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With entire families stuck at home while we shelter in place, and parents already becoming teachers, as well as home school lunch cooks, prepping healthy and easy food (for all the meals a day) may seem like a chore no one has time for …but it doesn’t have to be!
 
For some lunchtime inspiration, we enlisted Dan Giusti, the former #1 chef in the world turned social entrepreneur and founder of Brigaid, has made a name for himself by providing fresh, homemade, restaurant-quality lunches to public school students, and has a recipe for every kids’ taste buds.
Some easy, breezy, homeschool lunch recipes below, plus: check out Brigaid’s Instagram for some drool-worthy (and nutritious) meals

Meatloaf Recipe- Serves up to 10 children

  • 4 lbs Ground Beef
  • 1 Tbsp Canola Oil
  • 1 ½ Large Spanish Onion
  • 1 ½  cups BBQ Sauce
  • 2 ¼ cups Panko Bread Crumbs
  • 8 Large Egg
  • 2 Tbsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Fresh Rosemary

Directions:

  1. In a large pan, heat canola oil and add in onions. Cook the onions over medium heat until caramelized.
  2. Combine Panko, salt, pepper and finely chopped rosemary in a mixer.
  3. Add in eggs, cooked onions and ground beef.
  4. Mix until thoroughly combined.
  5. Spray your pan to prevent sticking, then form your meatloaf 2-3 inches thick.
  6. Bake at 325ºF until the meatloaf reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
  7. Remove meatloaf from the oven and brush BBQ sauce until evenly coated. Return to the oven and broil until the BBQ sauce has caramelized, this should only take minutes.
  8. Let the meatloaf rest 15 minutes under foil.

Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes- Serves 10

  • 5 lbs Idaho Potatoes
  • 3 Tbsp Buttermilk
  • 1 Cup Whole Milk
  • 1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Cracked Black Pepper

To Cook the Potatoes: 

  1. Put peeled and quartered potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Heat on high until a simmer is reached.
  2. Once the pot is simmering, lower the heat and cook gently until potatoes are fork tender, then drain.
  3. While the potatoes are cooking combine the milk, buttermilk and olive oil in a pot and heat over low heat.
  4. In a mixer with the whisk attachment, add potatoes, heated milk mixture, salt and pepper.
  5. Whip at a low speed, gradually increasing until potatoes are fluffy and no lumps remain.

Crispy Kale- Serves 10

  • 2 bu Kale
  • 3 Tbsp Canola Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt

Directions:

  1. Remove stems from kale, preserving large leaves.
  2. In a mixing bowl, use your hands to thoroughly dress the kale in canola oil. Season with salt.
  3. Transfer kale to a baking sheet in one even layer, no leaves should be overlapping.
  4. Bake at 275ºF until crispy but not brown, this should take about 10 minutes.

Plus, some recipes by Sarah Adler, Nutrition coach, Healthy lifestyle expert, and Simply Real Health cookbook author 

The Blueberry Morning Baby Cake:

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups gf oats
  • 1 banana, mashed
  • 1 can pumpkin (bpa free)
  • 1 small bag frozen organic blueberries or raspberries
  • 1 medium bag of frozen organic spinach
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk (bpa free)
  • 1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
  • 3 tablespoons flax seeds (or chia)
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions 

Preheat oven to 375. Line a round cake pan with natural parchment paper. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well to combine.  Mix batter well then pour into cake pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until top is slightly brown and middle of cake is slightly firm to touch.

Veggie & Red Lentil Curry Stew

Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 cups red lentils
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 large bag frozen broccoli (or 3-4 cups fresh)
  • 1 large bag frozen butternut squash (or 3 cups fresh)
  • 1 yam, cubed
  • 5 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 1 TB red curry paste (I used Thai Kitchen)
  • 2 tsp sea salt + 1 tsp pepper

Directions

  • For the InstantPot: Add all ingredients to an instantpot, close tamper to high pressure and set for 30 minutes.
  • If making in a crockpot: Add all ingredients in and cook for 4 hours high or 6 hours low.
  • If making traditionally in a stock pot: sauté veggies first, then add lentils, curry, s + p and liquid and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat until lentils are cooked and broken down, about 15-20 minutes.

5 Veggie Puttanesca Sauce

Makes a whole lot of servings, at least 8

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch carrots (5-7 total), chopped
  • 1/2 bunch celery (4-6 total stalks), chopped
  • 2 red peppers, chopped
  • 1 green pepper, chopped
  • 2 heads broccoli or 3 zucchini, chopped (or whatever other veggies you want)
  • 2 large cans fire roasted or diced tomatoes
  • 2 teaspoons anchovy paste (or 1 canned anchovy or sardine, finely chopped)
  • 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning or herbs de Provence
  • 1 small can (1/4 cup) sliced black olives or capers
  • 1 to 1 1/2 lbs ground meat or your choice (cooked separately) or white or garbanzo beans (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons s + p, to taste
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:

  • In a large soup pot over medium heat, add a dollop of olive oil, and carrots and celery to cook. After 5 minutes, add peppers and zucchini/broccoli and let cook stirring somewhat often. When veggies begin to soften, add crushed tomatoes, spices and cooked meat/beans (if using). Adjust seasonings as necessary.
  • Serve with lentil or brown rice pasta or zucchini noodles, or polenta or quinoa or over arugula/spinach … or whatever the heck you want and have on hand. Use what you have! (Yup, cooking this counts as an act of self-care– I’d argue it’s the OG of self care– if you’re doing the ONE ACT A DAY challenge with me!) Tell me in a comment if you make this!
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