January's Theme - Lunchalicious!

Yes, yes, I know... it's already January 12th & I'm just now posting this month's theme. Christmas clean-up and decluttering (still in progress) and finding a new place for all the lovely new things we received ate up a lot more time than I remembered it needed. Oh well, the tree's down now, so it's all good. :)

January is often a month of resolutions - to eat more healthily, to watch our wallets, to eat more veg/less junk, to try new recipes, etc. Now, you know we're here for you to find some delicious, friend-tested new recipes, right? I mean, just pick a category on the right sidebar & you'll find a ton of yummy ones!

Two years ago, January's theme was Healthy & Low-Cal. If that's what you're looking for, check it out! (Last year it was Procrastinators Unite! and posted on the 20th, so hey, I'm ahead of that by more than a week!)

This year let's look at lunches. It's a double-barreled focus - if you're trying to eat more healthily, lunch can be a good place to be virtuous. I mean, if you pack your own lunch, you're kind of stuck with whatever you put in, so packing more fruits/veg usually equals eating more fruits/veg! And too many lunches out can lighten the wallet about as fast as they pack on the pounds! So, packing your lunch can be a budget-minded choice, too.

I know this isn't a very "recipe" sort of theme, but I would really like to hear your tips/hints & what YOU like to bring/eat for lunch. While I usually am eating at home, it's the first year I've had to pack a school lunch for Pumpkin, and it's been really interesting. (Sometimes in a "how did you survive the day without fainting from lack of food, picky child?!" sort of way.)

So for this month, I'll post some links to some fun & inspirational blogs I've been enjoying for bento-style kid lunches, put up some pics of some of the favorite ones I've packed for Pumpkin, and share some tips/hints/ideas. But for now, I'd love it if you left a comment or put up a post about your lunch habits or suggestions for us to try!

Jamie Oliver's Leek and Potato Soup

We like this classic soup found in Cooking Light magazine (Jan/Feb 2010), even though it's a brothy, not creamy version. Pusher, maybe it'll work for you... or at least provide a starting point for experimentation.

2 leeks (about 1 lb.)
6 c. fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth (Of course, I used Better than Bouillon; if you were vegetarian, you could sub in your favorite veg broth.)
2 Tbl. olive oil
3 c. coarsely chopped onion (about 1 lb.)
1 c. chopped carrot
1 c. chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 c. cubed, peeled Yukon gold potatoes (about 1 lb.)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt

1. Remove roots, outer leaves, and tops from leeks. Cut each leek in half lengthwise. Cut each half crosswise into 1/2 inch thick slices. Immerse in cold water; swirl. Drain.*

2. Bring the broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. [Ok, maybe it's just me, but I'd start the broth heating and then work on the leeks to save time.]

3. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add leek, onion, carrot, celery & garlic. Partially cover, and cook 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender; stirring occasionally. Add hot broth and potato; return to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until potato is tender. Stir in pepper and salt. Serve chunky or puree with an immersion blender or in a blender. Yield: 8 servings (serving size; about 1 1/4 c.)


Calories: 130; Fat 3.6g (sat 0.5g, mono 2.5g, poly 0.4g); Protein 3.4g; Carb 21.5g; Fiber 2.9g; Chol 0mg; Iron 1.3mg; Sodium 443mg; Calc 42mg


*I like to clean/wash my leeks by cutting off the roots, removing the tough outer leaves, and trimming the top very green parts off. Then I do cut them in half lengthwise as stated in this recipe, but then I pop them in a sink of water and/or rinse them out as needed. I find that washing/rinsing them like this, almost as a half-a-scroll, gives the water a chance to get into the leek, but it's not as hassle-some as cutting them all into bits first. THEN I cut them crosswise into slices.

Recipe Request

Does anyone have a good potato-leek soup recipe? Or should I just make vichyssoise and eat it hot?