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

1 lb. Certified Angus Beef flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced

1 lime

1 avocado

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp. cayenne powder

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

4 flatbread or tortilla wraps, green if available

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 cups loosely packed baby spinach

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 four.

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.

Barbecue and

Cider Slaw Wrap

1 lb. Certified Angus Beef flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced

2/3 cup prepared barbecue sauce

2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar

1 Tbl. honey

1/8 tsp. chipotle pepper powder

Fresh ground pepper

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and quartered

1-1/2 cups cabbage slaw mix (cabbage and carrots)

2 Tbl. chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

4 roll-up flatbread or tortillas wraps

Mix together beef and barbecue 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 four.

Kids Barbecue Wrap

1/2 lb. Certified Angus Beef flat iron, grilled and thinly sliced

1/3 cup prepared barbecue 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

Mix together beef and barbecue 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 four.

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 eight percent 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.

Oven-Fried Buttermilk

Chicken Drumsticks

8 chicken drumsticks

2 Tbl. spicy red seasoning

1 bay leaf

1 tsp. hot sauce

1 quart buttermilk

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbl. butter

In a lidded plastic container large enough to hold the drumsticks, combine the seasoning, bay leaf, hot sauce and butter. Stir well. Add chicken, turning to coat, cover with lid and refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

When ready to cook chicken, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove chicken from refrigerator. Drain chicken in colander (do not rinse); pat dry with paper towels. Place flour, salt and pepper in plastic, sealable one-gallon size bag. Add chicken drumsticks in batches and shake bag thoroughly to coat.

Put butter in roasting pan and place in hot oven. When butter is melted and pan is hot, add chicken, skin side down, to pan. Place chicken in oven and cook for 20 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees, turn drumsticks and cook another 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove cooked drumsticks to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Serves four.

Chicken Wraps with

Corn, Red Pepper

and Arugula Aioli

2 chicken breast halves, bone-in, about 1 lb.

1 small onion, halved

1 bay leaf

1 cup frozen corn, thawed

1 red bell pepper, finely diced

4 cups arugula

1 cup Italian parsley

2 Tbl. basil leaves

1-1/2 tsp. anchovy paste

3 small scallions, white and light green parts, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled

1/2 cup low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt

1 tsp. cider vinegar

1 lemon, juice and zest

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

4 whole-wheat tortillas

2 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

In a large saucepan, place chicken breast halves, onion and bay leaf. Just barely cover chicken with water, place on stove and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer partially covered for 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat, cover completely and let chicken cool in broth.

When chicken is cool, remove it from pan, discard skin and pull meat from bones. Shred meat and place in large bowl with corn and red pepper.

While chicken is cooking, combine arugula, parsley, anchovy paste, scallions and garlic in bowl of a food processor. Pulse to chop well. Add mayonnaise, yogurt, vinegar, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Process mixture until smooth.

Pour aioli into bowl with chicken; toss well with fork to coat.

Assemble wraps by spreading a quarter of the chicken mixture over each tortilla, leaving a small border. Sprinkle one-quarter cup romaine lettuce leaves over each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and cut each sandwich in half, diagonally, to serve.

Serves four.