Make Back to School Taste Better


MISSION, KS--(Marketwire - Aug 9, 2012) - (Family Features) In the rush to get everyone off to school, it's easy to fall into a food rut, serving the same things for breakfast, lunch and snacks. But with some inspiration and a little planning, going back to school can taste a whole lot better than it used to.

To make things even more fun, have the kids help with these recipes and ideas. Once they get the hang of it, they can experiment with new ingredients and do it themselves, taking one more thing off your to-do list. 

  • Breakfast: Start the day off with pizza -- Breakfast Pizza, that is. This recipe layers eggs, cheese, turkey bacon, hash browns, sour cream and guacamole on your favorite pita or flatbread. Kids can make it as hot or as mild as they like. It's a great way to sneak in avocados' 20 vitamins and minerals, and it will give them energy to get going on their busy day.

  • Lunch: Skip the same old sandwiches and liven up the lunchbox with these tasty creations. Try a Tortilla Wrap made with chicken, Wholly Salsa, Wholly Guacamole and a hint of lime juice. Experiment with different kinds of tortillas, from whole wheat or sundried tomato, to spinach or jalapeño. For a full-of-flavor favorite, make a Mexican Turkey Torta. Thin turkey slices get topped with a zesty black bean and corn relish, crisp lettuce and your favorite guacamole. To help keep all the delicious flavors inside the roll, hollow it out a bit so the other ingredients don't fall out.

  • After School Snack: Whether they need something to hold them over until dinner or a quick bite on the way to practice, these Wrap It Ups will do the trick. Turkey, garlic and herb spread, Havarti cheese, guac, lettuce and tomato get wrapped up in a tortilla or flatbread, then sliced into bite-sized swirls of deliciousness. Make them ahead of time, then just slice when it's time to enjoy.
    Get more back to school inspiration -- including quick-fix dinner recipes for busy school nights -- at http://www.eatwholly.com.

Ban the Boring Lunchbox
Keep school lunches interesting -- and healthier -- by including something nutritious to munch on. Guacamole and salsa are perfect for dipping into, and individually portioned packs of all natural Wholly Guacamole and Wholly Salsa are the perfect fit for a lunch box. Here are some "and" options to make lunch something fun to dip into:

Guacamole and... 
Zucchini sticks
Baby carrots
Whole grain pretzels
Sweet potato chips 

Salsa and...
Blue corn chips
Sliced jicama
Cucumber slices
Baked pita chips

Mexican Turkey Torta     
Yield: 4    
Black Bean and Corn Relish     
    1/2   cup cooked black beans, no salt added
    1/4   cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
    1   tablespoon chopped cilantro
    1   tablespoon chopped red onion
    4   teaspoons cider vinegar
    2   teaspoons honey
    1/8   teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
    1/8   teaspoon ground cumin
    1/3   cup reduced fat Mexican style shredded cheese  
     
Sandwiches      
    4   2.6-ounce bolillo rolls or baguettes
    4   tablespoons Wholly Guacamole
    12   1-ounce slices ultra-thin, lower sodium, oven roasted turkey slices
    1   cup lettuce, shredded

In medium bowl, combine beans, corn, cilantro, onion, vinegar, honey, hot pepper sauce, and cumin; mix to combine. Gently mix in cheese. Set aside.

Cut rolls in half horizontally, remove soft center, leaving a 1/4-inch thick shell.

Spread 1 tablespoon guacamole inside each hollowed roll. Top each with 3 slices turkey, 1/4 cup black bean mixture, and 1/4 cup shredded lettuce; top with remaining roll tops.

 Breakfast Pizza    
 Yield: 2 pizzas   
    2   pita wraps or flatbreads
    1/2   cup Wholly Salsa
    2   scrambled eggs
    1/2   cup Mexican 3 cheese blend
    4   strips turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled
    1/4   cup hash browns, thawed
    1   tablespoon sour cream
    2   tablespoons Wholly Guacamole
    1   teaspoon cilantro, minced
    1   teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread 1/4 cup salsa on each flatbread.

Spread scrambled egg over each flatbread.

Evenly divide cheese, crumbled turkey bacon and hash browns, then spread over pizzas.

Bake for 6 to 8 minutes.

While baking, mix sour cream, guacamole, minced cilantro and hot sauce.

Remove pizzas from oven and top with sauce.

 Tortilla Wrap    
 Yield: 1 wrap    
    1   cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
    1   medium-sized tortilla, corn or flour
        Wholly Guacamole, to taste
        Natural salsa, to taste
        Juice of 1/2 a lime
        Hot sauce, to taste

Slice chicken.

Spread guacamole on a tortilla. Add salsa.

Squeeze lime juice over salsa.

Add chicken on top and add the hot sauce to your liking.

Roll the tortilla up and enjoy.

Note: You can add low fat mozzarella cheese or Greek yogurt if you like.

Wrap It Ups    
Yield: 1    
    1   flatbread (tortilla, wrap, lavash)
    1   tablespoon garlic and herb flavored spreadable cheese
    2   tablespoons Wholly Guacamole classic avocado
    1/4   cup shredded lettuce
    1   small tomato, diced
    2   to 3 slices Havarti cheese
    2   to 3 slices turkey (optional)

Spread the garlic and herb spreadable cheese on flatbread.

Spread guacamole on top.

On one end of the flatbread, sprinkle a line of lettuce and diced tomatoes.

Layer cheese and sliced turkey beside lettuce and tomatoes, leaving at least two inches of untopped bread at the other end.

Starting from the lettuce/tomato end, roll up bread/tortilla, tucking in the vegetables with the first roll and proceeding to the cheese/meat.

Stick in toothpicks to keep the roll rolled, and slice in two-inch thick spirals.

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Photo courtesy of Wholly Guacamole