Top 8 Allergy Safe Lunch #9

Rosemary chicken is a staple in my house for dinner. My kids are dark meat fans, so often I buy packs of just drumsticks or whole legs. You really can't beat the simplicity: place the pieces in an oven safe dish lined with parchment paper, sprinkle with salt, garlic powder, paprika and rosemary and roast at 375 for approximately 35-40 minutes. When I see that my kids have requested leftovers for their lunches, I buy extra and roast all at once. Chicken legs are fun to eat (no utensils required!) and yes, they're gobbled up cold. 

This lunch features a leftover chicken leg plus a strawnana kebab, leftover steamed zucchini and carrot, orange slices and dairy free chocolate chips. 

Top 8 Allergy Safe Lunch #8

Rice paper wraps can be a great way to jazz up lunch! This lunch has salad wraps with rice noodles, lettuce, carrot, avocado and gomasio, with baked purple sweet potato (topped with sesame seeds), hummus with gluten free crackers (see Top 8 Allergy Safe lunch #5 for more info on the hummus and crackers). This lunch also has mango and raspberries with a piece of dairy free dark chocolate as a snack. Naturally, if your family cannot eat sesame, just leave that out. 

Here's how to roll those rice paper wraps: 

Top 8 Allergy Safe Lunch #6

This lunch has vitamins, fiber, protein, good fat and absolute deliciousness. Here we've got hummus (made with just chickpeas, tahini, garlic, olive oil, lemon and salt - this recipe is my favorite) with loads of veggies to dip plus gluten free crackers. That plus avocado and apple (make sure to rub both with lemon or lime juice to prevent browning), with popcorn and dairy free chocolate chips as a snack. 

There are several brands of hummus that are free of soy. Be sure to check the label. This one and this one are the two that we use when I don't make my own. The crackers are from Mary's Gone Crackers and they're the Super Seed Classic. They are free of gluten, dairy and soy but they are produced in a facility that also produces items with soy, so if that's an issue for you, take note. 

Top 8 Allergy Safe Lunch #7

I finally got a spiralizer. Naturally, the first couple of weeks, I went crazy spiralizing everything imaginable. Apple "noodles" were a huge hit. This lunch features apple "spaghetti" with blueberry "meatballs" and shredded coconut "cheese." I squeeze lemon on it to prevent browning and my kids happily twirl it with a fork. This lunch also has some simply steamed carrots with olive oil and dill, roasted chickpeas and some gluten free banana blueberry bread (recipe below). My favorite part about this bread is that my kids can lick the bowl or taste the batter without any concern. I've also included a temporary tattoo in this lunch. 

The trick with roasting chickpeas is to dry them before they go into the oven and not to use too much olive oil, otherwise they won't get crispy. I don't always have the patience to remove the skin, but I'm always happy when I do. This is the recipe that I love for those chickpeas. 

Banana Blueberry Bread (gluten free, egg free, soy free, dairy free, nut free)

Ingredients:
3 medium very ripe bananas
1 1/4 cups oat flour
1/2 cup quick oats (gf) plus more for sprinkling on top
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup avocado oil
2/3 cup fresh blueberries

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350. Mash the bananas and set aside. In a separate bowl, add all of the dry ingredients. Mix and add those to the mashed banana. Add the oil and stir to combine. Finally, add the blueberries and give it one last gentle mix. Pour into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper (makes the clean up so much easier!). Sprinkle the top with more quick oats. Bake for approximately one hour. Enjoy hot or cold! 
 

Top 8 Allergy Safe Lunch #5

I make this pasta with meat sauce about twice a month these days. The recipe is so forgiving -- if I have things on hand like carrot, celery, onion or red bell pepper, I'll add those in, but it's absolutely delicious with just crushed or pureed tomatoes, garlic, basil and olive oil. We've recently started using a gluten free chickpea pasta, which my family really enjoys. 

The best part of this meal is that my kids love it with their lunches, and yes, they eat it cold. I try to make a menu plan for dinners for the week and my kids keep leftovers in mind when they're choosing their lunch foods with the LaLa Lunchbox app. This lunch has gluten free pasta with meat sauce with salad (and olive oil and vinegar in those little containers), plus apples, strawberries and top 8 free gummy bears.