Category: Lunch

Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

3/8/2015

5 oz. Baby Spring Salad Mix
5 cups diced/peeled sweet potatoes
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 diced red peppers
1 10oz can black beans, rinsed/drained
1 cup uncooked quinoa
1 cup lime juice
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. chili powder

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a 9 by 12 baking dish, combine the diced sweet potatoes, cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and olive oil. Make sure each potato piece is pretty evenly coated with seasoning. Bake for 30-35 minutes until soft.
While the potatoes bake, cook the quinoa per the instructions on packaging (2 cups water, bring to boil, cover and reduce heat for 15-20 minutes), dice the red peppers, rinse the beans, and combine everything in a large mixing bowl once the quinoa is cooked.
In a liquid measuring cup, combine the lime juice, olive oil (2 tbsp.), and chili powder. Once combine, pour over the quinoa mixture and stir to combine.
By this point the sweet potatoes should be done, remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
Once cool, stir into the quinoa mixture. Let the entire mixture chill and serve over the baby spring mix.

I've made this for lunches for the week. In order to do this, I portion out the chilled quinoa mixture into 5 equal portions, and place 1 oz of the baby spring mix on top of each. When it comes time to eat, I dump the Tupperware over into a bowl, stir the contents around and enjoy! Putting the greens on top prevents them from getting soggy and the lime juice mixture in the quinoa acts as a dressing once stirred together with the greens.

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Chicken and Black Bean "Rice" Bowls

10/27/2014

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One head/bunch of cauliflower
2 cans black beans, drained
16 oz. of your favorite salsa (I used a habanero mango salsa)
3 chicken breasts

Spray a crock pot cooking spray and the chicken (thawed, not frozen) and salsa and thats it! Cook for 6 hours on high. Once the 6 hours are up, use forks to shred the chicken and let it stew in the juices while you prepare the rest of the meal.

Using a cheese grater, shred all of the cauliflower (except the leaves obviously) and separate into 5 different containers. It came out to a little over 1 cup per container. This is the "rice". On top of the "rice" spoon about 3/4 cup of black beans and another 3/4 of a cup chicken.

I had these for lunch one week and brought them to work each day with a few handfuls of spinach, a little extra salsa, some plain greek yogurt, and diced avocado for a "taco salad" type lunch.

Oh and before I added all those extra goodies for lunch, I heated the rice bowls in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds to heat them up.

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Zucchini Lasagna

10/19/2014

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Sauce:

6-7 vine tomatoes, diced(about 6 cups)
1 (10 oz) can tomato paste (make sure the only ingredient is TOMATO)
2 tbsp. olive oil (garlic or plain)
2 tbp. fresh basil, chopped finely
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. thyme
pinch of salt

Other Ingredients:

3 zucchinis (sliced thin like noodles)
1 tbsp. olive oil (garlic or plain)
1 lb. hot italian sausage
1 1/2 cups dry curd cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized sauce pan, simmer all the sauce ingredients for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally. I like to use a slotted spoon when I stir and mash some of the tomato chunks up against the sides of the pan.

While the sauce simmers, put the zucchini slices in a bowl with the 1 tbsp. olive oil and set aside. In a frying pan, brown the italian sausage and set aside.

Once the sauce is done simmering, its time to assemble the lasagna. Grease a 12 by 9 baking dish and put one layer of zucchini down, followed by 3/4 cup cottage cheese, 1/2 of the cooked meat, and 1/2 of the sauce. Repeat this once more and top with a final layer of zucchini and parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy!!

Note that there will be a lot of liquid in the pan after cooking, you can scoop this out if you would like. I made this to divvy out into individual containers for lunch this week, and as I portioned it out I drained some of the liquid.

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Roast Beef Meal Prep

6/5/2014

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Meat:
-2 lb. beef roast
-1 red pepper diced
-1 cup green onion chopped
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. garlic powder
-1 tsp. ground pepper
-1/2 tsp. cumin
-1/2 tsp. basil

Veggies:
-1 pound chopped kale
-1 head of chopped broccoli
-1 tbsp. minced garlic
-dash of olive oil to coat pan
-1/4 cup of water

2.5-3 cups of cooked brown rice

Evenly coat roast with the spices and place in crock pot with pepper and onion. Set aside and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 5 hours. Once finished, split into 5 even pieces and place with veggies (recipe below) and 1/2 cup of brown rice.

To make veggies: Coat a large sauce pan with olive oil, then place kale, broccoli, garlic, and water, and cover. Cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables become soft and the water dissolves. Split into the 5 containers with meat and rice. These three elements make for a perfect lunch on the go.

I like to prep these on Sundays with varying protein sources, grains, and vegetables and bring to work for lunch during the week!

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Avocado Open-Face

4/16/2014

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1 avocado
1/2 ripe tomato, sliced (I used roma, but any kind will work!)
2 slices toasted bread (Pictured is Udi's Gluten Free Millet-Chia Bread)
1/2 Lime worth of lime juice
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1 tsp-1 tbsp coconut oil

Set oven to broil (if you have a low setting, select this one)

In a small bowl, mash the avocado, add about 1/2 tsp of salt, and a splash of lime juice. Make sure to taste during this step, more/less lime and salt may be needed.

"Butter" your toast with coconut oil and sprinkle on a dash of salt and a dash of pepper. Plot on 1/2 of the avocado mash on each piece of toast, and then top with a few slices of tomato. Sprinkle a small amount of salt over the top, and place both pieces of bread on a baking sheet.

Place in the oven on broil for 5-10 minutes, checking regularly. I have learned my lesson the hard way many times, when using broil it can burn quickly. Once the tomatoes begin to "shrivel up" its ready to take out and enjoy!

I've made this for breakfast before but its also great for lunch or just an afternoon snack!

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Stuffed Peppers

4/13/2014

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6 whole red peppers
1 head of broccoli, finely diced
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
3 large carrots, finely diced
3 stalks of celery, finely diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 tsp. coconut
2 cups cooked rice (any kind, leftovers work best)
½ cup ginger stir-fry sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Chop 1 of the whole red peppers and combine with the rest of the vegetables, garlic, cilantro, and red pepper flakes. In a large saucepan or wok, add coconut oil and heat until liquid, and then add the vegetables. Sauté over medium-high heat until onions are translucent.

While the vegetables are cooking, chop the tops off of the remaining peppers and hollow out so the seeds and membranes have been removed. Set aside for stuffing later on.

Once the vegetables are done, add all of the rice and stir so rice and vegetables are evenly distributed. Pour in the sauce and stir so everything is evenly coated. Continue heating over medium heat for an additional 10 minutes, stirring regularly.

Fill each pepper with the rice mixture until it is overflowing, about ½ to 1 inch above the opening. Place the filled peppers in an 8 by 8 baking dish and bake for 20 minutes.

I like to make these on Sundays and bring one pepper for lunches during the week.

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Sweet Potato Quinoa Salad

Chicken and Black Bean "Rice" Bowls

Zucchini Lasagna

Roast Beef Meal Prep

Avocado Open-Face

Stuffed Peppers

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