Indian style Pasta with spinach, Tofu with sambar masala

Today photo didn't come out so well. I turned off the flash and trusted way too much on our bright/cloudy Seattle weather. Morning time is such a rush time.

I took Chakolya for lunch to work. My american co-worker loved the smell of it coming out of the microwave...so I offered it...When I was explaining the recipe she said its pasta ...Indian style pasta!

Indian style pasta : Chakolya (Dal Dhokli/Varan phal)with spinach : It is made from Tur dal (lentils curry sauce) with fresh pasta made from whole wheat dough. To its regular recipe I added little chopped spinach to the Varan (Lentils curry sauce). For the dough I mixed whole wheat flour + Nachani flour (Ragi/millet flour) + besan (garbanzo beans flour) + salt + turmeric with some milk and water. Roll the dough and cut into small thin square shaped fresh pasta. Let it cook for 15 minutes.

Sambar masala Tofu : dry roast the tofu and sprinkle with some salt + sambar powder + lemon juice...this is my personal favorite. Roo likes it too.

I gave it in hot lunch box (inside is stainless steel) so it will be warm for lunch. Roo loves it very much.

She ate all the tofu and 3/4 of Chakolya.

Upma bites with vegetables, grapes

Upma with vegetables : Dry roast Rava (Cream of wheat). I used very little oil for mustard seeds,curry leaves and onions to cook. I added additional vegetables and nuts to the original upma recipe. thinly grated - carrots, navalkol (kohlrabi), squash (bhopala). For the crunch I added walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, cashews. I also added soaked Urad dal and Moong dal (lentils).
Upma Bites : Pat hot upma in a plate to the desired bite thickness and cut checks pattern with knife. Let it cool and bite size pieces are ready for the lunchbox. Make fun shapes that your kid loves...I made butterflies, flowers and hearts for this lunchbox :)
and grapes, strawberries on the side.
This upma is very healthy and wholesome with addition of Dals, Nuts and Vegetables. Bite size makes it easy for kids to eat. Fun shapes creates the excitement for lunch.

Roo ate 1/2 of Upma and all the fruits. Roo liked the different nuts and sunflower seeds taste in upma.

M&C Pizza with veggies, Fruits

What would you like on your pizza? Every kid has their own personal favorites about what can go on pizza. Mac and cheese pizza! ...well we tried it...you can try too.

Mac and cheese pizza on the honey whole wheat bread : Make M&C as per package instructions. On the pan warm the bread with M&C and vegetables with cover. I used broccoli florets and mushroom slices. You can add fruits to it too.
with some grapes and strawberry.
Roo has been excited the whole morning to eat and show off her lunchbox in the class today.

Spaghetti with veggie sauce, roasted whole Chana

2 yrs back, when I was making spaghetti with tomato sauce (store bought)...Roo [my 6 yr old] was in preschool that time. She told me -Tomato is not a vegetable...its a fruit. Something that she learned in her school. This is her very favorite dish so I had to modify this fruit sauce... That's how I came up with recipe of veggie sauce.

Spaghetti (whole wheat) pasta with veggie+tomato sauce : cook the pasta and mix it with veggie sauce. I added broccoli florets and sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle some cheese. You can add store bought pasta sauce + veggie sauce to it.

Visible vegetables : you can see these and are your kids favorite. here I added mushrooms and broccoli (my kids fav ones). I have seen kids love cauliflower, peas etc.
Invisible vegetables in veggie sauce: You can't see them. They are in the sauce. Cut, cook and blend in a blender all the vegetables - tomatoes (more qty), beetroot, spinach, pumpkin (lal bhopala), basil (tulsi leaves) [Don't be a greedy mommy...try little vegetables and more tomatoes for the first time].

Kala chana (belongs to the Garbanzo beans family) : Soak beans overnight. Let them sprout for few hours. On a nonstick pan add little oil and roast the beans. Add Salt + Pepper + Spices (any masala) as per your taste.
This is a yummy snack... Make it for the family movie night than the packaged popcorn.

Roo ate 3/4 of spagetti and all the beans from this lunch box. Her classmates loved its color and one said It must be from the restaurant...[why facination of outside food???]

Idly sandwich, green tur beans and squash with oregano, strawberries

Idly Sandwich : Cut idly vertically making 2 circles. If you want good circles -take 2 idlies cut the sherical portion of each idly (will be inside of the sandwich). Fill the chutney (lots of) in between idly/idlies.
Chutney -I make this chutney thick and sweeter. In a blender mix mint leaves, Daal (raosted split gram), sugar, lemon juice, salt. (you can mix little yogurt).

Idly batter is made ahead of time. You can buy ready batter from any Indian store. 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 [Turn the light on of your conventional oven and keep it overnight. Thats how much warm it needs to ferment]. Refrigerate it and enjoy for a week.

Green tur(pigeon pea) beans and butternut squash with herbs : In little olive oil put some oregano(any herbs or little spices). Put small cut squash, beans, salt and cook them for 4-5 mins by covering it with lid.

I got tur(pigeon pea) beans from frozen section. Frozen beans are very easy to cook in the morning.

Butternut squash has this kid apealing mild and sweet taste. It cooks in few mins.

with some strawberries.

Variations : I tried jam in between idlies (idlies r slippery for jam) but didn't work in the lunchbox. Thick hummus(with flaxmeal) worked really good.

Roo ate 3 sandwiches, some beans and few squash bites and all strawberries. Thats good enough lunch for a first grader. It depends on the kid and day activities. kids also eat more during their growth-spike and less otherwise.

buckwheat noodles with vegetables, grapes

Buckwheat noodles : These Japanese soba noodles are made with wheat + buckwheat flour. I go for the more buckwheat content in soba noodles. trader joes/uwajimaya have good collection.

In a pan with some sesame oil + olive oil cook some garlic, onions with little salt and lid (makes it cook in little oil rather than frying). I added grated carrots (thick, long), spinach, cabbage, celery(thinly cut), 1tbs rice vinegar, 1tbs soy souce,1tbs sugar, salt. cook for 2 minutes (crispy vegetables taste good in noodles). Add more vinegar, soy souce, sugar, red chili powder/chili sauce according to your taste. Mix it with cooked noodles (cook as per package instructions). Warm or Cold - they taste yummy to me either way.

Ruta decorated her lunch with magic sprinkles (sesame seeds). She tasted it in the morning and gave me one thumbs up.

with some grapes.

Ruta ate 1/2 of the noodles and all grapes. She didn't like "some orange things" cabbage in it.

Shabudana (tapioca) cutlet with sweet potato, broccolli, fruits

Shabudana cutlet : Soak the shabudana overnight [Rinse the shabudana and keep little water in it]. Shabudana - tapioca pearls come from root starch so they are high in carbohydrates. Boil sweet potatoes. Mix it with some Rajgira (Amaranth) flour. Amaranth grains are high in protein. They have very light and nutty flavor. I added some chopped walnuts, salt, red chili powder, cumin powder, coriander (cilantro) leaves and little water to make patties. I cooked the cutlets from both sides in a non stick pan and lid and used very little oil.
This is a kids favorite cutlet and made on religious fasting days in India.
broccolli with ranch (white dressing didn't come very well in the picture) and some strawberries.

Ruta ate everything from this lunchbox.

Quesadilla with vegetables, cucumber sticks and fruits

Quesadilla : 1 cup whole wheat flour + 2/4 cup Nachani flour [Ragi/Millet has a very high protein content for a grain] + pinch of salt. I used milk to make dough. Make Rotis [tortillas] and cook them less from one side which will be the outer side of quesadilla. I used spinach, sliced mushrooms, grated carrots, grated red and orange bell peppers and little cheese as a binder. I cut the edges and snack on them. This is my personal favorite dish.
cucumber sticks, strawberries and grapes on the side.

Ruta is learning to trick us by saying opposite things...maybe its a 6 yr old thing. I asked her how was your lunch today and she said "I didn't like it (with a pause and naughty look)...I Loved it ... I finished it all except the cucumbers". She doesn't like certain vegetables...I guess everybody is a picky eater in their own way.

Pita bread pizza with vegetables, cantaloupe

Pita bread pizza with vegetables : On the whole wheat pita bread put layers of grated vegetables [I used carrots, cauliflower, red and yellow bell pepper], cheese, dots of pasta sauce and sliced mushrooms. cut into triangles.

and some cantaloupe bites.

I always try the recipe at home with Ruta before giving it in the lunchbox. For this recipe Ruta suggested strawberries on top...and it tastes delicious.

Pohay with vegetables, marinated and roasted tofu

Pohay : [pohay is flattened/beaten white/brown rice]. Peas, boiled sweet potato(potato), Onions, green coriander leaves and spices makes it fragrant and mild flavored kids all time favorite.

Tofu : Roasted on pan with soy ginger flavored marinade. Ruta loves this tofu and gives it 10 thumbs up (that means best). She learned it after reading two thumbs up on movie DVD cover.