Nothing says Labor Day like a barbecue…and nothing upgrades a barbecue like a chicken and vegetable kebab with a creamy pesto dipping sauce! You’ll have more energy for that game of volleyball or for a dip in the pool  if you eat something not quite as heavy as hamburgers, hot dogs, and potato salad drenched in mayonnaise.

I promise that this recipe is a cinch to double, triple, or quadruple if you’re cooking for a crowd and your kids will love threading everything onto the skewers. Your guests will adore you for feeding them a meal they can feel great about eating that’s delicious, too!

Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs with Creamy Pesto Dipping Sauce
serves 4

Ingredients

2 teaspoons grated lemon rind

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, divided

2 teaspoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

8 (1 inch) pieces yellow bell pepper

8 cherry tomatoes

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces

1 small red onion cut into 8 wedges

cooking spray

4 tablespoons plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon prepared pesto

Directions

1.  Preheat grill (or broiler).

2.  Combine rind, 1 tablespoon juice, garlic and next three ingredients.  Thread vegetables and chicken onto 4 (12 inch) skewers.  Brush with lemon/oil mixture. Place skewers on a hot grill or onto a  broiler pan coated with cooking spray.  Broil or grill 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally.

3.  Combine remaining 1 teaspoon juice, yogurt, and pesto.  Serve sauce with kebabs.

Once or twice a week, I cook a meatless meal. It was a bit of an adjustment for my family at first, years ago, but now it seems perfectly natural. This particular favorite was originally made with white rice, but I upgraded that to brown at some point. In the spirit of full disclosure, I will normally cook the rice in advance and then just reheat it with the other ingredients on the night we’re eating the dish. That way I can have rice simmering away while I’m doing other things one evening and I can skip the 50 minute cooking time on a night when everyone is ravenous! These little prep tricks make all the difference when there’s not much time between your arrival home from work and your family’s dinner time!

If you’d rather use the “90 second” brown rice that they sell in pouches at the grocery store, knock yourself out. Nutritionally speaking, it’s not any different than cooking it yourself , as long as you’re buying the unflavored variety. The flavored ones are loaded with added sodium, so I’d stay away from those.

Try this easy dish – make a fruit salad or a tossed salad to go with it and you’re set up for a quick, healthy meal.

Black Beans & Rice

serves 4 as a main dish

Ingredients

2 cups water

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1 cup long-grain brown rice

3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup chopped onions

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 chili pepper or jalepeno (fresh or canned) seeded and minced

2 gloves garlic, minced

2 cups cooked black beans, drained and rinsed

Directions:

1.  Bring water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to a boil.  Add the rice and bay leaves, reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and let cook for 50 minutes, until all the water is absorbed.  Remove the bay leaves.

2.  Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet.  Add the onions, bell pepper, chili pepper, and garlic.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the onions turn gold.  Keep covered between stirrings.  Stir in the black beans and remaining salt.  Heat through.

3.  Toss the beans with rice and, if necessary, warm through.

With so many of us sending kids back to school right now, I thought I’d share a little lunchbox inspiration with you! I sent my oldest off to 3rd grade and my middle child to kindergarten yesterday….then my youngest starts preschool in a few weeks!

For our children, lunch is a reminder of Mom during their school day, so I try to make it a highlight vs. an afterthought – I imagine them opening their lunchboxes to discover something delicious, healthy, and maybe even a little bit fun that I’ve packed for them. Something like this hits the mark…

Here’s a super-fun idea that works really well in a bento box style lunchbox. It’s designed to look like sushi rolls…but it made from wheat bread and almond butter or peanut butter! You’re guaranteed the Coolest Mom award at the lunch table if you send this in for lunch. If your child is allergic to nuts or attends a nut-free school, substitute Sunflower Seed butter (I like the Trader Joe’s brand) or even cream cheese for the filling.

Almond Butter and Honey Sushi Sandwich Lunch
adapted from Super Healthy Kids

serves 2

Ingredients:

2 slices bread, wheat

1 tablespoons almond or peanut butter

1 tablespoons honey

1/2 sliced cucumber with peel left on

1/2 cup red or green grapes

Directions:

1.  Cut crusts off wheat bread, and roll flat with a rolling pin.

2.  Spread half tablespoon of almond or peanut butter on each slice.

3.  Pour half tablespoon of honey on each slice.

4.  Roll bread into a tight roll and cut crosswise like sushi.

5.  Serve with cucumber slices and grapes.