Nugget's Lunch - May 2, 2008

Last lunch's "ants on a log" had Nugget's teachers wondering if there was peanut butter in the celery. I need to remember to put a little note in there next time that it is sunflower seed butter, especially if I use it on a sandwich. They suspected it wasn't peanut butter, since it didn't look quite as thick as peanut butter usually does.

My friend Pam, who is peanut allergic, has tried the Trader Joe's sunflower seed butter and had to do a mental double-take because it smells and tastes so much like peanut butter, unlike soy and other butters, which have a more distinct taste.

(clockwise from upperleft) baby spinach and spring greens, cut into slivers and tossed with strawberries, tomatoes, honeyed sesame sticks, and Trader Joe's pear vinaigrette. Broccoli (quasi-blanched by rinsing and nuking for 30 seconds) with caulifower and tomatoes. Half of a Fudge Graham Zone bar, cut into pieces, and a mix of dark and white chocolate chips. Small Gala apple slices, soaked (to prevent browning) for half an hour in ascorbic acid and white grape juice. Strawberry. Celery with cream cheese and dried apricot. Drink: Trader Joe's Pink Lemonade mixed with water. TJ's Pink Lemonade is neat because it is made with lemons, elderberries, and the pink color comes from a small amount of aronia juice concentrate, rather than food coloring. Not that I entirely stay away from food coloring, but it's nice to have the choice and then choose consciously either way.