Registered Dietitian Annessa Chumbley has a day full of back-to-school recipes – from breakfast to dessert –  that will make getting back into the schedule easy, fun….and nutritious! 

Back to School Breakfast in a Hurry 

Mandarins – also called clementines – come to us from Chile this time of year, where the season is opposite ours. Back-to-school is synonymous with these easy peelers. They are perfect for little fingers….kids can peel them themselves, so throwing them into a lunchbox is a must. Keep a bowl out on the counter so you remember to snack on them because they are an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber; grab 2 and 2 hardboiled eggs, and you have breakfast with legs:-)  (By the way, Chile now exports almost 100,000 tons to the US each year – and it’s more than doubled in the past 6 years!)

Prep Ahead Back-to-School Lunch:  Low-Carb Cold Pad Thai Jar 
Lunch that can be prepped ahead for busy back-to-school days. Make this the night before, and keep it in the refrigerator. In the morning, just grab and go!  A secret to the sauce made for this jar is a navel orange. Navels are cousins to those mandarins and are a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and fiber. They have been shown to help lower cholesterol and help maintain blood pressure. 

Go to Facebook.com/fruitsfromchile for more fun recipes! 

2 tablespoons unsweetened peanut butter 
1 small clove garlic, grated  
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil 
1 teaspoon grated ginger 
juice of 1 orange 
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 
1 boneless skinless chicken breast, cooked and sliced 
1 1/2 cup zucchini noodles or sweet potato noodles 
1/2 bell pepper, sliced 
1 green onion, sliced on the bias 
3 basil leaves 
2 slices of lime 
crushed peanuts – optional

1. In a small bowl, whisk together first 6 ingredients. Pour creamy peanut dressing into a glass jar. Layer in other ingredients: sliced chicken, vegetable noodles, bell pepper, green onion, basil and lime. Add peanuts on top. 
2. Refrigerate. When ready to eat, pour into a bowl and toss together. Enjoy! 

Prep time: 10 mintues
Total time: 10 minutes 

Serving size: 1 Cold Pad Thai Jar 
Serves: 1 

Nutrition Facts per Serving: Calories 415.7, Total Fat 24.8 g, Saturated Fat 3.1 g, Polyunsaturated Fat 8.1 g, Monounsaturated Fat 11.0 g, Cholesterol 0.0 mg, Sodium 486.9 mg, Potassium 583.5 mg, Total Carbohydrate 20.3 g, Dietary Fiber 6.3 g, Sugars 4.4 g, Protein 38.2 g, Vitamin A 45 %, Vitamin C 302%, Iron 11%, Calcium 7%

Easy Weeknight Back to School Dinner:  Asian Lettuce Sliders 
DELICIOUS easy dinner using plants and proteins. Watch out – the sauce is addicting!  Use those navel oranges in recipes!!! Give that orange a few personalities by using it in the sliders as well as the sauce. 

sliders: 
1 lb grass-fed ground beef 
1 teaspoon grated ginger 
2 cloves garlic 
1 teaspoon navel orange zest 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 

base & toppings: 
8 leaves Bibb or Boston lettuce 
1/2 English cucumber, julienned 
1/2 cup thinly sliced mini sweet peppers 
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion 
1/2 cup roughly chopped cilantro 

sauce: 
juice of 1 navel orange
1 tablespoon tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)
1/4 cup raw honey
1/2 tablespoon raw apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated red chili (such as Fresno or Thai chili) 
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 
1/2 teaspoon grated garlic 

1. Preheat grill by brushing with coconut oil and heating to medium-high. In a medium bowl, add all ingredients for sliders, mixing together until evenly incorporated. 
2. Shape into 8 (2 ounce) ovals (so it looks like a football), and flatten to 1/2 inch. Place on grill for 7-8 minutes total, flipping once halfway through cooking time. Remove and let rest for 5 minutes.
3. For sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small serving bowl and set aside. 
4. To make lettuce sliders, lay all Bibb lettuce leaves out on a large serving platter. Place a beef slider in the center of each, and top with cucumber, peppers, onion, and cilantro. Serve with sauce in the middle or drizzled over the Lettuce Sliders. Enjoy immediately! 

Pro tips: 
– use basil instead of cilantro for a different flavor 
– add grated red chili into the beef itself for more heat 
– Chinese cabbage could be used in place of Bibb lettuce 
– sauce may be made ahead of time and refrigerated until ready to use 

Cinnamon Citrus Sun Tea 
Yummy tea with delicious flavors – perfect for August days! 

1 clear container with tight fitting lid, enough to hold a gallon of water, plus extra room for orange slices

1 gallon water
8 black tea bags
2 cinnamon sticks
10-12 whole cloves
2 oranges, sliced for garnish
honey, if desired

1. Fill the jar with water.  Add tea bags, placing paper string on outside of the jar.  Add cinnamon and cloves and tighten the lid.  
2. Place outside in a sunny spot for about 4 hours.  Return indoors and remove tea bags.  Add honey and oranges, stirring to combine.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serving size: 12 ounces 
Serves: about 10 – 12 

Honey Ginger Creamsicle Pop
Back to school for “it’s still summer” days….a frozen pop made entirely in the blender.  A nutritious, sweet, creamy and delicious snack for after school. 

Recipe is courtesy of Fruits from Chile. Find more fruit-infused recipes at Facebook.com/FruitsfromChile.

2 large, ripe navel oranges 
1 teaspoon orange zest
1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger 
3/4 cup vanilla Greek yogurt 
2 tablespoons raw honey 

1. In a high powered blender or food processor, blend all ingredients. 
2. Pour into popsicle molds. Freeze for at least 4 hours or overnight. Enjoy! 

Serving size: 1 pop 
Serves: about 6 
 

Go to www.annessard.com for more, and stay up-to-date with the latest recipes from Annessa on social media: 
Facebook: @AnnessaChumbleyRD
Twitter: @AnnessaRD
Instagram: @AnnessaRD
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