Barbecue Chicken Flatbread

Most days of the week I pack a lunch for not only my children, but myself to take to work. It's generally leftovers, but I also try to prepare one of my own favorite dishes on Sunday to divide out into small containers and last me a couple days or so. There are plenty of dishes that I really enjoy but maybe the family doesn't, so it's a great way for me to get those worked into my menu plans.

Some days though, it might be me just trying to get creative with leftovers so they don't go to waste. That's what this sandwich was. And I'm really not much of a sandwich person, but this one was pretty darn good. I especially love it with the bread and chicken warmed, but when you're at work that's not always possible and it still tastes good.

I love using these divided containers for my kids' lunches and they're even convenient for myself. I don't want to bring a ton of little containers to work, so this is perfect. Since you won't want a soggy sandwich, I recommend keeping all the components separate until you're ready to eat.



Barbecue Chicken Flatbread

Ingredients:
1 cup cooked, shredded chicken
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
handful fresh spinach
1 tbsp onion salad toppers
2 slices pepper jack cheese
1 whole wheat flatbread


Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together shredded chicken and barbecue sauce. Top flatbread with chicken, spinach, onion toppers and cheese. Fold in half and enjoy!

You can also warm the chicken and flatbread in microwave or oven before serving.

Guacamole for the Freezer

Is it really already October? The days are going by all too quickly and it's been a long time since I've sat down to write. I think for us moms, it's sometimes hard to balance everything that needs done in our day and so things get pushed aside. I've been taking time to focus a little more on myself as a person and not just someone's mom or wife; I've discovered a new found love for running and have been devoting much of my spare time to training for my first 5k which is coming up next weekend. As I turned 33 yesterday, it feels good to give myself grace to do something just for myself. No one else. It doesn't mean I don't love being a mom or a wife, but I'm giving myself permission to take care of myself and do things I enjoy. In the end, it's only going to make me that much better of a person.

So now that it's football season, you'll almost always find a game on my TV during the weekend. It's like a ritual with the husband. I don't mind sitting down to watch a little bit, but with the guys, I guess it's like their religion. We're not big snackers during these times, but occasionally you'll find myself mixing up a little something to munch on. Or if we get invited to hang out with friends, it's nice to have a dish on hand to bring along.

Guacamole is a favorite in our family, even my kids love it. Generally I like to mix in big chunks of tomato and maybe even a little green pepper if I have it. The chunkier, the better. Last month when avocados were on sale, I got to wondering if I could freeze guacamole?

In the freezer went a batch, spooned into a freezer bag and flattened for easy storage. A total experiment. Three weeks later and I pulled the batch out to thaw. I was impressed, it wasn't watery, it didn't turn a yucky brown color and it tasted just a fresh as when I first mixed it up. I added in my tomatoes and we served it up. So now when I stock up during an avocado sale, I know I can stash a batch in my freezer for another day.

Guacamole for the Freezer

Ingredients:
3 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and peeled
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup diced red onion
1 lime
salt and pepper, to taste
cilantro

Directions:
In a medium bowl, mash avocados using a fork. Add in garlic, onion and juice of one lime. Mix in chopped cilantro, use a much or as little as you'd like. Season with salt and pepper and adjust seasonings if needed.

Scoop guacamole into a quart sized freezer bag and seal shut, flattening and getting out as much air as possible. Make sure to label bag and store in freezer for up to 4 weeks. When ready to enjoy, just remove from freezer and let thaw. Snip one edge of the bag and squeeze the contents into a serving bowl. Mix in chopped tomatoes or peppers if desired. Serve with tortilla chips or veggies. Store any extras in fridge.