Delight your lunch bunch with rich flavor and vibrant color!

You and your children may be brown bagging it these days, but lunch doesn’t have to be boring. Forego the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for simple, tantalizing foods that add zip to the noon meal. Why not a lunch high in zinc, iron and protein? These essential building blocks – found in beef – provide your body with energy for hectic days filled with work, school and extra-curricular activities.

Have leftovers?
Think “cook once, eat twice” for added convenience. How about Certified Angus Beef ® brand flat iron for dinner? Make extra – leftovers are perfect for tomorrow’s lunchbox meal. Pair beef with fresh avocado, lime, chopped cilantro and baby spinach for Lime Avocado and Beef Wraps. This zippy, colorful wrap is the perfect alternative to standard noon fare.

Lime Avocado and Beef Wrap
Ingredients
1 pound Certified Angus Beef ® flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced
1 lime
1 avocado
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 flatbread or tortilla wraps, green if available
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cups loosely packed baby spinach

Downloadable print-quality photo:
http://www.certifiedangusbeefcom/photos/5105_Lime_Avocado_Beef_WrapA.jpg
Instructions
Zest the lime. Combine with sour cream, cilantro, cayenne and black pepper.

Peel and halve avocado. Slice thinly and place in small bowl. Squeeze lime juice over avocado slices and toss gently to coat. Pour off lime juice into sour cream mixture and combine.

Lay each wrap out flat; evenly distribute ingredients between each wrap in the following order: sour cream mixture, beef, onion, spinach and avocado; spread evenly across entire wrap. Roll each wrap and slice diagonally in half.
Serves 4

Nutritional Information per Serving: 581 Calories; 31g Fat; 12g Saturated Fat; 89mg Cholesterol; 47g Carbohydrate; 6g Dietary Fiber; 33g Protein; 394mg Sodium; 43% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Prefer tangy over zesty?
Try Barbecue and Cider Slaw Wraps. Using leftover flat iron, combine with your favorite barbecue sauce, apple cider vinegar, honey, cabbage slaw and sliced apple for a tangy wrap that’s not only delicious, it’s nutritious.

Barbeque and Cider Slaw Wrap
Ingredients
1 pound Certified Angus Beef ® flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup prepared barbeque sauce
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/8 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
Fresh ground pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and quartered
1 1/2 cups cabbage slaw mix (cabbage and carrots)
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley
4 roll-up flatbread or tortillas wraps

Instructions
Mix together beef and barbeque sauce. In a small mixing bowl whisk together vinegar, honey and peppers.

Cut apple into matchsticks. Coat apples with the vinegar mixture, add slaw mix and parsley; toss well.

Lay each wrap out flat; divide equal parts of beef and top with equal parts of apple/slaw mixture; spread evenly across entire wrap. Roll each wrap and slice diagonally in half.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information per Serving: 393 Calories; 10g Fat; 3g Saturated Fat; 64mg Cholesterol; 46g Carbohydrate; 4g Dietary Fiber; 28g Protein; 667mg Sodium; 28% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Kids Barbeque Wrap
Ingredients
1/2 pound Certified Angus Beef ® flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced
1/3 cup prepared barbeque sauce
4 slices of cheddar cheese
2 flatbread or tortilla wraps
Optional ingredients (choose one of the following according to your child’s taste):
1/2 Granny Smith apple, cored and sliced
1 cup cut corn

Downloadable print-quality photo:
http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/photos/5106_Kid_BBQ_Beef_WrapA.jpg

Instructions
Mix together beef and barbeque sauce.

Lay each wrap out flat; evenly distribute beef, cheese and optional ingredients if used; spread evenly across entire wrap. Roll each wrap and slice diagonally in half.

Serves 4

Nutritional Information per Serving (includes Granny Smith apple): 298 Calories; 14g Fat; 7g Saturated Fat; 62mg Cholesterol; 20g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 21g Protein; 506mg Sodium; 14% daily value Iron (based on 2,000 calorie diet).

Sidebar:
Child-friendly fixins
Don’t get stuck in a rut when it comes to kids’ meals. They’ll enjoy a wrapped surprise in their lunchbox, too! Mix beef with a mild and sweet barbecue sauce. Then add ingredients according to your child’s tastes. Shredded cheddar cheese, sliced apple, cut corn – even a little lettuce – will make this wrap a winner with the whole family. For added fun, try a themed lunch. If green is the color of the day, prepare a wrap with green ingredients and use spinach-flavored tortillas. Like red? Offer a beef, ketchup and tomato wrap with a juicy apple for dessert.

For even more fun, cut slices of cheese – high in calcium – into fun shapes the kids will adore. And here’s a cool tip: keep your items cold by placing a frozen juice box in their lunches. By noon, it will be thawed enough to drink and all items will still be chilled. Last, but certainly not least, include a note to let your child know you’re thinking of him or her.

Your lunchtime options are endless. Remember: have fun, mix it up and use fresh, high-quality ingredients for fabulous flavor in every bite.

For 30 years, the Certified Angus Beef ® brand has been world-famous for its exceptional quality and generous marbling. Ten strict scientific standards ensure each bite is full of mouthwatering flavor, tenderness and juiciness.

The Certified Angus Beef ® brand is a cut above USDA Prime, Choice and Select. It has offered consumers quality, consistency and integrity since the first pound was sold in 1978. Less than 8% of beef can achieve the brand’s benchmark standards. It is proudly featured by more than 13,500 restaurants and retailers around the world. For more tips, recipes or information, visit www.certifiedangusbeef.com.