Easy-to-make lunch and dinner ideas

Christina Pirello, host of the PBS show Christina Cooks, has dedicated her career to teaching people how to eat healthy. Try her recipes for hummus wraps, surprisingly decadent brownies and more.

Hummus Wraps

Perfect for brown-bag lunches and after-school snacks, these wholesome packages are protein-rich, delicious and (best of all) easy to make.

For the hummus:
• 2–3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 cups cooked or canned chickpeas
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• ⅓ cup sesame tahini
• 1 teaspoon cumin (optional)
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½–1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2–3 sprigs parsley, minced

For the wraps:
• 2–3 whole-wheat soft tortillas
• Romaine lettuce leaves
• Alfalfa sprouts
• Sliced tomatoes

Combine all ingredients for hummus in a food processor, adjusting salt to your taste. Puree until smooth, adding small increments water or olive oil if the mixture seems too thick.

To assemble the wrap, lay a soft tortilla on a dry work surface, then layer with lettuce, sprouts and tomato slices. Spoon hummus generously over top and roll, securing with a toothpick on either side if needed. Slice in half crosswise and serve.

Makes 4–6 half-wraps.

Fried Noodles with Tofu and Vegetables

This dish, while typically served hot, tastes great at room temperature, too. And though tots may turn their noses up at tofu, in this well-balanced meal of complex carbs, protein and vegetables, it’s conveniently hidden within a food kids love: noodles!

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3–4 thin slices fresh ginger, minced
• 1 red onion, cut into thin half-moon slices
• Soy sauce
• 6–7 button mushrooms, brushed free of dirt and thinly sliced
• 1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1 small bunch bok choy, well rinsed, thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 2–3 slices baked tofu, cubed
• 2 teaspoons brown-rice syrup (or honey for those not strictly vegan)
• 8 ounces whole-wheat udon noodles
• Juice of ½ fresh lemon
• 2–3 sprigs fresh parsley, minced

Place the oil, ginger and onions in a deep skillet and turn heat to medium. When the onions begin to sizzle, add a dash of soy sauce and sauté for 1–2 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms release their juices, about 2 minutes. Stir in carrots, bok choy and 2–3 teaspoons of soy sauce. Stir in baked tofu and rice syrup, and season with soy sauce to taste. Sauté until bok choy is wilted and crisp-tender.

While the vegetables are sautéing, bring a pot of water to boil and cook the udon al dente, about 12 minutes. Drain and rinse well.

Stir cooked noodles into sautéed tofu and vegetables. Stir in lemon juice and transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Makes 3–4 adult-size servings.

Note: Vary the vegetables to your family’s taste. You may leave out the tofu, but you’ll lose the protein punch.

Mac and Cheese

Nothing says comfort food quite like mac and cheese, but Kraft-in-a-box is hardly healthy. To make the dish a vegan staple, you don’t have to resort to using only sauces made with nutritional yeast (a common cheese alternative). This version is yummy, creamy and as close to the real thing as it gets.

• 8 ounces elbow or small-shell pasta
• 4 tablespoons vegetarian butter spread (such as Earth Balance)
• 4 tablespoons whole-wheat pastry flour
• Sea salt
• Cracked black pepper
• 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
• 1 cup shredded sharp vegan cheese
• Whole-wheat bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Add a pinch of salt to a large pot of water. Bring water to a boil and cook pasta until it is almost done. Drain well.

While the pasta cooks, prepare the sauce. Melt vegetarian butter spread in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk flour into the melted butter spread and cook, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Stir in a generous pinch each of salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in soy milk and continue cooking, whisking, until thickened, 3–4 minutes. Stir in cheese and continue to cook until melted.

Lightly oil an 8 x 10 baking dish. Alternate layers of cheese sauce and cooked macaroni to fill the baking dish. Be sure to end with sauce on the top. Sprinkle generously with bread crumbs and bake until hot and bubbly, 20–25 minutes.

Makes about 6 adult-size servings.

Chocolate Decadence Brownies

Rich, chocolaty and laced through with nuts, these treats work well in a school lunch—particularly if your little one is trying to make friends!

For the brownies:
• 1⅓ cups granulated maple syrup
• ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 tablespoons spring or filtered water
• 2 teaspoons shelled hemp seeds
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
• ⅓ cup semolina flour
• ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• Generous pinch sea salt
• Plain or vanilla soy milk
• 1 cup nondairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips
• ½ cup macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

For the glaze:
• ¼ cup plain or vanilla soy milk
• 1 teaspoon brown-rice syrup (or honey for those not strictly vegan)
• ⅔ cup nondairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips

For the garnish:
• ⅓ cup nondairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly oil an 8-inch square baking pan.

Mix together maple granules, applesauce and water in a medium-size bowl. Stir in hemp seeds and vanilla. Fold in whole-wheat and semolina flours, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix just to combine ingredients. Stir in just enough soy milk to create a smooth, spoonable batter. Add chocolate chips and nuts and fold in until well incorporated.

Bake for 40 minutes for chewy brownies and 45–50 minutes for more cakelike brownies. Either way, the brownies should be set when touched.

While the brownies bake, make the glaze. Place chocolate chips in a small heat-resistant bowl. Combine soy milk and rice syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a high boil. Pour over chocolate chips and whisk to create a smooth, shiny glaze.

When the brownies have cooled, cut into 16 squares and remove from pan, placing them individually on a wire rack with a length of parchment paper underneath. Spoon glaze over each brownie.

Makes 16 brownies.

Better Than Milk Shakes

Shakes are generally considered a major indulgence, but with no saturated fat or sugar, these come with a lot less guilt.

• ½ cup nondairy, grain-sweetened chocolate chips
• ½ cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
• 3 tablespoons brown-rice syrup (or honey for those not strictly vegan)
• 1 cup chocolate soy or rice “ice cream”
• ½ cup chocolate soy milk or almond milk

Place chocolate chips in a heat-resistant bowl. Combine soy milk and rice syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Whisk heated liquid into the chocolate to create a smooth syrup. Allow to cool to room temperature before proceeding.

Place all ingredients in a blender. Beginning on low and gradually increasing to high, whip to creamy perfection.

Makes 1 shake.