Creative "Cold Lunch" Cuisine

If you're a parent of school-age kids, you're probably no stranger to brown bananas and smashed sandwiches aging in the bottom of your child's backpack. By the end of the school year, most kids are tired of eating the same bag lunches day after day at school. Even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can grow old.

These lunchbox ideas are based on four key elements:

Include more whole foods and less processed foods. Choose lunch items with higher amounts of fiber and nutrients children need (like calcium, protein, and vitamin C). Include fewer processed foods such as cookies, chips, and snack cakes, which have higher sodium, added sugar, and saturated fat.
Be creative. Think outside the lunchbox. Does your child enjoy spanakopita triangles, Chinese chicken salad, or veggie/soy corn dogs at home? With a little forethought and a reusable cold pack, you can probably pack them for lunch, too.
Keep it cold. For safety's sake, pack lunch with a reusable ice pack. Better yet, freeze a small water bottle or box of 100% juice. Your child will have a slushy drink to enjoy at lunch and won't have to worry about bringing an ice pack home.
Keep it fun. Include items that kids can stack or mix up to their taste when they eat. Remember that kids like to dunk, and include healthy dips with vegetables or other items. Cut foods into fun shapes with cookie cutters.

Cool cold lunch recipes:

• Pasta Lover's Lunch Salad. Pack a cold pasta salad and a plastic fork, and your pasta lover will love you, too! Make the salad with turkey, pepperoni, ham, or low-fat cheese (so it has some protein), lots of vegetables to boost fiber and nutrition, and whole wheat or whole-grain pasta. Toss everything together with a light bottled vinaigrette made with extra virgin olive oil or canola oil.

• Mediterranean Pita Pocket. Fill a pita pocket with feta, veggies, falafel balls, and some homemade or store-bought hummus. Some falafel balls come cooked and ready to add.

• PB Pocket.  Fill a whole grain pita pocket with peanut better, jelly, bananas, apples, raisins or all the above.  Hearty, fun, fabulous sandwich that will make the other school kids jealous.

• Everything's better on a bagel.  Provide a mini cream cheese to spread on the bagel or make a sandwich like you usually would, but with bagel instead of bread.  Turkey, cheese, ham, peanut butter and jelly, lettuce, tomato, etc.

• It's a Wrap! Wraps are a nice change of pace from the usual sandwich. Use a high-fiber multigrain flour tortilla, available in most supermarkets. Spread on mustard, hummus, light salad dressing, or green or sundried tomato pesto. Then fill 'er up with chicken Caesar salad or assorted lean meats, cheese, tomato, sliced onion, and shredded Romaine lettuce. Just roll it up and wrap in foil. Kids can eat it like a burrito -- by unwrapping it on one end and working their way down.

• Noodle Soup Cups. Many schools offer a hot water dispenser so older kids (or young kids with assistance) can add hot water to packaged noodle soup cups.  Some brands are lower in sodium and fat, and higher in fiber, than others.

• Veggie Sushi. Not all kids will go for this, but some children really like seaweed-wrapped sushi rolls. You can now buy pre-made sushi at many supermarkets. Choose sushi that is filled with veggies (such as avocado and cucumber) so there's no chance that it will get a little "fishy" in your child's backpack.

• Fun Fried Rice. When made with eggs, tofu or chopped lean meat, and lots of veggies, cold fried rice can be a satisfying noontime treat. Make your own using brown rice. Or set some aside for the next day when you get take-out Chinese food for dinner.

• BBQ Chicken Sandwich. Your child can assemble a yummy BBQ grilled chicken sandwich fresh at lunchtime. Just pack a grilled, boneless, skinless chicken breast with some lettuce and sliced tomato in one baggie and a whole-wheat bun in another. Add a packet of BBQ sauce and it's good to go.

• Fruit Sandwich.  Layer whole wheat bread with, cottage cheese, soft cream cheese, pineapple slices (or mix pineapple bits into cream cheese, chopped dried fruits, apple slices, shredded Swiss cheese.

• Ravioli.  Fill your child's thermos with HOT ravioli.  They should stay reasonably warm.

• Cheese tortellini.  Cook the tortellini.  Cool.  Mix in with vegetables and shredded mozzarella or Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, vinaigrette or zesty Italian dressing and salt and pepper.  Put in a  thermos or tight tupperware container.

Tasty Side Dishes:

Add some of these to round out your child’s lunch:

Fruit cups (with no sugar added)

Applesauce in flavors such as pomegranate or cranberry-raspberry (also with no sugar added)

Nuts or seeds in a shell (if age and allergy appropriate), such as walnuts, pistachios, peanuts, or sunflower seeds

Raw veggies (ready to pack) such as carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, celery, or jicama sticks

Cheese sticks -- available in 2% sharp cheddar, part skim-milk mozzarella, pepper jack, and more

Healthy snack bars (individually wrapped) with 3 or more grams of fiber, less than 10 grams sugar, and no more than 1 gram saturated fat.

Yogurt in individual containers (keep it cold by packing them with a reusable ice pack or a small water bottle that has been frozen.)

Daring Drinks

• Bug Juice.  Mix green HiC cooler, dash of sprite, key lime yogurt.  Blend together and pour into thermos. Freeze overnight so it stays cold in child's lunch bag.
• Flavored lemonade.  Mix instant lemonade with a T. of your favorite koolaid - cherry, berry, orange, etc. Freeze overnight so it stays cold in child's lunch bag.
• Orange Julius.  1/2 of a 6 ounce can frozen orange juice concentrate, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup whole milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 5 or 6 ice cubes.  Blend up. Pour into child's thermos.   Freeze overnight so it stays cold in child's lunch bag.

Chef Todd Fisher's Divine Deviled Eggs

We were so pleased to interview Chef Todd Fisher on "The Dish" on URL Radio.  Stand side-by-side with Fisher and you will see a creative giant in red shoes with a practical approach to cooking amazing food. That is exactly the experience he wants you to have when you are with him. Hugs and smiles and good laughs typically surround him while he crafts bold American cuisine with special surprises only Chef Todd can serve. More than 20 years as a culinary veteran, restaurateur and food consultant, Chef Todd is a leader in the culinary world through education, entertainment and tantalizing taste bud combinations. Chef Todd can be found in "The Kitchen" – his restaurant in Sand City, California.

As a life-long restaurateur, Chef Todd's passion for palate pleasers had him questing for the best bacon, burgers, and steaks at not just eateries, but meat temples, across the nation in Destination America's new original series UNITED STATES OF FOOD. Fisher is living our culinary dream and we get to live it vicariously through him.

During our interview, he gave us an impromtu recipe that has now become one of his favorites.  It's a new twist on deviled eggs you may want to try for your next dinner party or brunch.


Chef Todd Fisher's Divine Deviled Eggs

• 1 dozen eggs
• 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp minced onion or shallot
• 1/4 teaspoon tabasco
• Dash paprika
• Smoked salmon, 1 filet
• 1 raw jalapeno, seeds removed, chopped fine
• Palmful chopped chives
• Dash olive oil
• Salt and pepper

1 First hard boil the eggs. Start with cold water, add 1/3 c. baking soda to raise the pH of the water (eggs peel easier).  Boil 8 min. Then cool. 
2 Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter.

3 Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add mustard, mayonnaise, onion, tabasco, paprika, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves.
4 Top with chopped bits of smoked salmon, chives, jalapeno and a drizzle of olive oil.

Yield: Makes 2 dozen deviled eggs.

Meat Norm's

Norm's Burgers is in a very convenient location, half a block away from URL Radio.  Nice for me, not my pocketbook.  He always ruins my good intentions of just having a salad for lunch.  The smell of his burgers and rubs are intoxicating!  Damn you Norm!

You can find Norm's at Urban Harvest in Downtown Bismarck, when it's going on.  One of his future goals is to start up a burger joint in Mandan, but until then if you miss him at Urban Harvest you can always call him about catering.

Norm's serves regular burgers, pizza burgers, jalapeno burgers, brats and chips.  He uses a premade, precooked patty which I usually turn my nose up on, but honestly until he told me and showed me, I had no idea.  His patty is one of the best burger patties I've ever eaten.  And it's huge!  It's COOKED weight is 1/4lb.  Not precooked, but after it's cooked.  That's a big juicy burger.

Let's talk about the pizza burger, one of Norm's best sellers.  The combination of the seasoning, sweet sauce, creamy mozzarella, and crisp toasted bun is ridiculous! A burger isn't an extravagant thing that people think would require a lot of skill, but when you get a good one, you know it's different and special.

Here's the video as Norm breaks it down for us and shows us why he does what he does and how he does what he does.  Check it out, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6I2U4EoVeFc&feature=g-all-u.

You can reach Norm at 701-391-4339.

Fire Roasted Pizzaz

Available every Friday on Main Street in Mandan and most Thursdays in July and August, Fireflour Pizza should have a z at the end for pizzaz, but for boring or sleepy.  Great fresh ingredients, made and then cooked as you order them.  They are not like most of the greasy, heavy pizzas we're used to in middle america.  The fresh ingredients make us smell the ocean air and lightness of California or Tuscany. 

Alright, maybe that's a little over zealous, but they are good.  Kenny made the Iowa for us which was simple ingredients of fresh dough, tomatoes, fresh pulled mozzarella, and then after it's cooked they add arugula (spinach like quality if you're not familiar) and prosciutto (like a smoked ham if you're not familiar) and some olive oil. 

Trust us.  This is a don't miss!

Watch right here how they make them - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BZgjg-xWO4&feature=g-all-u then check out their website too http://www.fireflourpizza.com/

All's Fair

Here are some great recipes of fair favorites.  They are easy enough to try at home and tide you over until your next fair or outdoor event. Play around and maybe you'll be able to create the next great fair food feature.

 

Corn Dogs

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 quart vegetable oil for frying
• 2 (16 ounce) packages beef frankfurters
• 16 wooden skewers

Directions

1.     In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, sugar and baking powder. Stir in eggs and milk.

2.     Preheat oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Insert wooden skewers into frankfurters. Roll frankfurters in batter until well coated.

3.     Fry 2 or 3 corn dogs at a time until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Funnel Cakes

Ingredients

• 8 cups vegetable oil for frying
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

1.     In a deep-fryer, or heavy skillet, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

2.     In a large bowl, beat milk and eggs together. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Stir into the egg mixture until smooth.

3.     While covering the funnel hole with one hand, pour in 1 cup of batter. Start from the center in a swirling motion to make a 6 or 7 inch round. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and serve warm.

Deep Fried Cheese Curds

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 pound cheese curds
• 1 quart oil for frying

Directions

1.     In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the eggs and milk. Mix until smooth. Add more milk for a thinner batter. Coat the cheese curds with the batter.

2.     Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Fry the coated cheese curds approximately 1 minute each, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Eat and Greet a Treat!

Stacy's Selling Points

Michelle Tait and I (Stacy Sturm) had the opportunity to attend one of the greatest dining events I've ever been a part of Saturday night at the North Dakota State Fair.  It wasn't a restaurant... it wasn't a food fair... it wasn't a food truck... it was the Eat and Greet with the Zac Brown Band.

I'm not sure if I can even come up with words to describe the event or the food.  This wonderful group of guys, with the help of one of the best chefs around - Chef Rusty, served us almost a dozen dishes.  Each one better than the last.  The menu diverse, the ingredients simple and locally grown... no matter where they're at.  The band as warm and sweet as the food.

They had decorated the tables, ushered us in, had hush puppies waiting for us when we sat down, a special station just for drinks thanks to their sponsor Landshark and Jack Daniels. Zac Brown thanked us for coming, like we would have missed it for the world.  Chef Rusty explained the menu, what it takes to put the event together and then welcomed us to come up and eat. Where the band served us and chatted with us as we went through line.

I don't know if I can even give you highlights from the menu because all the dishes were so good. You can't beat a good meat though.  The pork tenderloin and beef tenderloin was so tender you could cut it like butta (east coast version of butter).  The sauces were seasoned perfectly, cooked down perfectly, and soo smooth.  Might help that it had a little alcohol in it:)  Never hurts at least.  But my hands down and absolute favorite had to be the Chocolate Peanut Butter Bread Pudding. I you don't take a bite and slap your mama, there's something wrong with you.  Not the pudding, but your own damn self.  And I have Chef Rusty's recipe below for the pudding and also the Pocket Knife Coleslaw.  You're welcome.  Who loves ya baby?!  Well it's obvious, it's the Zac Brown Band who puts as much love into their fans as their food.  Thank you for an evening my winners, my co-host of "The Dish", and my winners Beth and Ryan Mertz will never forget.

If you get a chance check out Zac Brown's new restaurant outside of Atlanta called Southern Ground.  He also has his own cookbook and line of seasonings all you foodies can use to cook at home.  I may be no Chef Rusty, but the seasonings help. He sells it all on Zac Brown Band's official website, here's a link http://store.zacbrownband.com/cooking.html

Here are just some pictures from the evening. As you can see, there isn't much left in the warming trays...



Photos courtesy of Michelle Tait.

Tait's Take

Zack Brown band can be described in one word , WOW. Right when you walk in to the eat and greet you can see the level of passion they have for their fans. There was close attention to every detail. The whole band was there to greet us right as we walked in and shook each one of our hands. Zac Brown got up there and welcomed us.  By the way him and Chef Rusty talked you could tell they are very passionate about the food they were about to serve us. We got the best of the best! It was hands down, the most phenomenal meal I have ever sat down to. Talk about tantalizing the taste buds! While my taste buds were busy, my heart swelled with pride because before the band ever fed me they were already my favorite musicians. Words cannot express how respect and gratitude I have for a band that takes that much time out of their schedule to cook and serve and then literally hang out and mingle with that many fans right before their big concert. It was by far not your normal meet and greet. Heart racing... Check knees wobbly... Check Belly full.. Check expectations exceeded...check. Thank so much Zac Brown Band! You really do, "Play The Road."

Pocket knife coleslaw

Chef Rusty Hamlin, Chef for Zac Brown Band Eat and Greets

Ingredients

• 1 head Green Cabbage
• 1 large Green Bell Pepper
• 8 stalks Green Onion
• 2 ripe Tomatoes
• Slaw Dressing:
• 2 cups Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Hot Horseradish
• 2 tablespoons Yellow Mustard
• 1 tablespoon White Sugar
• 1/2 cup White Vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon fine Ground Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Preparation

Dice all veggies to 1/4 inch dice. Add 1/2 of the slaw dressing and add more as needed. Save some of the diced tomatoes as garnish.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Biscuit Pudding

Chef Rusty Hamlin, Chef for Zac Brown Band Eat and Greets

Ingredients

• Chocolate peanut butter biscuit pudding
• 8 large Day Old Biscuits
• 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
• 1 cup of Half and Half
• 3 cups White Sugar (reserve 1 cup to sprinkle on top before cooking)
• 2 cups Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 each Eggs
• 4 tablespoons Melted Butter
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• Rum sauce
• 12 ounce Condensed Milk
• 4 ounce Spiced Rum
• 1/2 tablespoon Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon Ground Cloves

Preparation

     Crumble day old biscuits in a large mixing bowl. Add remaining ingredients for the pudding and mix well. Place in a 9 inch/ 13 inch baking dish and top with remaining sugar.

     Bake at 400 degrees covered for 1 hour, after bake uncovered for 20 min to brown the top. While pudding is baking prepare the rum sauce by adding all ingredients and then warm up. Top pudding with rum.



Recipes from The July 17th Show

We took a break from inside the restaurant and decided to delve into our cookbooks.  We also talked with famous Olympic Athlete Trainer and host of his own radio show, Dr. Josh Axe. He was kind enough to share some great recipes on air with us and also on his website.  For more info on Dr. Axe and more great recipes, go to www.draxe.com.

Pumpkin Blueberry Pancakes (Dr. Josh Axe)

• 1 c. gluten free pancake mix (Bob’s Red Mill)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 c. coconut milk
• 1/2 c. canned pumpkin
• 1/2 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tbsp. coconut oil

1. Combine wet ingredients in a bowl (except blueberries).
2. Whisk in dry ingredients carefully to avoid clumping.
3. Stir in blueberries.
4. Heat Coconut oil in pan over medium heat.
5. Pour approximately 1/3 cups of batter per pancake until pan is full.
6. Cook until bubbles form on top of batter and begin to pop, flip and repeat cooking.
7. Serve warm with blueberry and maple syrup.

Chocolate Mousse (Dr. Josh Axe)

• 1/2 c. dates, soaked

• 1/2 c. maple syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
• 1-1 1/2 c. mashed avocado (abt. 2-3 avocados)
• 3/4 c. organic cocoa or carob powder
• 1/2 c. water

Blend or process dates, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. Add mashed avocado and cocoa powder and process until creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if needed. Add the water and process until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or in the freezer up to 2 weeks.

Fudgesicles: Freeze the Chocolate Mousse in ice cube trays. Thaw for 5 min. before serving.

Chocolate Sauce or Fondue: Increase water to 1 c.   This mousse is rich and smooth. It is delicious alone or served as fondue with fresh strawberries, bananas or tangerines.

 

KFC (Kitchen Fried Chicken better than the other stuff) (Stacy)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons pepper
• 4 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon French thyme, ground
• 1 tablespoon dried sweet basil, ground
• 1 teaspoon oregano, ground
• 1 tablespoon Jamaica ginger, ground (regular ground ginger will work too)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 2 ½- 3 lb. chickens, cut into 8 pieces each

Directions:

Mix dry ingredients in a large paper bag. Set aside.

Put chicken and buttermilk in two large plastic Ziploc bags or a flat dish and marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, turning every 30 minutes. This tenderizes the meat as well as removes any blood.

When ready to cook, remove chicken pieces from buttermilk, shake off excess liquid. Toss with dry ingredients in bag. The chicken should be lightly covered, but it's okay if there are a few missed spots.

Fill a large, heavy bottomed skillet or deep pot with enough oil to cover halfway up the largest piece of chicken. Heat oil to 325-350 degrees. If you don't have a cooking thermometer, wait for small bubbles to form.

Adjust heat so the oil bubbles are steady but not too rapid. Working in two or more batches, place the coated chicken in the hot oil. After about eight minutes, the chicken will be golden brown underneath. Turn over once and cook for an additional eight minutes or until nicely browned on both sides. After frying, place chicken on a metal sheet tray covered in a paper towel and transfer to 200-degree oven to keep warm until serving.  Chicken will stay moist for up to an hour.

 

Avocado Fries (Melissa the Intern)

Canola oil for frying

1.4 c. flour

1 T. kosher salt

2 large eggs, beaten

2 c. panko bread crumbs

2 firm-ripe medium avocados, peeled, pitted, sliced into 1/2 in. wedges

Grated parmesan for serving

Preheat oven to 200 degrees.  In a deep saucepan, heat 2 in" oil until about 275 degrees (about medium heat).

Mix flour and salt on plate.

Put eggs and panko on separate plates.

Dredge in flour and shake off excess.  Dip in eggs, then panko to coat.

Fry until a deep golden brown, about 60 to 80 seconds.  Transfer to plate lined with paper towels.  Sprinkle with grated parmesan and more salt.  Repeat with all batches. Keep warm in over until all batches are done.