10 Fun Veggie Pinwheel and Sandwich Fillings for School Lunch

I attended an all-girls traditional summer camp in Vermont for 7 years growing up, and every morning we had “cabin clean up” after breakfast. Every day, the camp director would choose the cleanest cabin on junior line (7-10 year olds), sub-senior line (10-12 year olds) and senior line (12-15 year olds); and the cabin that won the cleanest cabin the most by the end of the summer would get to have a private ice cream party. We used the pinwheel job chart every day to rotate cleaning jobs: sweeping, cobwebs, towels. etc. While an ice cream party might not necessarily work as an incentive to get your kids to eat their veggies, the pinwheel still serves as a great tool to make sure your family is getting their nutrients. You can spin it around for every meal!

1. Bean spreads: Herbed White Bean, Spicy Refried Black Beans, Edamame Hummus 

These bean spreads are delicious and also provide some kickin’ vegan protein. You can find an amazing herbed white bean dip spread from the fall chapter of Terry Walters’ Clean Food (p. 150):

Herbed white bean dip spread

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 shallots or 1 small sweet onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or lemon thyme leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cups cooked white beans (navy, great northern, or cannellini)
• 4-5 dashes hot pepper sauce

In small skillet over medium heat, sauté garlic and shallot in olive oil until soft (about 3 minutes). Add mirin, rosemary, thyme, and salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 5 minutes, then remove from heat.

In large bowl, combine beans with sautéed shallot mixture. Puree with handheld blender. Season to taste with hot pepper sauce and serve at room temperature.

Spicy Refried Black Beans:

Ingredients:

• 1 can black beans, rinsed thoroughly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 jalapeño, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chile powder
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Rinse black beans and mince garlic and jalapeño.

Saute garlic in olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add black beans, jalapeño, cayenne, paprika, cumin, chile powder, sea salt, and lime juice, and stir to combine. Use the back of a wooden spoon to mash the beans to desired consistency… with just the right amount of chunk. ;)

Remove from heat and place in a plowl (a cross between a plate and a bowl – you know what I’m talking about).

I also have a killer Edamame Hummus recipe that’s been kid-approved (I actually taught the recipe to a group of kids when I was an after-school program supervisor, and we of course sampled it after, with some baby carrots and pita chips!):

Edamame Hummus

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly
• 1 cup deshelled edamame beans
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 heaping tablespoon tahini
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• Pinch of paprika
• Pinch of sea salt

Place garlic in blender or food processor to mince. Add chickpeas and edamame beans and blend, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Add olive oil, lemon juice, tahini, cumin, and paprika and blend until smooth. Let chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to thicken.

2.  Shredded Yam and Black Bean Burger 

It was a bit of a challenge for me to master the perfect veggie bean burger. I’ve always liked Chipotle Black Bean Burgers as an alternative to the bland veggie patty, so when I figured out my own recipe, I was a happy camper. Plus, have you ever met a kid who doesn’t like a burger? Well, if you had met me when I was 10, maybe, but it’s rare. Toast up an Udi’s multigrain patty, and you’ve got a delicious and filling meal that satisfies everyone.

Chipotle Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
• 1 sweet potato, shredded
• ½ red onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 can black beans, mashed
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• hamburger buns of choice

Using a cheese grater, peel and finely grate the sweet potato into a large bowl.

Sauté garlic and red onion in olive oil and spices for 3 minutes and add black beans and lime juice. Mash to desired consistency and set aside.

Add beans to grated sweet potato along with egg replacer, cilantro, and flour. Mix thoroughly with maple syrup. Using your hands, grab a handful of the sweet potato mixture; create a ball and mash slightly between your hands to create a burger shape. Do this with the rest of the mixture until it runs out.

Heat a large non-stick skillet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the patties, 2 at a time, careful not to let them crowd the pan, and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Flip and fry for another 2-3 minutes, then place on a paper-towel covered plate.

 3. PB & J Time: Toasted Almond and Currant Chutney 

I have and always will love PB & J, and I do think that it’s a healthy snack to indulge in once in a while (or all of the time). Sometimes it’s fun to change it up with the jelly, though. Native Foods Cafe, a vegan and plant-based fast-casual restaurant chain based in California and Colorado, has a cookbook with an awesome Toasted Almond and Currant Chutney (p. 88):

Toasted Almond and Currant Chutney

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup chopped or sliced almonds, roasted

Mix all ingredients except nuts in a stainless steel saucepan and bring to a boil; then let simmer on low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from stove and stir in almonds. Store in refrigerator.

 4. PB & J Time: Avocado Cashew Peanut Butter 

I recently came up with an avocado cashew crema to put in some three-bean vegan chili. I had some leftover, and decided to be daring and stuff the “alternative peanut butter” into a sandwich with some jelly that I had in the fridge. It worked! And it was healthy! Here’s my recipe for Avocado Cashew Crema/Nut Butter:

Ingredients:

• 1 large ripe Hass avocado
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ teaspoon nutritional yeast
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Place all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth but still chunky. Pour the olive oil over the top to emulsify. If saving, keep the avocado pit so that the mixture doesn’t turn brown.

5.  Fruit and Kale Salad 

Salads are fun and delicious, and I truly believe that kids can learn to love them; it’s just a matter of presentation and preparation. A colorful plate with some vegan protein is a winning meal for anybody, but especially a growing child. When I taught cooking to kids, we made a kale salad one week in which we marinated the kale leaves in olive oil, grated fresh ginger, sea salt, and avocado (an idea of the vegan goddess Terry Walters), and then chose our favorite fruits, veggies, and nuts to toss the greens with (some suggestions: mango, strawberry, green onion, bell pepper, sweet corn for fruits/veggies; pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds for nuts).

Here’s my recipe for Fruity Kale Salad with Vegan Boca Chik’n Nuggets, which is a rendition of Terry Walters’s Raw Kale Confetti Salad from the Spring Chapter of Clean Start.

Raw Kale Confetti Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch kale
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 avocado, halfed, pitted, and scooped into chunks
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup strawberries, rinsed, destemmed and diced
• 3-4 cipollini onions (red onions or shallots also work), sliced
• 2-3 green onions, chopped
• 6-8 Boca Frozen Chik’n Nuggets, baked and sliced
• 1 small handful pumpkin seeds
• 1 small handful sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice or lime juice

Place chopped raw kale in a large bowl. Thoroughly massage olive oil onto leaves, along with ginger, avocado, and sea salt. When leaves are thoroughly dressed, let marinate for 15 minutes.

While kale is marinating, prepare remaining ingredients. Cook Boca Chik’n Nuggets according to package directions (AKA: preheat the oven to 400, place nuggets on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes), and chop strawberries and onions. Add to kale and toss with lemon juice or lime juice. Top with sunflower seeds and sunflower seeds, toss lightly, and serve.

6. Zucchini Falafel Pita Wrap w/ Herbed Cucumber Aioli 

Wraps are easy and delicious, and can easily be made gluten-free. A perfect on-the-go lunch!

Zucchini Falafel Patties

Ingredients:

• 1 zucchini, peeled and finely grated
• 1 cup chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 small red or brown onion, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon fresh or dried basil
• 1 tablespoon fresh or dried parsley
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• 3 tablespoons olive or grape seed oil
• 1 tablespoon flour
• Pepper to taste

Using a cheese grater or food processor, peel and grate zucchini. Wrap grated zucchini in a paper towel to remove excess water, and place in a bowl.

With a food processor or fork, mash chickpeas very thoroughly. Mince garlic and mash with chickpeas, to create a chickpea-garlic mashed potato-esque consistency. Add to bowl of zucchini, stir and mix together. Add cumin, basil, parsley, flour sea salt and mix. Season to taste with pepper.

Prepare patties by forming into round, 2-inch sized balls, and press between your hands lightly to create burger patty shapes. Continue this process until all of the mixture is finished, and feel free to experiment with sizes! Sometimes I like to make bigger patties and other times, smaller.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add patties, two by two, onto the skillet, and fry 3-4 minutes each side, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a plate or surface covered with 2 layers of paper towels to remove excess oil. Serve warm.

Herbed Cucumber Aioli

Ingredients

• 1 clove garlic
• 1 cucumber, peeled and diced
• 8 oz firm silken tofu
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh basil or herb blend of choice (chives and parsley, thyme and rosemary, oregano and sage)
• 1 scallion
• sea salt and pepper

In food processor or blender, mince garlic. Add tofu and whip until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until a creamy texture is reached and herbs are minced. Stir in cucumbers, season with salt and pepper as desired, and serve.

7.   Paninis with vegan cheese: Apple, Spinach, and Vegan Brie

I have a Breville Panini maker, which was an interesting investment considering I’m a vegan (it was a gift). Well, I took it as an excuse to come up with some vegan cheeses! Paninis are delicious and filling, and kids love them. The student center at my undergraduate university had a restaurant, Alfred Packer Grill, with a panini station, and I always ordered the Popeye Panini with apples, spinach, and brie cheese. Learning how to make Vegan Brie Cheese of course began essential for me, but thanks to One Green Planet’s guide to 10 Homemade Vegan Cheeses to Add in Your Epic Grilled Cheese Sandwich, this became an easy feat.

Apple, Spinach, and Vegan Brie Panini

Ingredients:

• 2 slices Sourdough or Ciabatta Bread
• One Green Planet’s Gourmet Dairy-Free Cheese or  Vegan Macadamia Nut Brie En Croute
• 1 apple (Ambrosia, Honeycrisp, and Golden Delicious are great varieties)
• 1 bunch organic fresh baby spinach leaves
• 1 tablespoon Earth Balance Vegan Butter

Heat up the panini maker. Meanwhile, assemble your sandwich with a layer of vegan cheese on both slices of bread. When the panini maker is heated up, lather both sides with 1 tablespoon of vegan butter. Press your sandwich into the panini maker and remove once the cheese is melted and gooey.

8. “Tapas” Boxed Lunch: Green bean “Fries,” Spiced Crunchy Chickpeas, Stuffed Figs

These are 3 easy snacks hat can easily fill a lunch box with nutritious and filling goodies. I make green bean fries at least once a week, because they are so easy and delicious.

Here’s the recipe for the Green Bean Fries:

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch green beans or haricot verts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder or spice of choice

Preheat oven to 425.

Trim green beans and toss with olive oil, sea salt, and desired spice(s). Place green beans on a baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until crispy. Remove from oven and serve.

And the Stuffed Figs:

Ingredients:

• 10-12 turkish figs or figs of choice
• ½ cup vegan cheese of choice

Preheat the oven to 350.

Score an x on the top of the figs to open them up, but don’t cut them into quarters. Stuff the vegan cheese into the figs and close. Place figs on a oiled baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in the oven, or until the cheese is golden brown on the edges. Serve.

And the Crunchy Chickpeas:

Ingredients:

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed thoroughly
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 generous sprinkling paprika (1/2-1 teaspoon for you neurotic measurers :-P)
• 1 generous sprinkling cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 375. Rinse the chickpeas thoroughly and pat dry with a paper towel. Make sure to dry them well – the drier the chickpeas, the crispier/crunchier they come out of the oven. Toss with olive oil, add spices (salt, paprika, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper), and toss again. Place spiced chickpeas on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. These’ll keep so feel free to munch on them right away or store them in a mason jar for later!

9. Tofu Kabobs with Grilled Fruits and Veggies 

Serve these over a bed of rice and you have a perfect outdoor family meal for the summer (as long as you have a grill!).

Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz package fresh extra firm or firm tofu
• 1 cantaloupe or pineapple, cut into small chunks
• 1 red onion, sliced into wedges
• 1 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
• 1 yellow squash, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
• 4 baby bella mushrooms, decapped
• 1 bell pepper of choice (yellow, green, red, or orange)

Teriyaki Marinade:

• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• ¼ cup tamari
• 1 tablespoon mirin or rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon roasted red chili paste
• 1 teaspoon brown rice syrup or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (if you like things spicy)

In a small bowl, whisk together ingredients of desired marinade. Wrap tofu in towels to remove excess water and chop into cubes. Place tofu, fruits, and vegetables in baking dish, and pour marinade over mixture. Marinate in the fridge for at least an hour.

Preheat the grill to medium-high. Soak wooden skewers in warm water for 15 minutes, remove from water, and assemble tofu, fruits, and vegetables in staggered pattern on skewer. Brush or spray grill with oil to prevent the tofu from sticking, and place skewers directly on grill, and grill for 5 minutes on each side. Serve.

10.  Vegan BLT with Tempeh Bacon 

Last but not least, an American classic – vegan style. A BLT is a staple, and should not be neglected and put on the “never eat” list for vegans, because vegan bacon is pretty amazing. Here’s a link to OGP’s genius coconut bacon recipe. And here’s my recipe for Smoky Maple Tempeh Fakin’ Bacon.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 425.

Carefully cut tempeh into thin slices about ¼ inch thick. Steam tempeh for 5 minutes; remove from heat, and let sit for a moment.

Meanwhile, whisk together marinade ingredients until nice and creamy. Place tempeh in a glass baking dish, pour marinade over tempeh, and flip to coat both sides to thoroughly coat the tempeh. Marinate for 30 minutes.

Transfer marinated tempeh to a baking dish, sprayed with oil if necessary. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, flip carefully, and bake for 10 minutes. Remove and serve.

As you’ll quickly learn, there are tons of ways to get our kids excited about eating healthy, vegan meals. What could be better than influencing the next generation to eat conscious, compassionate comfort foods that are both delicious and innovative? So use that pinwheel to your advantage to get your family eating these amazing meals!

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