final spring lunches

1. blackberries, sapote, & cherimoya
2. carrots (CSA)
3. "blueberry yogurt" (Feeding Kids Right)
4. sandwich: raw almond butter & lavender jelly on ezekiel bread

All the fruits, carrots, and even the lavender jelly were local organics.

The blueberry yogurt was very simple: blueberries, ground flax seed, plain soy milk, and dates in a blender. Although it was tasty and Eliza devoured it (I got just one bite), I think I'll save this one for home from now on.

The lavender jelly was part of my Mother's Day present. There's a lavender farm in North County, and I'm tempted to go to its lavender festival this Sunday.

Pictured right is a somewhat Mediterranean-themed lunch:

1. avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, lemon juice
2. carrots (CSA) & crackers (from a box, has brown rice, quinoa, flax, and sesame seeds)
3. hummus
4. pumpkin muffins (based on Vegan with a Vengeance)

I loves Isa's muffins, but I always tinker with the recipes since I double the spices and avoid white flour and sugar. I replace the former with whole wheat pastry flour and the latter with maple syrup (usually I replace with agave nectar, but maple syrup complements pumpkin so well). I'd post my updated version of the recipe, but I haven't quite gotten the ratios right (next time, even more flour to make up for using a liquid sweetener), so the muffins are a little flat - although delicious!

The hummus I don't make with a recipe, which is just as well because I've never found a hummus recipe that has enough lemon juice and garlic for me. I just throw in the usual ingredients and keep adjusting until it tastes right.

Usually, we only pack a couple lunches a week, but we got together with friends today. I didn't take a photo of the lunch box because it looked a lot like yesterday's because I had leftover hummus. I also packed a bowl of cut fresh fruit: strawberries (CSA), sapotes, red grapes, and nectarines.

We rarely finish everything, but that works out well and translates into an effortless nosh later in the day.