Share a Spoon: Let's Have Lunch

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Welcome Smackers!

Let's Share a Spoon and Warm some Bellies with great food!

Today we are talking lunch Smackers. Thanks to Alicia from It Ain't Easy Being Cheesy for today's theme.  It's often difficult to know what to do for children for lunch during the summer months.  It's easy to throw a couple of bags of chicken nuggets in the freezer.  Keep a package or two of hot dogs in the refrigerator or that old staple mac n' cheese, you know, out of that blue box.  YUCK!  I won't eat that stuff.  So why then would I feed it to my kids?  Most of it is because, well, it's easy, and because that's what we ate when we were little.

Really though, it's easy to do something else.  Kids do like variety, believe it or not.  My little Kamden would eat Peanut Butter and Jelly everyday if I made it, but when I give him something else he loves it.  There are two resources that I found to help with trading in the old standards for something more adventurous.   And by adventurous I mean healthy!

First is the Kraft Foods site.  They have all sorts of recipes for lunch and other meals.  Ways to decorate that make the food, well, FUN.  I mean really how cute is that bagel?  Kids love this sort of thing.  At least mine do.

The next resource is a blog. Amanda over at Lunchtime Limbo post the prettiest lunches.  She is a frugal mom trying to go organic, according to her site.  But the lunches she packs are truly delightful and inspiring.  I encourage those moms looking for some healthy fun eating to check out Lunchtime Limbo.  Just look at what I mean.  Flower sandwiches?  Aren't they cute?  I would totally eat those and I am a grown up!

My lunch recipe for today is my chicken salad.  I don't have photos of it this week.  (Slacker!)  If you have picky eaters they may look at it and say "I don't like it."  Mine said that.  I make them at least try everything though.  Once they tried it, they loved it!

Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breast baked and diced (I often use a large Rotisserie chicken for this.  I just use the white meat and save the legs for a lunch later in the week.)

1 cup diced celery

1 cup dried cranberries

1 shallot minced finely

1/2 c. chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 c. lowfat mayo

1 tsp. celery salt

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. season salt

1 tsp. paprika

I sprinkle the whole thing with celery seeds as well.

Directions:

In a large bowl, add the diced chicken.  Mix in the shallot, celery, cranberries and nuts.  Stir all the base ingredients well.  Add the spices and coat all the salad.  Add mustard and mayo and stir until incorporated.  If the salad looks a little dry just add a bit more mayonnaise.  Sprinkle the salad with celery seeds.  I serve this on croissants or potato dinner rolls.  It pairs nicely with a fresh fruit salad.

This recipe is a big hit at bridal and baby showers.  I often serve it on crackers for those events.

Well there you have it Smackers!  My lunchtime share.  Please share your favorites with us!  Just grab the code and come back and link up!

If you need recipes, have a special occasion, meal, or just need some new takes on chicken let me know.  We will theme a week for you.  Leave it in the comments or email me!

As always, LOVE!