Lunch Made Easy: 6 Ways to use Salami for School Lunches

My Little Miss loves salami. So this week, I challenged myself to come up with 6 creative ways to use it for lunch! These delicious ideas are great for both school or work. They also all happen to be fun non-sandwich ideas!
As always, our lunches are Allergy Friendly: Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Tree Nut Free, Peanut Free, & more (see notes below for Dairy Free, Egg Free, & Soy Free options). 

First let me start by saying, this lunch may look complicated but it was actually really easy! The using a few slices of salami, I sliced them in half, then simple stacked them inside a silicone cupcake liner - alternating sides - to make this rose effect. The same with the cheese. Using two pieces of sliced cheese, I cut them in diagonals to make 4 triangles then stacked in a smaller cupcake liner to create the same effect. The carrots were made with a fun Carrot Curler tool I purchased on amazon that essentially shaves the carrots like a pencil!  She also has packed celery, red seedless grapes, and Vegan & Gluten Free Crunchmaster Sea Salt Crackers.   

Another fun & simple idea is using salami on pizza! I was inspired to make this Salami & Brussels Sprout pizza bagel from a recipe I found on Pinterest from RealSimple.com. I changed it up by adding a bit of sauce and using an Udi's Gluten, Soy, Nut, & Dairy Free Bagel to make it lunchbox friendly.  Use non-dairy cheese to keep it safe for those avoiding that allergen. You could also use spinach or fresh basil in lieu of brussels sprouts for an equally yummy combo!
Of course, I had to include a sweet Lunchbox Love Note. ;) 

Here's another yummy & fun combo! Baked Mini Omelettes.  If you're wondering how to make baked omelettes, MOMables has a great tutorial! That's what I based mine on.  We didn't use any cheese - just simply mixed in salami & kale. Little Miss loved them! 
Also packed were apple slices and Mary Gone Crackers brand Vegan pretzel sticks that are made in a dedicated gluten, dairy, & nut free facility. 

Another idea, which is actually a popular appetizer favorite, was to take the salami slices, spread on cream cheese, add fresh basil (or you could use spinach leaves) and roll them up! Sub Daiya or Go Veggie brand cream cheese to keep them dairy free. 
Also packed were grapes, carrot sticks, and Snikkidy brand "Eat Your Vegetables" Chips. 

Another idea inspired from a recipe I found via Pinterest, these Salami & Polenta Roll-Ups are great because they're quick to make and allergy friendly!
I was making a batch of Polenta that evening, so it was simple to make a bit extra specifically for a yummy & unique lunch. 

• 1/4 cup of corn meal, can use white or yellow
• 3/4 cup of chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/8 cup of parmesan or vegan parm sub
• 1/2 tsp. of Italian seasoning (optional)
• 6 slices of salami

1. Bring broth to a boil on your stove top. 
2. While waiting to boil, on a sheet of wax paper lay out your salami by making a 2x3 row, overlapping the pieces by half.
3. Once boiling, add corn meal, parmesan, and seasonings. Stir immediately.
4. Once it has reached the consistency of mashed potatoes, pour/spoon over evenly over the salami pieces.
5. Using the wax paper as a guide, roll up the salami - vertically. 
6. Place in the fridge for at least one hour before slicing. 

This recipe will yield 7-8 roll-ups. We only used 6 in the lunch and taste tested the other two. ;) 

Lastly, Mom got in on the fun this week by using salami over her salad packed for work! :)