Brown-Bag Challenge: The Final Days

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Here are my final three Brown-Bag lunches of the challenge:

Day 19:  Leftovers from the night before (potatoes, sausage, carrots, bacon, onions, broccoli) and an apple.

Day 20:  Leftover Tuna Pasta Salad , an apple & granola bar.

Day 21:  Bagel (peanut butter & banana slices) yogurt & carrots.

…That’s all folks!  The brown-bag challenge is officially over…but hopefully I’ll continue to pack meals from home more often than not.  And those meals when I dine out can be a welcome (but seldom) change every now & then!

Hope everyone enjoys their lunch on this lovely Friday!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Tuna Pasta Salad

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Day Eighteen:  Tuna Pasta Salad

Today’s lunch was another one of those meals that included a little bit of this, a little bit of that, and anything else that was available at the time!  The finished product was a Tuna Pasta Salad.

Here is what I used:

Ingredients

• ½ a box of your favorite pasta
• 1 package or can of tuna, drained
• 1 can of sliced black olives, drained
• ½ a head of broccoli
• ½ a head of cauliflower
• 1 large green pepper, chopped (or 4 small)
• 8 small carrots, chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• ¾ cup of Marzetti’s dressing
• ½ cup of parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to box.  Chill overnight.
2. Next day, in a large bowl combine all ingredients & mix together.
3. Serve!

Enjoy your lunch today…three days and counting!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Chili

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Day Seventeen:  C-C-C-Chili

Chili makes me think of wintertime…coming in from the cold, dusting off the snow & sitting down to a steaming bowl of Chili!  However I felt really in the mood for it this weekend.  So with the help of my Mother (what’s new) I made a big batch in the good ‘ole crock pot.  We didn’t really follow a specific recipe (that’s how my Mom rolls—all about what’s in the cupboards & eyeballin’ the amounts) but I did write down what our final product included:

Ingredients

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 container tomato sauce
• 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped
• 3 small peppers
• 1 can Mexicorn, drained
• 1 can black beans, rinsed
• 2 cans chili beans
• 3 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp garlic powder

**Optional: Sour cream, cheese, avocadoes, etc for toppings

Directions         

1. In large pan, brown the ground beef & onions together.
2. Add all ingredients into crock pot and cook on high heat for roughly 2-3 hours.
3. Add toppings & enjoy!

Hope you enjoy your lunch today…four more days to go!!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Leftover Love

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Day Fifteen:  Leftover Wild Rice Soup

Day Sixteen:  Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup

Happy First Day of Fall!!  These past two days have really felt like autumn, so I brought some leftover soups for lunch–Wild Rice & Chicken Noodle.  And now we have only one week to go on this little “Brown-Bag Challenge!”  They say it takes thirty days to build a habit…so hopefully I will continue to pack my lunch even after this experiment officially stops.

It’s been a great experience planning, preparing & packing my lunch each weekday.  Usually I would forget to pack anything and have to rush out to buy lunch and subsequently scarf it down.  Now after putting in the work to make the meal I find that I’m quite excited to slow down and enjoy eating it.  This is a very welcome, healthy change for me.

To honor the last week of the challenge & motivate myself to continue on preparing healthy food long after, I’ve decided that next week will be “Eat Week” here at All Things Splendid.  All posts will focus on food & eating (one of my favorite things to do)!  Hope you’ll drop in for a read!

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…See you Monday!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Mozzarella, Tomato, Avocado

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Day Fourteen:  Mozzarella, Tomato and Avocado Salad

I got home late last night after going to see Contagion (yikes, let me go wash my hands again) and I knew if I didn’t make lunch before I went to sleep it wouldn’t get done in the morning!  So I decided to try a recipe for Mozzarella, Tomato and Avocado Salad.  I’m a sucker for anything with avocados in it…so this was a perfect, simple & delicious choice.

Here is the recipe from Everything Fabulous:

Ingredients

• 1 container cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 carton fresh mozzarella cheese pearls, drained (I used mozzarella string cheese)
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1/3 cup basil, julienned  (I used 1 tsp dried)
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley  (I used 1 tsp dried)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• salt and pepper
• baguette-optional  (I used pita bread)

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the tomatoes, mozzarella, basil and parsley. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over tomato mixture. Toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.
3. Just before serving the salad, stir in the chopped avocados. Serve salad with toasty bread.

Hope you enjoy your lunch today!!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Chix Noodle Soup

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Day Thirteen:  Chicken Noodle Soup

Today I brought some of the other homemade soup I made this past weekend…Chicken Noodle!  It’s such a classic choice that I never seem to tire of. Yum!

Here is my Mother’s Recipe for Chicken Noodle Soup:

Ingredients:

• 7 cups chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 6 chopped carrots
• 4 stalks of celery, chopped
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 can corn (or creamed corn)
• 4 cups shredded chicken
• 2-3 cups medium egg noodles
• 1 Tbsp parsley flakes
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp sage
• 1-2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garlic granules

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt butter; sauté carrots, celery & onion until tender.  In a large pot add broth, shredded chicken, sautéed vegetables, corn, parsley, thyme, sage, salt & garlic.  Cover & bring to a boil.  Then stir in egg noodles and cook covered at a steady boil for 8 minutes.

Makes about 6 cups.  Enjoy!!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge: Wild Rice Soup

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Day Twelve:  Wild Rice Soup

This past weekend was a little gloomy, gray & chilly here in Minnesota.  So I enlisted my Mom’s help to make two big batches of soup that I could use for lunches & freeze for later.  Today I brought some of the homemade Wild Rice Soup…and I must say it really hit the spot!

Here is my Mother’s Recipe for Wild Rice Soup:

Ingredients:

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp minced onion
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked wild rice
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrots
• 1/3 cup minced ham or turkey
• 3 Tbsp chopped slivered almonds
• 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 cup half & half
• 2 Tbsp dry sherry (optional)
• Snipped fresh parsley or chives

Directions:

In a large saucepan, melt butter; sauté onion until tender.  Blend in flour, gradually add broth.  Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil; boil and stir for 1 minute.  Stir in rice, carrots, ham, almonds & salt; simmer about 5 minutes.  Blend in half & half and sherry; heat to serving temperature.  Garnish with snipped parsley or chives.

Makes about 6 cups.  Enjoy!!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Round-Up, Days 7-11…

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Here are my Brown-Bag lunches from this week…

Day Seven:  Leftover Pasta Salad w/Broccoli & Peanuts, cucumbers, green peppers & string cheese.

Day Eight:  Tuna Salad w/ lettuce & pita bread to scoop it up.  Carrots & cucumbers on the side.

Day Nine:  Wraps (corn tortilla, ham, horseradish sauce, cheese, lettuce), carrots, string cheese, yogurt & my trusty H20 bottle.

Day Ten:  Bagel with hummus, sprouts, cucumbers & tomatoes.  Apple, string cheese & almond-blueberry nut clusters.

Day Eleven:  Bagel with hummus, sprouts, cucumbers & avocado.  Marble Jack cheese, extra cucumbers, an apple, nut clusters & H20 bottle.

…Hope you enjoyed your lunches this past week!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge, Day 6…

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Day Six:  Egg Salad Again

Today I brought some more of the Chunky Egg Salad I made earlier this week.  But instead of making a sandwich I just brought along some pita bread & lettuce to scoop up the egg salad, and some carrots on the side.  Phew, six lunches down…and 15 to go!  Hope you have a lovely Friday and enjoy your weekend.

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.

Brown-Bag Challenge, Day 5…

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Day Five:  Pasta Salad w/Broccoli & Peanuts

The other new recipe I tried out this week was Pasta Salad with Broccoli and Peanuts from Martha Stewart Living.  With red pepper flakes it’s quite spicy & I’m hoping it will be a good “pick-me-up” during my lunch hour today!  Blueberries & carrots round off my meal…time to chow down!

We’re teaming up with fellow food bloggers to host a Brown-Bag Challenge, a month-long initiative to eat consciously and save money by packing a lunch each weekday instead of eating out. Join us here and share what you’re eating on Facebook and Twitter with the hashtag #brownbag.