I carry two cell phones.

And I feel like the biggest poser in the world. People have mistaken me for an on-call doctor. No, I sell advertising. And I'm a terrible liar, so I say, "No. I sell advertising." This week, I did not sell a lot of advertising. So today (Happy Friday!) I'm here in the town that will not be named and I'm not leaving until I feel like I'm good enough at something to warrant carrying two cell phones.

I turned off both of my cell phones last night in honor of the School Lunch From Home class at New Pi. I think it went well. Here are the recipes.

Lettuce Wraps

1 teaspoon mild chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup vinegar
1 pound raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 cups sliced red or green peppers
1 cup sliced onions
1 cup reduced fat Cheddar cheese
8 large iceberg lettuce leaves


MIX the oil, vinegar, chili powder, garlic powder and cumin together in a bowl. Reserve 2 tablespoons. Add chicken; toss lightly. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes to marinate.

ADD remaining 2 Tbsp. dressing to large nonstick skillet. Add peppers and onions; mix lightly. Cook on medium heat 6 to 8 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetable mixture from skillet; place in separate bowl. Cover to keep warm.

ADD chicken with marinade to same skillet. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, stirring frequently. Return vegetable mixture to skillet; cook an additional 2 or 3 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

SPOON chicken mixture evenly onto lettuce leaves; sprinkle with cheese. Roll up. Eat immediately or chill individual ingredients over night, assemble in the morning and eat cold.




Packable Smoothies



1 cup skim milk

1 banana

1 cup strawberries (frozen)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup blueberries (frozen)



Blend and freeze in the container you'll be serving it out of. Sweeten with honey if necessary.

By lunch time, it should be perfectly thawed, but still quite cold.





Faux sushi box(Bento)



apple wedges

orange sections

large lettuce leaves

sandwich wraps

thin sliced cheese

cream cheese



Spread a thin layer of cream cheese over the entire sandwich wrap. Layer the lettuce and cheese on top of it. Roll tightly and slice into 1" pieces. Place pieces on their sides in a small flat bottomed container with a lid. Surround the rounds with apple wedges and orange sections.

Add some extra veggies and flavor: Stir 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 tablespoon of instant vegetable soup mix (check the bulk bins of New Pi or your local grocery store) into the cream cheese and let it sit for a couple of hours or refigerate overnight.

Add some extra vegetables: Cut a cucumber and a red pepper in to thin strips and place them cross ways in the wrap. Roll up so that each slice has a bit of vegetable in the middle.





Yellow Spaghetti



1 box of quinoa spaghetti, prepared according to package directions

1 14 oz can of diced tomatoes

2 carrots, sliced and steamed

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste



Simmer vegetables and seasonings for 30 minutes, let cool and puree in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Serve hot or at room temperature.