School lunches

Have you seen an elementary school lunch menu lately?  Disgusting!  Probably about what it was when we were kids, but ugh.  So, I usually pack Will a lunch, usually leftovers.  We're running low on those tonight, so I just packed him a lunch of pepper and carrot sticks, a sliced apple, and thick slices of homemade bread with natural peanut butter.  Made me think of Mom.  Man, I remember just wishing Mom would "get it" and pack us wonder bread with Skippy peanut butter and a tasty cake so we could be "normal."

(So far my lunches, which usually consist of leftovers,  haven't driven Will to buying the school lunch.  What does he care?  He doesn't eat it anyway.  As soon as the kids raise their hand to say they are done eating they're allowed to go outside for recess.  Given that the only other recess of the day is 15 minutes in the morning, you can imagine that Will doesn't sit still long enough to eat much.)

Just made me think of family and I wanted to say hi.

What's your favorite packed lunch these days?  I always get happy for black beans and rice - they taste great and feel good in my belly all afternoon.

-Maggie

Zucchini Carrot Muffins

HELLO hello hello hello

Is anyone out there?  Phew we've been slacking lately.  But I'm bringing it back!  Fall is coming (so I'm told, we're still hitting 100 here) and it's time for a new bunch of recipes.

I'm now cooking for one and trying to lose a little weight, which makes grocery shopping no fun.  However, I saw this recipe on one of the blogs I check and had to give it a shot.  I made them today, and they're delicious!

INGREDIENTS:
1.5 cups zucchini, finely grated (probably about 2 zucchini)
1 cup carrot, peeled & finely grated (probably about 4 carrots)
1 egg
2 tbsp melted butter, cooled
1 cup flour
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup dried cherries (I subbed dried cranberries)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line or grease your muffin tin.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and mix until well combined.  (I also added some other fall spices, nutmeg, cardamom, etc.).

In a large bowl, combine the grated zucchini, grated carrot, egg, and melted butter.  At first it may seem like you don't have any "liquid" but just mix it a bit and it'll suddenly look like a batter due to the water in the veggies.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to combine.  Add the chopped pecans and dried cherries (or crans).  Stir.

Divide into the muffin tins and bake for 20-23 minutes.


I made a half recipe and it worked out well.  They are heavy when you pick them up.  Really good.

Happy fall!
Molly