Pancake puffs with grated vegetables, peach bites

Pancake Puffs : I used multi-grain pancake mix and light flavored vegetables like carrots (lots of), sunchokes[kind of a root and has very light and nutty flavor like sunflower seeds], little sweet potato etc. In a hot appam pan (pancake puff pan) with little oil/butter add spoonful of batter. Cook puffs from both sides by turning over.

Eating different kinds of puffs is fun. Here I made 3 kinds of puffs for this lunchbox - M&M, cheese and pasta sauce, strawberry jam.

and some Peach bites in a small bowl covered with cling wrap.

Vegetable cutlets with rice and cheese, ketchup, fruit

Vegetable cutlets : boil the sweet potato, cook and mash kidney beans (rajma) (any kind of beans like moong, masoor, lima etc), grate carrots, grate some cauliflower, grate bell pepper [flesh will grate and skin will come off], finely chopped swiss chard (any green leaves), cooked rice (brown rice), little grated cheese (any kind), salt, some grated ginger and chopped coriander leaves (cilantro).
Mix all the vegetables in a bowl. Use more vegetables , little rice and little bit of sweet potato as a binder. Make thick Patties. coat pattie with egg white (optional) and sooji (or breadcrumbs). Use nonstick pan with little oil to cook the patties.
[this is the only way Ruta eats bell pepper and cauliflower.]
with ketchup and some apple slices.

Dosa roll with vegetables, lima beans, grapes

Vegetables for stuffing: In a pan heat some olive oil. Add some cumin seeds, turmeric, very little masala (any spices), Add finely chopped onions with pinch of salt [helps onions cook with less oil] and stir it until cooked. Add cut and boiled potato, grated carrots, grated cauliflour, salt, sugar and coriander leaves(cilantro).

Dosa roll : The batter is made ahead of time. Soak 3 cups of rice and 1 cup of Urad dal (Black lentils) plus any lentils can be mixed for few hours. Grind all in a blender (like pancake batter) and keep it in warm place for fermentation. Refrigerate it and enjoy for a week.

In the batter add some salt and little warm water. On a hot pan make it like crepes. make it little thick so it will be easy to make roll. Roll it with vegetables. wrap it in a cling wrap.

Lima beans : Boil frozen lima beans in hot water with some salt.

And grapes.

Hummus and pita bread, veggies, fruit

Hummus : Soak for few hours and Cook the garbanzo beans (chole) in pressure cooker for few minutes. Blend all the ingredients in a blender - For 2 cups of cooked beans add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1 tablespoon sesame seeds (tahini paste), salt, cilantro (coriander) [little flaxmeal and very little garlic optional], and some water. Refrigerate and enjoy for a week.
Whole wheat pita bread : [whole wheat bread/ bhakri (thick bread made from Jawar,Rice,Millet flour)/ Naan - tastes good with hummus].
Vegetables : Broccolli and celery with Ranch drops. [vegetables washed with hot water]
and some grapes.

Kids love to spread by themselves while eating but for younger kids you can spread hummus in between pita bread.

Bread pizza with veggies and cheese, fruits

Bread pizza : On a multigrain bread slice spread grated carrots, chopped green leaves (spinach, swiss chard r my favorite as they come fresh from my backyard vegetable garden), any cheese (here I used mexican blend and little parmesan cheese) and sauce drops (pasta/pizza sauce, ketchup works too).

On a nonstick pan cook the slices under cover (pan oven) for few minutes until cheese melts.

some grapes and apple slices.

Mac and cheese with vegetables, Fruit

Mac and cheese : Cook the macaroni. To make cheese I use milk. Mix it together as usual.

Vegetables : Wash the brocolli in hot water and soak it in the another batch of hot water . [its better than raw or cooked.] Drain it. Season it with some salt and pepper. Mix it with pasta.

Cauliflower/corn blends in with mac and cheese. Green peas are great too. Your kids any favorite veggie.

and Pear :

Homemade ravioli filled with vegetables and cheese, salad

Ravioli pasta :(it means to wrap) Make dough from whole wheat flour, egg and some salt. [This dough should be made little harder].
Filling for ravioli : Grated carrots + grated yellow squash + grated cauliflower + grated bell pepper (skin stayes out as u grate) - squeeze out the vegetables water after grating - I use it to make dough. In spoon ful oil add dry herbs (oregano and basil), then the grated veggies, finely grated nutmeg turn of the heat and add parmesan cheese.

Roll the dough into 2 separate thin sheets (chapatis). put the filling on one and cover with another. Press all the way around the filling and cut it with pizza cutter. [its easier than making pieces and then working with it.]

Boil the water and then cook pasta in it. Fresh pasta cooks in 5-8 minutes.

Sprinkle some dry herb-cheese blend with olive oil and shredded cheese. Add some salt and pepper as per taste.

Salad : Lettuce leaves, cucumber, celery and apple bites with dressing.

Fun shaped spinach rava (sooji) (samolina) utappa bites with chutney, beans, fruit

Chutney : In a blender mix some yogurt, cilantro (coriander), mint leaves, tofu (any kind), [Dal (roasted split gram) - gives the crunch], sugar (a little more) and salt. you can add green chillies as per ur taste buds. This kind of chutney is usually made with coconut and peanuts. I switched it to Dal (roasted split gram) and little tofu.

Fun shaped bites : Soak rava (sooji) (Samolina) and little rice flour in yogurt and water. whisk it together until it looks like pancake batter. Let it soak for few minutes. [Soak it overnight for the next morning lunch]. before making add salt, chopped spinach, turmeric (for color - optional).

Use a nonstick pan with some oil and make it like uttapa or pancake - spread batter a little with spoon after pouring on the pan. Keep the size small at first. cover it for a minute. open and and wait for a minute before turning to the other side.

cut the fun shapes into bite size pieces...I use small cookie cutters.

Garbanzo Beans : cook with salt added in water in the pressure cooker for few minutes.

Peach bites.

Carrot poli (tortilla) roll with chutney, Edmame, kiwi and strawberry

Carrot poli (chapati) roll - take few raw baby carrots [15 baby carrots for 6 tortillas] in a blender. Blend them with some water and some salt until paste. make the dough with whole wheat flour and the pureed carrots.

Roll the dough into circle and dry roast it on the pan. Take it out and put some olive oil (ghee). Sprinkle it with chutney and wrap it with a cling wrap.

For kids its easy while eating - peel the wrap like banana and eat.

Dry Chutney - In a mixer mix the ingredients - flaxmeal, walnuts, almonds, peanuts, garlic, red chili powder and salt, .

Edmame - Frozen beans boil with water and sprinkle some salt.

Strawberries and Kiwi.

PBJ sandwich with grated carrots and fruits

Sandwich - PBJ (Peanut butter and Jam) on the honey whole wheat bread with thinly grated carrots sliced apples/banana/strawberries.

Cut into smaller triangles for easy eating. This is the way my kid way :)

Some small pieces of Orange.

Pasta (whole wheat) with swiss chard, garlic and cheese, Tofu

Pasta : fry chopped garlic with olive oil. Put some finely chopped Swiss chard cover it for 30 seconds and then put cooked whole wheat pasta. top it with parmesan cheese.
Easy to eat with fork for kids.
Salad/Snack on the side :)

Heart-shape Sandwich,Tofu,Strawberries

Basil pesto - I added spinach (equal quantity as basil) to the pesto recipe. I switched walnuts in place of pine nuts...(realizing walnuts are cheaper and healthier than pine nuts).
Sandwich - basil pesto and sliced cucumbers on the honey whole wheat bread. cut into heart shape.
Tofu - firm tofu dry roasted on the pan with some salt and pepper.
Vegetables - broccolli and celery with ranch drops on it.
some Strawberries.