I love that Kenya’s into eating sandwiches for his school lunch. I also love that figs are in season right now and they are SO naturally sweet and delicious. Figs are really cheap at our local farmers market, so I’ve been buying tons of them to eat and put in recipes throughout the week. I made a huge batch of fig puree for Kenya and Chloe to put on their yogurt and just to eat plain as a snack, but it’s so flavorful I wanted to figure out something else to do with it.

These fig and goat cheese sandwiches are heavenly. The creamy tang of the cheese mixed with the sweet of the figs, all sandwiched between two pieces of whole grain bread, makes for a magical combination and these sandwiches only take minutes to make.

If you were to send your little one off to school with one of these sammies in his lunchbox, I guarantee he’ll be the envy of all the other kids.

Fig and Goat Cheese Grilled Sandwiches (1 Sandwich or 4 Mini Sandwiches)

2-3 Tablespoons Goat Cheese
3 Tbsp Fig Puree
2 Slices of Bread, preferably whole grain
Butter (if desired)

1. Spread one slice of bread with goat cheese.
2. Spread the other slice of bread with fig puree and place the filling sides of the bread together to make a sandwich (lightly spread a bit of butter on the outside of the bread if desired).
3. Heat a panini press or a sauté pan to medium heat.
4. Cook for 3-5 minutes (on both sides if using the sauté pan, flipping half way through) or until the cheese melts.
5. Cool and serve.

At this time of year when kids are headed back to school, most moms are focused on a million things, among them, trying to put together healthy school lunches that their kids will hopefully enjoy. Though possibly even more important than what’s for lunch, is offering your little ones a meal first thing in the morning that will give them a boost of energy to get them out the door and stay focused in the classroom.

Oatmeal is not only nutritious, but also inexpensive and a real “stick to your ribs” food. It’s delicious with a bit of honey or a touch of maple syrup, but why not add some blueberries for added vitamins and sweet flavor? Berry Delicious Oatmeal is not only bright and colorful, it’s a breakfast that will send your kids off to school with a smile on their faces.

Berry Delicious Oatmeal (Serves 2)
1 Cup Water
1 Cup Milk (almond, rice, soy or cow’s milk)
1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats (Five Minute Oats)
1 Tbsp Honey, Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
1/2 Cup Blueberries, Blackberries and/or Raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1. Bring the water and milk to a boil.
2. Add the oats, reduce to a simmer over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until thick and creamy.
3. Add the honey, maple syrup or agave and berries, cook an additional minute or until the berries are warmed-through and start to pop (I like to add frozen berries so the oatmeal cools faster for kids to eat).
4. Serve.

*If serving to a baby under 1 years old, don’t use honey

When I was a kid, my parents used to get us take-out from our hometown Chinese restaurant, House of Hunan, and Orange Chicken was always in our to-go bag. I’m not sure if it was the sweet taste from the honey and orange or just the exotic name, but this dish was something we had to have every time we went there. These days, I avoid MSG at all costs, so a lot of our local take-out Chinese food is off my list, but not wanting to deprive my kids of some of my childhood favorites, I came up with this healthy and delicious dinner treat that we all loved. With just the right amount of colorful vegetables and a tangy sweet sauce my kids were lapping up, this recipe was not only easy to make, but it actually made me nostalgic for my own childhood. House of Hunan, this one’s for you!

Orange Chicken (Serves 4)

1 Cup Orange Juice
2 Tsp Ginger, grated
1 Tsp Honey
1 Garlic Clove, minced
2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Vegetable or Canola Oil
1 Lb Chicken Breast, cubed, boneless, skinless
1 Cup Snow Peas, halved
1 Red Bell Pepper, cut into 1-inch thin strips

1. Mix the first 5 ingredients in a bowl.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook the chicken cubes for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the vegetables and cook an additional 2 minutes then transfer the chicken vegetable mixture to a bowl.
4. Add the sauce to the pan, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
5. Add the chicken and vegetables back into the sauce and cook an additional minute.
6. Serve.

The tips in this video will make preparing these Carrot Snack Sticks a total breeze even if you have no idea how to cook!

We used this to make this recipe:

Microplane Medium Ribbon Home Series Grater

Steamed Zucchini? Boring! Fried Zucchini? Unhealthy! Baked Zucchini Coins? Crunchy and delicious!

This Halibut Pesto Kabob recipe is so easy and the perfect recipe for a healthy summer time dinner!

Everyone I know loves pizza, but these Pizza Pinwheels will impress even the greatest pizza lover. Perfect for a school lunch, snack or any time of day!

Babies like Olives? Who knew! This Wee Tapenade is so easy to make and everyone from the baby to the grandparents will love it.

Macaroni and Cheese in a rice cooker? Not only is it creamy and delicious, but it’s so easy and fun to make with kids!

One of the greatest challenges when it comes to making kids snacks or desserts is coming up with recipes that are actually both healthy and something kids WANT to eat. As a parent, you want what they eat to have nutritional value, but still also have eye and taste appeal. From the moment Kenya saw these Chewy Granola Balls, I knew I fulfilled both criteria. They’r loaded with whole grains, protein, fruit and super easy to make!