Happy Monday!  I had a very busy weekend with most of the time spent at the house or shopping for lights.  But guess what? We finally bought all of the lights and we are pumped.  We had a little hiccup with the pendant lighting located above the Island but we lucked out at a local hardware store and scored the final two lights of a list of five.  This is a huge week at the house so I will be sure to keep you posted on the progress.

With winter setting in and a few months into school, universities and just a routine in general – a lot of us can fall into a lunch box rut.  Do you find yourself getting bored of your lunch?  I tend to keep mine pretty broad and open to almost anything but every now and again I feel like I am getting sick of sandwiches and need to kick it up a notch.

Below are some ideas that I try to use to be both effective at keeping it simple and fresh.

Lunch Box Ideas

Many of these lunchbox ideas make economical (and time-saving) use of leftovers and all of them are fast, easy, and delicious!

1. Cottage cheese topped with toasted walnuts, blueberries or pumpkin seeds.



2. Hummus with finely-chopped bell pepper, scallion, or sunflower seeds for extra nutrition ( scooped up with some of your favorite crackers )
3. Bite-size raw veggies with a separate container of sesame dipping sauce or your favorite ranch dressing.
4. Apple slices with peanut,  or almond butter.
5. Make up a mix of chopped dried fruit, seeds and nuts . Buy the items separately and mix them yourself in a big airtight container.  Much cheaper than buying little bags of trail mix.



6. Cheese cubes with tiny cherry tomatoes. ( I just had this one  the other day! )
7. Leftovers: The trick is to think ahead and make a little extra at dinner for lunch the next day.

Desserts from the freezer: Just place a few of these below in the freezer before you go to bed and then throw toss them in your lunch bag the next morning. They’ll be thawed by lunchtime–and keep the rest of lunch nicely cold in the meantime.

1. Individual yogurts. Add a separate container of wheat germ, toasted coconut, berries, or chopped walnuts for a kid-pleasing crunchy topping.



2. Banana slices (you can top them with yogurt, maple syrup, and wheat germ, if you like).

Tell me this

1. Do you pack your lunch?
2. What are your favorite things to pack in your lunch box?
3. Do you pack the night before or in the morning?

For me the answers are:

1. Usually
2. Leftovers
3. Night Before ( if I remember )

I hope you have a great Monday and I will talk to you tomorrow.  A really fun announcement coming tomorrow regarding Open Sky.  I hope you are excited!!

Take care

zesty

So I packed the grill and moved it to the inlaws….. almost mandatory don’t you think? With that I decided to do some grilling for everyone.

On the Menu

• Strip loin Steaks
• Grilled Zucchini
• Sauteed Mushrooms and Onions in a Balsamic Reduction
• Grilled Lemon Rosemary Baby Potatoes

The results were acceptable.  I enjoyed everything overall although I found the steak to be just average.  The meat was a bit tasteless and slightly overcooked (which was my fault).  On the bright side, everyone’s plate was clean after the meal.

On the Steaks

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

On the Potatoes

• Salt and Pepper
• Fresh Rosemary
• 1 Tsp. Butter
• Drizzle of Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice

In the Mushrooms

• Salt and Pepper
• Mushrooms
• Sweet Vidilia Onions
• Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 Tsp. Sugar

Zesty Tip: When grilling potatoes, the use of a tin foil plate is a great idea and eliminates the risk of the aluminum foil breaking open and losing your hard work.

I am so tired! I hope you have a great day. On the house front… the survey of the land was delayed for today so Ugh… I am staying positive but why do small things take so long to get accomplished.

Take care

zesty