

As promised, here are pictures of my Wednesday Tiffin Lunch...

Container 1 - Morning Crunchies and afternoon sweets:

Fresh Picked Blueberries + Raw Organic Carrots + Raw Organic Farmer's Market Green Beans

 

Container 2 - The Salad:

Organic Romaine, Organic Kitchen sprouts (from my kitchen), Organic Peppers, Carrots & Raw Organic Sunflower Seeds.

 

Container 3 - Dressing and more afternoon sweets:

Organic Apple Chunks, Raw Organic Walnuts (which I threw on the salad) and more Raw Coconut Meat from our last Coconut.  (that stuff has lasted a long time)..

The Green Goo is the wonderful new Creamy Salad Dressing Concoction I've been making lately.

1/2 Organic Avocado Smashed, with a Dribble of Olive Oil, a Dash of Real Lemon juice to thin it out,  a squirt of Agave Nectar (or sweetner of your choosing), Dash of Garlic Salt and a Dash of Italian seasoning (or fresh basil)

I just mix it all together.  When it is time for lunch, I pour on the salad.... Full of goodness... And makes my belly full too.  A Creamy Dressing without the Creamy! 

OH MY YUM!

A Raw Vegan Tiffin Lunch

I haven't posted pics of my Beloved Tiffin in a while so I caught a few shots yesterday..

Because everyone wants to see my Tiffin?  Right?  *smile*

1st we have, Yummy Crunchy Organic Granny Smith Apples and some Raw Macadamia Nuts

Then we have some Raw Hemp "cheese" Dip with Brad's Raw Chips.

 

And my third Tier had some more dipping crunchy favorites:

Carrots, Celery and Red Peppers!  All organic of course and quite tasty!

For those that think this isn't a plentiful day of food, I must share THIS:

Hello Green Goodness!!!

Shhh Don't tell the Vita-Mix, but I actually brought two BIG cups of this to work with me... Raw Green Goodness at its finest X2.....Yum!

LAPTOP LUNCHES AND 10% OFF COUPON

Finally some Lunch pics as promised.  I'm almost embarrassed to post these, as it has been a busy morning week and the lunches were thrown together in desperation of quickness.... But they are all Vegan even the cookies.... Almost all Organic, and All Natural, with out any ingredients that you can't pronounce.

Of course, I'm still using our LaptopLunches Lunch boxes but mine are the original.  The new 2.0 version has more little lids and bigger mix and match containers if you choose.  I haven't been Privvy to purchase those yet since I have 2 full sets of the other... But regardless if you use the coupon code "vegmom" on any of their products from their website, you will get 10% off.

And If you get 10%, I get 10%... So I was thinking that, if in the event anyone buys something using the coupon code vegmom, and I get any type of 10% of anything, that I will be donating the full amount to our local Birth and Women's Center. 

Which runs very much on donation assistance, and the only place I know in our area, that allows low-risk women to give birth the way nature intended (unless they home birth of course).  The center will take Momma's without insurance.  And shows love and compassion and gives so much back to the community..

My Lil'Veg Man popped his head out at that birthing center in a comfortable dim lit room, with no wires, no meds, and only 2 people present.  where he never left my side, and I was home 10 hrs later.  Where a nurse came to check on me the following day.  And where I still go for all my Girly visits and they know me 6 years later by name and not a number....  Can't say enough about the place!  Really!!

So there ya have it... Buy something from laptoplunches, use the coupon code vegmom.  You will get 10% off a great product,  and I will get to donate extra funds to a place near and dear to my heart!

I'll post here each time I get to send a check!

Now pics of Veg's lunches this week:

First, if you cut the bottom 1/2 off the apple, it looks like a whole one :-)  But also if you rub a little lemon juice on apple or pear, they keep from browning.  This will be tomorrow's lunch!

Apple, grapes, yummy 3 pepper chips, peanut butter cookie bite, Soy Nuggets with soy sauce, carrots, yellow peppers, dried cranberries and cherries.

This one was REALLY thrown together :-)  Coconut Strawberry banana yogurt, pears, grapes, raw flax crackers, dried fruits and peanut butter cookie bites.

Tofurkey Rolls with tortillas (that fell apart), apples, carrots, grapes, dried fruit (see the theme - they are his favorite lately), pea pod crisps, and barbecue chips.

 

Same as above, only PB&J for the main course.  BORRRING!!!  But it works.

What do your kids have for lunch?  What do you have for lunch?  Please comment, I'm always looking for ideas!!! 

And if anyone reads this besides my Mom and close friends, feel free to put that coupon code on your twitter, your facebook..... your blogs....  Send to friends, family.....  

Save the baggies, help the environment, Use non yuck plastic, Pack nutritious lunches, save money over time, keep the yuck plastics out of your kid's systems. 

We've had ours for a couple years.  They wash well,  Their bottles have never leaked for us, we also have the lunch jars.  They don't leak either and keep our food warm ALL DAY! 

Get a discount on a great product, and help me send a whopping check to a Birthing Center that is all about Women!

LAPTOP LUNCHES

LOOK LOOK LOOK.... A 10% OFF COUPON!!    I'm so excited... 

Just go to laptoplunches.com  Check out their really nifty lunch ideas and products.. Then buy something and use the coupon code vegmom.... That simple.. and you get 10% off, just like that!  I've never had advertising on the site before.  But this one, I must!

I've Dabbled with some Amazon links just to show the books I liked.  Maybe I'll grab those again some day.  But I sooooo believe in this product.  And it is sooooo worth it to advertise...

We've had ours for a couple years now, actually we have a couple sets, plus a couple cold drink containers and hot flasks.  Their products withstand the test of our child, daily school visits, and trips, and hikes and.... gives me the ability to pack many different foods.  I love the containers.  I'm a container junkie.  But these are safe containers... 

I don't have much time now, but will post some more lunch pictures later, and put this button in the right nav so you can come back and click again and again....

 

Thank you Laptop Lunches for this great offer!!  PS. Spread the word... Anyone can use the code!!

FOOD PREP MONDAY

I spent Monday night prepping food for the remainder of the week so I could grab and go... Some raw, some not so much... but allll good, all Vegan and all easy!!  I didn't have too many hours left in the night, so my goal was to whip out as much as I could before crashing in to bed....

Here are some quick and easy items that will or have hit our bellies since Monday's Prep:

Beet Salad - 2 beets (peeled & washed) and a chunk of onion.   Chop chop chop both with Mr. Vita-Mix.   Pour in a bowl and stir in a TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar.  Easy, tasty and full of good red root nutrients.

 

Some Hummus for dipping, spreading, and mixing.... -  1 Can of garbanzo beans drained and rinsed, 2TBS Tahini, 1 TBS Olive Oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 or 2 cloves garlic and 2 tsp cumin (more or less to taste).

Mix Mix Mash all ingredients in Mr. Vita-Mix (or blender/food processor) of your choosing, and Voila!

 

Modified  Waldorf Salad --- I didn't have Walnuts so I made do...And it came out sooo good!

Mix together in a bowl, chopped apples coated with a little lemon juice,  a bit of chopped onion to taste, raw sunflower seeds, dried cranberries, a little olive oil and a little Apple cider vinegar.    Mix and eat, or put in the fridge and eat when cold.  Yum!

 

Made some Banana pudding... Just Bananas in blender (Mr. Vita-Mix) with a little vanilla and a little lemon juice.   So easy and so good!

 

Some Potato Salad... this one sounds gross but is really good, its a modified version from the Vegan Lunch box cook book, since I only make enough for a couple of us, I don't need a full version. 

In the bottom of a bowl, I put a little mustard, a little apple cider vinegar, a little olive oil, some chives, and garlic salt.  Mix all together.. Then add a chopped up baked potato and some chopped onion.  Coat the potato and onion with dressing... Eat warm or put in the fridge and eat Cold. 

 

Made some more Chick Pea Patties and popped them in the oven while making other things: 

ingredient list here

 

Some more Hemp Nacho Cheese (no cheese) sauce:

Original Story and recipe link here

 

Can you tell Mr. Vita-Mix was very busy???

 I Chopped some Carrots and apples... great for throwing in our lunches, grabbing for snacks or topping a salad.  I realized that we will eat more fruit and veggies, if they are cut, washed and in the fridge waiting our greedy hands.... 

On Tuesday Hubby chopped cucumbers, peppers and more carrots, so we are prepared to throw salads together at a moment's notice for at least 5 days.

 Veg wanted Stir Fry, so I made a big pot of Short Grain brown rice to have on hand at dinner time for my growing boy... Makes it much easier for adding to lunches in the morning as well.

My Fridge was VERY Happy!!

Our Bellies have been very happy too!!

Whoop!  Almost forgot the Kale chips... Can't forget the Kale Chips...

Oh sooo good!!  Original Kale chip story and recipe link here

 

So there ya have it!!  I started the Kale in the morning, and let it do its Dehydrate thing all day.  But for the rest of my prep..... That happened AFTER Veg went to sleep and was all done and cleaned up in a couple hours. 

Allowed for quick Lunch making, on the go snacks, and faster dinners.... A Win/Win for all....Now, if I could just be this prepared EVERY week, we'd be all set!

I'm getting there though! :-)

PRODUCTIVE

Such a Productive weekend!  Not only did I have fun and relax as posted earlier... But this blog is now up to date "HELLO", make sure you scroll to see the other happenings, you don't want to miss the post of the smoothie Smile!  Really, its too thrilling to miss...

NeeNee's 12 Month, hand stamped, and photograph scrapbook calendar is complete... Yippee, in time for your Birthday NeeNee... :-)  And other craft projects, see here, are ALL DONE~ 

Almost Every Drawer, Closet, Cupboard in my entire house has had an over haul....(Tip - as you walk in to a room do one drawer, one cupboard or put at least one thing away... over time it all becomes clean)

The bathroom, the Kitchen, the bedrooms, The computer area, EVERYTHING.... Ready to start the New Year.

I'm talking about finding homes for EVERYTHING and If it doesn't have a logical home, then it does not belong in the house.  I had PILES!

Nothing on the floor ANYWHERE that doesn't belong there.... I was in a Mode!  And it was GOOD!

Toys in their cubbies, not a single one out of place:

 

Games in their spot:

We have a lot of games!  Family Game time is the BEST!

 

Laundry Baskets are EMPTY:  (yes, I really took pictures of laundry baskets - Sorry Mom)

 

Only been 3 days and I have GREENS Growing in my Basement... Hi There little plants... We will try to help you live a long and green life! 

This is the happiest pod!  His Bio-dome will be removed tomorrow, and then he will get big and strong and give me lots of Greens!  The other pods are a little slow, but picking up pace.

I have Veggies Cut and Vita-Mix Hummus ready for munching:

 

Lunches made for Tomorrow (pictures of mine only, but Veg's is done too):

Organic Apples of course:

Salad, with Veggies, Romaine, Broccoli Sprouts and Sunflower seeds:

Almond butter for snacking, Marinated Raw Green Beans, and some Creamy Raw Vita-Mix Guac which will be used for my Salad Dressing.  Yum Yum...

Making lunch had me so hungry that this guy became my dinner... OH MY YUM!!

Even he is smiling... Can you tell?   Actually he is sticking his tongue out at you..

Sorry, This is a salad with Attitude:

 

Bills are paid, even the dog's yard is picked up (Took advantage of the freezing temps today... dog poo is much easier to scoop when it is frozen, in case you were wondering) 

Veg's Nails are clipped, Dog's Nails are clipped, our annual page in the Marriage memory book is filled in, Counters, mirrors, sinks, floors are clean...  I'm telling you, I was PRODUCTIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Water bottles are filled, car is packed for our first day back to work/school and clothes are laid out! 

I am ready for 2010.....  Can you tell!!  Good thing, since its already here!  *smile*

FRUITY GOODNESS

This is another random most but mostly related to food....

At the store yesterday, I was realizing how many bananas we go through in a week.. And mind you we are only a family of 3 humans and one dog.  But rarely do we just sit down and eat a banana.

Why so many bananas?   Because we put them in smoothies, make ice cream, banana Popsicles, raw banana cream pies, banana pudding...

We use LOTS of Organic bananas!  There are even some hiding underneath..

 

And my new favorite Smoothie addition... Raw Organic Whole Cranberries... Well, whole until they got chopped to smithereens in Mr. Vita-Mix. 

You see, I read, it is no coincidence these bad boys come out this time of year.  And that they are filled with lots of healthy goodness to help keep sick bugs at bay.   I've also heard they can be hard to find as organic. 

When I found them, I bought them.  And came home.. Then I couldn't figure out what to do with them... Out of the 3 of us, Veg was the only person that could tolerate eating them raw.  Then I put a few in the blender with our morning smoothie.  Each day I'd add a few more.  And now I just throw in a handful (but I have small hands) and don't even notice.

It really doesn't seem to change the flavor of the smoothie and yet we get some Yummy Red Antioxidant Goodness in every Green Gulp.

 

I took the lunchbox picture this morning to show that at least 1/2 of Veg's lunches are now Raw.   But the picture came out horrible (even worse the the cranberries) for some reason...  So I had to make it black and white to hide the huge bright flash or what ever caused the damage.

And since this is a Random food post, I shall proceed. and you'll just have to pretend that it looks pretty.

That is only 1/2 the lunchbox mind you... I do feed my child more food, promise!

Carrots, Celery, Dried Organic Cranberries, Dried organic Mangoes, Raw Macadamia Nuts and Yummy Organic Sweet Apples.  If you saw this in color you would see that it is bright and colorful with Reds and Greens and oranges...  Veg ate up every last delicious raw bite... Along with his non raw stuff, but one step at a time...

And i have to show you our new Popsicle maker.. Little rocket ships filled with blended bananas.

Man my pics are worse then normal this week... Sorry about that!  Note to self... Adjust camera settings... I will get better! (some day)  honestly they look pretty on the camera....

 

Now for today.. and without pictures, I took a deliciously huge salad with me for lunch.  But then Hubby called and said "How about we meet for lunch and walk"

And so we did... We actually walked 2 miles to get our lunch, and 2.5 miles back.  It was Freezing cold outside but the company made it nice and cozy.  We have decided as parents it is hard to get away in the evening.  Near impossible actually unless we have a NeeNee visit, because we don't leave our little angel with just anyone.

So lunch time dates have become a great thing for us... Veg is at school, so Hubby and i can have time away, and eat in peace and talk about things.  I highly recommend them.  So refreshing and full of fun.  Then add in a 4.5 mile walk, and some good Vegan food... HOW could I say no??

But guess what I had for dinner?  My Gigantic lunch salad....

Its been a good food week and its only Tuesday! *smile*

Hope your week is going well....

FALL HIKE 2009

We headed into the mountains today for our first Fall Hike of the season... The leaves were at their peak, but with the sun and shadows, the pictures were hard to get.  I have a few to share though!!

The drive .. Just love this pictures:

Them Mountains:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hiking Companions took some breaks:

 

Them rocks skipped far!




The Snacks.. For both raw and non-raw enthusiasts...Thank you Mr. Tiffin!!

 

And there ya have it... A beautiful Hike, a beautiful Drive, A beautiful View... Some nice companions, And some very yummy snacks...

What more could a girl ask for??

SOME FOOD AND CRAFTS

I took some pics of our lunches on Friday but forgot to post them... So here is some of that:

First Veg's... He wanted a Tofurky Sandwich and Barbecue Puffs, So those he got... no need to argue..... the rest of the containers were filled with goodness... and he ate every bit.

My Tiffin took a lunch break (as in I forgot to wash it and ran out of time)....

Fruit - Organic somewhat local Apples and Peaches:

A salad without lettuce (as in, I ran out of lettuce):

Cucumbers, Beets, Butternut Squash, Carrots, Jacama & Raw Sunflower Seeds

Due to the rainy day yesterday.. Veg's soccer was canceled all the festivals were rained out.... Didn't even make it to the Farmer's Market (again) 

So I took Everything I needed or wanted to do and put it in a bucket in my mind labeled "Aint Gonna Happen"..... Then I did some crafts....  Actually got 7 Cards done and two Scrapbook Pages...  Posted pics on my Dormant sad Crafty Blog...

Here is a teaser:

This morning, I've made some Raw Sunflower Seed Milk also a gigantic green smoothie for me and the Vegman.. All thanks to Mr. Vita-Mix (pics to follow)... Some laundry, and some cleaning... But the Sun is out for the first time in many days... So I think we have some Tennis to go play or something like that.....

Bye for now!

LUNCH - A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT

While I'm trying to shift my diet to contain more raw foods, I have this little foodie child that knows what he likes and likes what he wants.

Sometimes All Vegan, Sometimes only Raw things (that's his new favorite word) and other times, lets just say... Not Vegan or Raw... 

Ideally, I want him eating healthy to be his choice and not something I force upon him (even though I do just a little)  But I'm trying to introduce more new things as I try them....  So his lunches are now filled with many more colorful options.  And his likes are expanding more then his dislikes... BONUS!

This lunch shows how "This and That" his lunch can be....

Red container (all organic) - Cucumbers, carrots, butternut squash and graham cookies.

Purple container - Vegan Falafel

Green container - An Apple from the best batch of organic somewhat locally grown produce I've ever had.

Blue container  - Raw Macadamia, Walnuts, and Sunflower seeds.  Along with some Goji Berries and organic O's cereal

Compared to my lunch + snacks:

Container 1 - All Raw and Organic:

Romaine Lettuce, Carrots, Butternut Squash, Beets, Cucumbers & Sunflower seeds

Container 2 - More of those Delicious Apples and Pineapple chunks

Container 3 - Kiwi.. and raw peanuts and macadamia nuts..  Along with a couple dates that received a dollop of that home made nut butter and a few carob chips before going in my mouth.

So there ya have it... A little of this and a little of that kinda lunch time...  Thinking its always that way in my house though.. And I might just keep it that way. 

FRIDGE AND A TIFFIN

Sorry for the lack of food posts... I do know how much everyone loves to see the inside of my fridge... NOT! 

But I did promise a purple bean update and so I mise well start with the fridge.

The prep work was lacking this weekend as time ran short.. BUT.. I got the following:

Strawberries, Purple Beans, Pineapple, Jicama, Kiwi, Pomegranate, Corn off the cob, Butternut Squash chunks, carrots, Edamame and Nut Butter.

And now for my Yummy Tiffin Pics for today and a purple bean update:

Apples, Kiwi, Strawberries, and Pomegranate seeds.

A Salad with Romaine, Purple Green Beans, Jicama, Butternut Squash Chunks and Rice Vinegar dressing.

The Third Tiffin, not pictured had a cut up piece of Avocado and some trail mix with raw nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Now for the Purple Beans verdict... THEY were very good...  Crunchy yet not gritty... Not too tough, just right!!! 

But, I have an interesting observation to share.  The purple beans have been soaking in Apple Cider Vinegar.

That is what I do... Bring the beans home from the Farmer's Market, clean and destring them... pop the ends off, and break them in 1/2.  They go in a bowl with some Apple Cider Vinegar and basil and some times Agave Nectar and sometimes Garlic Salt... Regardless, they always get the ACV... 

Then I put them in the fridge and grab to eat with tons of flavor... I also figure in my own crazy mind that if the beans have germies or other bad things that the ACV will kill them before getting to my stomach... Maybe true, maybe not... but since I don't cook them anymore, it makes me feel better to use ACV

Now here's the Observation:  

My purple beans after soaking in ACV started to turn green... See Again:

 

So now my question is?? WHAT MADE THEM PURPLE?  I'm a little nervous to find out....

For now, I will just say, they tasted good and leave it at that... If I think too hard about what made them purple and why they are green now,  I may not want to eat the last of them.  So Shhhhhh!  Don't tell me!

***UPDATE***OK SHE TOLD ME...My crafty and baking friend who happened to have a garden 1/2 her life is all too knowledgable on the subject.... OK, well I pretend she is... And she was the first to respond with this little bit of Trivia from Abcnews.go.com....  Thanks Crafty Baking Friend!!!  Now we all know why purple beans turn green when cooked (Or soaked in Apple Cider Vinegar).... Ahh, I feel much better now...

CAR PICNIC TIFFIN

Veg had a brilliant idea that when going for our Tennis/Basketball excursion to the park on Sunday, we should bring my Tiffin with Snacks for a car picnic...   So much for the Tiffin getting a weekend break....:-)

Because he had the idea, I let him fill it up.... What yummy choices he found.  Certainly not all Raw but very tasty just the same.  Some organic, Some local, Some handmade and all just delicious.

END OF WEEK TIFFIN

I can say I did pretty good with Tiffin this week.  I remembered to wash her everyday when I got home, and had plenty of food to fill her up each morning...

Getting to the end of the week was harder to find goodies as my fridge empties out quickly...But I through this together, and it seemed to work OK:

Organic Apples, Local Peaches, Organic Celery

Dates, Almond Butter and Dark Choco Chips (for my Dates snack)

Raw Macadamia Nuts and some hand made Vegan Granola Squares (that aren't square)

Just Rice with sauce (nothing exciting)

Check out To-Go Ware for more Tiffin sizes if you don't eat as much food as me :-)  Or if you eat more...

SO far I've made sure to Keep Tiffin Standing up in my cooler so we haven't had any leaks.  And the cold stays cold... Today is the first day that I added Hot to the top tier, and that seemed to work OK too.

Pretty sure me and Tiffin will be eating LOTS of lunches together.... She can have a break this weekend though. (Maybe)

TIFFIN VARIETY

A few of my Tiffin containers filled from yesterday and today....

Can you tell, I'm liking my Tiffin??

Left Over sprouted grain noodles with tons of veggies and some vegan waldorf salad

Peaches and grapes and macadamia nuts

Peaches and Apples and dried fruit and macadamia nuts

Veggie Sushi and Vegan Waldorf

Raw green Beans with other veggies made in to a different type of salad.

I'm finally getting through all my pre-prepped food, so seeing what tomorrow brings will be interesting!

TIFFIN LUNCH DAY 1

Seriously, you didn't think I'd have a first Tiffin Day without pictures... Oh No! 

First I'll start with the picture of my fridge... This is what I did yesterday to have lots of grab and go stuff handy for lunches and dinner prep this week.. Everything is organic and some local and pretty much raw...:

Watermelon, cut peaches, grapes, pineapples w. its juice, Green Beans soaked in vinegar dressing, red peppers, chopped onions, chopped carrots, fresh picked basil, avocado, Vegan Waldorf Salad, Cabbage and Romaine salad,  cucumbers.

And now for my little bitty Tiffin:

Hello, Down there... I see you!!

Tiffin Container 1--- Grapes, Peaches, green beans and dates

Tiffin Container 2--- Salad with rice vinegar dressing:

Tiffin Container 3--- Trail mix and some Almond butter for dunking my dates.

Dried Fruit from last night, gogi Berries, Macadamia Nuts, and Dark Choco chips.

Pretty sure this will be plenty of food to last me all day (and then some)....

I'm thinking I will like this Tiffin thing!  Now I'm hungry!  Gonna go eat something.

TIFFIN AND A BOTTLE

Sorry, No Farmer's Market Posts today and sadly that means I have no Farmer's Market Finds for my Fridge either... *sigh sigh, Sob Sob*

But to make up for this awful amount of sadness... I went shopping at a new little local natural store, with eco friendly products that was Waayyy to cool....

And finally opted to get my self a Tiffin from To - go Ware... and while I love their website, it was nice to help out a local store owner and not wait for shipping because I'm a little impatient if you haven't figured that out yet??

 

This thing is quite small.  As in, it will fit in my cooler along with ice pack, two water bottles and still have plenty of room left... I've seen them on blogs and websites for a long time, but never realized how really cute and tidy they are...

But at the same time, once opened, they are quite large... and the tiny little side kick jar with lid is just too cute!

 

To Compare, Each tin is a tiny bit larger then my medium size Glass bowls (that I normally carry) ... And I wouldn't normally carry 3 full size glass bowls, so I will actually have MORE space in the Tiffin then I was using before.

 

The smaller glass bowls can fit INSIDE the Tiffin, again for comparison... Not that I would need to fit one inside, but I could if needed:

 

Now the benefits of this cool little doo-hickey is that all my lunches will go in the same containers Every day.  So they will be washed out and save on Dishwashing (no longer using many different glass bowls day in day out)... My glass bowls can now be used for storing and preparing foods in advanced as they are meant to do.

And, I'll be forced to wash Tiffin and prepare lunches the night before to ensure I get my money's worth.

Also when we travel by car, or when I go eat lunch with Veg, or hiking, or even biking, I could pack enough in this tidy convenient contraption for the whole family to munch. 

This Tiffin friend will get A lot of Love!  Believe ME!!!! 

Making sure its stands up straight while in route... at all times may be a challenge as I don't think its fully drip proof...  And figuring out the "hot" and "cold" situation will be a learning experience as well.  I know it can hold both, but will one tin get sweaty on the other?  I dunno....  I'll learn as I go and report back.

If anyone has used these and has advice, please comment....

Check out To - Go Ware for many more awesome Products, like Bamboo non-silverware sets.... Very cool indeed.

Our other cool find at this little local market was another Drink bottle for Veg... We've had one of these for several years, and it is time to introduce another to the family.  This way if one is dirty we always have another handy for our little water drinking champion... Especially with more sports days and school days coming our way this fall.

He was quite excited to have another Laptop Lunches Bottle also...

 

What we LOVE about this guy and why I don't plan to ever buy another brand is the tiny top comes off for drinking.  But the WHOLE top comes off for cleaning:

No brushes to deal with, no special cleaners or equipment.  Just pop the big part off and it is easily washable.

 

It is totally sealed on the inside and we have yet to experience a Leak!  Our other one has been through the ringer after several years of use.  In fact its been dropped more times then I know and mostly gets left in school bag upside down.  BUT still no leaks and drink stays cold!  Very Exciting!!

But the best part for Veg about our journey to this store, was they had Cozies big enough to fit his new water bottle.   And it had a handle...  which will help Veg when carrying it in to school... normally he struggles with full hands, so this will make things much easier.

Best part for me about this water bottle cover, is its Laundry Machine safe.... so even if it is dragged through the mud, we are OK!

 

Needless to say, I like this new little store and our Lunch Kitchen is now even more stocked with exciting new products....

Look out Monday... Lunch is going to be served (in a healthy non-wasted way)

END OF WEEK SNACKS

I haven't been so good about advanced preparing of our lunch food this week, so my mornings have been rushed with Getting Veg a nice lunch.... while I've caught my self stopping at stores after dropping him off, for some healthy snacks or lunch to bring in the office.

Doing this, drives me NUTSO because I have a fridge full of food at the house....But I did better today...

My Mom sent me this link for Organic Waldorf Salad so I put my spin on it... By making it only one serving worth.. and used  Fresh organic Fruit and Veggies, Dried Fruit and Raw Nuts..  Kelp Powder, Lemon Juice, olive oil and Apple Cider Vinegar.... 

Result----- Delicious!  I will do less vinegar next time, but otherwise it was great!

And another snack bowl containing Organic Local Peach, Farmer's Market Green Beans and Organic Cherries...along with Organic Banana and Raw Macadamia Nuts:

Needless to say, I'm much happier today on the Food Front!!  Pretty sure my Body and Pocket Book will be happier too!

SOME FOOD FOR TODAY

Veg's Lunch today, still more of that Vegan Spelt Calzone packed full of veggies... Along with Organic Apple, Pineapple and Grapes for fruit.  And snack - some pretzels and Snackimal cookies.

 

I brought with me an Oats Breakfast Cookie, another Sandwich with Avocado, almonds, cucumbers and herbs.

And this Snack Bucket:

Garden Carrot is hiding my grapes..  The Jicama is hiding the Macadamia nuts, some apples and brownie bites.

 

Today will be a GOOD food day!

MONDAY'S FOOD

 My work food Tower:

 

 

Local Fresh Picked Blueberries, and Organic Strawberries:

 

Farmers Market Apples and Organic Carrots:

 

Organic Raw Nuts mixed with some Gogi Berries and Wheat Squares (this will last me a few days)

 

Farmers Market Green Beans and Cucumbers, mixed with my Apple Cider Vinegar dressing.

 

My Breakfast Cookie.... Guess What?  Hubby and Veg both had theirs today, and Hubby said "Man, I can eat this EVERY day"..... Woohooo!  Success, one little smidgin at a time....

This from the person that will eat 5 bags of yuck oatmeal in one setting, or let a box of cereal only last two days.... 

He was totally HAPPY with his breakfast cookie... make more!  he said!   AND I WILL...

Now I wonder what else I can sneak in to this thing :-) 

This batch has, Oats, cocoa powder, Cinnamon, gogi berries, chopped walnuts, peanut butter, banana, and soy milk.

And for Veg's Lunchbox:

Cucumbers, Carrots, Green beans, blueberries, strawberry, walnut, pecan and gogi berries (no peanuts though, can't have those at camp)

A small Potato and some Snackimals.

Hmmmm.... think I'm hungry again.... good thing I brought so much food!

FOOD CHALLENGE KICKED UP A NOTCH

Just found out that my Veg's camp is going to be Peanut Free.....So we Definitely Can't resort to Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches for the next 4 weeks....While I tried to avoid it, that food rut sometimes brought the sandwich back during the school year.  Or we would use snacks that contain peanuts since tree nuts cause tummy issues.

This means that between common sense of what we put in our bodies, migraine triggers and school policy,  I have to get REALLY Creative!!   I will need to pack a total of 20 lunches with NONE of the following items:

Meat, Dairy, Peanuts, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Artificial colors, Sweetners and preservatives, bleached foods, aluminum, and pesticides... Also can't be heated or refrigerated...  but our Lunchbox stays cold with the icepack really well.

And so what does that leave me?  Vegetarian Whole Food Goodness!!  Do I dare say RAW Goodness?

Oooh, could it be??? 

Raw Mommies... What do you pack for lunches that are nut free?   Help???

RAW FOODS AND NOT SO MUCH

HAPPY RAW FOOD CHALLENGE DAY

Remember this isn't about changing everything, its just about incorporating more raw foods in to our diets... For me this also means eating Breakfast... 

Funny, how I always make sure my Vegman has breakfast and even his Dad sometimes (when he doesn't make his own) but I've probably made myself Breakfast only a dozen times since the little luv bug was born....  When we have visitors I make sure to make them breakfast, rarely having enough for me to eat....

While its great that us Moms take care of those around us, sometimes its important to take care of ourselves too... So this is my small way to do that...  What could you do more of, to take care of yourself???

(and my friend NB, if you want to go for a shirt bet, bring it on)  ha ha!!!

While I've been dibbling and dabbling for a week now, this is my first official challenge Day Breakfast and Snack Tray for the day... (All Organic except the pineapple)

Apples, Fresh Cut Pineapples, Plum, Peach, Cherries, Carrots and Celery...  I figure this will last me a while....

 

Since I ran out of time to make a smoothie, I stopped at a local shop to get some for those I work with and decided to get myself one also... Granted it wasn't raw, but I requested Spirulina to make sure it was GREEN...

And Lunch will be leftovers from last night... This one is Interesting... Again not raw, but I did something different this time... I decided if I could grind up veggies in a smoothie, I could do the same for a "creamy" pasta sauce....And so I made my usual tofu blended "creamy" sauce and warmed it just slightly....

(Block of tofu, lemon juice, parsley, basil, italian seasonings, garlic salt, and other seasonings or more lemon juice to taste)

Then I grounded up fresh raw veggies, like Kale, Spinach, onion, peppers, threw in some garlic cloves... chop chop and mash in the food processor, then mix in to the slightly warm tofu gunk...but didn't cook it.

Add some chopped organic grape tomatoes and some hemp seed and more seasoning, and mix in with Artichoke Flour noodles....

Voila....  Lots of Raw goodness, Meeting the Not so Raw Tofu and Noodles....  But Hey, I'm trying!!  :-)  And its Vegan!  Yum!!!

FRUIT AND VEGGIE MORNING

This smoothie is actually from yesterday that I never finished, so I added some soymilk, made it frothy again, and today's breakfast is served... It has some new things this time (marked in purple)... Trying new things that I wouldn't normally eat...

Spinach, Carrots, Strawberries, Kale, Hemp Seed, Sweet Potato chunks, Kiwi, Banana, Ice and Soymilk... Shewww... no wonder I couldn't finish it yesterday:

 

And this is nothing new, but I was excited to discover that Veg's small square container fits perfectly in my Glass Bowls.... Even with the lid.. So I was able to put Veggies and Fruit in one bowl without them touching... (Something about kiwi juice on my carrots doesn't sound appealing... unless in a smoothie of course)

Yummy and Delicious and Nutritious Snacks, All organic of course :-) !!

 

Yesterday for Lunch (no picture, sorry)  I tried cutting a zuchinni in to "noodles" using a carrot peeler and a knife...  After I got them just perfect, I realized we had no Pasta Sauce left... and so I used Pizza Sauce....  It worked out just fine!   And I didn't need a fancy contraption just like everyone said. 

Very Cool.... Veggie Noodles.... Look out!

LUNCH BOX FOR DINNER

Veg wanted Tofurky for Dinner.   While we normally use this for quick on the go lunches, I decided it would be fun to make a Lunch for Dinner.

He picked the color theme of Green and Brown...  SO, this is what he got!

 

Snap Pea Crisps, Walnuts, Pears, Broccoli, Tofurky and Green Juice...

Verdict:  "Mom, this is the best dinner ever, it looks just great, now can I have some more green juice"

*smile*

TURNING LUNCH BOX INTO SNACK BOX

Today was a Festival Day for Veg and I (Meaning we went to a festival)... Not sure how long we'd be gone from the house, but I knew that snack food would be a requirement for both of us:

These lunch boxes come in SOOO Handy!!!  

I ended up packing us some Peapod Chips, Vegan Natural Animal Cookies, Organic Plums, Organic Carrots, pretzels and a Kashi Apple Bar... We also had Two Containers of Water.  Packed neatly in my cooler back pack...with an ice blanket... 

We munched through out the festival and ate everything except the Kashi Bar... Then we headed out for Vegan veggie filled pizzas... Yum Yum!

PINCH BOWLS

I originally bought these to be a divider in Veg's lunch boxes and add another bucket option for variety... See here:

 

But with it being summer, I have taken over the pinch bowls and made them my own... (He won't notice)

30 DAY JUNK FOOD CHALLENGE DAY 1

YAY!!  ITS HERE!!  Monday, the first day of our 30 Day Junk Food Challenge.......  This is what I brought for lunch today... A little bit of sweet and a little bit of Salty... Not sugar or carb free by any means... but no "junk" to keep me challenge compliant!

I also made my self a container of Iced tea and brought a cup of water to the office...  There is still a bucket of snacks on my desk for people who come to visit, but I have the motivation to keep my hands away....

For Breakfast, some natural oatmeal filled my tummy and a glass of Grapefruit juice.....

HAPPY MONDAY EVERY ONE!

WHATS FOR LUNCH?

Quick Lunch break to show how Leftovers make a great lunch!!

Veg was so excited about his new found love for Mushrooms that we had some added to his Veggie Pizza on Sunday.  He saved some for his Monday Lunch (4 pieces) because he wanted to show his teachers how he liked mushrooms now.  

Normally he wouldn't eat the crust, so I cut the crust in to "bread sticks" and he ate them all up.  Along with some grapes, and celery and Organic Natural Vanilla Wafers.

 

And for Dinner we had Spaghetti with Veggie Meat sauce... But now that Veg likes his Thermos, I was able to send the leftovers for lunch (and it stays warm). 

YES - the thermos fits in the laptop lunch bag just right along with a couple lidded containers for snacks and fruit.

LAPTOP LUNCH BOX STARTS BLOGGING...

I've mentioned my love for the Laptop Lunch Boxes before, and posted some of my own pictures here:  But I just discovered they have a new blog.....

And the info is full of good stuff.... I haven't had a chance to look through everything yet, but if your needing lunch ideas or going green tips, definitely check it out.

The Laptop Lunch Blog