Peanuts envy

So, you say a handful of salted nuts and a Diet Coke is not a satisfying dinner? You say you’re thinking of smearing a ketchup packet on your cocktail napkin and calling it supper?

There’s no need to let the rumble of your stomach compete with the roar of the jet engines when traveling by air.

Yes, many airlines have eliminated or reduced meal service in the years since 9/11. (But, really, was that food any good anyway?)

With a little planning and some creativity you can pack a nutritious and tasty airplane meal that’ll fit right into your carry-on bag.

There’s just one essential rule of Airplane Eating Etiquette:

Please, for the love of all that is pure and holy, leave the stinky cheese at home.

Jenny Jackson, now an in-flight manager with Denver-based Frontier Airlines, remembers a guy a few years back who brought along a snack of cheese and crackers and stashed it in the overhead bin.

“I’m not a cheese person,” Jackson says. “It smelled like vomit.”

Passengers complained and the hors d’oeuvres were double-bagged and thrown in the trash.

Stinky cheese excepted, it’s OK to bring just about any food on the plane that “doesn’t exceed the overhead bin or under-the-seat stowage issues,” says Joe Hodas, a Frontier spokesman.

And, of course, “If you’re going to bring a steak, you can’t bring a steak knife with you,” he adds.

Besides smelly foods, you’ll also want to avoid those Sloppy Joes and other messy meals. For instance, flight attendants aren’t huge fans of those big salted pretzels that rain rock salt onto the carpet, Jackson says.

“If you wouldn’t eat it in your car,” she says, you probably don’t want to bring it on the plane.

But don’t worry. You won’t be offending the flight attendants when you pass up their fare. In fact, when you BYOF it actually makes them feel less guilty about the paltry rations they’re serving, Jackson says.

“We encourage it because then we don’t feel so bad,” she says.

Bob Blumer, a cookbook author and host of the Food Network show “The Surreal Gourmet,” has in-flight eating down to a science.

Blumer treats himself to what he calls “the $25 upgrade,” packing a bag full of filling and comforting treats for long flights.

First, he puts in a call to his favorite take-out place before heading to the airport. On his way to catch a plane, he grabs his container of pad thai or chow mein or whatever. Instant dinner.

If he can’t make it to a take-out joint, he brings along some leftovers from the night before.

Then, he stockpiles a few goodies – candy bars, fresh fruit, trail mix, cookies – in his bag. (If you want to be a good seat-mate, pack a few extra candy bars to share, he suggests.)

He also likes to bring a few of his favorite tea bags so he’s prepared when the flight attendant offers hot water.

“I used to be worried they would look down on me,” says Blumer, who was in Toronto shooting the next season of his show. “But anytime anyone ever looks at what I’ve brought they comment on the fact that I’m sort of an experienced flier. They’re sort of respectful of that … I can’t wait until they put electric outlets and planes and I can bring my own blender.”

Sylvia Wilson, who owns Mizuna in Spokane, admits she’s usually too time-pressed to pack a special meal for her flights. But she’s had customers come in to pick up spring rolls (marinated tofu and veggies wrapped in rice paper with peanut sauce) before their trips. Mizuna also makes breakfast cookies crammed with seeds, oatmeal and dried fruit that would be primo carry-on fare, Wilson says.

“They’re filling and they’re good for you,” she says. If you aren’t able to grab Mizuna’s breakfast cookies before a trip, you can make your own ahead of time (see the Protein Bar recipe below) and keep them in the freezer.

Coeur d’Alene caterer Kris McIlvenna, who owns Greenbriar Catering, usually takes a Japanese bento box with her when traveling. She packs it with steamed rice topped with chopped scallions and a ladle of grilled meat or vegetables with teriyaki sauce. Everything is cut into bite-sized pieces so it’s easy to eat.

“I find it very filling and much healthier then eating handfuls of peanuts,” McIlvenna says.

She’s also a fan of wrap sandwiches. Spread some cream cheese with sun-dried tomato and garlic on a tortilla and top with vegetables or meat before rolling up. Stick the sandwich in the freezer for a bit before the flight and it’ll stay plenty cold, she says.

Here are a few plane-friendly recipes to consider for your next trip. And there’s a bonus: With school starting again, anything that travels well on a plane is also a perfect fit for a brown-bagged lunch.

Instant Gazpacho

From Bob Blumer, “The Surreal Gourmet”

2 tablespoons diced cucumber

2 tablespoons diced avocado

2 tablespoons diced orange bell pepper

2 tablespoons diced celery

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon soy sauce

6 ounces Bloody Mary mix

1 serving croutons

Put everything but the croutons and Bloody Mary mix into a plastic deli container. When it’s time to eat, add Bloody Mary mix and croutons to container. Cover and shake.

Yield: 1 serving

Approximate nutrition per serving: 95 calories, 4 grams fat (less than 1 gram saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 2.7 grams protein, 14.5 grams carbohydrate, less than 1 milligram cholesterol, 3.5 grams dietary fiber, 397 milligrams sodium.

Protein Bars

From Alton Brown, www.foodtv.com

4 ounces soy protein powder, approximately 1 cup

2 1/4 ounces oat bran, approximately 1/2 cup

2 3/4 ounces whole-wheat flour, approximately 1/2 cup

3/4 -ounce wheat germ, approximately 1/4 cup

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3 ounces raisins, approximately 1/2 cup

2 1/2 ounces dried cherries, approximately 1/2 cup

3 ounces dried blueberries, approximately 1/2 cup

2 1/2 ounces dried apricots, approximately 1/2 cup

1 (12.3-ounce) package soft silken tofu

1/2 cup unfiltered apple juice

4 ounces dark brown sugar, approximately 1/2 cup packed

2 large whole eggs, beaten

2/3 cup natural peanut butter

Canola oil, for pan

Line the bottom of a 13-by-9-inch glass baking dish with parchment paper and lightly coat with canola oil. Set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine the protein powder, oat bran, wheat flour, wheat germ, and salt. Set aside. Coarsely chop the raisins, dried cherries, blueberries and apricots and place in a small bowl and set aside. In a third mixing bowl, whisk the tofu until smooth. Add the apple juice, brown sugar, eggs, and peanut butter, one at a time, and whisk to combine after each addition. Add this to the protein powder mixture and stir well to combine. Fold in the dried fruit. Spread evenly in the prepared baking dish and bake in the oven for 35 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205 degrees. Remove from the oven and cool completely before cutting into squares. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Yield: 24 (2-inch) squares

Approximate nutrition per serving: Unable to calculate.

Hummus Wrap

1 burrito-sized tortilla, plain or flavored

2 tablespoons prepared hummus

1 ½ cups vegetables cut in bite-sized pieces (cucumber, tomatoes, shredded carrots, bell peppers)

Splash red wine vinegar, olive oil

¼ cup crumbled feta

Spread hummus on tortilla. Pile vegetables in center, sprinkle with vinegar and oil and salt and pepper, to taste. Scatter cheese on top. Fold like a burrito, tucking in sides and ends to avoid spills.

Wrap in cellophane and aluminum foil and keep cool until ready to travel.

Note: Roasted vegetables also work well in this wrap, if you have the time. Drizzle with oil and roast at 425 degrees until tender and browned.

Yield: 1 serving

Approximate nutrition per serving: 411 calories, 16 grams fat (6 grams saturated, 35 percent fat calories), 15 grams protein, 52 grams carbohydrate, 33 milligrams cholesterol, 5.8 grams dietary fiber, 891 milligrams sodium.