I’ve been trying to get the family on whole wheat pasta for some time now. The effort has been met with much resistance.

Pleasing the kids

About every other week, I try a new whole wheat or multi-grain pasta. Usually we have pasta twice a week, so this effort has been about a quarter of the kids’ pasta consumption. While I found a brand I liked, apparently I was the only one because the manufacturer stopped making it (Mueller’s Multi-Grain). When I serve any brand of whole wheat pasta, the kids get that dejected note in the voices, “Oh. It’s whole wheat pasta.” They complain that it is too gritty, and some really are.

Additionally, I find it incredibly annoying that the whole wheat/whole grain pastas not only cost more per box, but there is less in the box. And fewer shape choices. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

It was enough to make a mom (almost) give up.

Whole wheat pasta for health

My husband recently had a cholesterol test that didn’t come back quite as good as we had hoped. Oh, it wasn’t bad bad, but it wasn’t great either. Just enough that some small adjustments are in order to get a number down ten points or so. Among those adjustments is a greater commitment to whole grains, and that includes whole grain pasta. We will find a whole wheat pasta for the family, I decided.

At the market on Sunday, I scoured the pasta section for a brand I hadn’t yet tried. Nothing new there. I was about to reach for a marginally acceptable brand when I noted that lower quantity on the box. Annoyed, I went back to the natural foods section at the market and looked there.

After some hemming and hawing, I picked a bag of organic whole grain pasta that had a full pound in it. Yes, it was more expensive than regular pasta, but when I did a little calculation, I realized that it actually cost less per ounce than the whole wheat pastas made by the major brands – and I was getting that full pound (12 ounces just doesn’t cut it to feed my boys). I often think of this section of the market as the most expensive, but that is not always the case.

The best brand of whole wheat pasta

When I made dinner last night, I used this new pasta. It didn’t look as rough as the other whole wheat pastas I’ve tried. When I put it out on the table, the kids didn’t even realize it was whole wheat. When they tasted it, they could tell there was something different about the pasta, but they couldn’t quite identify what. When I told them it was whole wheat pasta, they were surprised – and kept eating. The kids said they liked it. I’ll be buying it again.

The cost of organic and/or whole wheat pasta can be a barrier to eating whole wheat pasta, especially with grocery costs rising so much, but I suspect this is one thing I’ll be willing to pay more for — at least some of the time. The brand? Bionaturae organic whole wheat fusilli.

Prices for whole wheat pastas will vary according to your area and the grocery store, of course, but I hope you will try substituting a whole grain pasta into your favorite pasta dish. It’s a healthy – and yummy – change.

Juicy, distinctively fragrant and citrusy-tart lemons, when added to your favorite desserts, heighten their swooning sweetness. The potently flavored lemon peel punctuates cakes and quickbreads, the lively fresh-squeezed lemon juice enhances the natural sweetness of pies and crumbles, and the unmistakable aromatic lemony scent infuses every dish containing this bright yellow citrus. In addition, lemons adds vitamin C to your treats.

How to juice a lemon

No store-bought lemon concentrate or lemon juice can beat the invigorating flavor and essence of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Fresh squeezing your own lemons is near effortless and a fun activity to teach your kids.

Always start with room temperature or warm lemons because they juice easier. Squeeze the lemons on the counter, rolling them back and forth to break up the membranes to more easily release the juice.

Lemon wedges: An easy way to add a little lemony flavor to food and drink is to cut a lemon into wedges and use your fingers to squeeze out the juice - be sure you catch any seeds that try to escape.

Whole lemons: However, for recipes requiring more than a squeeze, you will get more juice much quicker if you juice whole lemons (otherwise you will be squeezing wedges all day!).

The fork method: To juice a whole lemon, you can simply stick a fork deep into the flesh and, while wiggling with fork back and forth, squeeze the lemon with your other hand, letting the juice drip into a bowl. This method is great for keeping seeds inside the lemon instead of in your juice.

The juicer method: Alternatively, you can use an orange or citrus juicer - a bowl with a long, wide, pointed center. Cut your lemons in half crosswise and, one half at a time, place flesh side of lemon onto the center, press down and squeeze the lemon half, turning it back and forth, letting the juice and seeds flow out. Once you have the juice you need, strain out the seeds and you have lemon juice to use in any number of recipes.

You can store lemon juice in an airtight container in your refrigerator for up to five days.

Lemony dessert recipes

Melissa Murphy, author of The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, uses lemons in a variety of to-die-for desserts, from scintillating strawberry lemonade that is a light and refreshing sweet beverage to luscious lemon bars that will buckle your knees. There seems to be a universal love of lemons by people of all ages - your family will especially enjoy these lemony desserts courtesy of Melissa Murphy.

Strawberry Lemonade

Makes 1 1/2 quarts of lemonade

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup very hot water
1 cup fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 cups cold water
1 recipe Fresh Strawberry Sauce (recipe follows)
Confectioners’ sugar, for the glasses
Fresh strawberries for garnish

Directions:
In a pitcher, combine the sugar and hot water and stir until the sugar has dissolved into a syrup. Stir in the lemon juice and cold water.

Add the strawberry sauce and stir to combine. Pour lemonade over ice into tall glasses rimmed with confectioners’ sugar and garnish glasses with strawberries. Strawberry lemonade keeps at least three days in the refrigerator.

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

Makes 1 cup sauce

Ingredients:
1 dry pint fresh strawberries, rinsed, hulled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
In a food processor or blender, puree the berries, sugar, juice and water until smooth. Strain the berry mixture into a clean bowl and discard the seeds. Stir in additional sugar, if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Lemon Bars

Makes 1 dozen bars

Ingredients for the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 tablespoons (2 1/2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Ingredients for the lemon filling:
4 large eggs
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar for sprinkling

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9 x 13-inch pan with nonstick cooking spray. Make a parchment (or foil) sling by cutting two pieces of parchment (or foil), measuring 16 1/2 inches long by 12 inches wide. Place one piece across the length of the pan and the across the width of the pan, with the excess hanging over the edges. This will allow you to easily lift the finished bar from the pan. Spray the sling with nonstick cooking spray.

To make the crust, pulse flour, sugar, almonds and salt in a food processor until combined. Add the cold butter in pieces and pulse until the dough comes together in a ball. Turn the dough out and press evenly into the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the prepared pan. Cover the dough with a piece of parchment or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden. Remove parchment or foil and continue to bake for 10 to 15 more minutes. Remove pan to a wire rack to cool.

To make the filling, in a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Add the almond extract and flour, whisking until smooth. Add the lemon juice and whisk to combine.

To complete the bars, pour the lemon filling into the prepared crust. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes or until the filling is firm and lightly golden. Remove to a wire rack to cool.

When cool, use the sling to life the entire bar from the pan and onto a cutting board. Slice into twelve 3 x 3 1/2-inch bars. Using a sifter, dust the bars with confectioners’ sugar. The bars keep in an airtight container for up to two days. You can also wrap well and refrigerate for five days or freeze for three weeks.

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If you have yet to recover from turnip trauma from your childhood - when your mom forced you to eat variations of turnips that, to this day, make you shun this spring root vegetable - maybe it’s time for you to try some tantalizing turnip recipes that will lessen your reticence to give turnips a place on your dinner table.

Get reacquainted with turnips

The turnip is a root vegetable from the cabbage family, with white smooth skin, a rosy-red or red-purple blush and white flesh that turns delectably tender when cooked. Turnips have a taste similar to radishes and can be rather hot. They are used often in root vegetable stews or pureed like potatoes and can be turned into a wide array of appetizing dishes that will pleasantly surprise even the most turnip-maligning palate.

Choose small to medium-sized turnips that have smooth skin and feel dense. The ideal turnip will be firm, not rubbery or mushy, and the turnip greens attached at the top should be bright green, fresh, and tender. The leaves of the turnip root have a mild bitter flavor similar to mustard greens and are delectable when sautéed with garlic and toasted nuts.

Even though turnips are available in most places year-round, spring is the peak season - so now is the time to go turnip shopping! Bring those turnips home and try the following undeniably tasty turnip recipes.

Turnip Recipes

Tasty Turnip Puree

Serves 4

A creamy flavorful puree is a delightful side-dish for a grilled entrée - pair this turnip puree with succulently grilled chicken or pork chops for a weekend meal that will make your family go “Wow!”

Ingredients:

1 medium-sized russet potato, scrubbed, diced (peel, if desired)

2 medium-sized turnips, scrubbed, diced

1 large clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup evaporated milk (more or less to achieve your desired consistency)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 heaping tablespoons fresh finely chopped parsley

Directions:

Cook potato and turnips in a large pot of boiling salted water until very tender. Drain into a colander and transfer to a food processor. Puree vegetables, set aside and keep warm.

In the pot used to boil the vegetables, combine garlic, butter and milk and bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

Add the potato-turnip puree, stirring to combine, adding more evaporated milk to thin to your desired consistency, if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with parsley.

Prosciutto and Pinenut Wrapped Turnips

Serves 4

Prosciutto is a salty cured Italian ham that is sold packaged in paper-thin slices in the deli area or gourmet section of most supermarkets. Some deli counters even sell this unforgettably delicious meat freshly sliced. If you can’t find prosciutto, you can substitute pancetta or another thinly sliced deli ham. Serve these delectable wedges of turnip tastiness with a crisp green salad for a light lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

16 paper-thin slices of prosciutto

4 medium-sized turnips, quartered

2 eggs, beaten in a wide shallow bowl

1 1/2 cups finely chopped pinenuts (use a food processor for easy chopping)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap a piece of prosciutto around each wedge of turnip. Place pinenuts in a wide shallow bowl. Dip each turnip wedge in the egg mixture and then coat with pinenuts.

Place turnip wedges on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until turnips are fork tender. Use tongs to turn the wedges after five minutes to evenly cook and brown all sides. Serve turnips warm.

Tangy Turnip Salad

Serves 4

Turn your turnips into a tangy salad that rivals your best coleslaw recipe. Consisting of crunchy vegetables, this turnip salad is a healthy side-dish that pairs impeccably with turkey burgers or slow-roasted ribs. For the best flavor, make this salad a day in advance.

Ingredients:

3 medium-sized turnips, scrubbed

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup finely sliced celery

1/4 cup sliced black or green olives

1/4 cup lite or fat-free mayonnaise (more or less to taste)

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

Pinch of sugar

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Using a food processor fitted with a shred blade (or using a box grater), shred the turnips. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Cover bowl and refrigerate overnight or for a few hours before serving.

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This is the second week of baseball season and we have baseball three nights this week. Wednesday is baseball night for my middle child, but choir night for my older child, so that feels even trickier than a standard two kiddos at baseball night.

Baseball nights went smoothly last week. Phew! As long as I keep that picnic bag ready, we’re in good shape.

Recipes with an asterisk are included below.

Sunday: Chicken piccata, Mediterranean couscous, vegetable, salad. Ice cream with grilled mango for dessert.

A simple family favorite.

Monday: Baseball night! Asian manadarin chicken salad wraps at the baseball field.

I’ll supplement with yogurt, Veggie Booty, and boxed milks.

Tuesday: Pasta with chicken sausage and spinach.

Another family staple.

Wednesday: Choir/baseball night! Leftovers and/or quesadillas for the kids, fettuccine with Brussels sprouts and pine nuts for the adults.

I didn’t used to like Brussels sprouts, but now I love them.

Thursday: Baseball night! Ham and cheese paninis.*

My oldest would prefer pastrami, but it was just a little too salty. Like other nights at the baseball field, we’ll supplement with yogurt, Veggie Booty, and boxed milks.

Friday: Burgers on the grill, with several trimmings, salad.

After a busy week, a simple night.

Saturday: Honey hoisin lamb* with regular couscous, vegetable, salad.

We’ll be out in the afternoon at a birthday party for a dear friend’s son. I’m not sure what time we’ll get back, but this recipe is fairly fast.

Ham and cheese panini

Follow the recipe for Pastrami and swiss panini, substituting ham for the pastrami.

Honey hoisin lamb

2 c reduced sodium chicken broth
1 c shredded carrots
1 c couscous
1 lb lean boneless lamb, cut into chunks
6 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp honey
2-3 tbsp minced fresh ginger
½ tsp vegetable oil
12 scallions, cut into ½-inch lengths

Bring the broth to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in carrots and couscous and cover. Remove from heat and let sit until liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.

Stir together hoisin, honey, and ginger. And the lamb chunks and toss to coat.

In a wide frying pan, heat the oil. Saute the scallions until they are tinged in brown, then remove from the pan.

Saute the lamb and sauce in the hot pan until cooked through. Return the scallions to the pan and toss to coat with the sauce.

Put the couscous in a serving bowl and spoon the lamb mixture over it. Serve immediately.

During the spring and summer, we picnic quite a bit. Between evenings at the baseball field and days and dinners at the beach, we’ve refined our ability to be ready for a picnic quickly.

Tips to being picnic ready

Being ready really is the key. The difference between a successful picnic and a challenging meal outside can be as small as having a dry place to sit and a napkin. To that end, we get a bag ready at the beginning of baseball season, and keep it ready every day through the summer.

• Dedicate a bag or two.
  We have one large canvas bag for most of our picnic supplies and one for transporting the bulk of the food. The supplies bag should be ready and conveniently located – and I often fold the food bag and put it in the supplies bag so I know where it is at all times. Then I carry it up from the basement all together, open the food bag and start filling it.
• Don’t forget the cooler.
  Although I try to keep items requiring chilling to a minimum, you always need a cooler. Ours is medium-sized and perfect for waters, yogurt, boxed milks and the occasional bottle of white wine.
• Reclosable, stackable plastic containers are your friend.
  Putting your food in plastic containers makes organizing your food bag easy, and helps keep the food bag clean. Stack, stack, stack.
• Acquire a waterproof picnic blanket/spread.
  These are available many places but you can even make your own by sewing together some sheet plastic and a sturdy material such as canvas. The waterproof element makes a huge difference.
• Invest in reusable items just for picnicing.
  I have a set of melamine plates and bowls and plastic cups that stay with the picnic bag (aside from cleaning). I have enough for two meals for our family – and often use them all if we picnic on the beach with guests. I also have inexpensive cutlery in a handled caddy, and I have a rotating stash of fabric napkins.
• Don’t forget the details.
  Even though we have fabric napkins, we always seem to need paper towels, so I keep a roll in the bag. If the meal is messy, I moisten several and keep them in a reclosable plastic bag for instant “wipes.” I also keep three plastic grocery bags in the canvas bag – one for recyclables, one for garbage, and one for the dirty dishes and cutlery so I can transport them home without mucking up the canvas bag. If you have bottles of any kind with your picnic, be sure you have a way to open them. Keep a bottle opener and/or a corkscrew with the cutlery caddy. And don’t forget the utensils you might need to serve food — trying to portion out chicken salad with a teaspoon doesn’t quite cut it.
• Do it all over again.
  As soon as you get home from your picnic, wash the bits that need to be washed immediately and replace them in the supplies bag, rotate out dirty fabric napkins and reorganize the bag to be ready for your next picnic. A couple of times a season, I wash the picnic bags, but get them ready again quickly.

With this simple planning, I can get all the elements into the car and ready to go very quickly.

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Another big change in meal planning happens this week; little league baseball season has started. This means that at several nights a week I need to figure out something extremely portable for dinner as many of our meals will be eaten at the ball fields. I have a range of chicken salad recipes that will be showing up over the next several weeks as well as Panini ideas and other extremely fast, throw something together dishes.

The ironic part is that this kind of eating takes even more planning time than standard meals. There are bits that need to be prepared in advance and the picnic blanket and meal supplies need to be prepared and packed daily.

Meals with an asterisk are included below:

Sunday: Grilled marinated steak, grilled veggies*, salad, key lime meringue pie for dessert.

With the weather finally warming, the grill is going to be used more and more. I have a store-bought balsamic marinade that I will use for the steak (on special this week). Key lime meringue pie is easy: substitute lime for lemon in your favorite recipe.

Monday: Mango-mozzarella-chicken salad wraps*

First night of baseball! I’ll prepare all the parts in advance and assemble last minute on the picnic blanket (love those gallon storage bags for tossing salads).

Tuesday: Pasta with red sauce and salad

During baseball season, “off” nights are super simple.

Wednesday: Chicken and guacamole quesadillas, chips and fresh salsa – but maybe white bean and rosemary soup for the parents.

One son has baseball tonight and one has choir. Different parts of town, of course — Luckily, I can make these quesadillas quickly, and wrap them in foil for transport to the baseball field. Depending on how we feel, I might make something else for my husband and me.

Thursday: Spaghetti carbonnara and salad.

Again, simple, simple, simple.

Friday: Barbeque chicken and cheddar panini*, baby carrots straight out of the bag.

Baseball. Like Wednesday’s quesadillas, I can make these in advance and wrap them in foil for transport to the baseball field.

Saturday: Homemade pizza

Maybe we’ll see if the kids want to have friends over that evening.

Grilled Veggies

Zucchini and/or summer squash, in diagonal slices about 1/8″ thick
Peppers of all colors, cored and cut into thick spears
Olive oil
Oregano
Basil
Kosher salt
Pepper

In a large bowl, toss the prepared veggies with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a teaspoon or so each of the oregano and basil. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper.

On a medium-hot grill, carefully place the vegetable pieces on the grill racks. Close the grill top and let cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the veggie pieces over and cook another 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat until the veggies seem done.

After removing veggies from the grill, sprinkle them with a touch more salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Mango-mozzarella-chicken salad wraps

One recipe Mango-mozzarella caprese salad, with the following variations: cube or use mini-mozzarella balls, tear the radiccio in small bite-sized pieces, and cube the mangoes
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
Large tortillas

Toss the chicken in with the mango-mozzarella salad, and wrap individual portions in large tortillas. You can further wrap the wraps in foil for easy transport.

Barbeque chicken and cheddar panini

Good Italian bread
Barbeque sauce
Cooked thin chicken cutlets, preferrably grilled
Cheddar cheese
Olive oil for brushing the outside of the sandwiches
Cooking spray for the grill pan

Grill pan
Frying pan with a base that will set down into the grill pan
A brick, cleaned and covered with foil

Following the technique discussed last week for pastrami panini, layer the barbeque sauce, cheese and chicken on each side of the bread. Cook, press, flip, repeat.

Now that little league baseball season is here, we are eating on the go several nights a week. It’s this time of year that I bring out my chicken salad recipes, look for boneless skinless chicken breasts on sale and start improvising. Dinner in wrapped form seems to be the most doable for us: it’s so portable that the kids can conveniently eat dinner while sitting on a swing at the playground next to the baseball diamond.

Chicken salad is an easy wrap!

I’ve found that almost every chicken salad recipe I have can be altered to be wrapped. A curry chutney chicken salad served over cantaloupe? Cube the cantaloupe, mix with the rest of the chicken salad and wrap. Traditional chicken salad served on a bed of lettuce? Tear the lettuce into bite-sized pieces, mix with the rest of the chicken salad and wrap. Chicken salad in pineapple boats? Cube even more of the pineapple and wrap. And so on.

Wraps can be warm or cold, of course, so don’t forget your shredded barbeque chicken recipes. Add the complements in bite size form and wrap – then wrap in foil to keep warm.

I prepare most of the parts of the salad the night before baseball days – the chopping and the shredding and the dressing-making. Then I can quickly assemble the salad and the wraps and get them into the picnic bag while the boys change into their uniforms.

Of course, you don’t have to wrap if you don’t want to. Chicken salad is extremely portable in small individual serving-sized reclosable containers.

Recipes

Perfectly Poached Juicy Chicken Breast

Bring a 3 to 4 quart pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully drop in two chicken breast halves, cover and remove from the heat. Let sit, covered, for fifteen minutes. Remove from the water and check for doneness. Let cool. Shred for chicken salad.

Occasionally, if there is still an edge of pink in the middle, you may need to microwave the chicken for a few moments, but I’ve had to do this only rarely.

If the chicken breast halves are particularly large, or if you are trying to poach more than two halves, you can let boil for a few minutes before covering and removing from the heat.

Asian Mandarin Chicken Salad Wraps

1-2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1 bag pre-washed salad (I prefer spring mix if eating right away, and a romaine/iceberg blend if the salad will be sitting at all)
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 avocado, cubed (optional)
2-3 scallions, chopped
Asian sesame salad dressing to taste – whatever store bought variety you prefer
Tortillas/wraps
Crispy chow mein noodles

Combine chicken, salad, mandarin oranges, avocado, scallions, and dressing and toss well.

Place some of this mix in a tortilla or wrap, sprinkle on some crispy chow mein noodles and finish wrapping.

Curry Chutney Chicken Salad

3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Major Grey chutney (bit chopped if necessary)
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne and salt to taste
1 cup red seedless grapes, rinsed, drained, halved
3 cups shredded or cubed cooked chicken
1 cup thinly sliced celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (white and green parts)
1 firm-ripe cantaloupe
1/2 cup roughly chopped, salted roasted pistachios
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Combine yogurt, mayonnaise, chutney, curry powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Mix grapes, chicken, celery, green onions and curry-chutney dressing in a bowl. Cut melon into six wedges, scooping out and discarding seeds. Divide dressed chicken salad among the melon wedges. Sprinkle with pistachios and mint.

Oh how we love it when mangoes go on special at the local market. Mangoes are one our family’s top five favorite food items. I know that, environmentally speaking, I should be focusing my produce purchases on locally grown items, and there is no way any of the mangoes in the store are remotely local, but we love them so. Particularly in the middle of winter, one bite of mango and I am transported to a tropical island and I’m basking in the warm sun, if only for a moment.

Most of the time we enjoy our mangoes straight (and we argue about who gets to gnaw on the pit), but we’re willing to enjoy them about every way available and possible. When my oldest son was a baby, before I figured out that I needed to avoid dairy products while I was breastfeeding him, my husband made me a fabulous mango ice cream a couple of times. His basic recipe was fairly standard, but he had a secret ingredient: a splash of Grand Marnier. I once made a mango cream pie and wish I could locate that recipe again.

If I see something like mango chicken on the menu in an Asian restaurant, I’m likely to order it. Mango smoothies, whether store bought or home made, are coveted – and mango lassis are always the first item ordered at Indian restaurants. Dried mangos rarely last in our house, and are sometimes requested over other fresh fruits. Of all the salsas made with fruit lately, the boys always request the mango salsa. We’ve grilled mango skewers and served them hot over vanilla ice cream on hot summer days. Yum.

Recently a recipe for a mango caprese salad from the Serious Eats site had me salivating in a big way. I was thrilled to see mangoes on special at the market this afternoon, and I am plotting to improvise based on that recipe next week – with the addition of some shredded chicken to make it a complete meal.

Orange Mango Smoothie

Frozen cubed mangoes, such as those available at Trader Joe’s
Plain, non-fat yogurt
Orange juice
Honey (optional)

In a blender, pour in the frozen mango cubes. We tend to go about half way up the container. Add two or three heaping spoonfuls of yogurt, then pour in orange juice about half way up the cubed fruit. Puree until smooth, adding a little more juice to loosen it up if necessary. Taste, and if it needs some sweetening, squeeze in some honey, blend again, and serve.

Grilled Mango and Pineapple Skewers Over Vanilla Ice Cream

Several mostly ripe but not mushy ripe mangoes, cut into long thick strips
Pineapple cut into long thick strips
Bamboo skewers
Brown sugar
Very good quality vanilla bean ice cream

Slide the mango and pineapple strips onto the bamboo skewers. Place some brown sugar on a plate and lightly press the sides of the mango and pineapple into the brown sugar.

Place the fruit skewers onto a hot grill. Allow the sugars to caramelize and start to brown, then remove and let cool a few minutes.

Carefully removed the bamboo skewers and place the fruit decoratively on the top of just scooped ice cream.

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Annie’s. Ramen. PB&J. Leftovers.

On Saturdays and Sundays, when anyone in the family asks, “What’s for lunch?” I answer either Annie’s, ramen, PB&J, or leftovers. I think the answer range has been the same for half a decade.

If that’s not a rut, I don’t know what is.

It’s not that our standard lunch choices are so awful, but they are just so, so predictable. Every once in a while there will be leftovers that are worth it (Day after Thanksgiving sandwich anyone?), and I do know how to perk up ramen to make it something other than cheap, salty noodles, but generally, lunch is the most uninspired meal of the day. It’s something to get through. It’s necessary, and not much else.

I’ve been scouring my cookbooks for recipes that will inspire me, inspire a new set of staples on the weekly grocery list, are easy to memorize and fast to make. So far, I’m coming up thin. I need things that will be eaten by kids and adults alike without having to resort to the freezer case. There’s a recipe for sesame noodles that looks promising with some variations, but not definite. I’ll try it.

A friend suggested I could be inspired by bento boxes, but after a little research, I felt totally inadequate as a parent. Perfectly balanced little meals decorated to look like Hello, Kitty? Cute to be sure, but way, way too much time for what I am facing.

A Google search on “lunch rut” reveals I am not alone. But is also reveals numerous websites devoted to lunch. There are some wonderful recipes out there; a caprese sandwich sounds delightful to me and my husband (especially with the garden we are putting in), but the boys think they don’t like tomatoes so they won’t touch it.

So I don’t know what I’m going to do. After a mostly fruitless search, Annie’s, ramen, PB&J, or leftovers doesn’t sound so bad, really. I’ll keep looking. Meanwhile, there’s always yogurt and cereal.

Pumped Up Ramen

1 package of ramen soup, your choice of flavors
2 eggs, scrambled
¼ cup mixed frozen vegetables
¼ cup cooked, shredded chicken
chopped scallions

Begin cooking the noodles according the package instructions. About a minute into boiling, add the vegetables and chicken. Allow the soup to return to a boil, let it cook for a minute, then stir in the seasoning packed (I only use half). Finally, stirring continuously, pour in the scrambled eggs. Bring the soup back to a boil, then serve immediately garnished with scallions.

Sesame Noodles

2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp Chinese sesame paste
1 tbsp dark sesame oil
3 tbsp tamari soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp chili paste (optional)
1 tsp five-spice powder
1 scallion, chopped
chopped peanuts
mung bean sprouts (optional)
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
8 oz long pasta or soba noodles

Cook the pasta/noodles until al dente. Meanwhile, combine garlic, sesame paste, sesame oil, tamari, rice wine, rice vinegar, honey, chili paste and five spice powder in a blender and puree until smooth.

When the pasta is cooked and drained, toss the pasta with the sauce, then top with scallions, peanuts, and bean sprouts. Serve immediately.

Caprese Sandwich

½ loaf of crusty French bread
olive oil
1 or 2 large tomatoes, sliced thin
fresh basil leaves, chiffonnade
fresh mozzarella slices

Slice the bread lengthwise in half. Brush each side with olive oil. Layer mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil chiffonade, then slice the bread into single portions and serve.

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There’s one carryover from last week to this week. We ended up going out to dinner spur of the moment on Friday, so the Roasted Carrot Risotto moved to this week.

This is a also spring vacation for the boys, so the potential for meals to get jumbled is high. We don’t want to be too rigid on a “vacation” week, even though the adults in the house don’t have vacation time.

Also, I bought a small package of edible flowers yesterday. I think I’ll sprinkle those on the salads for a couple of nights. Spring is springing, in every way.

Recipes with an asterisk are included below.

Sunday: Roasted Carrot Risotto from last week, salad, chocolate chip cookies for dessert.

We will be focusing on yard work during the day on Sunday, so a rich and filling meal seems about right.

Monday: Grilled Bratwurst on sub rolls, salad.

I’ll even get sauerkraut for the boys. I can’t stand the stuff myself.

Tuesday: Pasta with Pancetta and Tomatoes*, salad

Woody has been asking for something - anything - with pancetta.

Wednesday: Grilled marinated chicken breasts, roasted broccoflower*, salad

Since the boys are off of school and most regular activities are suspended, no eating separately tonight. I’ll use up some marinade we have in the refrigerator and we’ll use broccoflower in our favorite roasted cauliflower recipe just for fun.

Thursday: Pastrami Paninis*, salad

You don’t need a panini maker to make paninis. I use a foil-wrapped brick, a grill pan and a frying pan.

Friday: Fondue with various veggies and bread.

This is Alfs’ request. Fondue is often a little too rich for me, but this recipe is made with hard apple cider and I like it very much.

Saturday: Rock Sugar Ginger Chicken, stir fried broccoli, rice, salad.

This is a standby recipe for us.

Pasta with Pancetta and Tomatoes

2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
generous inch of so of pancetta, chopped into small pieces
1 tbsp parsley, preferably fresh
1large can peeled tomatoes, chopped
1 pound shaped pasta
Parmesan or romano cheese for garnish

Cook the pasta to almost al dente. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saucepan in medium heat and add the pancetta. Saute the pancetta until the fat starts to render. Add the onions and garlic and sauté for a minute or so. Add the tomatoes and most of the sauce to the pan and let cook for 5-10 minutes to bring the flavors together. Now add the drained almost al dente pasta to the pancetta-tomato sauce and let finish cooking in the sauce for another five minutes ago. Serve with the cheese as a garnish.

Roasted Cauliflower or Broccoflower

One head of cauliflower or broccoflower, cut into bite sized florets
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage leaves
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put the cauliflower on a baking sheet or in baking dish with sides.

Melt the butter over medium heat and cook until it just browns and smells nutty. Add the olive oil and sage. Pour over the cauliflower, then season the cauliflower with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Roast 30 to 35 minutes, stirring several times. The cauliflower should be light brown around the edges.

Pastrami Paninis

Sliced pastrami in a quantity appropriate to your family/guests
Sliced swiss cheese in a similar quantity
Loaf of good Italian bread, sliced
Dijon mustard
Olive oil for brushing on the outside of the sandwiches
Cooking spray for the grill pan

Grill pan
Frying pan with a base that will set down into the grill pan
A brick, cleaned as well as you can and covered with foil

Spray the grill pan with cooking spray and place over medium heat while you prepare the sandwiches.

For each sandwich, spread mustard to taste (optional) on the inside of each piece of bread. Layer cheese and pastrami on each side, too. I like to have cheese as the outer layer closest to the bread for better adhesion to the bread and meat. I typically use one large slice of cheese and two to three piece of pastrami on each side. Flip one side on top of the other.

Brush olive oil on the top of each sandwich. Flip them over to place them oiled side down in the grill pan. Place the frying pan with the brick inside on top of the sandwiches and press down a bit with your hand to get some good squashing going. You don’t have to continue pressing, but you can if you want. After a few minutes (when you have some good grill lines going and the lower cheese has started to melt, remove the frying pan and brush this side of the sandwiches with oil. Using a spatula, carefully flip the sandwiches over and repeat the pressing process with the frying pan and brick.

Removed the paninis to a cutting board and cut in half diagonally and serve.

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