Peach Salsa with Black Beans and the Dread of the School Lunches Begins…

Hi everyone and please click on the title of this post to read more. Let me start by telling you that although I had a lovely and restful weekend, the dread of school starting has already started seeping in. For me, some of the worst parts of school are getting all the homework done and the lunches prepared. Just tonight we were discussing our menu and how we might incorporate chicken legs into the lunchbox rotation. My eldest liked the idea.

Hmmmmm, although she likes the idea, I fear that soon after I give it to her for lunch, she will tell me she no longer likes it and I will have to think up a new snazzy lunch that can compete with the other kids’ lunches: “Why don’t I have cookies, a juice box and chips like my friends?” It’s hard to function in that cafeteria world.

My concerns are based on four years of her dissatisfaction with school lunches and I am REALLY hoping to find some better strategies to make “cool” lunches that she can be proud of that are also healthy and tasty for her. I am also thinking about some lunch boxes that might help-these attractive and practical stackable stainless steel containers that I saw at my friend Patti’s house.

As always, I will involve her in the lunch making process and hope that we will find some new items. If you have any lunch success stories, PLEASE write in.

Well, back to my relaxing weekend…..What made my party-going all the more stress- free was that I made a simple and flavorful peach salsa with many of my peaches from my local Community Supported Agriculture organization in the mornings before my events-finished by 9:30AM. Peaches are so sweet right now and they need to be eaten before they turn brown. This salsa did the trick and I had to watch my husband like a hawk to make sure he didn’t sneak it before the parties. I hope you like it….:
P.S. Thanks to all the ladies who attended the TBK outing to see Julie and Julia-it was a fun night out! See photos from the night out on our Facebook Take Back the Kitchen Fan Page…

Peach Salsa with Jalapeno and Black Beans:

3 Large peaches, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 TBS Sushi rice vinegar or 3 TBS rice vinegar and 1 TBS sugar
1/2 Jalapeno, minced with or without seeds (seeds will make it VERY spicy)
3/4 cup cooked black beans
1 cup of corn or corn cut off 2 small cobs of corn-you can never have too much corn but please try to buy it organic
1/8 tsp salt- more to taste

Combine all ingredients, adjust seasonings, chill in fridge and serve as a side dish for fish, poultry or vegetables or a salsa dip for pita chips or corn tortillas.

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Pinterest

3 Responses

  1. sounds delicious & you know how i love the mango salsa. (i'm assuming that cooked black beans are the dry beans from the bag, not from the can.) sorry i missed your movie night out.

  2. Hi Alma,
    I share with you the dread re: school lunches, especially the pressure to supply a lunch that isn't, as my one would say, "dorky". (How are raw string beans 'dorky'?)

    I found a nice booklet about school-age lunches and snacks with several ideas and recipes, in my Whole Foods shopping bag. I'll take any ideas I can, and I'm happy to ignore the adverts for WFs versions of overpriced prepackaged stuff if there are good suggestions… and there were. cv

  3. Yes! That circular at Whole Foods was great! I forgot to mention it in my blog-check it out everyone. My kids would never eat that lunch revolution lady's suggestions, however…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *