Healthy chef makes unique back-to-school bagged lunches

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Back to school means new classes and books, so why give kids the same old lunch? Chef Mareya Ibrahim known as The Fit Foodie, has some creative ideas to make that midday meal something special.

"Fit Food is really about making every bite count. So whether it's chips, or macaroni and cheese, there's something in it that is actually feeding you to the core," said Ibrahim.

That something she is talking about is often produce. So the first tip: Get prep done early in the week.

"We'll wash all of our produce. We'll cut it up, get it all prepped so literally the refrigerator ends up looking like a salad bar," said Ibrahim.

Then you should enlist the help of your kids.

"I love to bring them into the kitchen because studies show that when you do that, they're going to be far more accepting of the food," Ibrahim said.

She also feels they're going to be much more adventurous making food on their own too.

And you might want to think outside the box, or bag so to speak, because it's not necessary to have a traditional sandwich.

"It can be so many other things, and kids love crafts. They love putting things together and this type of food assembly is almost like craft time but with food you know," said Ibrahim.

She suggests pairing brightly colored fruit or vegetable skewers with dip, like Hummus for veggies or chocolate-avocado mousse for fruit.

How about a take on sushi? Take flaxseed bread with onion-flavored Greek yogurt cheese, spread with avocado and cucumber. Then roll it up and slice like a sushi roll.

And what looks like guacamole is actually a quinoa mac n' cheese made with fresh spinach puree and put into cupcake liners for an easy way to eat.

Along with the great food, remember to pack in planet-friendly bags, bottles and containers that make it easy to serve and reuse.

Recipes from Mareya Ibrahim, The Fit Foodie

Veggie Mac n' Cheese Cupcakes

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. bag whole grain or gluten-free pasta shells, fusilli or elbows (quinoa, brown rice or organic corn)

2 tbsp. olive oil or raw coconut oil

1 cup cooked butternut squash, cauliflower or 2 cups fresh spinach

1 container Blue Isle Mediterranean Yogurt Spread or 6 oz. non-dairy cream cheese

1 cup nonfat milk or unsweetened almond milk

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sea salt

2 cups shredded part skim mozzarella cheese or dairy-free alternative

Muffin tin with cupcake liners

Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and mist the inside of each liner with nonstick cooking spray.

- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, not mushy. Drain and toss cooked pasta with a tsp of oil to prevent the noodles from sticking together. Set aside.

- In a food processor, pulse your choice of cooked vegetables along with yogurt spread or non-dairy cream cheese and milk. Add black pepper and sea salt and give one last pulse. Mixture should be creamy smooth. Add a little water if needed to get the right consistency.

- In a large bowl, toss the noodles with the squash sauce until thoroughly mixed. Season with additional spices to taste. Add the shredded mozzarella or dairy free shredded cheese and toss.

- Fill each cupcake liner with pasta mixture and mist top of each with a little nonstick cooking spray. Bake for 12 minutes or until mixture holds together in liner.

Chef Mareya, The Fit Foodie's "Sandwich Sushi"

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

8 slices sprouted grain or gluten-free bread

4 oz. Blue Isle French Onion Mediterranean Yogurt Spread or non-dairy cream cheese

1 English cucumber, peeled and sliced into 4" long strips, 16 pieces total

2 avocados, sliced, pitted and cut into 4 equal sized pieces per half, 16 pieces total

2 tbsp. Linwood's ground flax, sesame and pumpkin seed meal (use sesame seeds if flax unavailable)

Rolling pin or large flat wooden spoon

Directions:

- Slice off crusts from bread. Using a rolling pin or the handle of a wooden spoon, roll each piece of bread until flattened.

- Spread each piece of bread with 1/2 oz. of yogurt spread or non-dairy cream cheese.

- Fill each piece of bread with two pieces of cucumber and avocado in the first third of the slice. Sprinkle with a little ground flax or sesame seeds.

- Roll each piece of bread like sushi and cut into bite-sized pieces. Sprinkle the top of each piece with a little more flax or sesame seeds.

Chef Mareya, The Fit Foodie's Dark Chocolate Avocado Mousse

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

2/3 cup 70% or higher dark chocolate, chopped

2 teaspoons Unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 avocado, large, ripe

1 tbsp. coconut oil, raw

2 tsp. all-natural sweetener (Organic Stevia, Monkfruit Extract or Erythritol)

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Topping: fresh berries, unsweetened shredded coconut, dark chocolate covered almonds or serve with fresh fruit veggie skewers to dip

Directions:

- In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Reduce heat to low.

- Place a glass bowl on top and melt chocolate, taking care to stir so chocolate doesn't seize. Remove bowl. You can also use a double boiler to melt chocolate.

- Add cocoa, almond milk, coconut oil, sweetener and vanilla extract to melted chocolate and mix well.

- Scoop out avocado flesh and blend into chocolate mixture. You can use a hand or stick blender to achieve a smooth consistency.

- Place in individual serving cups, Mason jars or GoStak containers for easy portability.