Send a Lunch With a Punch

Written by ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen

School’s back! The beginning of a new school year is a good time to start developing good habits regarding school lunches.

1. Plan it! Sit down with your kids and plan the weekly menu. Take the time to shop for everything at once to avoid extra trips to the grocery store during the week.

2. Bag it! When preparing school lunches, use an insulated lunch box and re-sealable, airtight containers. These will keep the food fresh and protect it from getting crushed. Plus, they’re good for the environment.

3. Cool it! Place perishable items, such as meat, poultry and dairy products, next to a freezer ice pack or frozen juice box. After lunch, any leftover perishable food should be discarded.

Below are two recipes from the ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen’s latest cookbook Everyday Delicious. The cookbook includes easy-to-prepare recipes to make your meal planning less stressful. For additional information and recipes from our cookbooks, visit atcoblueflamekitchen.com.

BANANA OAT BRAN MUFFINS

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) oat bran
1 cup (250 mL) flour
2 tsp. (10 mL) baking powder
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) salt
1/2 tsp. (2 mL) cinnamon
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) baking soda
1/8 tsp. (0.5 mL) nutmeg
3/4 cup (175 mL) mashed ripe bananas
1/2 cup (125 mL) milk
1/4 cup (50 mL) honey
1 egg
2 tbsp. (25 mL) oil
1 tsp. (5 mL) vanilla
1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins

Combine first 7 ingredients (oat bran through nutmeg) in a bowl. Whisk together bananas, milk, honey, egg, oil and vanilla until blended. Add banana mixture to oat bran mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in raisins. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling cups three-quarters full. Bake at 400ºF (200ºC) for 15 to 17 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in centres comes out clean. Cool muffins in pan for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on a rack. Makes 12.

OATMEAL BREAD

The crunchy crust on this tender loaf is irresistible!

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) water
1/4 cup (50 mL) oil
1/4 cup (50 mL) sugar
2 tsp. (10 mL) salt
1 tsp. (5 mL) fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. (1 mL) ground ginger
3 cups (750 mL) flour
1 1/2 cups (375 mL) quick-cooking rolled oats
2 1/4 tsp (11 mL) bread machine yeast

Place ingredients in baking pan of bread machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Select the basic/white bread cycle. Remove baked bread from pan and cool on a rack. Makes 1 loaf (2lbs./1kg).