Elementary School Lunch

Place 2 slices mortadella on a cutting board. Place 2 slices provolone on each slice mortadella. Cut each round in half vertically. Beginning at the bottom, roll each piece into a round. Skewer with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining mortadella and provolone. Place in a small container with a lid.

Place Babybel cheeses, cucumber, ranch dressing, edamame, and blueberries in their respective small containers.

Salmon Chowder

In a heavy large pot over medium-high heat, add pancetta, leeks, celery, and thyme and cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and clam juice and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, about 10 minutes.  

Add half and half and cream and cook just until heated through, about 5 minutes. 

In a small bowl, combine butter and flour to make a paste. Add paste in spoonfuls to soup, stirring until dissolved and mixture reaches desired thickness. Add salmon and simmer until fish is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Add dill and season with salt and pepper. Ladle chowder into soup bowls or serving bowls and serve with oyster water crackers and dill sprigs for garnish. 

Herb-Marinated Chicken With Summer Vegetable Relish

In a bowl, combine herbs, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons olive oil. Spread mixture on chicken and marinate in refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Remove chicken from refrigerator 20 minutes before cooking. Prepare a grill or grill pan over medium heat. Cook chicken on both sides until browned and reaches 165° on an instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, loosely cover with foil, and let rest 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a frying pan over medium-high heat, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Add potatoes, liberally season with salt and pepper, and cook until browned and just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.

Add onion to pan and let cook over medium-high heat, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add green beans and cook, about 5 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until wine has reduced by half. Add zucchini, crookneck squash, bell pepper, chicken broth, fish sauce, marjoram, and thyme and cook until squash is cooked but not falling apart and green beans are tender, 8-10 minutes.

Return potatoes to pan, season vegetable mixture with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place chicken in warmed shallow bowls, top with vegetables, and garnish with parsley.

Beef Fajita Bowls

On a cutting board, chop vegetables and beef into small pieces.

In a frying pan over medium-high heat, add oil. When oil shimmers, add vegetables, beef, and 1 cup salsa. Season mixture with salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and beef is just cooked through, 6-8 minutes.

In 4 bowls, divide rice, vegetable and beef mixture. Top each bowl with tortilla chips, remaining salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese.

Harmons Spoon Roast Tostadas

If using a crock pot, remove roast from paper and place in crock pot over low heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and cover 3/4 of pork with broth. Cook until pork is tender, about 7 hours.

If using a pressure cooker, remove roast from paper. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic, and roast and cover ¾ of roast with broth. Cook on high pressure for 45 minutes. Then quick release steam.

Remove pork and transfer to a bowl to cool. Shred meat.

In a small bowl, combine crema and tomatillo guacamole.

Divide tostadas between 4 plates. Add pork, top with cabbage, green onions, drizzle with tomatillo crema, and sprinkle with cotija cheese. 

Reuben Sandwiches

To make the Russian dressing, in a bowl, add mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, relish, lemon juice, horseradish, paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set aside.

On a work surface, butter 1 side of each slice of bread. Turn 4 slices butter side down onto a frying pan or griddle over medium heat. Add 1 slice cheese cheese per sandwich. Divide corned beef, sauerkraut, dressing, and 4 more slices of cheese among 4 sandwiches. Top with remaining bread slices, buttered side up.

Grill first side of sandwiches until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over and cook until other side is golden brown, about 4 minutes.

Pork Medallion with Cherry Sauce

Red: Most red fruits and vegetables owe their color to lycopene, a phytochemical that helps protect against cell damage. Lycopene has been shown to reduce the risk of some cancers, like prostate and breast cancer, as well as heart disease.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Dredge pork in flour and season with salt and pepper. In a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 teaspoons oil. When oil shimmers, add pork and cook until meat is golden brown on all sides, about 7 minutes. Place on a sheet pan, transfer to oven, and cook until pork registers about 143° on an instant-read thermometer, 15-20 minutes. Tent loosely with foil.

Add remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, shallots, and garlic to pan and cook until they begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add port, broth, salt, and cherries and cook until liquid is reduced by half, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and whisk in butter. Slice pork and serve with sauce and garnish with basil.

Nutrition per serving: 320 calories; 10g total fat (4g saturated); 490mg sodium; 21g carbohydrates; 1g dietary fiber; 5g sugar (0g added sugar); 30g protein

Goat Cheese Veggie Pita Pizzas

Preheat oven to low broil.

In a medium frying pan over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil. When oil shimmers, add zucchini, bell pepper, onions, and garlic salt and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

On a baking sheet, add pitas and brush one side with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Broil on low until slightly golden. Flip pitas, repeat on opposite sides, then remove from oven.

Top each pita with vegetables and 1 ounce goat cheese. Return to oven and broil on low until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle with red pepper flakes before serving.

Edamame Fried Rice

In a large frying pan over low heat, add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, salt, and pepper. Add eggs to pan and cook, turning occasionally, until firm but still moist. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to pan and increase heat to medium-high. Add frozen vegetables and edamame to pan and cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Stir in cooked rice and eggs and cook for 5 minutes.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, honey, and ground ginger. Add mixture to pan and stir.

Just before serving, add sesame oil and top with green onions.

Tuna Couscous Salad

White/Pale Green: Don’t be fooled by their color—white vegetables are, in fact, nutrition powerhouses! Glucosinolate compounds found in some white vegetables, like cauliflower and rutabaga, may reduce your risk for digestive tract and prostate cancers.

In a small frying pan over medium heat, add oil. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Let cool.

In a bowl, combine hearts of palm, artichoke hearts, tuna, mayonnaise, couscous, parsley, thyme, garlic, and lemon zest and juice. Season with salt and pepper. Add pine nuts, if using, and fold into mixture. Chill at least 30 minutes prior to serving.

Nutrition per serving: 220 calories; 12g total fat (1.5g saturated); 510mg sodium; 18g carbohydrates; 3g dietary fiber; 1g sugar (0g added sugar); 9g protein