AN APPLE A DAY - DAY 126 OF 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE - EATING A HEALTHY LUNCH

STILL GETTING ORGANIZED IN ORDER TO STAY HEALTHY - THIS WEEK: LUNCH (PART ONE)
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

What does your daily lunch look like? 

Healthy eating is always good; but it isn’t always easy.  This week it is my goal to make eating a healthy lunch easy, delicious and nutritious for you.

What we put into our bodies can really matter over the long haul of life.  Ann Wigmore once said; “The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”  I’m hoping in these next several blog posts that we accomplish the former and not the later!

Organizing our daily food intake will cause our lives to be a lot less stressful and we are also hoping to make that weekly task a lot less time consuming. 

Since many health experts have noted the reason most people tend to stray from a healthy diet is they do not have enough time to plan and prepare; we have been careful to take simplicity into consideration; The same experts noted that people become bored eating the same foods over and over again until eventually they stop eating healthy altogether.  That is why we have been sure to give great variety to our menus.  Solving these two well established problems can be easy with just a little upfront organization and planning.  We want this to be an eating plan that will work for a long period of time.  Cooking this healthier way should become a very familiar habit to us; the same as brushing our teeth and making our beds each morning.  The whole process should eventually begin to feel completely uncomplicated and natural.

With all of the above in mind, over the past few weeks in this AN APPLE A DAY blog column, we have begun taking progressive baby steps toward the goal of thinking of better ways to organize and prepare our daily meals.

This is a cumulative plan we will be implementing over several weeks.  We started with breakfast.  If you missed the first baby steps for efficiently preparing a healthy breakfast just follow this link:  http://dancinginseason.blogspot.com/2017/02/an-apple-day-day-125-of-365-days-toward.html  and it will help you to catch up with us. 

The section today, which is about preparing healthy lunches, will be divided into two 2-Week sessions; this one for this week, and another one to be published  in AN APPLE A DAY next week (the blog column is published each Thursday.)  After we have tackled breakfast and lunch, we will discuss organizing healthy dinners. 

You will notice that I have included in a lot of the lunch recipes, the comment that you should keep the extras in your lunch preparation for a side dish for the next night’s dinner.  We will follow-up on that fact when we get to the dinner part of the discussion in a few weeks; but for now just incorporate any leftovers into your regular dinner meals on the same day that you use them for lunches.  Since that food will be prepared in advance of dinner time, it should already be helping to save you more time. 

So on with our healthy planning!

Below I have mapped out 30 days worth of lunch menus that are healthy and nutritious, yet tasty and satisfying. 

After the menus is a handy grocery list for these particular recipes as well as the recipes   Just print and shop.  No stress, no planning, no worries.

What could be more convenient?    

I’ve also re-listed the kitchen items that you will need, this time adding the lunch items to the kitchen items that you might already have on hand from last week’s discussion on breakfast.

KITCHEN EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR PREPARING ALL MENUS

Food Processor:  buy one that will process food and mix smoothies too according to the setting you use.  If you have a smoothie blender, and want to chop your other food by hand, that will work too.

5 old fashioned Ice trays

1 large roll parchment paper

1 large roll of aluminum foil

3 large cooking trays that will fit inside your freezer, about 1 inch in depth (not flat, but with a short section around the sides.)

Plastic spatula

Wooden spoon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cooking Spray

12 small canning jars with lids that seal

Muffin Tin that makes 24 mini muffins

Muffin Tin that makes 12 regular sized muffins

Pepper grinder

Cheese grater (if your food processor doesn’t do this for you)

Sharp knives in different sizes for cutting, slicing and chopping

2 boxes of gallon sized freezer bags (zip-lock is good)

1 box pint sized zip-lock baggies

1 large biscuit cutter

1 skillet (any type you like)

Muffin/cupcake liners (regular size and mini-sized)

Waffle Iron

1 large mixing bowl

1 medium sized mixing bowl

1 small mixing bowl

Set of Measuring cups

Set of Measuring spoons

1 gallon sized glass measuring cup with a pour spout

Tote bag for carrying food on the go (if you can get one that is insulated that might be nice.)

Black permanent marker

Whisk

Pastry brush

Chopping board

Bakers wire cooling racks

Thermos with detachable cup to drink and serve soup from.

Pizza wheel for slicing

Small insulated zip-up lunch box that will hold ice packs

Small ice packs for keeping things cold in insulated lunch box

1 Salad Spinner – the size that will conveniently fit your refrigerator shelves.

Please don’t be overwhelmed with the list of equipment.  Chances are you already have most of it; but if not – they will vastly improve your life and give you a lifetime of happy kitchen organization.  Trust me.  This will be worth the extra up-front effort in the long run.

MENUS – FOR WEEK ONE

Day 1 - Fast Day:  Mozzarella and Tomato Salad (When preparing separate out one mason jar full of salad for lunch and cover other salad for dinner on the next night.  You have accomplished one less step for preparing a healthy dinner while preparing a healthy lunch!)

Day 2 - Moderate Day: Chicken and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Day 3 – Fast Day: 3 Bean Minestrone Soup (Freeze extra soup leftover)

Day 4 – Moderate Day : Roast Beef and Horseradish Wrap (freeze extras)

Day 5 – Fast Day: Celery Salad (Make extra and have some for dinner.)

Day 6 – Moderate Day:  Spicy Sundried Tomato Broccoli Pasta (Make extra and store the leftovers for dinner.)

Day 7 – FEAST DAY! –Ham, sliced Pears and Swiss Sandwich with Cherry Compote over Goat Cheese (OR EAT OUT IF YOU WISH – IT IS YOUR FEAST DAY!)

GROCERY LIST FOR WEEK ONE:

1 pint box Red cherry tomatoes

1 pint box Orange cherry tomatoes

2 avocados

8 ounces small mozzarella cheese balls

1 pkg. shredded Parmesan cheese

1 bunch fresh basil

1 quart extra virgin pure olive oil

1 bottle white balsamic vinegar

1 bottle regular balsamic vinegar

Locally grown organic honey

Sea salt

Black pepper corns

2 yellow onion

9 celery sticks

Garlic powder

Bunch fresh thyme

1 pkg. frozen spinach

1 14 ounce can red kidney beans

1 14 ounce can great northern beans

1 14 ounce can pinto beans

Vegetable broth

Ditalini noodles

Goat cheese (2 pkg. whole 1 pkg. crumbled)

Monterrey Jack cheese (block)

Yellow corn kernels(frozen pkg.)

Fresh batch of cilantro

1 batch fresh parsley

1 batch fresh mint

Bag of eight corn tortillas (6 inch)

Small package boneless, skinless chicken breast

1 jar mayonnaise

1 small jar prepared horseradish

1 head romaine lettuce

½ lb. deli sliced roast beef

2 regular sized tomatoes

1 English Cucumber

1 box whole wheat bow tie pasta

Minced garlic

Crushed red pepper flakes

2 large bunches fresh broccoli

Oil packed Sun-dried Tomatoes

15 Kalamata olives

1 large lemon

1 container plain Greek yogurt

Organic dried dill

Pumpernickel bread loaf

Lean sliced deli ham

1 pear

Sliced Swiss cheese

1 lb. fresh or canned Bing cherries

Pkg. brown sugar

RECIPES FOR WEEK ONE:

MOZZARELLA AND TOMATO SALAD

Salad Ingredients:

2 cups red cherry tomatoes halved

2 cups yellow cherry tomatoes halved

2 avocados peeled and diced

8 ounces of small fresh mozzarella cheese balls

½ cup fresh basic, chopped

Dressing ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil

1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons honey (warmed)

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl except for mozzarella cheese balls.  Set them aside until time for serving and mix in with the rest then.  Combine all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Pour dressing over salad and toss well.  Add mozzarella cheese balls and toss again just before serving. 

CHICKEN AND GOAT CHEESE QUESADILLAS:

(Makes 2 quesadillas)

Ingredients:

½ ounce goat cheese softened to room temperature

2 Tablespoons Monterrey Jack Cheese, Shredded

½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup onion, chopped

½ cup corn kernels

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

½ cup cooked chicken, shredded

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro

4-6 inch corn tortillas

Directions:

Combine cheeses and set aside in a small bowl.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over low heat.  Saute onion in oil for two minutes.  Add corn and pepper and cook one more minute, then add chicken and cook for one more minute.  Remove all from heat and stir cilantro into the chicken mixture.  Set aside.

Lay out two tortillas on a cutting board or flat surface and sprinkle one half of the cheeses on top of each.  Divide ½ of the chicken mix onto each tortilla on top of the cheeses.  Top with the remaining tortillas.

Spray a skillet with cooking spray and warm the quesadillas until cheeses are melted into chicken filling (about 5 minutes on each side.) 

Remove from skillet and let cool.  Divide the tortillas into quarters with a pizza wheel.  Place each inside a zip-lock plastic bag and store one in refrigerator until time needed for lunch, and freeze the other one for later use during Week Three.  (If you want to make extras and freeze ahead for reuse later; it is a good idea, but just increase your ingredients.)

3 BEAN MINESTRONE SOUP

Ingredients:

1 tsp. olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 celery sticks diced

¼ tsp. garlic powder

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. black pepper

1 cup frozen spinach

1-14 ounce can pinto beans

1-14 ounce can dark red kidney beans

1-14 ounce can great northern beans

4 cups vegetable broth

½ cups Ditalini noodles

Directions:

Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.  Add onion, celery and carrots and saute.  Stir in garlic powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper.  Add beans, frozen spinach and vegetable broth and bring all to a boil.  Add Ditalini and lower heat, simmer for 25 minutes.

Pour into a thermos for lunch later.  Store remainder of soup inside pot with lid secured in the refrigerator until tomorrow’s dinner and reheat.

ROAST BEEF AND HORSERADISH WRAP

Ingredients:

2 tsp. mayonnaise

½ tsp. prepared horseradish

1 whole wheat tortilla

1 large romaine lettuce leaf

3 slices lean roast beef

¼ cup chopped tomato

Directions:

Mix mayonnaise and prepared horseradish together and spread over whole wheat tortilla.  Lay lettuce leaf down then roast beef slices, then top with tomato bits.  Roll up the wrap and cover with wax paper and store in a plastic bag in refrigerator until needed for lunch.  (You can make these in bulk if you desire and freeze them for up to 4 months)

 ICE COLD CELERY SALAD:

Ingredients:

6 celery sticks thinly diced

1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced

1 diced tomato

½ cup chopped fresh parsley

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and ground fresh black pepper to taste

Directions:

Dice and slice vegetables and spices.  Add salt and pepper to taste, then mix in extra virgin olive oil and coat all well.  Put inside a sealed mason jar in the refrigerator until time to pack in insulated lunch box with an ice pack.  Save the leftovers in a sealed container in refrigerator for tomorrow night’s dinner.

SPICY SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND BROCCOLI PASTA

Ingredients:

½ pound dried whole wheat bow-tie pasta

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1-1/2 pounds broccoli chopped into small bite-sized pieces

Sea salt

½ cup oil packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped

2 to 3 ounces goat cheese, crumbled while still cold (1/2 cup after crumbled)

½ cup coarsely grated Parmesan

15 pitted Kalamata olives, chopped

½ small lemon, juiced

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to boiling water and cook until al dente, then drain in a colander.  Set aside.  In a skillet on the stove heat the olive oil over medium low heat.  Then add the red pepper flakes and garlic and cook as you stir. Add the sun-dried tomatoes next, then  add the broccoli and season with the salt while cooking and stirring for about 10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add drained pasta and more oil.  Stir well and add goat cheese and Parmesan, then the chopped olives and lemon juice.  If needed add in more olive oil. 

Store what you need for lunch in the refrigerator in a sealed mason jar until needed.  Pack in insulated lunchbox with ice pack to keep cold.  Store the rest in the refrigerator for tomorrow night’s dinner.

HAM SLICED PEARS AND SWISS SANDWICH

Ingredients:

1Tablespoon Plain Greek Yogurt

¼ Teaspoon Dried Dill

2 Slices pumpernickel bread

1 ounce lean sliced ham

1 small pear, thinly sliced

1-1 ounce slice Swiss cheese

Directions:

Combine yogurt and dill in a small bowl and blend.  Spread over bread slices.  Top one slice of bread with ham, half of the pear slices, cheese and remaining bread slice.  Serve with remaining pear slices on the side.

CHERRY COMPOTE OVER GOAT CHEESE

Ingredients:

1 lb sweet cherries, pitted (Bing cherries will work well)

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

¼ teaspoon minced fresh thyme

4 ounces goat cheese

Directions:

Cook cherries and sugar over medium high heat in a skillet, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes.  Sprinkle on vinegar and thyme.  Cook 1 minutes more.  Slice goat cheese into rounds and top with warm compote.  (This will be good cold or hot and will keep in the refrigerator in a mason jar for lunches.  Use insulated lunch box with ice pack to keep cold during transport.)

MENUS -  FOR WEEK TWO

Day 8 – Fast Day: Curried Chicken and Rice Soup (Extra soup freezes well)

Day 9 – Moderate Day:  Sonoma Chicken Salad Sandwich

Day 10 – Fast Day:  Cobb Salad

Day 11 – Moderate Day:  Peanut butter and Banana Wraps

Day 12 – Fast Day: Avocado and Pineapple Salad

Day 13- Moderate Day: .Curried Egg Salad Sandwich

Day 14 – FEAST DAY!: Veggie Sandwich and Chocolate Brownie – OR YOU MAY EAT OUT AND HAVE WHATEVER YOU DESIRE.  THIS IS YOUR FEAST DAY.

GROCERY LIST FOR WEEK TWO:

2 bone-in chicken breast. (Cook ahead on cooking day and store in refrigerator)

1 package bacon (cook ahead on cooking day and crumble and store in refrigerator)

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast, cooked and diced (prepare on cooking day and store)

2 carrots

4 ripe avocados

2 white onions

2 red onions

2 red bell peppers

1 lemon

1 orange

1 zucchini

2 tomatoes

1 head lettuce

1 bag romaine lettuce

1 bag curly endive (frisee)

1 bag baby spinach leafs

1 bag watercress

1 bag Boston lettuce

2 bananas

1-2-1/2 pound pineapple

1 quart extra virgin olive oil

1 Bunch fresh mint (Chop and freeze into ice cubes to keep fresh)

1 Bunch fresh dill (Chop and freeze into ice cubes to keep fresh)

Chives

Bay leaf

Poppy Seeds

cumin

Curry Powder

Sea salt

Pepper corns

2 Quarts Low sodium chicken broth

Jasmine rice

1 Loaf of whole wheat bread (freeze what you don’t use)

1 bag whole wheat pita pockets (freeze what you don’t use)

Mayonnaise

Raisins

1 dozen organic cage-free eggs (hard boil 2 and chop ahead on cooking day)

1 bottle red wine vinegar

Dijon-style mustard

Grated Roquefort

Creamy peanut butter

Whole wheat tortillas (1 bag 8 – 10 inch) (1 bag 6 inch) (freeze what is leftover)

Honey

miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

Minced garlic

Brown sugar

Lime juice

Lemon juice

Plain Greek Yogurt (1 pint)

Sliced cheese (any flavor)

1 pkg Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate (4 oz.)

2 sticks butter

2 cups sugar

vanilla

flour

chopped pecans

RECIPES FOR WEEK TWO:

CURRIED CHICKEN AND RICE SOUP:

Ingredients:

2 bone-in chicken breast

2 medium carrots, diced

1 bay leaf

Sea salt

6 cups low sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion sliced thin

1-1/2 teaspoons Madras curry powder

1/3 cup jasmine rice

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions: 

Combine the chicken, carrots, bay leaf and a pinch of sea salt in a medium saucepan.  Add 3 cups broth and bring to a boil.  Immediately reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the chicken is just firm about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile heat the oil in another saucepan over medium low heat.  Add the onion, one teaspoon of salt, and cook until the onion is soft (about 5 minutes.)  Add the curry powder and cook for one minute.  Add the rice and the remaining 3 cups of broth.  Increase the heat to medium and cover and comer until the rice falls apart (15 – 20 minutes.)  Remove the chicken from its broth; discard the skin and shred the meat into pieces.  Return the shredded chicken to the same broth.  Puree the rice mixture with a blender until smooth, then return to the pan.  Pour in the shredded chicken and broth, stirring gently to combine; bring to a simmer.  Toss in the chopped herbs and serve the soup with lemon wedges. (Whatever is leftover can be frozen and reused later)

SONOMA CHICKEN SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients:

2 slices whole wheat bread

1 chicken breast, cooked and diced

½ cup mayonnaise

1 tsp. poppy seeds

¼ cup raisins

2 slices tomato

3 leaves organic lettuce

Directions:

In a bowl combine mayonnaise, poppy seeds, raisins (plump them first) and diced chicken.  Stir until well combined.  Place this into one small air-tight container inside your insulated lunch box.  Wrap two slices of bread with wax paper and store in lunch box.  Place lettuce and sliced tomato inside another air-tight container and store in lunch box.  When lunch time comes; pull out all three pre-packed ingredients and cover the first slice of bread with already made chicken salad.  Top with lettuce and sliced tomato.  Complete sandwich with the second slice of bread and enjoy. 

COBB SALAD:

Ingredients:

½ head romaine

½ head Boston lettuce

1 small bunch of frisee (curly endive)

½ bunch watercress (stems discarded)

6 slices bacon

2 ripe avocados, seed  removed, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces

1 tomato seeded and chopped fine

1 whole skinless, boneless chicken breast halved, cooked and diced.

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

2/3 cup olive oil

½ cup finely grated Roquefort

Directions: 

Pre-cook the bacon on cooking day and crumble into a plastic bag until time to prepare this salad.  Also on cooking day wash and shred the lettuce leafs and de-stem the watercress.  Store the watercress in a plastic bag with a damp cloth inside the refrigerator until time to use and store the prepared lettuce leaves inside you salad spinner in the refrigerator. On lunch day toss the watercress with the other lettuces and place in a medium sized plastic air-tight container in your insulated lunch box with the ice pack.  Place the bacon, diced chicken, diced tomato, diced avocado, chopped chives,and diced eggs into separate baggies on top of the lettuce container.

 At lunch time compose the salad by arranging the chicken, the bacon, the tomato, the avocado decoratively over the container of greens and garnish the salad with the grated egg and the chives. 

On cooking day prepare the dressing ahead and store inside a small air-tight container until time to pack your lunch.  To prepare dressing:  In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, the mustard, the salt and pepper to taste.  Add the oil in a slow stream while whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.  Stir in the Roquefort.  Whisk once more.  Keep refrigerated in a proper storage container until time to use.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA WRAPS

Ingredients

½ cup creamy peanut butter

4 whole wheat regular flour tortillas (8 – 10 inch)

¼ cup honey

2 small bananas, sliced

¼ cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips (if desired)

Directions: 

Spread 2 tablespoons of the peanut butter evenly over each tortilla.  Drizzle one tablespoon of the honey over each tortilla.  Top with banana slices and chocolate chips.  Roll up tortillas.  Secure with toothpicks.  Place inside plastic bags until time to use.  Pack in insulated lunch box with ice pack on day of lunch.  (These can be made ahead and frozen.  They are handy to keep in the freezer for healthy snacks for the grand kids.)

AVOCADO WATERCRESS AND PINEAPPLE SALAD

(Prepare the element of this salad ahead on cooking day and combine everything the day you use it.)

Ingredients:

2 bunches watercress

1 (2-1/2 lb.) pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into four 1 inch slices.

3 garlic cloves minced

1 teaspoon brown sugar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 large avocado

1 small red onion thinly slivered lengthwise

Directions:

For the Watercress:

On cooking day place the watercress in a colander and wash under cold water.  Remove the stems.  Pat dry with paper towels and refrigerate.

For the Pineapple:

Prepare the pineapple on cooking day.  Preheat the broiler.  Place the pineapple slices on a baking pan and sprinkle the brown sugar evenly on top of them.  Broil about 3 inches from the heat source, turning once for 10 minutes on each side.  Let cool then cut into 1-inch cubes. (Refrigerate these until lunch day inside a plastic bag on top of the watercress for this salad.)

For the Dressing:

Place the garlic, olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine.  Set aside in an air-tight container until time to carry in lunch.  Place next to watercress and pineapple in refrigerator.

For the Avocado:

Cut the avocado lengthwise in half around the pit and remove the pit.  Place the avocado halves cut side down on the work surface and slice lengthwise into 1 inch wide wedges.  Peel each segment by hand or with a paring knife and cut into 1 inch cubes.  Cut this up on the day you are taking the lunch and place inside a plastic bag on top of the watercress container.

To Assemble The Salad:

When you have placed everything separately into your insulated lunch box with an ice pack, take it all out at lunch time and toss the watercress in its larger container  with half the dressing. Add the pineapple and avocado to the same container and toss with the rest of the dressing.  Mound the pineapple and avocado over the bed of watercress.  Garnish with the slivers of red onion.  Enjoy!  (Don’t forget to pack a plastic fork every day.)

If you have leftover ingredients; place all on a platter for dinner with the watercress on the bottom of the platter and the pineapple and avocado in mounds on the top of the platter.  Looks nice scooped out like ice cream with the red onion pieces sprinkled as a garnish. 

CURRIED EGG SALAD SANDWICH

Ingredients:

2 hard cooked eggs, chopped

2 tablespoons plain Greek style yogurt

2 Tablespoons chopped red bell pepper

¼ teaspoon curry powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 slices whole wheat bread

½ cup fresh spinach

1 orange

Directions:

Combine eggs (boil these ahead on cooking day), yogurt, bell pepper, curry powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and stir well. (Mix this ahead on cooking day and store in an air-tight container in refrigerator until time to use.)  Place spinach in a plastic bag and wrap up the bread in wax paper until time to eat lunch.  Store all inside insulated lunch box with an ice pack.  When lunch time comes top the bread with the spinach and egg salad, then place the top slice of bread over all.  Peel and slice the orange for a side dish.

VEGGIE SANDWICH

Ingredients:

1 small medium zucchini, thinly sliced

½ medium onion peeled and sliced

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Whole Grain Pita pocket

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup baby spinach

1 medium red roasted red bell pepper cut into strips

½ avocado, sliced and drizzled with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice

4 slices of your favorite cheese

Directions:

Place all the vegetables inside a baking dish or rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil.  Bake on 375 degrees for 20 minutes until vegetables are soft, but still a little crunchy.  Place veggies in bowl with mayonnaise mixture and coat.  Place cheese slices inside pita bread pocket and then stuff it with the vegetables.  Heat the whole sandwich in the oven just long enough to get the cheese to melt.  Cook these sandwiches ahead on cooking day, then wrap up and store in refrigerator until time to pack for lunch.  They are good either hot or cold. 

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE

Ingredients:

1 pkg Bakers Unsweetened Chocolate (4 oz.)

¾ cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

1 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.  Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.  Stir in sugar.  Blend in eggs and vanilla.  Add flour and nuts and mix well.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudge crumbs.  Do not over-bake.  Cool.  (These can be frozen in bulk – but NO EATING EXCEPT ON FEAST DAYS!)  It is your FEAST DAY today; so if you would rather eat out or have something else; don't feel guilty.  The Veggie Sandwich and the brownie will keep for another Feast Day when you are not able to go out; or want to be lazy and stay home in your pajamas all day!  You decide; you deserve it.

I hope you enjoy the first two weeks of the grocery menus, recipes and grocery lists for lunches.  I will continue on the subject of organizing a healthy lunch next Friday in  AN APPLE A DAY – 365 DAYS TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE.  We will complete the processing of organizing our lunches at that time.  Just two more weeks of lunches to organize and we will be done with lunch.

I am excited about these new lunch menus!   

I truly hope they make your lunch planning and grocery shopping easier and healthier.

Hopefully, getting our food organized will cut down on the amount of stress involved in preparing daily meals and grocery shopping.  By the time we have walked-out all of these progressive baby steps to food prep we will be making three great improvements toward living a healthier lifestyle:

1)  We will be getting our kitchens, cooking, meal plans and grocery shopping organized.

2)  We will be eating healthier.

3)  We will be eliminating a lot of daily stress by having a good, efficient plan.

Won’t that be a great accomplishment?  

Not only will we be more organized and less stressed, but the icing on the cake will be that our plan for better health will be well attended in the course of our daily meals.  We will all be feeling much better when we make it so much easier to prepare our daily meals in a healthy and nutritious way. 

COME AS A CHILD - LESSON 158 - TEN CURTAINS OF FINE WHITE LINEN

UNDERSTANDING THE SYMBOLISM OF THE WILDERNESS TABERNACLE

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

 Wouldn't you have loved to have been in on the conversation when God was  telling Moses how He wanted him to construct the wilderness tabernacle?

Can you imagine the excitement that the two shared?  

It must have been amazing.  God was putting together his dream for mankind and Moses was getting to participate. These instructions are all spelled out in your bible in Exodus Chapter 26.

Moses learned that the inside of the tabernacle should be made of ten curtains of fine-twined linen, and blue, and purple, and scarlet; with cherubim handmade by expert craftsmen.

God's description of these items to Moses started with the inside of the tabernacle first, and then progressed slowly toward the explanation of the outside of the tabernacle.   Most humans would have given these instructions in the opposite order; outside to inside; but this is not how God works.  He always starts with the inside and works His way out.

This spiritual pattern also shadows the way God changes a person’s heart. He starts on the inside first.  When the inside is right; the outside seems to make the proper adjustments.  

So it is was that God revealed the building of the tabernacle to Moses from the inside out.  

This is the amazing wisdom of a Mighty God; if the inside is not perfect the outside can never be perfect.  This is true of people; and it was also true of God’s dwelling place among the people. 

We, in our humanity, tend to see from the outside in; but God in His divinity, sees from the inside out.  He looks upon the spirit and the heart of a person first; not the physical appearance.  This is one of the factors that separates divinity from humanity; this ability to see from the inside out.

The tabernacle was of such a pattern.

Can you see the way that God showed Moses to start building?  

Can you see the pattern that is set for constructing our own lives and purifying our own bodies?  

We must begin on the inside and take care of the matters of the heart and everything else will conform to fit around that pattern.  

Are there matters of the heart that you must be taking care of?  This is where God wants you to start building your tabernacle as you walk through the wilderness of this world.

That is God's first instruction to you.  Begin from the inside and work your way out.  Take care of the most important matter first; your heart.  That is how the world will begin to see that very special person that God designed to be you.  That is when the gifts and talents that God gave you at birth will come forth.

Next week we will speak more of these curtains of white linen that were being carefully designed, and skillfully made and placed inside the wilderness tabernacle.  There are many more interesting features that we can use to mirror our own characters by as we worship the wise and mighty God who still dwells among us today.

SEASONS - NOAH AND THE DAYS OF LENT

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

Lent in 2017 begins on Wednesday, March 1 and continues until Thursday, April 13th.  It is mostly the Catholic Church that faithfully observes Lent, but there are some other devout Christians who also believe it is a good thing to do, and they join in by offering up or giving up something to and for God to show they care and want to change.  

This year, as many faithful people begin to observe the practice of Lent, I am reminded of the story of Noah. 

Every time I stop to think about all that is going on in the world today, I see comparisons to the world that must have existed in the days of Noah.  Ironically, this sad fact gives me great hope because of the words of Jesus in Matthew 24:37;  “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.”  (New Living Translation).  This makes me feel it is possible that the Second Coming is near!

Consider what we know of the days of Noah.  We read in Genesis 6:5 that “The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time.”  If you listen to the news, click into the Internet, or just simply walk down the street today you will notice a consistent pattern of wickedness and evil.  

Day in and day out we see greedy government corruption, children murdered while attending school, sex trafficking, the worship of pagan and demonic spirits appearing as half-time entertainment in televised football games, rampant homosexuality and the threat of being punished if you take a stand against it.  All around us there are people wishing to change the definition of marriage and family as God created them, and our government and civilization seems to be in the process of changing everything that has ever given us stability and hope.  

There are machines of special interest groups out there changing the whole essence of the world we live and breathe in; causing families to be wounded and ripped apart.  We see horrible sins committed against children and women.  We see men being martyred and put in prison for their belief in Christ.  There are more martyrs today than ever before in history.  Their deaths never make the front page of the the paper or the main event on your local news station.  The press looks the other way and promotes things of no value.  Most of us feel unsafe just walking down the street alone.   

Perhaps these same things were just what God saw as He looked through the windows of heaven at the world during the days of Noah.  

God probably saw the perfectly good, clean, pure world He had given to mankind being corrupted and used more for evil than for its original intended purposes.  This must have really caused the heart of God to grieve.  Perhaps today He is grieving even more.   

Imagine having grieved over this situation once and caring enough to send Noah a solution to change and correct it, then seeing it happen all over again, and deciding to send your very own Son to straighten it out.  

Imagine allowing your only Son to give His life for the good of the people, and then looking down again to see things only getting worse than before.  

Do you think God’s heart is grieved?  

I know it is.  

This surely helps me to understand the wrath of God when I think of the significance of how many times He has made a way for people to change and they have not done so. 

We really do have a way to change!  

There is a blueprint; it is in the Holy Days, it is in The Scriptures, it is even written in the stars of the sky.  God has provided His Son to save us and He has given us a chance for mercy and forgiveness.  

We only need to turn around and go in a different direction.   God has spelled out his instructions to us in a million different ways.  

If you’re living and breathing you can’t really miss this!  They are in the setting and rising of the sun, the ebb and flow of the tides, the phases of the Moon, the working of all things together.   Noah had the good sense to see them, accept them and follow the Creator that put these things into motion. 


In the days of Noah, there was one godly family; a man and a woman with children; the godly family of Noah.  God looked down and saw that they were good.  

Do you ever wonder what was so good about them?  

I think it was that they totally obeyed every word that God gave them.  That is all it takes to actually please God; just to be obedient.  

God is smart enough for all of us, we don’t have to be smart.  

He is good enough for all of us; we don’t even have to be good.  

We just have to listen and obey, like Noah and his family did. That was their secret for success, and that is all that is required of us in the end.  

The subject of obedience keeps presenting itself as people go through the process called "Lent."  

We can learn a lot about obedience as we ponder the old story of   Noah and his family.  

Many questions arise:  

Who is still obedient to God on this earth that we live in today?  

Who will get to enter that ark that will save us when the wrath of God comes to the earth the next time?  

Who can be like Noah and still keep their eyes on God and be obedient even when troubles come?

God said to Noah, “I will send a great flood of water to wash everything clean and to make all things new again.  Build an ark….”  

Who is listening to God saying “Build an ark?”  

Can anyone else hear that voice saying, “Heal My church, build it up, make it strong, because the rain is coming!”  

How many Noah’s are out there listening to the voice of God today?  

How many of them are warning about the days to come?  

How many of them are proclaiming the hard things instead of feeding unhealthy sugar to the frenzied crowds that flock to a building on Sundays just looking for some little spark of hope that God is still there, that He exists, that He has a plan and He is carrying it out and He will provide a way for them to be a part of it all?  

Where are the modern-day Noahs who say “I hear the voice of God and He is telling us to get ready?”  

Put your ear to the street and listen for their voices, I hope you do not only hear scoffers and unbelievers feeding you the same old lies; that things are fine, that we don’t have to change, that God doesn’t care what we do or how we live, that you shouldn’t worry about the voice of those old prophets.

Yes, we are living in days just like Noah’s.  How long will it be before God removes His people from this state?  

So Noah set about following the blueprint that God spelled out for him. 

As Noah built the ark the animals began to arrive, two by two, male and female, imagine that!  

Was God trying to give us an example here?  I wonder.  

The ark was finished, and the animals came inside.  

Last of all came Noah and his family.  

God shut the door.  Once God shuts a door it cannot be opened again until He decides to open it.  Get inside the ark before God shuts the door.  Time is short and the rain is coming!

And the rain came down, and it rained buckets of water for forty days and forty nights. 

All the 40 days of Lent will come and go so quickly and it is possible that much rain may fall.  

I’m thinking about Noah being all locked up in that boat with all those animals for all those days.  

I look around me, and I can have some sympathy for what that was like.  We live in a world of humans who want to act like animals, and those in the boat with Noah were pretty tame compared to some of the ones we have to deal with day-in and day-out as we go about our business.  

How did Noah feel?  

Well, he dealt with those animals in a loving way.  

He fed them and cleaned up after them, even though they probably smelled pretty bad.  

He tried to keep them safe and secure.  

He fed and watered them.  

They were like his career while he was in the ark.  He looked after them.  Even though they were dirty stinky animals now, Noah knew they carried within them new life for the planet.  

He respected this.  

He overlooked what they could not understand; and he looked after them.  

Every dirty stinky needy person walking on this planet today is carrying around a tiny seed that could grow into new life.  

We just have to care for them.  

We just have to feed and look after them until God brings that change about.  It is our career, while we are stuck in this storm we call life.

It might have been pretty boring living in that ark too; never seeing the sun, never going out for a walk; just staring at that gopher-wood day after day after day.  

Sometimes God wants us right where we are, and He has work for us to do while we are there.  

Just like Noah, we must learn to put away our own feelings and get to the chores at hand.     
So Noah and his family passed the days away on the ark.  The water rose and the ark rocked.  

Ever been in a rocking ark?  

It can get a bit frightening at times.  

Sometimes the ark of the church rises on a flood of water and the people get rocked and move around a lot.  

Some of them get knocked out of their places and they fall and slide and land in other areas.  

It happens when the floods come.  

Things change.  

You can’t see what God is doing and you can feel pretty shaken at times and wonder what on earth is going on.  Often there are rains all around and people are moving and changing all the time.  Sometimes they fall and sometimes they are able to hold on.  

Just know that God is in charge; and we just cannot see exactly what He is doing yet.  

It is the time to  have the faith of Noah and endure for a season.   

We have to wait for the ark to settle down on top of the more peaceful waters.  

We need to ride the waves of life every day for awhile.  Those waves can get pretty high at times, but you will be safe in the ark, all you really have to do is hold on and wait.  Just like Noah.

God spared Noah from seeing those who did not survive the flood.  

He kept him occupied inside the ark tending to the animals, just like you would spare your own child from the violence of hard situations.  All through the flood God kept Noah and his family safe, warm and dry.  They waited with faith.  One day the rains stopped and God sent a mighty wind to dry up the water.

Noah went up to the deck of the ark and released a dove.   The dove flew away but soon returned because it could only find water for miles and miles.  

After a few days Noah sent the dove a second time, and it returned with an olive leaf.

Noah knew the water was subsiding.  Noah sent the dove a third time and it did not return, it had found a new home. 

Soon the ark landed; and Noah let the animals out of the ark.  They too went out and found new homes. 

Then, Noah and his family came out onto dry land.  

The whole world was washed clean and new.  

God had made them a new home, and it was good.

Just like that dove and the animals and Noah's family that found a new home after the flood, the Holy Spirit can increase in the place of our hearts during the time of waiting through Lent or any other season of time, as long as we are trusting God no matter what the circumstances;  as long as we are being obedient to what He is saying to us.  

As the season progresses and the 40 days are passing by, the faithful know that God is going to take His people to a new home, one that is purer, cleaner, and better than this one that we live in today.  

That future home will be one where no evil or wickedness may dwell.  I know all of us who believe in Christ and have the faith to get inside the ark and ride out the storms of life will be shown a better place one day.  

It is just a matter of trusting God to see us through the storm.  

God is continually making things new in preparation for this new home He wants to give to us.  

So; during this season of Lent, won't you let Him make your heart new too?  

It feels cleaner.  

It feels fresher.  

It feels like a page turning, like a new place forming.  

It is good; and it makes you want to give thanks!

That was just what Noah and his family did.  They built an altar and they gave thanks to God.  At that time God must have smiled.  The skies reflected His smile in the form of a rainbow. 

The rainbow was the sign that said God always keeps His promises. 

Those of us who have weathered the storms of life are realizing it more and more.  

He will keep His promise.  

He will return again. 

Let us be found as faithful as Noah.

THE HOUSE DOCTOR - MAKING A PLACE FOR QUIET MEDITATION IN YOUR HOME

(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

HOW DO WE GET OFF THE MERRY-GO-ROUND ?

Why is it that keeping things simple always gets complicated?  Often it is because we do not make room for a place of peace and harmony in which to begin our days.  

As we continue our journey toward making a house a home I want to consider simplicity.  

Simplicity really matters in having a happy place to call home.  

John Burroughs once stated  "To find the universal elements enough; to find the air  and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter...to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life!  

It all sounds wonderful, but how does one get there?

Simplicity starts when we make a conscious effort to create the time and space for it.  Just as your spaces get cluttered, so can your mind and your time.  I suggest daily that we must establish an hour of unscheduled time out from the hustle and bustle of the merry-go-round world and come into a quiet space within our own homes to be refreshed and renewed.  This is crucial for peace and harmony in the home.

A very smart woman named Victoria Moran once stated it this way:  "A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with - that's poverty - but how efficiently we can put first things first....When you're clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it's clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar."

With this thought in mind, I want to encourage you to establish a reading and meditating area inside your home.  It could be just a desk area where you keep books, notebook and pen, or a comfortable corner chair with a side table and lamp and a place to lay aside your glasses and set your coffee cup down while you are reading.  It could be as simple as the corner of your sofa, as long as you will not be disturbed while you linger there.  Any little corner will do.  Use your imagination.  Try as much as possible to keep this a place out of the main part of the home and away from the noise and business of everyday life.  When we go to this place, we want to be able to obtain and maintain uninterrupted time.

No matter how large or small your family may be, this is something important to each and every one of us.   I recently read an article that advised everyone to “jump off the merry-go-round.”  In other words – get out of the endless circles of life that lead you nowhere.

It all sounds very good in theory, but how can one really do such a thing?  

Establishing a set place and time inside your home and using it every day might just be the first step to spending a lot less time on this ever-turning, fast-spinning carousel of life.  Keeping this daily time alone is the next step.  Then, simply make a conscious decision to change your pace and priorities by beginning to consider and do one little thing at a time until you find yourself completely turned around and going in another more desirable direction.  Someone once said this a bit differently when they stated; the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.

So what would be the first step to take if your goal in life is to live a simpler, less complicated lifestyle, with more focus and less distraction and waste?  

For many of us the first bite of this elephant would be to establish a consistent act of daily prayer and meditation within our home.  We would need to make this a priority and keep it the very first part of each and every day of our lives.  In other words, make a habit to consider each day before it begins.   Determine not to be robbed of this important part of your day!  This could be accomplished simply by getting up one hour earlier.  If you are not a morning person, let it be the last hour of the night before you go to bed.  Just sit quietly and concentrate on the coming day.   You will go to sleep prepared, especially if some of that time is spent being thankful and counting your current blessings as well as making plans for the future.

Just for comfort, indulge in a small treat.  This will inspire you to relax and enjoy this time so that you are always looking forward to and anticipating the next time you will do this all over again.  Persistence is key.  Before you do anything else in your morning or evening routine, simply sit down and have a cup of coffee with God.  After all, what could be more important?  If you're an evening person, pour yourself a glass of wine or fix yourself some hot cocoa and go find your quiet space in which to enjoy it.   I think Jesus set aside time alone and away from the world with God every day that he walked the dusty roads of this earth.  No one could ever go wrong by deciding to imitate Jesus.  God knows all those things that seem to keep us on the merry-go-round.  

 He also knows the direction He has planned and purposed for each of our lives.   If we take the time to listen He reminds us of what we forget.   Talk to Him about those “merry-go-round” things, and ask for His help with them.  

Afterward, simply sit still and let God speak to you about the other things He has in store for your next day and/or the rest of your life.  

Take it one day at a time.  Let yesterday prove tomorrow.  Build on what you are learning as you go.

It might be good to write down the things you feel God is saying to you.  Do not forget them when the first spin of the carousel winds up again and the music of the day begins to play.  Read the scriptures and use your favorite author's devotional books.  (I love Ann Voskamp; we all have our favorites.)  In doing this myself I just recently read a quote by Ann Voskamp that perfectly described our goals here:  "I don't really want more time; I just want enough time.  Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy and just enough time in a day not to feel hounded, pressed, driven, or wild to get it all done - yesterday."  

As you sit and listen, pull out the scriptures that apply to your thoughts and write them in a notebook.  As you talk with God, just look up passages that will take you deeper into the subjects that God brings to your mind.  A good concordance is essential.  Keep one handy in the spot where you chose to meet with God each day, as well as your notebook, a pen, your bible and your reading glasses.  If the outdoors make you feel closer to God by all means find a quiet little space in your backyard.  Once you get all comfortable and in-tuned to yourself and God you don't want to be distracted by having to search for what you might need.  There are cute patterns out there for crafting an organizer from cloth to hold your notebook, pen and pencil, glasses, bible and interesting devotional books.  Make one to match your room, or purchase a handy little decorative book bag for holding these things and just pick it up and bring with you when needed.  

Ask God to make the message of His words and/or his messengers clear and plain to you.  Journal as you go, referencing the scriptures and the words that God emphasizes to you from day to day.  Some people like to use illustrations in their journals instead of words, or they cut and paste little pieces of artwork that describe what they are learning.  Make it personal and make it artful.  Listen to meaningful music or sing yourself if you like.  Worship to God in song first thing in the day is awesome!   Write poetry if it helps you to express your feelings.  Pay attention to any patterns that begin to develop.  Review the notes in your journal from week to week and let God begin to  paint the picture of your specific purposes in life that He created just for you.  Make a list of the important things you see in this masterful new painting that He will put before you each day as you pray. 

Make lists of what is most important for your life.  Jot down the priorities as they come to mind and remember them throughout the coming day.  From time to time as you meet to pray in those early morning hours, review your list and ask God to keep you on track.  Make revisions to the list and add notes when He shows them to you.  You will soon feel the clutter of your life begin to break off and leave.  You will find yourself leaving old habits and developing new ways.  A peace and order will come to you even in the midst of troubles and trials, even if you are working through uncontrollable circumstances.  

The truth of the matter is that prayer renews and rejuvenates our spirits just as sleep refreshes our bodies.  You feel the adverse effects whenever your body loses sleep for days at a time.  This is also true with your spirit if you neglect a daily routine of prayer. 

So allow yourself this little luxury first thing each morning (or whatever time works best for your internal clock.)  MAKE THIS SIMPLE LITTLE SPACE IN YOUR HOME.   Receive God’s blessings and direction for each day of your life early.  Start your day Christ centered before you go out into a man-centered world.  Remember the first step in living in a kingdom is recognizing and getting to know the king. You must grasp what is most important to the king and go in that direction with your time and efforts in order to have a kingdom (or a home)  that lives in peace and harmony.  Anything else is just another ride on the merry-go-round.