Squash, Apple and Maple Bread Pudding (Dairy Free)

We are not big bread eaters so bread pudding is quite a novelty for us.  I have only made it a couple times with just apples but wanted to try something a little different.  This recipe makes for a great breakfast, brunch or lunch.  I served this to seven children for lunch and it was a hit!

Ingredients

• 1 roasted squash (I used butternut)
• 2 shredded apples
• 10-12 slices bread cut into cubes (I used a combination of sprouted and sour dough bread)
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 3 cups non dairy milk (I used almond and cashew)
• 5 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• coconut oil for greasing

Directions

1. Slice squash in half and remove seeds.  Brush squash with coconut oil and place in the oven cut side up for 45-50 minutes at 425F.
2. Peel squash when cool enough to handle and place a blender.  Add all ingredients except shredded apples, bread and coconut oil and puree until smooth.
3. Grease 9 x 13 pan and layer bread and apples.
4. Pour squash puree over top and press down onto the bread so it absorbs the liquid.  Let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 350F.
6. Bake 30 minutes, uncover and bake another 20 minutes.

Shredded Kale Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing (Dairy, Gluten and MSG Free)

This is my go to kale salad.  We make this many times a week and it is enjoyed by all.  I usually keep it simple with just cucumbers, avocado and sugar free cranberries.  I have had many recipe requests for this salad recipe and have since realized I hadn't posted it yet.  So here it is:

Ingredients for salad

• kale
• lemon juice -1 tablespoon for 4 cups kale (optional)
• diced vegetables of choice (cucumber, peppers, tomatoes)
• avocado
• cranberries
• sunflower seeds

Maple Dressing Ingredients

• 1 part olive oil
• 1 part pure maple syrup (or less if you don't want it too sweet)
• 3 parts balsamic vinegar
• pinch of sea salt

For example (1 tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 3 tablespoons vinegar)

Directions

1. Bunch the kale on the cutting board and take a sharp knife and cut into shreds.
2. Pour lemon juice over kale and mix together with your hands.  This breaks down the kale a bit.  It doesn't need to be done but I like a softer kale.
3. Add the rest of the salad ingredients.
4. Mix up the salad dressing and pour over the salad 1 hour before serving.  Letting it sit will break down the kale making it softer.

My oldest loves this salad so much she frequently requests it for lunch.  

It takes very well when layered in a mason jar with the dressing poured first on the bottom.

School Lunch #8 (Dairy, Gluten/Grain, Nut and Refined Sugar Free)

This grain free lunch contains lots of protein and energy for your child.  The Crustless Squash Pie is a healthy treat and substitute for sandwiches etc.

This lunch includes:

• Crustless Squash Pie
• Fresh Fruits/Vegetables
• Water

School Lunch #7 Dairy, Gluten/Grain, Nut and Refined Sugar Free)

I like the amount of protein in this lunch.  It definitely gives your child enough energy to get through the rest of the afternoon.  There is no need for any grains or carbohydrates with this lunch as protein will fill them up and keep them full.

This lunch includes:

• Cooked chicken strips (BBQ, baked, roasted etc.)
• Peanut Free Satay Sauce  for chicken or vegetables (optional)
• Celery with sunflower seed butter (ensure there is no sugar in the ingredients)
• Raw and Fresh organic vegetables/fruit

School Lunch #6 (Dairy Gluten, Nut and Refined Sugar Free)

This lunch provides some healthy fats from the avocado pudding and plenty of nutrients and vitamins from the seaweed in the Nori Rolls.

This lunch contains:

• Nori Rolls
• Chocolate Avocado Pudding
• Fresh raw vegetables

School Lunch #5 (Dairy, Gluten, Nut and Sugar Free)

Another high protein lunch which will help you feel full longer and give you the energy to get through the afternoon.  Quinoa contains fibre, iron, lysine, magnesium, B2 and manganese, making it a super-food as well as an excellent addition to any meal.

This lunch contains:

• Quinoa Salad with Mango 
• Raw vegetables
• Water

School Lunch #4 (Dairy, Gluten, Grain, Nut and Sugar Free)

I love this lunch idea as it has lots of protein and no grains.  I also like the addition of the pickles (the non-pasteurized variety) as a source of "probiotic."  Truly fermented vegetables such as pickles, olives or sauerkraut are very good for balancing out our natural gut flora.

Most commercial products have been pasteurized in order to mass produce and cut costs.  Pasteurization kills the enzymatic process and therefore making to product less of a benefit to your immune system.  In order to find non-pasteurized fermented vegetables you may have to search health food stores, deli's, olive bars or businesses that carry a home-made variety.

For more on the benefits of fermented food please see The Incredible Health Benefits to You if Traditionally Fermented Foods.

This lunch includes:

• sliced turkey (nitrite free)
• pickles
• raw vegetables
• raisins (sulphite free)

 

School Lunch #3 (Dairy, Gluten, Nut and Sugar Free)

I am not a big fan of eating a lot of corn, but once and awhile we will indulge in some corn chips.  We like the taste of the Que Pasa corn chips.   This lunch could be made grain free if you replaced the chips with my Tomato Flax Crackers or any other grain free crackers.  One of our favourite salsas is by Simply Natural.  They do have some heat although the pineapple (my favourite) is quite mild.  It may not be my favourite pick for lunch but I have a little one who does enjoy it :)

This lunch includes:

• Organic salsa (ensure it is sugar free)
• Organic corn chip
• Raw Vegetables
• Fresh Fruit 

School Lunch #2 (Dairy, Gluten/Grain, Nut and Sugar Free)

Yeah I am back.  I can now transfer my images onto my computer.  I am still missing the letter "e" on my computer but an surprisingly getting faster at copying and pasting it in.  Here is another Gluten/Grain and Dairy Free Lunch.

• Chocolate Zucchini Muffin
• Cut raw vegetables (I used bell peppers and cucumber)
• Vanilla Chia Pudding
• Fresh Fruit (I used a plum)
• Water

I like this lunch because it is high in protein from the chia and the coconut in the muffins.  This lunch also provides lots of raw foods which are not only full of nutrients but also help with digestion.  

School Lunch #1 (Dairy, Gluten, Nut and Sugar Free)

     Well this is lunch #1.  I have to admit I didn't put in as much effort as I usually do.  I too have started back at work and am planning a trip to Miami with my husband, so needless to say this is not nearly as "homemade" as I would like.  Okay enough with the whining, what I do know is that this is a lunch my daughter likes and will eat.

     She is a huge fan of this hummus and I have yet to recreate it myself.  Sweet potato hummus gets eaten by the spoonful in this house.  I would have preferred to have made my Tomato Flax Crackers for more substance and no grains, but like I said, time was of the essence today.

So here it is,  a simple lunch:

• cut up vegetables
• hummus
• rice crackers
• water 
• fruit