Courtesy of Rob Petrin & Angela Reeves

TAKETOSCHOOLTACOBAR

Quickie Guacamole Ingredients: 1 ripe Hass avocado, halved and seeded 1 lime, halved 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 cup diced tomatoes, mango, or quartered seedless grapes, optional Quickie Guacamole Directions: Scoop the flesh from the shell with a spoon into a medium bowl. Squeeze the lime juice over the avocado and stir to coat evenly. Add the salt. Use a fork to stir and mash into a chunky guacamole. Stir in tomatoes or fruit, if desired.

Speedy Salsa Ingredients: 2 ripe tomatoes, halved 1/4 small red or white onion, halved 1-2 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or mint Speedy Salsa Directions: Grate tomatoes on the largest holes of a box grater into a bowl all the way down to the skins. Discard the skins. Grate the onion into the tomato. Stir in olive oil. Season with salt, to taste. Serve with cilantro leaves on the side, or stirred in, if desired.

Taco Directions: Sprinkle cheese inside each of the tortillas. Pack in the biggest compartment of the lunch box. Pack other compartments with guacamole, salsa, sour cream and other favorite toppings. Seal and send off to school. Taco Ingredients: 4 (6-inch) soft flour tortillas 1/3 cup shredded Cheddar, Monterey jack or “Mexican blend” cheese 1/4 cup Quickie Guacamole or store- bought 1/4 cup Speedy Salsa or store-bought 2 TBSP sour cream or plain yogurt, optional Mini bottle hot sauce Multi-compartment lunch box

Courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com

THREEAPPSTOHELPYOUBEGREENER While advances in technology aren’t always eco-friendly, installing green apps on your smartphone is one way to show our planet some love. Here are three free apps to help you make more sustainable choices. 1. Dropcountr: Links up to your utilities and tells you how much water you’re consuming. Also compares the amount to households near you. Water conservation – with a competitive edge. 2. GoodGuide: Offers thousands of scientific ratings on food, personal care and household cleaning items, helping you to avoid hazardous chemicals. Good for you; good for the environment. 3. OroEco: Connects how you live your life to climate change by evaluating your transportation and home energy choices, then offers personalized suggestions on how you can improve. Also comes with a carbon footprint calculator.

WHAT’SONYOURPLATE? According to nutritionists, a healthy plate of food should include: ONE: Half the plate must be filled with vegetables. Size-wise, the vegetables should fill both hands of the person who is going to eat them. TWO: Your plate should have a fist-sized portion of starch. This would break down to a cup of cooked starch such as brown rice or potatoes or two slices of multi-grain bread. THREE: You should include a portion of healthy fats about the size of the tip of your thumb. Healthy fats can come from avocado, nuts, olives, seeds or coconut oil for example. FOUR: Your plate must have a palm-sized portion of protein such as lean poultry, red meat, beans, eggs or tofu. Processed meats such as baloney or salami are not recommended as they are not considered healthy sources of protein.