salami and cheese (egg free lunch)

My son loves salami. It took me a little while, but I was able to find this nitrate free salami at Whole Foods. I cut some muenster cheese into fun circles, and placed them both on a butter cracker. This little combo takes the place of his sandwich. The remainder of this lunch consists of carrot sticks with hummus for dipping, blackberries, and an apple. The apple does not fit in the planet box, I only placed it there for the picture. If I add an apple to my son's lunch I put it in the front pocket of his planet box carrying case.

Bird feeder

Another pinterest idea.

 We had school vacation last week which gave us some extra time for crafts, and fun activities. This homemade bird feeder was so easy, and fun.

I let my boys each have their own spreader. We used a generic jar of peanut butter that I labeled "birds only." The boys went to town spreading the peanut butter on toilet paper rolls. Once that part was finished, we simply rolled it in bird seed. The kids loved being in control of their own project, and I had lots of fun taking in the mess. It was pretty cute.

*Warning** if you have a two year old, this activity gets pretty messy.

You will need:
toilet paper rolls
peanut butter
bird seed

Flour comparison chart

A flour comparison chart is a pretty handy reference tool for baking gluten free.  There are many different types of flour available, so it can be challenging to know which one to use for any given recipe. I am still on the hunt for the perfect flour blend for my family's needs. Do you ever experiment with different flours?

This chart was found at http://ggiswheatfree.wordpress.com

Blueberry Baked Oatmeal (GF and EF)

These are so yummy!! I made these baked oatmeal cups yesterday, and they are already gone. My kids ate most of them, so I had to make more today, as the requests kept coming for them.  I decided to make a double batch, and mix half with blueberries, and half with diced apples. They turned out delicious. This is great for breakfast, a quick snack, or a healthy dessert.

You will need:

 2 c. gluten free oats (divided)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbs. sugar
1 c. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 c. applesauce
1/2 c. blueberries
1 tbs. ground fax mixed with 3 tbs. warm water

Mix 1 cup oats with the milk, and let it sit in the bowl for about 15 minutes.  Pulse the remaining cup of oats in food processor, to make into a flour. Mix with remaining ingredients. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes.  I store mine in the fridge. If you store them on the counter in a closed container they will not last as long because there is so much moisture.

Happy Earth Day 2013

Earth Day 2013 is here.  What is Earth Day?  Earth Day  is a special day to educate adults and children about respecting our planet and keeping it clean. Earth Day was first celebrated in 1970.

Reduce- Teaching your children to conserve electricity not only helps reduce fuel emissions, but it also saves you money.  Turn down the thermostat, and turn off the lights when you are not using them.  Plan your weekly errands so that you minimize the amount of time you spend driving your vehicle.  We all cringe when we fill up at the pump, so why plan our trips to save von gas, or car pool.

Reuse- Try not to throw away anything that can be repurposed into something else.  Look around your house for items that you no longer use, but you could incorporate into something new. This is a great way to create a craft project. Do you have anything that you no longer have a purpose for? Simply donate it. This is also a great way to control clutter.

Recycle- At our home, everyone knows which items are to be recycled, and which items are to be thrown away. If you are just beginning to recycle, designate a bin for recycling. You will need to check with your town's regulations as to what you can and cannot recycle, but you would be surprised at what they will take.  My kids love to help take jars, cardboard and all our other recyclables to the recycling bin.

Replant- Go out and plant a tree, or two. This is a great way to celebrate Earth Day, and find some enjoyment in your day.

This year my family will celebrate Earth Day by planting a tree in our yard, and by going out into our community and picking up trash. However you choose to help on Earth Day is surely a win win for our precious planet.  I feel that it is extremely important to teach our children from a very young age, the importance of respecting the earth, and doing our part to reduce our carbon footprint. Visit http://act.earthday.org/ to take a fun carbon footprint quiz. It is pretty eye opening.

How are you celebrating Earth Day this year?

Vist:http://www.recycling-revolution.com/recycling-facts.html to read some interesting facts about recycling.

Here are some great books to read to your children, and teach them about respecting our planet Earth.

*earth image found at http://www.clker.com/clipart-9912.html

Kids just love to dip

Have you ever met a child who doesn't love to dip? My boys are big dippers. My husband and I actually call our oldest son "the condiment king." He will eat anything, so long as their is a dipping option available.

This lunch is another egg free option. We have a ham, cheese, mustard and spinach sandwich, carrot sticks, tomatoes, strawberries, a pickle and of course the dipping component is chips and salsa. I'll admit, this does not look like a typical lunch, but hey, he loves everything in this lunch so why not put it all together.

Peanut granola bars (gluten free)

You will need:

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup raw honey
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups gluten free oats
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup peanuts

Melt peanut butter, coconut oil, and honey over low heat.  Mix in remaining ingredients. Place in a parchment lined 8x8 baking dish.

Chill in fridge for 2 hours.

Cut into bars.

Store in fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!