Lunchbox Guacamole

This is a 2-minute guacamole for those times when you want to balance a fun snack (chips) with something healthy (avocado). While I can happily chop and mince my way through traditional guacamole on Friday or Saturday night, that’s not realistic after school when my kids need to eat right this second (which is literally what Hammie says). This recipe is made for those times. It can also be made in the morning for a school (or office!) lunchbox. This recipe can easily be scaled up.

Avocados, as you likely know, are incredibly healthy. They are full of heart-healthy fats, and they are high in fiber, vitamin K, folate, vitamin B6, vitamin E and vitamin C. They are great for supporting children’s growth and development. In the timeless words of Michael Scott, win win win :)

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Lunchbox Guacamole

1/4 large ripe avocado
Sea salt
Garlic granules
Freshly squeezed lemon juice

With a fork, lightly mash the avocado on a small plate (I leave quite a few chunks in it). Season with sea salt and add a good pinch of garlic granules. Squeeze a bit of lemon juice over the whole thing and lightly mix it all together. Play with the proportions. I like to go a little heavier on the garlic granules and lighter on the lemon.

Serve or put into a lunchbox container.

Serves 1

Mustard Vinaigrette

This recipe makes mustard vinaigrette for the week, because I figure that if you’re going to take the time to paste a garlic clove, you may as well paste three and make a jar full. Also, the likelihood of eating greens significantly increases if you know that a healthy and delicious dressing is waiting for you in the fridge and all that’s required is to chop up a few leaves.

I like to make my own vinaigrette because I can use high quality olive oil (many packaged brands, even the healthy ones, contain inflammatory oils), there’s no zanthan gum or other stabilizers, and I reduce packaging.

Many mustard vinaigrettes use sherry vinegar (which is tasty) but I prefer raw apple cider vinegar to amp up the health benefits. Apple cider vinegar is said to improve metabolism and help lower blood pressure. And it tastes just as good. I put this dressing into a clean 16oz glass jar (from peanut butter or tahini or the like) and store it in the fridge. The olive oil will solidify, but just put the jar someplace warm - or into a bowl of hot water - and it will quickly come back to liquid form. Give the jar a good shake and you’re set to go.

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Mustard Vinaigrette
Adapted from the mustard vinaigrette recipe (pg 41) of Cook This Now by Melissa Clark

Note: If you don’t have kosher salt, use a bit less fine grain sea salt and go by taste. Add the large pinch into the garlic cloves, then add a rounded teaspoon or so into the dressing, shake, taste and adjust if necessary. Fine grain sea salt is a bit saltier than larger grain salt.

3 medium garlic cloves + large pinch of kosher (larger grain) sea salt
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup raw apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon kosher (larger grain) sea salt
1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

Peel and thinly slice your garlic cloves, then paste them with a pinch of kosher sea salt using a mortar and pestle. Put the pasted garlic into a clean jar, along with the Dijon mustard, raw apple cider vinegar, remaining kosher salt and olive oil. Screw the lid on tight and give it a really good shake to incorporate all the ingredients. Use some right away, or put in the fridge for later. This dressing will easily keep for the week.

Spanish Kale

This is what I call Spanish kale, one of my favorite go-to dishes. It comes together really quickly and requires minimal fuss. I’ve written measurements below, but I seldom actually measure anything. I toast a handful of pine nuts, then add a glug of olive oil, generously shake in some smoked paprika and toss in the kale. It’s a wonderful addition to lunch bowls with some grain, protein and hummus, but it goes with so many different things. It’s shown here with some Banza gluten-free mac ‘n cheese (boxed) because I’m slowly learning that sometimes kids need an element of fun added to their plates (it’s only taken me 7 years :). This meal has been a summer lunch favorite at our house, kale and all.

You’ll see when you make this that the kale cooks down very quickly. This recipe is written for one bunch, but our family can easily eat two bunches in one sitting so feel free to scale up. And stock up on kale :)

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Spanish Kale

Note: The only two “tricks” to this recipe are to not let the pine nuts burn, and to have your kale chopped and ready before adding the olive oil and smoked paprika. I toss the kale into the pan immediately after the olive oil and smoked paprika and stir right away to cool things down so the olive oil doesn’t smoke and the paprika doesn’t burn. Also, I generally use Lacinato kale here (also called Tuscan, black or dinosaur kale), but it can be made with curly kale with good results.

Handful of raw pine nuts
Glug of olive oil
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
I bunch Lacinato kale, de-stemmed and sliced into 1/4 inch ribbons
Sea salt to taste

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toss in the pine nuts. Dry toast, stirring every so often, for several minutes until they are darker in color and smell nice and toasty. Turn the heat down to medium-low, add in a glug of olive oil and the smoked paprika, then very quickly toss in the kale and give everything a good stir. Season with sea salt and continue to sauté, stirring continuously, for a minute or so until the kale collapses just a bit and is evenly coated with olive oil and smoked paprika. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve alongside whatever you like and enjoy :)

Serves 2-4