Project Lunch Box! -30 day challenge

Can we do a little project together for the next 30 days? I pitch that we all partner up to pack healthy meals for ourselves (if you eat lunch away from home) and our kids. Are you in? I sure hope so. If you can’t swing five days a week for 4 weeks than can you go with at least a day or two a week? I bet once you get started you will see how easy it is to pack a quick, healthy and delicious lunch box.

We are starting this event on a weekend so you have some time to go grocery shopping. I have a shopping list if you need a few suggestions to point you in the right direction.

I will post regular updates, ingredient choices, product and meal ideas on Facebook. That will be the destination to share ideas during this challenge. Post your ideas to my wall and to your own. Please join us over there to stay in touch. We can also use the #projectlunchbox onTwitter to grab each others attention.

I have a free downloadable PDF 30 Days of Healthy Lunch Box Meals just for you.

That up there is a basic turkey sandwich with fruit. I know you guys can do that. Some littlegluten free rice crackers are tucked away in there too.

Most of us can agree that packing a healthy lunch box is a challenging and an often daunting task. We are all exhausted after busy days. What we want to do is cuddle up with a hot cup of tea and our favorite magazine….By the way I have a new favorite magazine, take a peek here.

What we need to do is put the magazine down and pack lunch for the next day. The magazine can come out after. Play your favorite music and get packing. If you want to share some of your favorite playlists I would LOVE that!

I always find it is so much easier to work together as a team. I admit that some days I have a hard time figuring out what the heck to pack in my kids lunch boxes. I want to hear your recipe ideas, favorite magazines, ingredient suggestions, etc. Share your blog links and other links you have found so we can all help each other.

This is an introduction to a lifelong project. Each day of our lives should be a celebration of healthy through great food choices. I am curious to see how this project unfolds and I look forward to working the steps and keeping the pledge with you, as a team……

Many readers ask all the time about how I handle the daily grind of packing lunch for myself and my kids. This blog was started because of people asking about my daily lunch boxes, so why not bring it all full circle. I want you to join me in the Lunch Box project.
Above is my Baby Peas and Cheese Frittata and below is one of our favorite pasta recipes withChicken, Capers and Cherry Tomatoes.

When I concept and create recipes for this blog, my goal is to inspire healthy, happy, high energy lives through whole foods. Eating real, unprocessed food not only tastes better but it is great for our physical and mental health too. When our bodies don’t need to cut through the clutter of chemicals and weird processed ingredients we think clearer, can keep our weight in check and burst with energy.

Why Project Lunch Box?

• Real, unprocessed foods are best for our physical and mental health.
• If we help guide what our children eat while away from home, there is a better guarantee for school success, overall happiness and health.
• It costs less to pack lunch at home. With tighter budgets these days it makes sense to bring your own lunch.
• We want our children and loved ones to thrive. Home cooked meals are best (unless your school or work cafeteria has embraced a real food meal plan)

Looking for some GREAT lunch ideas? Click Here: Several women put together over 70 lunch ideas! Check it out! ;)

Cute tennis ball Ideas

Candles anyone?

Want to decorate your room? Or simply have some cute things for a party? Well then, make this:

Great Idea for a Japanese themed room!

One of my "Dream Living Rooms" is to have a Japanese Theme, and this is a PERFECT idea for some art work on the walls! Maybe just one though, it's a bit too pink for me. :P

Easy Butter Chicken!

Easy Butter Chicken!

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter divided
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
•  
• 1 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons tandoori masala

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Melt a few tablespoons of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in onion and garlic, and cook slowly until the onion caramelizes to a dark brown, about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile melt the remaining butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat along with the tomato sauce, heavy cream, salt, cayenne pepper, and garam masala. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in caramelized onions.
4. While the sauce is simmering, toss cubed chicken breast with vegetable oil until coated, then season with tandoori masala and spread out onto a baking sheet.
5. Bake chicken in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, about 12 minutes. Once done, add the chicken to the sauce and simmer for 5 minutes before serving.

Gulab Jamun(My favorite Indian Dessert!)

Gulab Jamun

Ingredients:

1 cup Carnation Milk Powder
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tablespoons butter -melted
Whole milk just enough to make the dough

For the Sugar Syrup
2 cups Sugar
1 cup water
Oil for frying

How to make gulab jamun:

• Make the dough by combining the milk powder, Bisquick, butter. Add just enough whole milk to make a medium-hard dough. Divide the dough into 18-20 portions. Make balls by gently rolling each portion between your palms into a smooth ball. Place the balls on a plate. Cover with a damp yet dry kitchen towel.
• Heat the oil on high and then lower the heat to medium. Slip in the balls into the hot oil from the side of the pan, one by one. They will sink to the bottom of the pan, but do not try to move them. Instead, gently shake the pan to keep the balls from browning on just one side. After about 5 mins, the balls will rise to the surface. The Gulab Jamuns should rise slowly to the top if the temperature is just right. Now they must be gently and constantly agitated to ensure even browning on all sides.
• If the temperature of the oil is too high then the gulab jamuns will tend to break. So adjust the temperature to ensure that the gulab jamuns do not break or cook too quickly.
• The balls must be fried very slowly under medium temperatures. This will ensure complete cooking from inside and even browning.

Sugar Syrup

• The syrup should be made earlier and kept warm. To make the hot sugar syrup add mix the 2 cups of sugar to 1 cup of water. Add 4-5 cardamom pods, slightly crushed and a few strands of "Kesar". Mix with a spoon and then heat at medium heat for 5-10 minutes until sugar is all dissolved in water. Do not overheat, that will caramelize the sugar.
• Transfer this hot syrup into a serving dish. Keep warm on stove. Add the fried gulab jamuns directly into the warm syrup. Leave gulab jamun balls in sugar syrup overnight for best results. They can be served warm or at room temperature.

How to make Basundi - Step by Step!

Ingredients:

• Whole Milk                    - 1 litre
• Saffron                         - a pinch
• Cashews chopped         - 1 tbsp
• Almonds chopped         - 1 tbsp
• Nutmeg pwd                 - a pinch
• Cardamom pwd             - ¼ tsp
• Lemon juice                  - 1 tsp
• Sugar                           - 5 tbsp or to taste

Method:

1. Take whole milk in a wide pan.

2. Make sure the pan is thick bottomed, as we’re going to reduce the milk to half its content.

3. Boil the milk on medium heat on stove top with continous stirring.

4. Continuously scrape the sides and bottom of the pan to make sure the milk doesn’t stick to the pan.

5. Stir the milk continuously.

6. Once the milk is reduced to half its consistency, add few shreds of saffron.

7. This imparts rich color & flavor to basundi.
8. 
   

8. Slice cashew & almonds to fine pieces.

9. Add this nuts to the thick milk mixture.

10. Stir well.

11. Further cook for 2 to 3 mins.

12. Add nutmeg powder and cardamom powder. ( this enhances very rich flavor )

13. Keep cooking this on low heat

14. To get the grainy texture of basundi, we’re going to add 4 to 5 drops of fresh lime juice. ( make sure not to add,  too much drops of lime juice, as it curdles milk…we just need grainy texture )

15. Mix it well.

16. Now you can see milk is attaining grainy consistency.

17. Add sugar and combine. Turn off the heat
18. Now delicious basundi is ready.  ( It attains thicker consistency on cooling )

19. Serve basundi warm or chilled with grated pistachios & almond nuts garnishing.  ( it tastes so great, when it is cold )