Made at Home: What's in Your Lunchbox? #1 - MyPlate Masters
What's in YOUR (or your kid's) lunchbox? This new Made at Home series can help you fill the lunchboxes with healthy AND quick food. Each session, Becca Stackhouse (UGA Extension, Crisp County) and I will be talking about a different lunch issue and showing you a healthy lunch recipe. Today, it's MyPlate Masters!
Made at Home: What's in Your Lunchbox? #1 - MyPlate Masters
by Katie Cullum, Becca Stackhouse (UGA Extension)
Can MyPlate help you with lunches? YES! There are 5 food groups and each one is important for your health. Learn ways to include each food group for a healthy lunch. Future sessions will include Grab & Go, Lunch Prep Ahead, Hot & Cold, and Allergy Friendly.
You can also learn about foods to limit and how to read food labels. You'll also love the recipe for the Chickpea Quinoa Veggie burger (Becca says you can use vegetables you prefer).
Chickpea Quinoa Cauliflower Burger
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup peas
- 1 cup chopped zucchini
- 2-15oz. cans chickpeas
- 2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (look in the baking aisle)
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2-3/4 tsp. chili powder
- 3/4 tsp. chipotle
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked quinoa
- 2 cups cauliflower
- 2 cups garbanzo/chickpea flour (or you can use rice flour with a little cornmeal)
- 1/4 tsp. salt
Wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. Begin by washing and peeling the carrots and zucchini. Wipe off chickpea cans, open and then rinse and drain chickpeas.
In a large bowl, mix vegetables (carrots, peas, zucchini) together with chickpeas. Add in the nutritional yeast, and spices. Mix together with a spatula.
In a separate bowl, mix together the quinoa, cauliflower, salt, and flour as you gradually add water to get a pancake mixture texture. Next add in the vegetable mixture and combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. Now use your hands to form patties of desired size to about 3/4-inch thick. Either pan-fry in a little oil in a non-stick skillet or bake at 375 degrees F for about 25 minutes. For both methods, flip over halfway through cooking.
NOTES:
Nutritional Yeast can usually be found in the baking aisle, in a small canister. The Wal-Mart grocery app says it is available at the SuperCenter and Neighborhood Market.
Quinoa can be found around the rice usually. It is a good way to get protein.
You can use any flour (chickpea, rice, all-purpose, etc.). The chickpea will add a little more protein.
Check out the rest of the series:
#2 - Grab & Go
#3 - Prep Ahead
#4 - Hot & Cold
#5 - Allergy Friendly