crunchy or smooth?

No, no, not the ghosts. The peanut butter! I was raised on natural smooth peanut butter, usually homemade. But I admit it, I'm a fan of sweetened crunchy peanut butter. Or plain cashew butter.AJ's lunch: green beans; cucumber slices; Boo apple; raisins; pbj ghost sandwich.

Nate's lunch for grandma's house: cucumber slices; striped apple slices; green beans; pbj ghost sandwich.

It's
look-
ing
like
fall
finally!
This is
the
view
from
the
back
of our
house
up-
stairs.
Our
trees
tend
to be
very
yellow,
less
reds this year than usual thanks to the wonky precipitation pattern.

Who's on first...

I can't decide which lunch should be in the spotlight today. Hmmm... I guess I'll go with ladies first, LOL.

Maia's
lunch:
snap
peas;
rice
trian-
gle;
broc-
coli;
car-
rots;
pickle;
vege-
table
gyoza;
Tofu-
rky
slices.





Maia also had 20 pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies tagging along with her today for her class and wednesday's class to decorate. But of course I was too busy taking pics of all the lunches and getting Ryan ready for his field trip to even remember to take a pic. Maybe someone will get a photo of them decorating the cookies at school.

Ryan was off to the
Museum of Science in
Boston today with the
Sage gifted program.
The M.C. Escher exhibit
is one of a handful they
have been looking forward
to. I contemplated cutting
some simple geometric
pattern out of nori and piecing it together to look like an Escher drawing, but ultimately I decided to stamp an image on soy paper with edible ink markers. Of course that meant I needed a stamp of an image...so I just had to carve one myself.

Ryan's lunch: mango gel cup; Escher rice triangle; vegetable gyoza; broccoli; Tofurky flowers; carrots; pickle.

Here's a closeup...And here's the stamp...
And AJ needed a lunch too. Nothing fancy, but I did manage to fit a bit of last night's apple crisp in for him.
AJ's lunch: rice triangle; vegetable gyoza; pickle; carrots; Tofurky flower; mini apple banana muffin; leftover apple crisp; broccoli.

And I didn't want to leave Nate feeling left out, so he got a nicer snack than usual for preschool...
Nate's snack: snap peas; vegetable gyoza; rice triangle; carrot; broccoli; pickle.

nothing to see here

No, you didn't miss a post. Last friday's lunches were just too boring to warrant an entire post. And the weekend was pretty dull too. Monday was barely an improvement, except for Dada returning home from Germany in time for dinner after a week away.

Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
steamed
broc-
coli;
a side
of
ketchup;
baked
spicy
waffle
fries;
1/2 an
english
muffin
sand-
wich.





The weekend was spent doing a lot of this:

It's hard to say no when
a kid WANTS to use the
potty...but it sure makes
it hard to get anything
else done because you
don't want to leave them,
because of course that's
when they get up and
do their business elsewhere.

Here's one of the weekend's
successes however...purple
applesauce. Tasted like
candy. Local apples & concord
grapes. The grapes give any-
thing that hyper purple
colour. Only a dozen went into
the pot, but that's all it needed.
And wow do ripe concord
grapes make everything smell good! What a treat.

And today's lunches...

Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
left-
over
pizza
with
veggie
pepper-
oni;
apri-
cots
for
Ryan,
raisins
for AJ;
mini
apple
banana
muffin;
baby
carrots;
gherkin
pickle.

lunch fit for a princess

I was sure this bento would be too big for little Maia, but she wanted to use it. Surprisingly she ate almost everything!

Maia's
lunch:
grapes;
corn
on the
cob;
cucu-
mber
slices;
carrots;
steamed
broc-
coli;
mini
apple
banana
muffin;
snap
peas.





It was
just
too
busy a
morn-
ing to
do any-
thing
fancy
for the
boys...

Their
lunches
are on
the
small
side
today
because
they're
coming
home
at 1pm due to parent-teacher conferences.

Ryan & AJ's lunches: leftover eggplant lasagna; grapes; steamed broccoli; Nutter Butter cookie; cucumber slices.

There are two vegetables
I have not been able to
get my husband to enjoy:
beets & eggplant. So when
he's away I will often cook
those items for myself.



This broiled eggplant
lasagna ought to last
a few days at least!

Pumpkin Patch

I just happened to pick some pea shoots growing as a cover crop at the farm yesterday, perfect for pumpkin vines...

Ryan's
lunch:
veggie
fried
rice
(with
onion,
carrots,
aspar-
agus,
broc-
coli,
snap
peas);
rice
cheese
moon;
carrot
pump-
kins
with
nori
and
pea tendrils; meatless meatballs.

AJ stayed home with a stuffy nose today, so I only had to make one bento. Ryan noticed the difference, saying "you make nicer lunches when you only have to make one! I like it when my lunch looks like an actual place." It's true...it's much easier to make just one bento.

The boys have been asking to get pumpkins for Halloween. We only have one pie pumpkin from the farm this year. The winter squash crop didn't do so well. I suppose I'll have to find a place to buy a couple of decent carving pumpkins, preferably locally grown that don't cost a fortune.

What's a ghoul anyways??

Being an avid reader of the fantasy genre and fan of similarly themed games, I am quite familiar with goblins, orc, trolls, zombies, vampires, and other monsters. But what the heck are ghouls? Kinda like zombies? Well, whatever they are, maybe they look like this...

Ryan & AJ's lunches: steamed asparagus; apple burrito; Tofurky flower; orange slices; crescent roll stuffed with broccoli & Daiya cheddar cheese, adorned with a veggie pepperoni mouth and autumn olives for eyes (I was lucky to find some autumn olives still fruiting yesterday, perfectly ripe).

I don't know quite how other people with multiple kids manage to take such lovely staged photos of their lunches every day. If I can manage to toss something down for a background I'm doing well, otherwise I just place it on the porch or on the walk or in the grass and hope for the best.
Seriously, by 8:50am on tuesdays & thurdays I am dizzy...4 breakfasts, 4 snacks, at least 1 diaper change and/or potty assistance, 4 people to dress, 4 snacks for later, 3 lunches to pack, teeth to be brushed before school...forget me getting time to sit and eat.
I know some people criticize those parents who show up still in their pajamas to drop off their kids at school...but that would be me most of the time, and I'm proud of it (and probably a heck of a lot more comfortable!). Maybe they have nannies or husbands who get up early to help? Handcuff the kids to the tv? Dunno. Or maybe they're like me, running in circles, trying not to trip.
Wait...I think I've figured out the secret: make duplicates of everything and take the nice photos AFTER the kids are at school...and then eat the extra bento oneself!!
This 2 1/2 hours twice a week with no kids in the house is really new to me. If I do sit down, I keep expecting to be interrupted...like I turn around sure someone is behind me who I might step on, and no one is there. Weird indeed!

Maia's lunch: orange pieces; Tofurky flower; snap peas; gherkin pickle; crescent roll stuffed with broccoli & Daiya cheddar cheese.

The
older
boys
were
excited
to use
their
new
Tupper-
ware
Sponge-
bob
Square-
pants
snack
cont-
ainers.
And
Nate
request-
ed a
roll like
his
brothers, so I packed him a nicer snack.

Still on the day's agenda: dropping husband off at the airport bus, final fall CSA share pickup, coming up with a name for our new favourite fall beverage!

Jack 'O Lantern sandwiches

I can't wait 'til November...for the time change! I'm desperate for another hour's worth of sunlight for taking food photos in the morning. The sun has barely gotten high enough to give any good lighting before I need to pack up it all up.
Regardless, it's time to start making some Halloween themed lunches!

Ryan & AJ's lunches: snap peas; meatless meatballs; carrot coins; zucchini brownies; Jack O' Lantern sandwiches; grapes; broccoli.

now or never

Tomato season is almost at an end. The quantity quickly dropped off with the arrival of the cooler weather. Instead of the 5 pounds of tomatoes we were still getting two weeks ago, we got 1 pound, and they are mostly still green. And there are always some that begin to rot immediately, ripe or not, so I have to remain vigilant and use them as soon as possible. So when a tomato isn't quite ripe but needs to be used NOW, a puttanesca pasta sauce is delish. While you are preparing the sauce, put another pot on for your pasta.

Puttanesca

1-2 T. olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 hot pepper, seeded & chopped
1 tomato, diced
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
6-8 olives, sliced
1-2 T. capers, drained
1 cup tomato sauce (or 1 small can tomato paste + a few T. water)

Put olive oil in a saute
pan over low heat. Add
garlic & hot pepper. Cook
less then a minute, then
add diced tomato & salt.
Cook 1-2 minutes. Add
olives & capers. Cook for
another minute. Then
add tomato sauce (I thawed
the oldest batch of sauce I'd
made during the peak of
tomato season two months
ago). Cook over medium-low
heat until reduced to desired
consistency. Toss with hot
pasta. I also added a cup of
frozen spinach when the

pasta was almost done
cooking to add some
leafy greens to the meal.




Pasta Puttanesca

Ryan worked in Boston this weekend with his father. I sent him off Saturday morning with enough food to get him through the day, though he also scored some veg sushi at the convention and some chips & salsa.
Ryan's food for the day: peanut butter pretzel Mojo bar; white chocolate macadamia Luna bar; baby carrots; a pickle; snap peas; smoked Tofurky, lettuce, soy cheese, Veganaise sandwich on Italian bread; an apple; grapes.

fun friday

This week--okay, this MONTH--has been so busy with work stuff for my husband. So there haven't been many "cute" lunches. Just regular stuff. So I try to include a treat once in a while.

Ryan & AJ's lunches: steamed broccoli; sesame tofu; pineapple (for Ryan); rice; soy pudding on the side.

This weekend is a Wizard World convention in Boston. President Obama will be holding a rally for the current Massachusetts governor at the Hynes Convention Center, where my husband is running a Magic: The Gathering tournament. I'm sure there will be lots of added security, and parking issues, and tons
of fun costumes at New
England Comic Con. There
will also be a booth where
you can demo Ascension, a
new game my husband
has just helped produce.

And my lunch... cold soba
noodles with greens, kizami
nori, scallions & cold tofu.

not pot pie

When I made a pot pie last night, I'd expected there to be leftovers for lunches today. Not so! Ryan complained because he has decided recently to complain more about certain foods, annoyingly, so there looked like there would be extra...but both AJ and Nate wanted seconds, and my husband came back for thirds. So despite Ryan's whining about the mushrooms and onions that were "too big", I'm definitely going to share this recipe I made! But first, today's lunches...

Maia's lunch: dried apricots; mini banana apple muffin; carrot; pizza sandwich bites; a pickle; cucumber slices.
She ate everything but the sandwiches...the girl just hates bread! She almost never eats a sandwich, and won't touch toast. I wish I had that problem.

Ryan & AJ's lunches: mini banana apple muffin; Sweet & Sara vanilla marshmallow; square of Endangered Species dark chocolate; cucumber slices; baby carrots; peanuts; a pickle; pizza sandwiches.

The reason for the marsh-
mallows was the s'mores
I made for the boys. Talk
about a messy treat! It had
been quite a few years
since I'd had them, and the
boys had never tried them.
Again, Ryan had to complain,
saying the chocolate over-
powered the flavour of the marshmallow. He'd rather jut eat the marshmallows. Doh.

Veggie Pot Pie

1 9x9 piece of frozen
puff pastry, thawed 45 mins.
2 T. margarine
2 T. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 large carrots,
peeled & chopped
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart flat green beans, cut
1 tsp. salt
freshly ground black pepper
2-3 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 cup mushrooms, quartered
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup water
1 vegetable bouillon cube, crumbled
2-3 dried sage leaves, crumbled
2/3 cup plain almond milk
1/2 T melted margarine + 1 tsp. almond milk (for basting)

In a large pot, heat margarine (I use Earth Balance) & olive oil over medium-low heat. Add onion, carrots & garlic. Stir & cook for 2 minutes. Add green beans, salt & pepper. Stir & cook another 2 minutes. Add potatoes & mushrooms. Stir & cook another 2 minutes or so.
Add flour and stir until vegetables are well coated.
Add water, vegetable bouillon, sage & almond milk. Stir and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened.
Pour vegetable mixture into a square baking dish.
Place puff pastry sheet over the top, tucking in the edges to fit inside the baking dish.
Brush on the mixture of margarine & almond milk. Poke a few holes in the top of the pastry with a knife.
Bake in a preheated 375
degree oven for 30-35
minutes until golden
brown. Allow to cool
10 minutes before serving.

You can substitute other
vegetables if you like. AJ
won't eat peas, so I used
green beans instead. A vegetable pot pie is a wonderful way to utilize many local fall veggies. The onions, carrots, garlic, runner beans, potatoes & sage were all from our CSA share. I think cubed winter squash would also be a delicious addition, especially with the sage & potato flavours.

wednesday

Nope, no clever title. It's just wednesday, what can I say. Only AJ needed a lunch today.

AJ's lunch: rice triangle w/goma shio; Tofurky slice; honeydew melon; a pickle; blanched spinach w/toasted sesame seeds.

When the cool fall mornings arrive, I really shy away from the typical american breakfasts.
My breakfast of ramen noodles with miso shoyu sauce, shaved salad turnips, turnip greens, kombu & scallion. Total yumminess! I don't always use the same greens of course. Whatever is available from the farm or the yard or nearby trails will suffice: dandelion greens, radish tops, spinach, tat soi, mizuna, mustard greens, carrot tops, beet greens, etc. A variety of seaweed options round out the meal, usually about one tablespoon dried seaweed crushed, ripped or chopped goes in with the noodles. In place of the salad turnips I have substituted radishes, bok choy, leeks & mushrooms. This is an easy way to make a quick, cheap, hearty breakfast.

Apparently I'm not the only person who feels noodle soups make an excellent breakfast (well, besides the country of Japan!). Check out Chez Cayenne's thai tofu noodle soup! Looks delish.

back to the grind

After a long holiday weekend of Ryan's birthday sleepover (they were up til 1am), work, hiking, letterboxing by the Hopkinton Reservoir, and Ryan riding his skateboard for the first time (without falling!), it's back to busy weekday business.

Ryan
had
some
left-
over
burrito
from
eating
out
with
grandma
over
the
week-
end,
so he
wanted
that
in his
lunch
today.


Ryan's lunch: honeydew melon; cucumber slices; baby carrots; a pickle; veggie rice & bean burrito.

AJ's lunch: honeydew melon; cucumber slices; baby carrots; a pickle; mini cinnamon raisin bagel; rolled up Tofurky slice; carrot cake cookie w/lemon icing.

Maia's preschool lunch: honeydew melon; cucumber slices; baby carrot; rolled up Tofurky slice; a pickle; 1/4 of a mini cinnamon raisin bagel; striped apple slice.

It's more challenging making a bento for a child under age 3. I try to avoid the tiny food picks that might be deemed choking hazards by the staff. This giraffe fork is about the smallest I'll put into the 2 year old's lunches.

let the weekend begin!

Friday was the beginning of a long weekend here. And hooray for a good weather forecast!

I had every intention of making little nori pawprints walking along the sandwiches, but I simply ran out of time...
Ryan
& AJ's
lunches:
cheesy
spread
on bread
from the
farmer's
market;
a mini
dark
choco-
late;
check-
ered
apple
slice;
vegan
chik'n
salad;
green
beans
w/shoyu;
baby carrots.

Then it was time for
Ryan's friends to
arrive for a sleepover.
With a warm evening,
the kids all played
outside with glow
sticks, glasses, neck-
laces, bracelets.










The boys liked to pretend
they were Harry Potter.
They took apart some of
necklaces to make enough wands for everyone.

Care for Collards?

Rain or shine, we still
have to pick up our
CSA share at the farm.
Nate loves going to
help with the pick-your-
own items. The collard
greens were looking
lovely all speckled with
raindrops.






















The kale was taller than Nate, almost up to my shoulders!
Collards with a Kick

12 large collard green leaves, washed, stems removed, thinly sliced
2 T. Earth Balance buttery spread
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Prepare collard greens.
In a medium pot melt
margarine over low heat.
Add collards & salt. Stir.
Cover & cook about 2
minutes.
Add liquid smoke &
cayenne pepper. Stir. Cover.
Cook another 5 minutes over
low heat until collards are tender.

Maia's lunch: meatless meatball; green bell pepper; heart sandwich of hummus & lettuce; chocolate chip bunny cookies; carrot flowers.

AJ's lunch: spaghetti w/tomato, carrot, kale, onion sauce & meatless meatballs; mini zucchini muffin baby carrots; cashews; raisins.

Ryan's lunch: spaghetti & meatless meatballs; 2 heart sandwiches of hummus & lettuce; baby carrots; dried apricots.