Kids Lunchbox Club - Pizza Sandwich

All kids love pizza right?!?

But they aren't exactly the most convenient thing to take to school the next day when there is leftovers...

That is...... until you make a pizza sandwich!

I know this isn't a real recipe - its more of an idea! A great idea if you ask me! 
The kids will love it and its far less messy!

Slap two slices of pizza together (make sure they are roughly the same size) and then wrap them up ready for the lunchbox!

They won't bring this 'sandwich' home from school uneaten that's for sure ;-)

WIAW - Chocolate and leftovers

Welcome to What-I-Ate-Wednesday!

Today's Wednesday was leftovers for me! 
I had not been quite so organised as last week and had prepared nothing in advance! That is when I realise how much I love my freezer!

I enjoyed a chocolate smoothie for breakfast:

 
You truly feel like you can face anything the day throws at you when it's started like this!!!


Morning tea was my caffeinated beverage and 4 dried apricots!

For lunch I had leftover tofu stir-fry:

For afternoon snack I had a banana.
For my trip home I had a Macro Raw Food Bar - they are soooooooooo delicious.

For dinner I had more leftover - red lentil stew with brown rice & steamed zucchini:

Join in WIAW at the Peas and Crayons blog.

WIAW - The week that was verrrrrrrrrry busy!

Preparing for my daughter's birthday party on the weekend has made for a busy start to the week...... and I'm sure the end of the week is going to be even ~busier~.
I have been cooking each meal with enough for leftovers (for either breakfast, lunch or dinner) and it has helped.
I can't work out who's more excited for this party.... her or ME?!?!?!!!!!!
Its going to be a tea-party!
A vegan-tea-party :D
I made the first layer of the teapot cake last night.

Now onto today....
My usual morning rush out the door......
Brown rice with banana and flax seeds for breakfast. Thanks to the large batch of precooked rice in the fridge!

Lunch - more leftovers! Stir-fry

By the way.... how cool are these bowls we have at work!!!???
I think we 'need' some for our kitchen too!

Afternoon tea:
Had at 5pm lol - that's what a busy day in the office will do to you! But that was ok because I didn't leave work til 6.40pm! Thankfully by that time there was no peak-hour traffic to worry about, so leaving late does have its benefits too!

Dinner when I finally arrived home at 8pm - not a bad run up the freeway at all!
But by that time I was ~starving~ and wanted instant food. 
That's right - leftovers save the day again....
Soup!

And then to do more party organising.....
Here's the "tea-party bags" all finished and filled (with vegan goodies of course!).

I dipped the bottom of the bags into brewed tea to give them a very 'tea bag' look!
Stay tuned for more of our tea party adventures!


You can join in what-i-ate-wednesday at the peasandcrayons website!

Question of the day:
Parents out there.... Do you prefer to have your childrens parties at home and organise it yourself, or do you prefer to go somewhere and let the place do the organising?
 

Okara burgers

Another recipe created to use up okara after making soymilk!

These burgers are really tasty & very nutritious!
The vegetables can be changed to suit any leftovers you might have hanging around.

You'll need:
1 cup okara
egg replacer to the value of 2 eggs
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon mustard
1/2 grated zucchini
1/2 tin corn, drained
3 tablespoons sunflower kernels
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons wholemeal flour

Prepare the egg replacer first. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl til well combined. Add the egg replacer and stir.
The mixture is quite sticky but this helps the burgers stay moist & not fall apart.
Press the mixture into pattie shapes, even by hand (wet hands with water so mixture does not stick) or alternatively use a burger press.
Place patties onto a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper & bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes turning once during cooking.

Leftover Stew!!!

Let's face it! There comes a time when we look into the fridge and think "there's nothing here". I made this stew one day upon facing exactly that dilemma! Now I love looking in the fridge and piecing a stew together - this one was particularly good & it can be varied with different veggies as needed (to use up all the leftovers!). So long as you have some risoni & some creamed corn, then you're set!
I loved this stew so much that I make it regularly now!
Its quite involved but its easy & makes for a delicious meal without needing anything flash!
ENJOY!

Bring a pot of water to the boil. Add 1 cup risoni & return to the boil, then simmer for 10-12 minutes until soft.
While the risoni is cooking. Chop pieces of cabbage (about 1 cup) & lightly saute in a tablespoon vegetable oil until cooked but still slightly crisp.
Place 2 cups of edamame in a pot of boiling water & simmer for 5 minutes.

You will find that everything is ready at once if you time it right!!! :-)

Simple drain the risoni and return to the pot.
Add the tin of creamed corn and the cabbage.
Drain the edamame and remove the peas from the pod - add the peas to your risoni.
Stir to combine.

Add some flavouring!
My favourites are pictured here & I always have them readily available.
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon chili
2 tablespoons of tahini

Once all ingredients are added - return to heat & warm thoroughly. Stir continuously.
Spoon into pasta bowls. And serve with cracked black pepper.