Instant Oatmeal Packets

Not all of Fly guy's hotels serve breakfast.  With his cooler already packed to the max, muffins and the like are not an option for his long trips.  The last few weeks I've been tossing in homemade 'instant oatmeal' packets.

These are so customizable. Just add some hot water from the hotel coffee pot and you are set.  Apparently he said hot tap water worked fine also.  I don't know, maybe sleep deprivation makes tap water oatmeal seem tasty? 

We like the texture of whole rolled oats, but if you like a finer texture you may try instant oats.  My kids ate this exact recipe for breakfast leaving them begging for seconds.  Begging for oatmeal?  Oh yes, super mom moment. 

Instant Oatmeal Packets
serves 1

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup mix ins (I chose dates and pecans)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
optional: 1-2 tsp brown sugar

Right before serving add in approximately 2/3 cups almost boiling water.  Let sit a few moments to allow the water to absorb.

Three Bean Kale Salad

 

I've always been a fan of three bean salad but wanted to make it more of a... salad.  Unlike traditional salad greens, kale holds up very well to the moisture of dressing.  In fact, raw kale is tastier once it's been marinated in dressing and softens up a bit.  I had this in my fridge for three days and there was no slime factor going on.   This makes it a prime pick for travel.  Just toss together and transport it in a mason jar.

I've used baby kale for this recipe.  I suspect that regular dinosaur kale (aka Lainato or Tuscan) would work well also but I recommend destemming slicing it in thin ribbons first.


 

Three Bean Kale Salad

Ingredients

1 can kidney beans
1 can white beans
1-2 cups green beans steamed tender crisp and cut in bite size pieces*
2.5 oz torn baby kale greens**
3 TB Dijon mustard
3 TB red wine vinegar
3 TB extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

* I used frozen green beans from Trader Joes and steamed just enough to thaw but not make soggy. 
** 2.5 ounces doesn't sound like much but it was half of the pictured kale package.  I'd say about 3 large handfuls.

Directions

Whisk the vinegar, mustard, and olive oil in a bowl.  Drain and rinse the canned beans then add all the remaining ingredients.  Toss together and refrigerate giving the flavors time to mingle.

No Bake Nuggets

Because you can't bring a jar of peanut butter on an airplane.

No Bake Nuggets
Makes 15-20 one inch balls

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter
1/6 cup honey
1/6 cup molasses*
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla flavoring
1 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup crushed peanuts

*I pour both the molasses and honey together in a 1/3 measuring cup.  It doesn't have to be super exact.

Directions

Mix the peanut butter, sweeteners, cocoa, and vanilla in a bowl until well incorporated.  Add in the oats and stir well.  The mixture will be tough to stir but still sticky.

Form 1 inch balls and roll in crushed peanuts.  Eat at room temperature or chilled.

Fair warning.  These are sweet!  It won't take more than a couple to knock out that sweet tooth.

Lunchbox Gazpacho

 
This year I'm making an effort to eat in season.  I took one look at my local Aldi ad and knew what cold soup was in store for this week's lunches!  There are many variations but I'm sticking with a basic recipe that is to be enjoyed cold or room temperature.  Maybe with an egg salad sandwich on the side?

Make sure your ingredients are ripe and tasty as there will be no cooking to mask undesirable quality.



Lunchbox Gazpacho
Fills approximately five Half Pint Jars

Ingredients 

1.5 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped*
1 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
1 cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 red onion, chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TB red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 slice bread, crust removed
salt and pepper to taste

*The easiest way to peel the tomatoes is to cut a small X in the skin about an inch wide.  Place them in boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds.  Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl of ice water.  The skin will slip right off!  Cut them in half width wise and gently squeeze out the seeds.

Directions 

Place all the ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.  If your vegetables don't release enough moisture you can add a few tablespoons water. Garnish with cucumber, mint, cilantro, parsley, basil, or croutons.

Homemade Apple Dippers

Apples in a lunchbox never seemed practical to me.  They turn brown cut up and are no fun to eat whole.  While it sounds really lazy... ok, it is really lazy... I hate to use and wash my apple cutter if I'm only cutting one apple.

Recently I've started soaking the slices in a mixture of water and lemon juice and it's changed my whole outlook.  I buy a 2 pound bag of apples.  I spray them with a mixture of 1/2 white vinegar and half water kept in a spray bottle at my sink, rub them around a bit and then rinse.  Then I cut the whole batch with an apple cutter.  Next I soak them for about 10 minutes in a bowl filled with 1 TB lemon juice per one cup ice cold water.  After a quick drain I place them in a gallon ziploc bag, press all the air out, and leave them in the fridge up to 5 days!


  

If I also make a dip the apples don't last near five days in the fridge before disappearing. 

Peanut Butter Yogurt Dip

1/2 cup whole milk unsweetened yogurt
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp honey

Mix all the ingredients and serve cold with apples, celery or pretzels.  My kids dip carrots in it too, but I think that's taking it one step too far.  Eww.

 

Mason Jar Salad with Moonshine Dressing

Fly guy is way better about eating raw veggies than I am.  For his first few flight trips he packed bags and jars of cut up raw veggies.  I got a stomach ache just looking at them.  After eating carrot sticks and loads of bells peppers for four days his stomach joined me.  What a love story right?  Two stomachs become one....

Well you have to add some protein silly!  Maybe some jazzy dressing, peppery arugula, and cheese if you must.

Fast forward to a week later and he's sitting in the pilot lounge scarfing his jazzy salad thinking jazzy thoughts about his jazzy wife.  Jazzy:  Bright, colorful, showy.  Ok, maybe I'm a little showy. Another pilot (probably enviously) laid eyes on his salad.

"Whatcha eatin there boy?  Mighty colorful"

'Uhh... salad'

"And that some moonshine dressing to go with it?"

Thank you Mr. Smart Aleck Pilot.  The name has stuck and now my children will be telling strangers that their mama makes moonshine for their daddy to fly with.



Moonshine Dressing aka Red Wine Vinaigrette

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TB red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove minced or finely grated
1 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a small jar with lid tightly screwed on and give it a good shake.

Mason Jar Salad

These are straight forward but there is a method that will keep everything fresh longer.  These jars should last refrigerated for several days.

• Dressing goes on bottom. We use 2 TB.
• Then choose some firm veggies you don't mind soaking in dressing.  This is a great place to tame your raw onions.
• Then a layer of grains or protein.  Beans, meat, eggs, quinoa, ect.
• Last comes the greens.  It is important these are dry or your salad will break down quickly.

Store upright and then give a few good shakes before digging in.

White Bean Tuna Salad

I was getting the kids off to school this morning when Fly Guy got a call for a day trip to Chicago. I had just torn out a recipe from Better Homes and Garden magazine the day before. In part because it was easy but mostly because we rarely eat meat so I expect my kids to throw a party in my honor once they find tuna in the fridge.

Here is the original White Bean Tuna Salad recipe.  But I will have you know I cut the tuna down to one can then added some grape tomatoes to protect the arugula from the vinaigrette soaked beans.