Lunchbox-Recipe Book Guest Blog (2) Helene Canavan

Snacks for Recess

Recess time is mid-morning.  Snacks for recess should complement breakfast and be balanced with lunch.  Try to avoid anything that will made sandwiches and roll soggy after a few hours. Here are some tips for Sandwiches and Wraps:

Make it Crunchy – cos lettuce, celery, cornkernels, pinenuts, asparagus, cucumber, radish, pitted olives, grilled bacon.

Make it Tasty – basil, mint, cheese, pesto, tapenade, lemon, tomato sauce or chutney, mango chutney, mushrooms, plum sauce, hoisin sauce.

Make it colourful – grated beetroot, grated carrot, tomato, avocado, capsicums.

Make it fresh – lettuce, baby spinach, cucumber, herbs, apple, pear

Make it nutrituous – ham, salami, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, salmon, cheese, grilled eggplant.

Until next time…Helene Canavan

Cooks Corner

I recently attended an “Italian Feast” cooking class at Melbourne’s Electrolux Cooking School, which is located at the Queen Victoria Markets.  We made a feast of Italian dishes, including foccacia, lobster tortellinni, roast pork and tiramisu, and then we got to enjoy all the wonderful food with some Italiano vino.  Bellissimo!

One of the tips I learnt from the chef was get all your ingredients organised and do all the chopping before you start cooking, this takes the stress out of the actual cooking.

I thought I’d share one of the recipes with you:

TIRAMISU

• 1kg         Mascarpone
• 2             Egg yolks
• 100gr   Sugar
• dash      Strega Liqueur, Sambucca (white) Liqueur
• 2             Cups strong espresso
• 1-2pkts Pavesini Biscuits

For the Meringue

• 250gr        Egg whites
• 500gr        Sugar
• 80 mls       Water

Method:

Mix 2 egg yolks with sugar until creamy, then whip in mascarpone and liquers until the mixtrue is thick like piping cream.  Put aside.

Place the sugar and water for the merinque in a pot and heat to soft ball (toffee) stage.  Dip biscuits into espresso and line the serving bowl (bottom and sides).  Whip the egg whites and incorporate the hot sugar mixture slowly until the mixture starts to peak.  Fold the meringue into the mascarpone mixture and place half into the biscuit lined serving bowl.  Sprinkle with chopped chocolate and cover with the remainder of the mixture.  Smooth off the top and cover with ground chocolate or coffee.

Buon Appetito!

Food Fury

How disappointing to her that the government has shelved plans to move forward with the GroceryChoice web-site.  The web-site would have allowed us to compare supermarket prices and find the cheapest outlet or brank.

The government has been accused of buckling under pressure from the major supermarket, Coles and Woolworths to axe the site, which was set up to try to combat rising prices.

I also find it frustrating when I hear that prices for some products can change in the same day, and are different from suburb to suburb.

When will the givernment start standing up to the big guns – the supermarkets, the banks, etc.

Lunchbox recipe book – Guest Blog – Helene Canavan

Helene Canavan the Author of LUNCHBOX recipe book has agreed to do a few guest blogs for the Boxy Design Blog.  This great recipe book is now available from Boxy Design

Bonjour Boxy Design bloggers.

This book will help mums and dads with new ideas for kid’s lunchboxes.  It outlines simple recipes that have been tasted and adapted to remain fresh in a plastic container till lunchtime.  It provides nutritious and healthy real meals with minimum effort.

Only a real meal will avoid the quick-fix alternative.  A healthy sandwich on its own does not meet kids’ nutritional requirements for the day, nor does it satisfy their hunger.  And this is when parents are tempted to turn to chips, biscuits, and other heavily processed and sugar-filled snacks.  When you add up all these small treats at the end of the week, the result can be terrifying!

To help get you started, here are some Fresh basics to add to your weekly shopping list:

Tomatoes, capsicums, celery, cucumber, cos lettuce, baby spinach, carrots, spring onions and fresh herbs such as basil, coriander and parsley.

Happy lunching – Helene Canavan

Thanks Helene, keep a watch out for the next blog from Helene.

Filling Foods

I’ve been talking to some Mums recently whose kids get home from school starving, even after eating all their playlunch and lunch!! Talk about growing appetites!!

A researcher at the University of Sydney undertook a study to rate the most staisfying foods, and found that incorporating satisfying foods into a person’s diet can help curb hunger pangs and prevent overeating at subsequent meals.  Some of the foods that ranked really well in terms of making someone feel full include apples, potatoes, brown pasta, fish, porridge and popcorn.

Overall, carbohydrates deter nibbling best, while protein-rich foods like cheese, eggs, baked beans, meat and fish come second, and fruit third.

Here’s some healthy treats that I think make delicious, filling, after-school snacks:

• Popcorn – low fat popcorn, which can be done in the microwave in a couple of minutes.
• Rice cakes with peanut butter, cheese or avocado.  You can even cover a couple with cheese slices and place them under the grill so the cheese melts – yum!
• Canned fruit with yoghurt
• A smoothie, packed full of natural yoghurt, fruit and honey
• A tub of yoghurt with fruit or nuts mixed in
• Baked beans on toast
• A soft boilded egg with “toast soldiers”
• Scones with jam and low-fat cream (scones can be frozen, so make a large batch and freeze)
• A warm crumpet with honey or vegemite
• Fruit kebas – cut banana, apple, kiwi fruit and pear into chunks and stick on skewer.  Place under grill for a couple of minutes to make a warm treat.

Cutting food bills in Half

I recently read some great tips for cutting your food bills in half in Healthy Food Guide magazine.  They had challenged 10 families to slash their food bills for a week, and it got me thinking about what I do to keep my shopping bill on track.

I’m currently on a very healthy kick, which makes shopping easier, because I’m avoiding anything processed or high in sugar, and buying fresh food.  In the past I haven’t always gone armed with a shopping list, but this week I worked out my meal plan for the week and wrote a list, then hit the supermarket.  What a difference it made, no extras and a much lower bill.

Some  things to consider are:

• Buy foods in bulk, this saves money and packaging, which is great for your purse and the environment.
• Buy non perishables when on special
• Always shop with a list and stick to it
• Avoid processed foods – can save you heaps.  Use fruit and veges for snacks
• Only shop the perimeter of the supermarket, this is where all the fresh, healthy food is stocked.

How do you keep your foods bills under control?

Food Police

Have you noticed the media coverage recently about “lunchbox police”?  I recently read that teachers will have the power to inspect lunchboxes and confiscate chips, lollies and sugary treats until the end of the day.

I think anything that encourages kids to eat healthy food  or exercise is great, but I have to wonder if some of these controls are a bit over the top and shifting the responsibility.  A new child-care policy in some NSW day-care centres even restricts apples and sultanas.  How about “AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS THE DOCTOR AWAY”?

Some schools and kinders have also banned birthday cakes, due to the number of kids having allergies, but Anaphylaxis Australia has a great idea – Have a “Treat Box” that is used for special occasions like birthdays.  The box is filled with safe treats to select from when required.  They also suggest parents provide cup cakes in a clearly labeled container with the child’s name on it, which can be given to the child with food allergies when a non-allergic child brings in a birthday cake.

Sounds like a great solution to me – what do you think?  I’d also love to hear if anyone has any great nut and gluten free recipes to share.

Welcome, looking forward to chatting!

Welcome to the Boxy Design blog – I’m Helen and I run Boxy Design.  I’m a Mum and grandma (although my grandkids call me Nan) and before Boxy Design, I was a small business consultant.  Feeling like a change, I decided to  invent a practical backpack and wrapper free lunchbox, that did its bit for the environment and encouraged healthy eating.

I’m passionate about these things, so decided to start this blog to share my thoughts and hear yours too.  I’m always on the lookout for healthy lunch ideas, simple budgeting tips, ways to preserve our environment and living life to the full! I’d love to hear your thoughts and comments about any of these topics or anything else you’d like to chat about.