As Seen on CHCH August 29, 2007

Recipes for Back to School Lunches

For more lunch ideas click on Help Me! What do I pack for my kid's lunch?

Blueberry Crisp
Makes – 8 – 2/3 cup (150 mL) servings
Kid Friendly

Pack a protein source like a hard cooked egg, some leftover cooked chicken or turkey, some whole grain crackers, and milk and you have a great packable lunch. Make the crisp the night before and have it for dessert just make sure you save enough for lunch the next day.

Topping:
1 ½ cup (375 mL) large flake rolled oats
½ cup (125 mL) whole-wheat flour
½ cup (125 mL) dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) cinnamon
½ cup (125 mL) canola oil

Berries:
6 cups (1.5 L) blueberries, fresh or frozen
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) quick cooking tapioca
1 tsp. (5 mL) cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Line an 8-inch square (2-L) baking pan, set aside.

2. In a medium bowl stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Using a large spoon mix in the canola oil until well combined. The mixture should look wet.

3. Place the berries into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the tapioca and cinnamon.

4. Pour topping over the berries. Press down lightly.

5. Bake for 45 - 50 minutes or until bubbly. If using frozen berries add 15-20 minutes longer.

6. Serve warm or cold. Will keep up to 2 days covered in the fridge.

Each serving contains
310 Calories, 16 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 10 mg Sodium, 46 g CHO, 7 g Fiber, 4 g Protein

Big Cooking Tip
Wet parchment paper? Are you kidding?
No. When you’re baking or roasting something in the oven; to help with clean up, thoroughly wet a piece of parchment paper. Squeeze out excess water and line your baking pan with it. You will never have to scrub out a casserole pan or baking dish again. Most excellent.

Why are there so many calories in your crisp?
To make a crispy topping using old fashioned oat flakes I used ½ cup (125 mL) of heart healthy canola oil. You can either do two things – One, make this with ¼ cup (50 mL) canola oil and reduce the grams of fat by half, or leave it as is and enjoy it on a day that was on the lower fat side, but remember heart healthy fats eaten in moderation are a good thing.

My Very Own Fast Food Berry Parfait
Makes - 1 – 1 ¾ cup (425 mL) serving
Kid Friendly

One of my all time favourite packable treats; I’ve been making this parfait for the past ten years. I put frozen berries in the bottom of a plastic container add the yogurt and then pack it in a thermal bag. At lunch time I add my homemade granola and voila my very own personal fast-food treat.

1 cup (250 mL) fresh or frozen blueberries
½ cup (125 mL) low fat probiotic French vanilla yogurt or unsweetened probiotic plain yogurt
¼ cup (50 mL) granola, recipe follows

1. Place berries in a bowl, top with yogurt and granola, eat. You didn’t need instructions did you?

Each serving contains with Granola
320 Calories, 7 g Total Fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 90 mg Sodium, 58 g CHO, 6 g Fibre, 10 g Protein

Crunchy Cinnamon Granola
Makes - 2 cups (500 mL)
Serves - 8- ¼ cup (50 mL) servings
Kid Friendly

In the late sixties my family took a trip to San Francisco where we had our very first hippy sighting. My parents, being parents, thought these long haired granola eating kids were just a bunch of tree huggers who wanted nothing more than to run naked and have wild sex, sounded pretty darned exciting to me.

1½ cup (375 mL) large flaked oats
¼ cup (50 mL) wheat germ
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) canola oil
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) honey
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) brown sugar
1 Tbsp. (15 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp. (5 mL) pure vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (180 C). Line a 9x13-inch (3.5 L) metal baking pan with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl mix together the oats and the wheat germ.

3. In a small microwaveable bowl mix together canola oil, honey, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Heat at 80% in the microwave for 15 seconds. Pour over oat mixture. Toss well.

4. Pour mixture onto the parchment paper lined baking dish and roast in the oven for 15 minutes.

5. Remove from oven and stir. Return to oven and continue roasting for 10 minutes.

6. Remove and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Each serving contains
130 Calories, 5 g Total Fat, 0 g Sat Fat, 0 g Trans Fat, 0 mg Sodium, 21 g CHO, 2 g

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes - 40 cookies
1 serving = 2 cookies
Kid Friendly

Make these once a week, freeze for healthy cookies all week. Just take them out of the freezer in the morning, they will be thawed out by recess or lunch.

½ cup (125 mL) unsalted non hydrogenated margarine
½ cup (125 mL) brown sugar
¼ cup (50 mL) granulated sugar
1 omega-3 egg
1 tsp. (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
1¼ cups (300 mL) whole wheat flour
½ tsp. (2 mL) baking soda
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped dark bittersweet chocolate or M&M's baking bits

1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl cream the non hydrogenated margarine. Beat in both sugars till fluffy.

3. Add the egg and vanilla, beat till fluffy.

4. Stir in the whole wheat flour, baking soda, and the chocolate chunks or M&M‘s.

5. Drop by rounded teaspoonful onto the cookie sheet or use a mini scoop see page XX.

6. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing them from the pan. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 2 months.

2 cookies contain
110 Calories, 6 g Total Fat, 0.6 g Sat Fat, 35 mg Sodium, 15 g CHO, 1 g Fiber, 1 g Protein

If you want crispy and sweet, add and ¼ cup (50 mL) granulated sugar and an extra ¼ cup (50 mL) whole wheat flour.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Makes - 12
Kid Friendly

Great with some cheese for a portable lunch. Add a milk and some fruit and you are good to go.

Dry Ingredients
1 cup (250 mL) whole wheat flour
¾ cup (175 mL) wheat bran
¾ cup (175 mL) ground flaxseed
¼ cup (50 mL) chopped dark chocolate; M & M’s baking bits, or mini chocolate chips
1 ½ tsp. (7 mL) baking powder
1 tsp. (5 mL) baking soda
2 Tbsp. (30 mL) cinnamon

Wet Ingredients
1 ½ cups (375 mL) mashed banana, approx. 4 really ripe bananas
¾ cup (175 mL) dark brown sugar
¾ cup (175 mL) buttermilk
1 omega-3 egg

1. Preheat the oven to 400F°(200C°). Line a muffin tin with paper cup liners.

2. In a large bowl using a fork or a wire whisk mix together all the dry ingredients: whole wheat flour, wheat bran, flaxseed, chocolate, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.

3. In a medium bowl beat together all the wet ingredients: mashed banana, brown sugar, buttermilk and egg. The mashed banana really needs to be mixed in well

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix till just combined.

5. Scoop into muffin cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

Each muffin contains
180 Calories, 5 g Total fat, 1 g Sat Fat, 0 Trans Fat, 170 mg Sodium, 36 g CHO, 6 g Fiber, 5 g Protein