What's for lunch 2/26/13

Applegate®
The Great Organic Beef Hotdog

Baked “Sweet Potato Fries” Sauerkraut ~

 Baby Carrots

Fresh Fruit 

The hot dogs are from Applegate Farms - so they are far better than many hot dogs but are hot dogs nonetheless. The ingredients are just: beef, water, sea salt, less than 2% of the following: celery juice, sodium lactate (from beets), lactic acid starter culture (not from milk), onion powder, spices, garlic powder, paprika. They have 6g of fat(2.5g saturated) and 380 mg of sodium. They are dairy-, casein- and gluten-free. They promote it as nitrate-free but this NYT article indicates the nitrate issue is tricky - and cites the company saying their bacon has the same level (naturally) of cancer-causing nitrates as conventional brands.  You may also not want your kids growing up thinking hot dogs are a good lunch given the potential link between processed meats and cancer. The bun is whole wheat.

You might also skip the fries. The sweet potato fries are processed frozen  fries we buy from McCains's, a big food service vendor. They contain: Sweet potatoes, vegetable oil (contains one or more of the following: canola oil, soybean oil, cottonseed oil, sunflower oil, corn oil), potato starch modified, rice flower, dextrin, sugar, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate), salt malt powder (malted barley, wheat flower, dextrose), natural flavor, dehydrated sweet potatoes, maltodextrin, molasses, spice and coloring, xanthan gum, corn starch-modified, triglycerides, annatto (color), sodium acid pyrophosphate added to preserve natural color. The label indicates they have 6g of fat and 170mg of sodium. 

The baby carrots and fruit are fresh. Go directly to the salad bar and load up on your veggies. This, as you all know is one of my least favorite meals on the menu. 

On another note...... I made these yummy blueberry quinoa muffins over the break. Yes, they are a snack or dessert not a breakfast replacement but they are healthier and delicious ! Try them. 



Blueberry Quinoa Muffins

Ingredients

Makes 10 muffins.

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup rice flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup rice milk
1/2 cup applesauce
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup canola oil
1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together cornmeal, rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together cooked quinoa, maple syrup, rice milk, applesauce, lemon juice, and oil.

3. Add wet mixture to dry mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries, spoon batter into prepared tins, and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove muffins from pan and place on a wire rack to cool.

Did You Know? Quinoa is actually a seed rather than a grain, and it's packed with protein. You can buy it in white, black, and red varieties. It adds an unexpectedly moist texture and slightly nutty flavor to these gluten-free muffins.