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.

Hotel Friendly Popcorn

 

I recently went to my kid's back to school night where teachers had placed cute little notes along with packages of microwavable popcorn on the desks.  "thanks for popping in" if I remember right.  But my kids knew they couldn't eat them due to being chocked full of lard and artificial flavors.  So I wrote "thanks for popping their bubble" on the backside and put it back on the desk.  Joking.  I graciously accepted.

No prob.  I now have my own microwavable popcorn.  It's cheaper, healthier, funner.  Funner when I start writing my own notes to Fly Guy for his overnight trips.  None of which I will be reprinting here...  Ahem.

Back to popcorn.  Oh you won't believe how easy.



 

Are you ready?
Pen and paper handy?
Ok!

Hotel Friendly Popcorn

• Take a paper lunch bag and place 1/4 cup kernels in it.
• Fold over the top twice about a 3/4 inch fold each time creasing it well
• Place the bag on it's side and make sure it's not touching the sides of the microwave
• Microwave for 2-3 minutes or until the popping slows to several second between pops.
• Spend your free time writing witty messages and laughing at your own jokes
• Not that I do that...

Potato Soup

This is one easy and economical make ahead soup. I know it's August, but make it now and pop it in the freezer for your thermos this Fall.  Chop, Boil, Simmer.  That's it.  One pot.  30 minutes.




Potato Soup
Fills 4 Pint Jars or 8 Half Pints

Ingredients 

2 yellow onions, diced
6 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
4-6 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1-2 tsp salt (depending how salty your broth is)
1/2 tsp fresh ground peppercorn
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 TB extra virgin olive oil

Garnish options include fresh chives, fresh herbs, additional olive oil or hot pepper flakes.  For a richer soup add in 3 or four tablespoons butter to the pot at towards end of cooking and stir until melted.

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a large pot saving the broth for last.  Pour in the broth until almost covering the diced veggies but not quite.  Usually about 5 cups does it for me.
Bring to a boil then cover and simmer on medium low for 20-25 minutes or until veggies are soft.
With a large spoon or potato masher, mash up a bit of the soup to create a creamier texture is desired.

If freezing for later cool completely then freeze in wide mouth mason jars leaving a little head space on top.

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.

 

Black Bean Cumin Lime Salad

I discovered I didn't have any bread Sunday night and was not about to go to the store before school on Monday. Fortunately I have a tried and true lunch staple that takes about 5 minutes to pull together.

There was a time when my kids came undone over green items in their lunch but we are slowly breaking them in.  Fresh spinach is a great starter green because it's virtually tasteless. 

On non picnic days I'm a big fan of Naturally Ella's 5 ingredient Black Beans and Rice.  Almost the same ingredients and just as easy to pull together.

I'm not sure if it compliments the beans but I also packed this raw Summer Corn Salad.  It's just what worked from my pantry at the moment. The Organic Tortilla Chips came from Target.  My new favorite.

Black Bean Cumin Lime Salad
Adapted from The Kitchn
Serves two small or one big appetite.

1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh spinach
Juice of half lime
drizzle of oil, I use olive
1 tsp cumin powder
salt and pepper to taste

Mix it.  That's it.

Optional additions:  Fly Guy takes an avocado in his bag and dices it right before eating..  Red pepper flakes are another of his favorites.  The boys love to put a huge dollop of plain whole yogurt on top.  Now that I think of it I could have put yogurt mixed with salsa in place of the corn in their containers.