On The Go Protein Boxes + A Kitchen Tour

We are finally settling into our home and enjoying a place that is our very own! It has been so much fun having my own kitchen back, and meal planning went into full effect our first night home. I had a few spare minutes to pull out my camera and snap some pictures of our kitchen, so I included a "mini kitchen tour" at the bottom of this post. 

A few days ago I posted these protein boxes on my Instagram stories, and they were a hit! I hope this makes your afternoon meal  a little bit more practical; and enjoyable. I never thought too much about lunch before becoming a mom. Now I have a sweet little reminder that we NEED food right around noon every day. On days where it works out I love using up leftovers from dinner or re-purposing things we have in our refrigerator into a simple afternoon pick me up.

As you may have guessed, I got the idea for these protein boxes sold in the refrigerator section at Starbucks. I first had one of these years ago, and loved how simple they were to make at home. These are great for taking out and about, or making to share with friends. The best part is that they are healthy and kids love them, too. There are really endless possibilities for combinations, so feel free to get creative based on what you have - but here are some of my favorites!

Greens & Eggs Box 

2-3 hard boiled eggs; topped with s&p / Green grapes / Half an avocado / 1.5-2 oz cubes of white cheddar cheese (hard cheeses travel best) / Several crackers / A large scoop of almond butter

Mediterranean Box

1/2 C cooked chicken / Large scoop of hummus / Baby carrots / Cucumber slices / Pomegranate arils / Feta cheese / Cherry tomatoes / Tabouleh or quinoa salad

French Charcuterie Box

Peppered salami / Baby Brie cheese from Trader Joe’s / Water crackers or baguette slices / Mixed herbed nuts / Red grapes / Cold asparagus spears / Two squares of dark chocolate (Trader Joe’s makes my absolute FAVORITE bar; it’s 85% cocoa)

Fiesta Box 

Slices of grilled chicken or steak / Half an avocado / Blue corn chips / Pineapple spears / 1/2 c salsa / 6 cubes of pepper jack cheese

These four options give you a good starting point, but these work out so well with any combination you can think of. I love that you can arrange the food tastefully and make it look presentable also.

Now - a little peek into our homestead! It has been such a fun (and very intimidating) process to make choices as we update our house, but seeing small bits come together has been SO rewarding. No matter where we live, I end up spending the most time in my kitchen, and I feel like its the room that says the most about me. I love cooking and hosting people in our home, which I can't wait to do here! There are a few things that need finishing (like our partly primed door - ha!), but I am learning there is always something to be done when living in a fixer upper. 

In the long run, this kitchen will be taken our when we add on a bigger space at the front of the house, and the wall with the oven torn out to make the living room more open concept. For now tho, its a perfectly practical space, and I love that the previous owners had a farm sink. :) 

We don't have much storage and I like keeping my counter space open, which is why I opted for this chicken wire basket for fruits and veggies. We got the concrete utensil crock from Sur La Table after we got married. Having it back on my counter is like seeing an old friend again - I did miss it!

And my sweet little baking buddy. :)

Pretty small and simple, right? Previously the walls were yellow and the tile behind the sink and counters were brown. We painted them white and it makes the whole room look SO much more open and inviting. Ian and I are loving life in our own space, and it is such a blessing to have a place that is truly ours. I've linked some of my favorites around the kitchen below, so take a peek if you are curious! 

I hope you are enjoying a restful week as we approach the holidays. Wishing you and yours the merriest Christmas!

xo, B