Wednesday, September 28, 2011

What's for Lunch: Tabouleh!

Think back to when you were just a wee little tyke in elementary school. 

Did you
a) eat hot lunch
b) eat a "cool" cold lunch (packed with lunchables, twinkies, fruit by the foot, and gushers)
or c) eat a "not cool" cold lunch with a sandwich, normal uncool fruit, and juice in a Rainbow Bright thermos? 
(I'm raising my hand on option c)

I am fully aware each morning, that I am making my kid very uncool lunches for school 
(seriously what IS in a Gusher? He will never, ever know)

We had this for dinner the other night, and I half heartedly asked him if he would want some of the left over salad in his lunch box the next day. 
YES!!
Was his simple answer. 
.

Tabouleh
(which it really isn't anything close to what traditional Tabouleh is, but that is easier then calling it 
Bulgur Wheat Salad with Tomatoes and Peppers and Other Stuff.....)
The beauty of this is that you can add whatever veggies you have on hand--cucumbers, spinach, squash.....anything goes.

1/2 cup dry bulgur 
(to prepare bulgur, add to 1 1/2 cup boiling water and let sit for about an hour, until all the water has been absorbed)

then mix in:
1 bell pepper, diced
1/2 small red onion, diced
1-2 large tomatoes, diced
1 zucchini, shredded
large handful of fresh parsley, chopped
few TBS of chopped fresh mint
juice of one lemon
a few drizzles of olive oil
salt to taste

We ate ours in warm whole wheat naan with hummus.

And the boy took his to school the next day in a little jar, with a fork.

I think that's pretty cool.....

enjoy!


***Some of you asked last week about posting about school lunch ideas. This is in the works and I can't WAIT to hear what you all are packing!


11 comments:

Emily said...

I brown bag it most days and will be making this over the weekend for my lunch next week! Thanks!

Bethypie said...

I think your little boy is pretty cool. :)I don't know of any kids that would do that.

Hannah Nicole said...

Welllll...being homeschooled, my lunch is about as cool as my classmates. ;) But a typical meal is fajitas, or an egg bake, or if we're feeling really fancy, we'll make breakfast for lunch and have dutch baby pancakes with sausages. :) I love that he brought your tabouleh to school -- it looks and sounds soooo delish!

Unknown said...

your blog is my new favorite. i'm obsessed with being healthier now and making everything at home. i love that you are so organic. you're an inspiration! also, did you take a class to learn photography?

SHARM said...

Grew up In Sri Lanka lives next door to my school… I cannot remember having hot lunch most of the time I would pack my own lunch basically simple sandwich with jelly or butter and sugar… But I totally understand what you mean. I did not want that for my kids I do the best make him a healthy lunch. My son is 13 and loves the left over dinner to take to school… I sometimes feel he won’t ask for seconds because he wants that for lunch. I love your idea packing the left over but mostly asking your little one like to take the food to school makes a big difference…

Karen P said...

I'm so glad you have a school lunch post in the works. I struggle with what to pack for my kindergartner.

summer said...

man, i wanted hot lunch so bad! but i was an option C girl all the way. thanks for this awesome lunch idea, sheena! way to raise an un-embarrassed child :) i hope my kids think good food is cool too.

ps. if you made a calendar, it would be a smash. :)

connie said...

I was Lunch Option C growing up as well, except, sometimes the thermos of juice was an actual juice box--but it was soymilk before soymilk was a "cool" drink. The salad looks delish, don't think it matters it's not like traditional tabbouleh. It sounds like you're going a great job teaching your children to eat well, just awesome!

Rach said...

definitely c, but i had milk in my thermos! My mom was very serious about a well balanced lunch haha oh goodness

Unknown said...

What a cool kid (and a cool mom) to have such an adventurous lunch. I'll totally make this just as soon as I get myself to the store for the ingredients!!

becca said...

looks and sounds perfect!

all of your photos kill me with the loveliness.
and the food is so nourishing and beautiful. thank you!