Waffles & Peaches

Missy A has a cinnamon fascination lately.
Cinnamon toast is one of them.
So I tried waffle by adding a dash of cinnamon and brown sugar on my traditional pancake mix.
Everything else follows.

I wasn't able to shop for apples this week, but peaches saved the lunch.
No honey or syrup on pancakes since the brown sugar had made it sweet enough for my Missy A.

I have always seen waffles packed with strawberries and cream, YUM!!  I've eaten them for breakfast, and they're delicious. So wanting to give it a try for my kiddos. But Missy A is not a huge fan of milk and cream.  She would literally scrape it off her waffles, just like she does it with cheese from her quesadillas. I think it's odd too, but I would just have to find ways to send it that she would devour. And this is my end product, which she, by the way, loved.

I am also linking this up to Bento For Kidlet's Meatless Monday

Please stop by and visit Jenn for more Meatless Monday entree ideas.

If you love Healthy Eating Starts at Home, you may subscribe via email to get all my posts straight to your inbox. No spam mails, just healthy food ideas for your lunchboxes.

All bento accessories are available through Bento USA,

the cheapest and most complete online bento products in the USA.

Other bento gears are also available thru My Amazon Affiliate Link.
Thank you for your support!

If you need weekly meals straight to your inbox, try MOMables.

It's our one-stop shop when we're on a lunch rut.

Turkey & Cheese Subwich

Today's lunch is a DIY - Subway Lunchable.  
Everything what my kiddos would love to put in their sub.  I tried to put them all together, but I'm afraid that they might turn soggy by lunch time.  So we put all things on the side, but the TLC - turkey, lettuce and cheese.  No tomatoes and onions.



Not sure if I already mentioned that Mr G has started with his ortho appliance prior to the actual braces.  He has the palatal bar attached to his upper first permanent molars, with the bar across his palate.  We thought it was easy at first, but foods get caught on the bar, and is a nuisance for him.  Since then, I tried to cut food as bite-sized as possible so he could chew his food and lessen the chance of getting caught in there.

For a time he's been on soup-based meals.  Anything goes.  For one, he's not a very picky eater.  And secondly, he eats healthy by choice.  So his lunch tomato-based soups were mostly veggies and shredded meats to satisfy his proteins, carbs, and enough calorie to get by the day.  I will blog them, so you get the idea what he had on those days.

Now that he's over the transition stage, we're back to be eating normally.
Also, he has asked to eat cafeteria meals with his friends on some days, which I allowed.
So he wouldn't feel that he's missing out so much.

If you love Healthy Eating Starts at Home, you may subscribe via email to get all my posts straight to your inbox. No spam mails, just healthy food ideas for your lunchboxes.

All bento accessories are available through Bento USA,

the cheapest and most complete online bento products in the USA.

Other bento gears are also available thru My Amazon Affiliate Link.
Thank you for your support!

If you need weekly meals straight to your inbox, try MOMables.

It's our one-stop shop when we're on a lunch rut.

Corn on a Cob: A Whole Grain

Lunch doesn't need to be complicated all the time.  It can be something as simple as corn on the cob, and still make it healthy for the whole family.

Remember that corn is a whole grain, which plays an important role to prevent chronic illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes.  So if it's in the line of your family history, it's best that we switch diets into more whole grains, and corn is one of them which is the easiest and most economical way to serve a fulfilling meal.

We love corn because of its endless possibilities.  You can serve it steamed, grilled, stewed.  May be buttered,  salted, sprinkled with cheese, or simply eaten as it is.  We love corn not only because of its nutritional value, but also because of it's natural sweetness.

 I can't find a corn skewer to put them on each end, so my little girl could hold onto it, and eat them better mess-free.  For a bento-maker, I say it's a must-have.  So I'm off on a hunt for one or more.  If anyone knows where I could get it locally or online, please jot me a comment.  I would greatly appreciate it.

 If you love Healthy Eating Starts at Home, you may subscribe via email to get all my posts straight to your inbox. No spam mails, just healthy food ideas for your lunchboxes.

All bento accessories are available through Bento USA,

the cheapest and most complete online bento products in the USA.

Other bento gears are also available thru My Amazon Affiliate Link.
Thank you for your support!

If you need weekly meals straight to your inbox, try MOMables.
It's our one-stop shop when we're on a lunch rut.

Brown-Bag Challenge: The Final Week (Days 17-21)

Monday: Left-overs Seafood Vegetable LoMein, Roasted Chicken & Fruit Delights

We had a splendid gathering last night with friends at home.  We did a lot of catching up.  And we found ourselves almost eating the entire time we were together.  Non-stop I shall confess.  But we have prepared healthy comfort foods so there's nothing much to worry about extra time at the gym the following day.  The kids did their part of getting to know each other.  Bonding while playing nicely.  But the mess after was a great thing to deal with.  We started late lunch and ended up past bedtime.  So there wasn't enough time to clean-up well & prepare for the next day's brown-bag.  We woke up late and just packed leftovers of LoMein and Roasted Chicken from lunch and dinner yesterday.  A repeat but a comforting meal indeed.

Seafood LoMein

Roasted Chicken

Fortunately, my son had an early release today at 12:30 pm.  So I needed not to worry about him much.  I sent him to school with fruit delights.  A mixture of grapes, strawberries, blueberries, and orange slices that will stuff him till lunch at home.  At home, he ate the LoMein as well and was happy and content.

Have a hearty meal everyone! ^-^

Fruit Delights

Tuesday: Pinwheels and Strawberries:

Ham & Cheese Pinewheels
and Strawberries

Fall weather is officially in.  I can feel the cool morning breeze here in SoCal.  And it's getting harder to rise up early in early to prepare the brown-bag.  Nonetheless, I habe to force myself to prepare for my loved-ones breakfast and lunch tummy fillers.

Today, the brown-bag had sweet Ham and Cheese with Lettuce Pinwheels.  It's one of my son's favorites that I have long forgotten.  It took Healthy Eats' Nutritionist Toby Amiador to remind me that it still exists.  So for a change, I packed that with halved strawberries on the side.  While we ate the leftovers for breakfast.  I have to make one with cheese and one without, since my daughter doesn't eat cheese.  Oh for goodness-sake! Even when we dine out, she'll eat anything as long as there are no cheeses...please :-)  It's not that she's allergic to it, she just didn't like the taste of cheesy dishes.

Hubby packed Chili and Chopseuy Vegetables with steamed rice.  I will be volunteering for my son's school after lunch today so I would have to eat from home before I go.  My choice of anything yummy to eat from home.  Might as well heat up a bowl of chili over steamed rice.  Comforting and fulfilling for a cold day.

If anyone needs a recipe for anything I have prepared, just let me now by leaving a comment.  I'll be happy to provide them for you.

Have a wonderful meal, everyone!

Wednesday: Home-made Cheese Bagel Pizzas

I am a bit excited today to create my home-made pizza bagels, as inspired by the frozen pizzas bought in supermarkets.  My children are pizza fanatics.  And since I pledged on preparing my brownbags as healthy and home-made as possible, I decided to make my own pizza bagels for my kiddos.

It's very easy.  

I just needed 3 ingredients for this. 

A store bought mini-bagels, 

bottled veggie-spag sauce, 

and shredded cheese.  

Pizza Bagels, Plums & Muffin

Procedure:  

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

Lay-out the bagels on cookie sheet

Spread sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Results are healthier, cheesier and yummier pizza bagels.  The kids were excited because they sprinkled the cheese for me.  Next time, I'll just have them do it by themselves, then I'll take it to the oven for baking.  I gave him plums and cupcakes to neutralize the cheezy-ness of his lunch.

Honestly, I'm proud of myself for all the lunches I've made since the start of the challenge.  I never knew I could do wonders when challenged.  I'm happy I made my kids eat a healthier meal each time.  Best of all, my hubby's happy as well.  I guess I will continue this challenge forever.  And I will keep blogging coz it's what makes it exciting as well.

Happy brown-bagging!

Thursday: Pesto Chicken Farfalle

Just to let you know that this is a Broccoli Challenge as well by Kelly. I am doing 2 challenges simultaneously because it inspires me to prepare healthier meals, and encourages my kids to eat healthier as well.  So it's like hitting 2 birds with one stone.  Well.... this one is hitting 2 challenges with one blog and preparation.

Today's brown-bag was Pesto Chicken Farfalle with Broccoli and Nectarines on the side. This lunch is very simple to prepare. I have made the pesto sauce in advance and have stored it in my fridge.  It's made of basil leaves, olive oil, garlic and cheese.  All blended in my blender since I don't have a food processor.  But at times when I'm out, and just crave for it, I make use of any store-bought traditional Pesto Sauce jar.  It works just fine. We have a left-over chicken rotisserie from last night, so I cut it into small pieces to mix with my farfalle noodles.  I separated broccoli from my pesto farfalle because it was by special request.  My 3rd grader is like Kelly, a broccoli fanatic.  He wants to munch his broccoli by itself to satisfy his palate.  But for grown-ups, I tossed it along the pesto chicken farfalle to make it look more appetizing, and not bland.  I topped it off with shredded mozarella cheese.  And of course my fruit dessert would be the famous nectarine wedges.  Blueberry would look better with this but he just gobbled it all up last night before going to bed.  So this is what's left, and we have to make it last.

Pesto Farfalle, Broccoli,
Nectarines

My husband didn't pack his brown-bag today because of a lunch meeting this afternoon.  Lunches will be provided in their office.  So I guess, we'll consider that as his brown-bag for the day.  I'm crossing my fingers that he'll make healthier choices though.

Have a wonderful brown-bag everyone!

Friday: Fancy Garlic Rice & the Works:

Hurray! It's the last day of Healthy Eats' brown-bag challenge.  I must say I did fairly well and made everyone happy.  I have fulfilled my goal and my kids are eating healthier.  But it will never be the last day for my brown-bag chore.  It actually just began.  And I have pledged to myself that I will continue to pack and create healthy lunches for my family, and share ideas as well with other moms in need.

Garlic Rice, Strawberries

and Choco-fudge Muffin

Today's brown-bag is garlic rice with hotdogs, corn and sweet peas.  For healthier option, try QUINOA as a substitute to rice.  Strawberries and a choco-fudge muffin for dessert.

I stir-fried my hotdogs bits with garlic and oil.  I made sure that the hotdogs are slightly browned before I add in the rest of my ingredients (cooked rice, corn kernels, and sweetpeas) over medium to high heat.  You can actually add in carrots as well, edamame or broccoli, depending on what you have in stock.  Then let it cool before packing so as not to create dew inside the container.  I was told that dew is responsible for spoiled rice if you packed it still hot.  Or you might want to throw in ice pack in the lunchboxes to be safe.  I do all the time since he likes to eat his food cold anyways.

Recipes to follow.  Please check back later.

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

I'd like to link this up with Family Fresh Cooking's Project Lunch Box - Week 2.  Feel free to click on the badge to be linked back to Family Fresh Cooking's post.

The Brown-Bag Challenge is officially over.

Over the past 30 days, I have encountered several vocabularies that comes
with packing lunches to school and work.

Brown-bag
Home-made
Healthy
Left-overs
Yummiest

Brown-bag is the means of packing food to school & work.
Home-made is anything prepared at home, from scratch or semi.
Healthy is the term for the choices of ingredients you use to prepare your foods.
Leftovers are the extra yummy foods you had the previous night.
Yummiest is my son's term for no left-over brown-bags.

Healthy Eats had given me the opportunity to explore all lunch menus possible.
It had connected me to several fellow brown-baggers.
It made me more creative and confident when formulating my weekly menus.
My goals were to make every lunches as healthy and varied as possible.
And eventually scrap Lunchables.
 My son had seen the benefits of home-made foods over store-bought,
thereby quitting Lunchables.
YAY!! I made it. This calls for a celebration.

Lunchables is now his emergency food, for late mornings, and he had been more
accepting of the "special-made" lunches I packed for him.
He called it special because it was prepared with ♥.

I'd also like to thank fellow brown-bag bloggers,
who had given me more options and ideas
to make every lunchboxes fun and exciting to bring to school & work.

Nutritionist, Toby Amiador,
was a great influence too in my menu-planning.
Thank you!

I am looking forward for the next challenge.
From now on, I will continue brown-bagging and eat healthier.
I will keep blogging to add inspiration to myself
and to people who visits.

Thank you Healthy Eats!
Until the next challenge...
We did it!

Day 21: Fancy Garlic Rice & the Works

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Hurray! It's the last day of Healthy Eats' brown-bag challenge.  I must say I did fairly well and made everyone happy.  I have fulfilled my goal and my kids are eating healthier.  But it will never be the last day for my brown-bag chore.  It actually just began.  And I have pledged to myself that I will continue to pack and create healthy lunches for my family, and share ideas as well with other moms in need.

Garlic Rice, Strawberries
and Choco-fudge Muffin

Today's brown-bag is garlic rice with hotdogs, corn and sweet peas.  For healthier option, try QUINOA as a substitute to rice.  Strawberries and a choco-fudge muffin for dessert.


I stir-fried my hotdogs bits with garlic and oil.  I made sure that the hotdogs are slightly browned before I add in the rest of my ingredients (cooked rice, corn kernels, and sweetpeas) over medium to high heat.  You can actually add in carrots as well, edamame or broccoli, depending on what you have in stock.  Then let it cool before packing so as not to create dew inside the container.  I was told that dew is responsible for spoiled rice if you packed it still hot.  Or you might want to throw in ice pack in the lunchboxes to be safe.  I do all the time since he likes to eat his food cold anyways.


Recipes to follow.  Please check back later.

Day 20: Pesto Chicken Farfalle with Broccoli and Nectarine

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Just to let you know that this is a Broccoli Challenge as well by Kelly. I am doing 2 challenges simultaneously because it inspires me to prepare healthier meals, and encourages my kids to eat healthier as well.  So it's like hitting 2 birds with one stone.  Well.... this one is hitting 2 challenges with one blog and preparation.

Today's brown-bag was Pesto Chicken Farfalle with Broccoli and Nectarines on the side. This lunch is very simple to prepare. I have made the pesto sauce in advance and have stored it in my fridge.  It's made of basil leaves, olive oil, garlic and cheese.  All blended in my blender since I don't have a food processor.  But at times when I'm out, and just crave for it, I make use of any store-bought traditional Pesto Sauce jar.  It works just fine. We have a left-over chicken rotisserie from last night, so I cut it into small pieces to mix with my farfalle noodles.  I separated broccoli from my pesto farfalle because it was by special request.  My 3rd grader is like Kelly, a broccoli fanatic.  He wants to munch his broccoli by itself to satisfy his palate.  But for grown-ups, I tossed it along the pesto chicken farfalle to make it look more appetizing, and not bland.  I topped it off with shredded mozarella cheese.  And of course my fruit dessert would be the famous nectarine wedges.  Blueberry would look better with this but he just gobbled it all up last night before going to bed.  So this is what's left, and we have to make it last.

My husband didn't pack his brown-bag today because of a lunch meeting this afternoon.  Lunches will be provided in their office.  So I guess, we'll consider that as his brown-bag for the day.  I'm crossing my fingers that he'll make healthier choices though.

Have a wonderful brown-bag everyone!

Day 19: Cheese Pizza Bagels

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

I am a bit excited today to create my home-made pizza bagels, as inspired by the frozen pizzas bought in supermarkets.  My children are pizza fanatics.  And since I pledged on preparing my brownbags as healthy and home-made as possible, I decided to make my own pizza bagels for my kiddos.

It's very easy.  

I just needed 3 ingredients for this. 

A store bought mini-bagels, 

bottled veggie-spag sauce, 

and shredded cheese.  

Procedure:  

Preheat oven at 425 degrees.

Lay-out the bagels on cookie sheet

Spread sauce, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

Results are healthier, cheesier and yummier pizza bagels.  The kids were excited because they sprinkled the cheese for me.  Next time, I'll just have them do it by themselves, then I'll take it to the oven for baking.  I gave him plums and cupcakes to neutralize the cheezy-ness of his lunch.

Honestly, I'm proud of myself for all the lunches I've made since the start of the challenge.  I never knew I could do wonders when challenged.  I'm happy I made my kids eat a healthier meal each time.  Best of all, my hubby's happy as well.  I guess I will continue this challenge forever.  And I will keep blogging coz it's what makes it exciting as well.

Happy brown-bagging!

Day 18: Pinwheels & Strawberries

Fall weather is officially in.  Now I can feel the morning cool breeze.  And it's harder to rise up early to brown-bag.  Nonetheless, I have to force myself up and prepare for my loved-ones' breakfast and lunch tummy fillers.

Today, I brown-bagged sweet Ham and Cheese with Lettuce Pinwheels.  It's one of my son's favorites that I have long forgotten.  It took Healthy Eats' Nutritionist Toby Amiador to remind me that it still exists.  So for a change, I packed that with halved strawberries on the side.  While we ate the leftovers for breakfast.  I have to make one with cheese and one without, since my daughter doesn't eat cheese.  Oh for goodness-sake! Even when we dine out, she'll eat anything as long as there are no cheeses...please :-)  It's not that she's allergic to it, she just didn't like the taste of cheesy dishes.

Hubby packed Chili and Chopseuy Vegetables with steamed rice.  I will be volunteering for my son's school after lunch today so I would have to eat from home before I go.  My choice of anything yummy to eat from home.  Might as well heat up a bowl of chili over steamed rice.  Comforting and fulfilling for a cold day.

If anyone needs a recipe for anything I have prepared, just let me now by leaving a comment.  I'll be happy to provide them for you.

Have a wonderful meal, everyone!

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Day 13: Cheeseburgers & Strawberries, Steamed Ocra with Sambal

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Day 13 is cheeseburger and fresh sweet strawberries for my 3rd grader.  He asked for 2 cheeseburgers just in case he would have a very big appetite at lunch time.  Nice!

Juice pouch and a bottled water 

are regulars in his brown bag.

Steamed Ocra with Sambal

My hubby packed ocra with sambal and steamed rice.

I will be having this at lunch time as well.  And I can't wait til

it's time to start munching on them.

Ocra is a bit tricky to prepare.  They can become starchy once you

cut them. You want it crunchy.  To achieve this and to prevent its stickiness, STEAM

them.  But watch it til it's color become alive.  That's bright green in color.  Once they've turned brownish green, you know you've overcooked them, and lost all

the nutritious part of it.  Give it about 8-10 minutes over high heat.  Then mix with

 sambal.  Some like it really spicy.  So it's your choice. 

Let me know how you'd like yours.

Sambal Ingredients:

10-15 dried chilies, soaked (optional)

2 fresh Red Chilies, chopped (optional)

3 candlenuts

4 shallots

2 cloves garlic

2 tsp. Roasted Shrimp Paste

3Tbsp Vegetable Oil

2-3 Tbsp Lime Juice

2 tsp sugar

3-4 Tbsp water

Salt to taste

Combine first 6 ingredients and blend them into paste.

Cook under low heat with the oil until fragrant.

Add the rest of the ingredients.

Simmer and serve with steamed okra.

Mix them only when everyone else is ready to eat.

That way okra won't be soggy and slimy.  Only mix a good serving size.

When brown-bagging, pack them separately.

Enjoy! 

Day 12: Sushi Rolls & Plums

Spam and Crab Sushi Rolls & Plums

It's another start of brown-bagging week.  

Today my son brown-bagged spam and crab sushi rolls.  

This is one of his favorites and mine as well.  It's very nutritious and fulfilling.  

He brought 2 plums with him as well to help him be stuffed on breaks.  

I am so glad he has never been tired of my lunch ideas yet.  

But this week I will be trying out Nutritionist, 

Toby Amidor's kiddie lunch ideas which you can also find it here.  

You might want to check it out as well coz it gives you lots of ideas 

to prepare for the coming days.  Then jot down which one works and which one didn't.  

That way you'll be preparing meals which won't be put to waste. 

 And every brown bags are well appreciated.

What did my husband brown-bagged today?  

That left a mystery to me since he did it all by himself. 

Surely, he took some of last night's leftovers to work today. 

I guess I would just have to check on the fridge and check which one's missing :)  

I hope everyone else had a great time brown-bagging their lunches today.  

It feels great to brown-bag with everyone else, right?  

Sharing what's inside is always the fun way to do it.  

Happy eating!!

We're teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you're eating on Facebook andTwitter with the hashtag #brownbag.