One of the great things we have in this town is a fabulous Hispanic grocery store that makes all-natural corn tortillas. These fresh mini 4" tortillas were just crying out to be put into a lunch box. I filled them with some "white bean crock cheese" (from Jo Stepaniak's "Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook") and fried them intolittle flautas. Brussels sprouts are on the side with a tropical fruit cup and an organic strawberry fruit leather.
Verdict: "These are tasty!" I was volunteering in the classroom today so he shared one with me, then regretted not saving it for himself. Just one sprout was left over. 5 stars.
I love your site. I do have a few questions for you though!
ReplyDeleteHow do you keep the contents of the individual dishes from getting all over inside the lunchbox? i bought one of these "laptop lunches" almost immediately after first seeing your site. :) I have that problem however.
Also, have you tried the stretch island brand fruit leather? If so, how does this brand you have compare?
Thanks!!! I loooove seeing what awesome lunches your little shmoo gets. you seem like such a great mum.
:):)
Well for the first time since school started, you packed something I don't like, and that's brussels sprouts. Good on you for having a kid who will eat them-- I don't know how you did it, but that's a diamond in the rough!
ReplyDeleteThe flautas look bee-yootiful.
Sonya -
ReplyDeleteIt may be that you just don't like brussel sprouts, and if so that's fine, but if you've never had good brussel sprouts you should give them a try. When they're cooked to mush they're disgusting, but if they're just cooked long enough to still be crispy they're good. I didn't think I liked brussel sprouts, but I got some at Whole Foods or Central Market that were delicious.
Ashley~
ReplyDeleteIf you get some of the Glad press and seal wrap and put that over the containers that'll keep things off the inner container. I do that if I'm meeding an extra lided container sometimes. More often, I just wash the whole set everynight. I figure the residue from the empty container is gonna get on it anyway.
Jennifer~ that's too funny! Mom why didn't you pack your own flautas? LOL!
Hi, Ashley! I second what Dee says above. When I'm worried about something, esp. small things like peas & corn, I cover it with some wrap.
ReplyDeleteI think the Stretch Island fruit leather and this fruit leather are identical, as far as I can tell.
Yeah, Dee, I think after he ate them he was thinking, "Next time, Mom, get your own flautas!" That's okay, I had some leftover at home so I fried him up another big batch for an after-school snack.
Brussels sprouts are one of the shmoo's all-time favorite vegetables! That and lima beans, if you can believe it. I agree with Meghan, Brussels sprouts can be spectacular if you get them done just right. I grew up with the frozen kind and thought they were just okay. Then I tried them fresh, and it's made all the difference.
Hee hee, maybe I'll post my favorite sprouts recipe next, to entice you all to give the poor sprouts a chance...
oh yes, please - more brussel sprouts recipes...i never really liked them when growing up, but i've just tried the recipe from vegan with a vengeance and now i am in love with them.
ReplyDeletethose flautas look delicious, i miss good tortillas...really hard to find over here.
Hi Shmoo,
ReplyDeleteI know they did tell you a hundred times but once again,you are great !
Y U M !
ReplyDeleteSuper yummy sounding lunch today! I am going to have to try my hand at flautas! I bet my kids would love them. You have definitely inspired me to put more thought and heart into my kids' (and my own!) lunches. I can't wait to buy one of these lunch containers for all of us!
ReplyDeleteAhhh. The glorious sprout. I have always loved them, even the mushy overcooked ones my mom made for me when I was a kid. I'm grateful my son will eat them as your Shmoo does, but he doesn't like them mushy. I just lightly steam them in the microwave and swirl them in a little vegan margarine and he's good to go.
ReplyDeleteTry braising the sprouts (saute in a little spray oil until a hint of brownness, then add some veggie stock and cook with a lid over med. heat until tender) and then at the last minute add some balsamic vinegar (preferably white) and a spoon of mustard. Salt and pepper to taste. Divine!
ReplyDeleteI agree - Shmoo is less picky than I am! Amazing what that kid eats!
But then again, look what he gets to eat! ;-)
i don't really like real cheese except in specific circumstances, and one of those is the white cheese they sell at the bodegas fried in any bready substance.
ReplyDeletei'm afraid of all the uncheese cookbook cheeses (i only ever made mozzarella and while it was cheesy, it wasn't at all like mozzarella and i didn't like it). how does that white bean cheese work out?
I love your website... I've been lurking for awhile and have been inspired to come out and share brussel sprout secrets. I too hated them before I learned some golden rules about cooking them. Cook in lots of water, with the lid off, and cook them until they're just done, not a second more, 8 minutes. This is according to Stephanie Alexander, Australian cooking guru... reasoning for this method is that brussel sprouts' chlorophyll reacts with acids in the water to become drab green... using lots of water dilutes the acids and cooking uncovered allows acids to disperse. Anyway it works well!
ReplyDeleteMy proudest moment as a mother was when my daughter was WHINING in the fruit and vegie markets "I want brussel sprouts" !!! :)
I've never had these before...will have to research! They sound good! I love brussel sprouts! Might have to have them tonight or tomorrow. Thanks for the reminder
ReplyDeleteAny chance you could post the recipe for the white bean crock cheese? I went to that site and the recipe isn't there. I guess she rotates different ones each week. Thanks so much! Those look delicious!
ReplyDeleteI can't post recipes that belong to Jo, but you can pick up her Uncheese cookbook through her website, that's why I linked to it.
ReplyDeleteI love her crock cheese recipe, and most of the other recipes I've tried have been very good. I have to tone them down for Little shmoo. They don't really taste just like cheese, but I was never that crazy about cheese.
This is according to Stephanie Alexander, Australian cooking guru... reasoning for this method is that brussel sprouts' chlorophyll reacts with acids in the water to become drab green... using lots of water dilutes the acids and cooking uncovered laptop battery allows acids to disperse. Anyway it works well!
ReplyDelete