Hummus* on a homemade tortilla**

Red pepper slices

Cheese

Cantaloupe

*Quick & Dirty Hummus Recipe:
Throw all of this in a food processor or blender and mix until smooth:
1 can of chickpeas, drained (reserve the liquid)
2 Tablespoons of tahini
Juice of one lemon
1 clove of garlic
Gradually add chickpea liquid to get to desired consistency

**Homemade flour tortillas
There are a lot of ways to make tortillas, most of them pretty simple. Preschool Mom found that this recipe works well in a dry cast iron skillet. Bonus: Preschooler loves to help make the tortillas.

Welcome!

Welcome to Preschool Lunches, one Mama's attempt to document the lunches she packs for her preschooler over the course of one school year. Please note that said preschooler is one of the Pickiest Eaters on Earth, presenting myriad challenges both culinary and parental on a day-to-day, or should we say, lunch-to-lunch, basis.

Now for the technical notes: each school day (Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays), Preschool Mom will post a photo of the lunchbox and a list of its contents. Apologies in advance for the photos - this is a skill still to be mastered. When necessary, recipes and other relevant information will be posted as well. Comments and suggestions welcome! Without further ado...

Day One: October 2

Fruit juice muffins*

Sliced Cubanelle peppers

Colby Jack cheese

Sliced plums

*Adapted from the fantastic cookbook Quick Vegetarian Pleasures

1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
1 medium apple, peeled and grated
1 large egg
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup water

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Butter the insides and top of a regular-size muffin pan. (Or use mini-muffin pan, as Preschool Mom did here.)
2. In a large bowl, thoroughly combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Stir in the raisins, walnuts (optional), and grated apple.
3. In a medium bowl, beat the egg, then beat in the oil, apple juice concentrate, and water. Stir this into the dry mixture until just evenly moistened. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan.
4. Bake 15 minutes (10 if you are using a mini-muffin pan), or until a knife inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for a few minutes before removing from the pan.
Makes about 12 muffins or 24 mini-muffins. The mini-muffins also freeze well.