Ah, that old paper sack. Growing up it was a badge of honor, a symbol that said: My parents make my lunch for me, so I don’t have to eat the slimy cafeteria crap. And then came high school, the fast food phase. Then college, the starve yourself because you have to buy books, and beer, phase. You never imagined that once you were out in the working world you’d come to rely on that old brown bag again, did you? Let’s face it, eating out every day is, for most of us, financially irresponsible, and it’s not always possible to run home for lunch, especially in places where commuting is a way of life. So, yes, we sack our lunches like six-year-olds. And eat about as well as we did back then. Cookies, chips, two pieces of bread with meat in between, fruit we only sometimes eat. And while that may be better for you than a double cheeseburger, we can certainly do better, can’t we? In terms of health, and taste, and, if nothing else, variety. So whether you’re a forty-year-old construction worker, or a mother making lunch for her kids, here is the first in a series of ideas on how to eat healthier during the day, and add some variety to your otherwise mundane lunch.
This week, for my husband’s brown bag lunch, I made him:
Barbeque chicken, cheddar, and brown rice burritos with whole grain wraps
mixed spring green salad with cucumber or other veggie and Italian or Balsamic dressing
two pieces of fruit, with a choice of peaches, plums, grapes, apples, bananas
homemade granola, sweetened with honey; includes cashews, dried cranberries and blueberries
Tillamook yogurt, with a choice between huckleberry, strawberry, raspberry, and vanilla
Banana-currant muffin, prepared with plain non-fat yogurt, olive oil, and honey
homemade sweet potato and red potato baked chips; RECIPE BELOW
Clearly, my husband eats quite a bit. He’s a foreman for a sheet metal company, and on big jobs, he can walk several miles, or more, a day. Plus, he’s always up and down ladders, or climbing in and out of tight spaces, like duct work or attics. He needs the calories. But if you, or your kids, don’t, omit two or three of these items.
Here’s the recipe for the week:
Baked Sweet and Red Potato Chips
3 medium-large sweet potatoes
4 small-medium red potatoes
¼ cup olive oil
sea salt
fresh ground pepper
Special Equipment:
mandolin (optional; I didn’t use one, but you bet I will buy one for next time!)
pizza pan that allows air to flow through (not a solid stone, in other words)
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Wash and peel the sweet potatoes. Slice thinly. If you own a mandolin, use it!
Wash red potatoes and slice thinly. I don’t bother peeling mine, but you can, if you want.
In batches, arrange in a single layer atop a lightly greased pizza pan. Brush the tops of potatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt. Grind fresh ground pepper over the top.
Bake for 20-30 minutes, or until crisp, checking often. (I checked mine every five minutes, and, using a pair of tongs, flipped them to prevent sticking and to achieve a more uniform color.)
Allow to dry on a cooling wrack. Check for crispness before sealing chips in an airtight container. If you need to, put the soft chips back in the oven until dry.
Delish!!
Sunday was Gloria’s birthday and she asked that we head up north of Durango to the mountains and “check out” some of those places we so regularly drive by without ever stopping. Of course, that also meant a favorite wine with bread and cheese along side. One of Gloria’s favorite wines, if not her favorite, is a German Riesling Auslese. The really good ones are not cheap.
