Category Archives: Recipes

What’s For Lunch: The Best List of Lunches

Lunch time. Personally, I find the daily “what’s for lunch” question much more difficult than “what’s for dinner”. Lunch is, well, a challenge. Although it’s yummy, I want to feed my children something more than the standard sandwich and chips option. However, I don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. And neither do you, right?

On an average day, the breakfast mess isn’t cleared until after 9am. Then, in order to get supper on the table at a decent hour, prep begins around 3:30. With errands and homeschool lessons in between, that doesn’t leave much time for a satisfying, thoughtful lunch. So what to do?

As with any successful endeavor, a good lunch starts with a good plan…and a heavy dose of reality! As much as I would love to make an original lunch for my children every day, I know that’s not feasible with our schedule. So rather than overwhelm myself and create extra work, I do my best to fix a crowd-pleasing lunch once a week. No more, no less. The other days of the week we alternate between sandwiches, leftovers, breakfast foods, and sometimes soup.

But what to fix? <insert eye roll> I used to run out of ideas often. That’s why I started to keep a running list of lunch ideas (Evernote is great for this!). Today, I’m going to share some with you. The recipes below run the gambit, from easy, interesting sandwiches, to crock pot and freezer meals and everything in between. They are all sure to help break you out of your lunch rut. Bookmark your favorite ideas and plan a great lunch this week!

Sandwich-ish

Tuna Twister Melts

Waffle Turkey and Cheese Sami

Apple Sandwiches

Pepperoni Pizza Pockets

Roast Beef Cheddar Roll-Ups

Slow Cooker Hamburgers

Club Quesadillas

Grilled Peanut Butter Banana Sandwich

Salads

Crisp Tuna Cabbage Salad

Mashed Chickpea Salad

Grilled Chicken and Fruit Salad

Black Bean Breakfast Bowl

Taco Salad

Veggie Tuna Pasta Salad

Cuban Chicken Salad

Hot Stuff

Sausage and Vegetable Fritatta

Zucchini Tots

Homemade Spaghetti O’s and Meatballs

Easy Stromboli

Quick Beef Burrito Skillet

No-Boil Mac and Cheese Bake

One Pot Spaghetti

Crock Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

Vegetarian Chili Mac

Beef Soup in a Bread Bowl

Pigs in a Blanket

Spicy Spaghetti Squash with Black Beans

Lentil and Brown Rice Casserole

Ham and Cheese Muffins

Queso Potatoes

What are your favorite go-to lunch ideas that offer more than the average sandwich?

Slow-Cooker Italian Beef Soup

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What you need

1 lb ground beef (I have also used cut up leftovers from a beef roast)
2 cloves garlic
1 small onion
2 can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano
1 package frozen mixed vegetables
2-3 potatoes, cubed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
4 cups beef broth (again, I use this from leftover beef roast. If you don’t have that, my favorite is Knorr homestyle concentrated stock)
1 tsp basil
1 tsp parsley
1 cup shell pasta

What to do:

Brown hamburger in a skillet. Mince garlic and dice onion and add those into the hamburger. Cook until hamburger is browned. (If you’re using leftovers, you get to skip this part with the hamburger).
Add all ingredients to crockpot, except pasta.
Cook on low 6-8 hours, adding in pasta for the last 20 minutes and cooking on high.
Note: if you like a “soupier” soup, you can add more broth.

Our whole family loves this soup! I serve it with my as-good-as-Olive-Garden breadsticks.

Homemade All-Purpose Citrus Spray

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I can’t believe I’ve been using this cleaner for years and never had the idea to blog about it! I guess because it is so SIMPLE that I don’t usually think people will be interested…but maybe BECAUSE it is simple some of you will appreciate the idea.

My secret ingredients??

White Vinegar + Citrus Peels

Do you already use white vinegar in your home? It is so useful in so many ways! Some of my favorite ways to use white vinegar are: all purpose spray, laundry, cleaning the coffee pot, cleaning any appliance, homemade mopping solution, deodorizing the garbage disposal, cleaning the microwave, and more!

Citrus peels!?!? Yes! Not only do citrus peels have powerful dissolvent in them, they also make any room just smell so fresh and clean! I noticed a difference in my cleaner when I started adding citrus peels to it – it actually cleans better!

How I Make My All Purpose Citrus Spray

Fill jar with citrus peels
Pour white vinegar over the peels and fill up jar, close with lid
Let the citrus and vinegar sit on a shelf somewhere for several weeks
Pour into spray bottle and begin cleaning! (If the scent is too strong for you, dilute the cleaner with a bit of water)

It really is that simple! I have a lot of peel at my house because I love fresh lemon in my water daily and I’ve also been juicing for over a month now. So, I save all the peels from my clementines, navels, oranges and lemons to use in my cleaners!

More Notes

To clean your microwave, place a small bowl of white vinegar inside and run it for a minute. Take out the vinegar and simply WIPE CLEAN the insides! It all just wipes out so easily after that vinegar has been heated!
If you want to make more of a “scouring” cleaner, take your white vinegar and add BAKING SODA to it! Not only it is a fun science experiment for the kids to watch, but it’s a great, non-toxic cleaner! (There seem to be conflicting reports online about combining these 2 items, but I’ve had good luck with it, so just try it out and see if it works for you!)
If you’d like to read more of my frugal ideas, I’d love for you to visit my little place on the web where you can read about our chickens, saving money on groceries without coupons and more!

Fuel for the Day: Chocolate Peanut-Butter Oatmeal (GF/DF)

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The clerk at the grocery store stares at my two huge bags of oatmeal and inquires why I felt the need to empty out the oatmeal from the bulk bins. Could I possibly eat that much? I look her square in the eye and announce that I have three boys and a little girl at home. And yes, I’ll be back in a few weeks for more.

We’ve already been making wagers on our food budget needs once they reach the teen years. They seem to be bottomless pits and my oldest is only 9.5 years old. Since they eat so much, I’ve felt it doubly important to involve them in the process and teach them how to prepare food themselves. It is fun to cook with them and I’m seeing the payoff now when I can send them downstairs to prepare a hot breakfast while I get the toddler ready…

In the morning I have a few goals when it comes to breakfast:

Frugal – We have four kids and a very limited budget.

Nourishing – I’m not just looking for calories. I want to make them count.

Satiating – I need these boys of mine fueled for the long haul so they don’t crash and burn mid-morning.

Easy – Mornings are busy times, and I need something that they can make themselves with little to no help. Plus, I want to involve them in the process.

Enter our family favorite:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

{Enough to feed 4 voracious eaters – adjust as needed}

• 6.5 cups water

• 5 cups oatmeal (if gluten-free, be sure to use certified GF oats)

• 3 Tbs peanut butter {Almond Butter or Sun Butter substitute nicely}

• 2-3 Tbs cocoa powder

• 3 Tbs Black Strap Molasses {adds a nice dose of iron}

• 2-3 Tbs Honey {add more if you like your oatmeal really sweet}

Bring water to a boil. Add all ingredients. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Optional toppings

• Milk {we use rice milk over here} added to taste afterwards

• Sliced bananas

Your kids will think they had dessert for breakfast and the morning will be rescued from the post-cereal sugar crash…

Have you heard the saying “oatmeal will stick to your ribs?” We like to do before breakfast and after breakfast flexing. My boys are sure that they look stronger after consuming this kind of breakfast! Can’t you tell?

For more from this mama of super-heroes stop by my blog, Cultivated Lives.

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

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I recently received a review copy of the Gooseberry Patch Hometown Christmas cookbook. As always, I was excited to flip through it and read the recipes, tips, and stories. Yes, I love those books!

I was especially excited to see their recipe for “cheese and bacon party potatoes.” I have made something similar for a while, but my recipe looked something like this: potatoes + some butter + milk until it’s just right. Season with “enough” salt and pepper. Then add a couple handfuls (or a generous shake of the bag) of shredded cheese and some bacon. Anyone else cook like this?? It works, but it’s not so great for sharing!

However, the similar Gooseberry Patch recipe included some helpful measurements so I was able to use it for a guideline to share my dish with you.

These are fantastic, and easy enough for an everyday family dinner, but they’re also great for pot-lucks and holiday gatherings. I took them to a church fellowship meal recently and brought home a scraped-clean dish.

What you need:

4 c. mashed potatoes
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and colby-jack, I liked to mix things up!)–Divided
1/2 lb bacon crisply cooked (divided)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. green onions/chives

What to do:

1. Combine all ingredients, reserving some shredded cheese and bacon, to sprinkle on top. Mix well. I use a hand mixer for this, it’s one of only 2 things I use a mixer for. (the other is meringue, in case you’re wondering).

2. Spread into a greased 3 qt. casserole dish. Sprinkle the top with bacon and cheese.

3. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, until cheese is melted and the top is golden.

Note: You could also use sour cream or whipping cream in place of the milk for a slight variation.

Yummy!!!

Preparing for Christmas Morning the Day Before {Gluten Free Cinnamon Streusal Muffin Recipe}

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Christmas morning is such a busy time. I always feel pulled towards both wanting to make a special breakfast for the family, but not wanting to miss out on special memories in the making. I don’t want to spend most of my time slaving away in the kitchen.

Our family’s solution is to pre-make and pre-mix as much as we can the day before. Muffins are a tried and true favorite. The day before I’ll mix the dry ingredients together as well as the wet ones. Then the following morning I simply mix them together and pop them in the oven. Voila! We have fresh-baked goodies and I don’t miss out on precious time with my family.

My last baby struggled with a whole slew of food allergies and sensitivities. During her first Christmas, my diet was severely limited as a breastfeeding mama. I was new to the whole food allergy thing and didn’t have the time or energy to think about making something special for myself. My goal was to make sure that the rest of my family was happy. My sister gave me the most beautiful Christmas morning surprise when she baked these yummy gluten, dairy free muffins. I savored each and every bite. While God healed my baby girl this summer from 7 of her 8 food allergies, she still has to be dairy free. With another family member reacting to gluten, I’ll be pulling out this beautiful gift of a recipe that she gave me and making these special muffins again this Christmas.

For those of you with food allergies, here’s a delicious option. {Note, there are pecans in the struessal topping, but they could probably be omitted if there is a nut allergy.}

Cinnamon Streusel Muffins {Gluten and Dairy Free}

Topping
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2 TBS Earth Balance Dairy Free buttery spread or Coconut Oil, melted

Liquid Ingredients
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk of choice {we use rice or almond milk}
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla

Dry Ingredients
1/2 c brown rice flour
1/2 c oat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
3/4 c sugar
3/4 cup potato or tapioca starch
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1.5 teaspoon guar gum {or xanthan gum}
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

The day before:

Mix dry ingredients, cover and set aside. Mix streusal topping, cover and set aside. Add liquid ingredients together in a dish, cover and put in fridge.

Christmas morning:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease muffin tins or line with paper cups. Mix liquid ingredients well, about 1 minute. Add in dry ingredients and mix until blended. Pour a spoonful into 12 muffin cups. Add a small spoonful of the streusal to each cup. Finish filling each of the 12 cups with the rest of the batter. Top them with the crumb topping, gently pressing the topping into the batter. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cool the muffins for 10 minutes before removing from the muffin tins. Transfer to a wire rack and allow them to cool for another 5 minutes.

A Quick and Easy Christmas Morning Breakfast Casserole

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Many of you are probably like me on Christmas morning.

A wee bit frazzled and a lot bit sleep-deprived.

Is this the scene at your house? Christmas morning generally begins with wide-eyed excitement (much too early in the morning, I might add), quickly followed by the opening of gifts, cleaning up the resulting mounds of wrapping paper and ribbon litter, and finally, excited children who just want to play?

And now it’s time to make breakfast. But making that big Christmas morning breakfast means you’ll miss out on a lot of the fun part of Christmas morning — the watching the joy spilling out all over the family room floor as your children relish in receiving “exactly what they wanted.”

I discovered the perfect solution a few years ago, when I attended a Christmas brunch for the ladies in my church and my mom surprised me by bringing along a yummy dish. This easy and delicious Christmas morning casserole is made ahead, the night before, and then quickly slipped into the oven to bake while I enjoy my family. All it needs is a side a fruit and your beverage of choice, and you have the perfect meal for Christmas morning. If you feel particularly inspired, and sometimes I do, toss some biscuits into the oven with the casserole.

Nana’s Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Serves 8

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb. pork sausage

6 slices white bread, cubed

8 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Brown sausage in a skillet, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Drain on paper towels.

2. Layer bread on bottom of a greased 9×13 glass casserole dish.

3. Spread sausage over bread pieces.

4. Mix eggs, cheese, salt, mustard and pepper in a large bowl.

5. Pour egg mixture over sausage and bread.

6. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

8. Bake 45 minutes or until the center of the casserole is firm and a knife inserted comes out clean.

What are your tips for a stress free Christmas morning? Do you have a quick and easy Christmas morning meal idea to share. Let’s chat more in the comments!

Heidi St. John

Speaking the Truth in Love