Any ideas/recipes to share?
Looking for suggestions for something easy to make/buy and take to the office or eat at home.
I’m looking forward to seeing answers - I feel quite boring in this area. I eat a lot of nuts, especially almonds - the natural, unsalted kind. Add them to salads, have them with cheese and crackers, or just by themselves. I generally get them at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods for a big selection. There is a commercial brand of almonds in a small snack bag - they market these bags as 100 calories each - I think it’s Emerald that sells them. The nuts aren’t as fresh as the other stores, but the bags are very handy to carry around. I usually have some in my purse and bags when traveling.
I used to bring bagged salad to work. Then I got concerned as there were so many reports of food borne illness with them. Anyone else concerned about this?? I often now make a big container of cole slaw type veggies - red and white cabbages, carrots, peppers, jicama, etc. That keeps for several day in the refrigerator and I can take out portions as needed. Dressing stored separately and added on the side, obviously.
Rice pudding. It is the definition of easy and it is nutritious. Get it in the butter sized containers, put it in the fridge, enjoy it at lunch, no fuss no muss.
Soy Milk. It is the meal.
Protein bars or, even better, trail mix bars, from Cliffs. Get them at Sam’s Club for about a $1 per unit in the case of the protein bars, a little cheaper for the others. They are pretty much the whole meal, depending on how much you eat per meal. Cliff’s offers protein, energy and trail mix bars. They are all good but the trail mix bars, which are new, are really good and don’t feel “heavy” like the protein bars do.
Almonds.
Chicken salud sandwiches on good bread. Buy the 10-kb back of boneless, skinless chic breasts at Sam’s, boil the breasts, add mayo, put in tupperware, you are good for the week.
Snacks:
KIND bars (I often just eat 1/2 of one with something else)
Apple/Crunchy PB
Baby carrots and individual hummus containers
My own trail mix - in snack sized ziploc bags
My own granola w/whole milk plain yogurt
A small chunk of good cheese - something like Parmigiano-Reggiano can be small but mighty and satisfying!
A small tortilla roll-up spread with PB, topped with diced strawberries and sprinkled with chopped almonds.
I do lots of leftovers for lunch.
A main thing and then either a piece of fruit or some raw veggies. Today I have leftover small amount of pasta with fresh marinara, artichokes, pesto and red pepper flakes and a nectarine.
Salad without lettuce - so chopped raw veggies, cheese, diced chicken/turkey, egg, dried fruit/nuts and then salad dressing.
Do like the French! A piece of whole wheat baguette with good cheese and fruit!
Quick caprese salad with another small piece of that baguette!
I’m NOT a sandwich person.
My S takes Nature Valley granola bars or Bel Vita biscuits and puts peanut butter on them & eats them just like that. He adds a greek or reg. yogurt or a piece of fruit like a plum, peach or banana.
I like making Hummus wraps. Take out a wrap, add Hummus, a slice of cheese (I like Havarti or Provolone), add a bunch of veggies (roasted red peppers, shredded carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms, lettuce or Arugala, etc.), some dressing and wrap it up! Cut it in half and wrap it in tin foil and you’re all set.
Fruit alone does nothing for me! A banana is not satisfying. That’s why I often pair a fruit with something else. Again, small portions for snacks.
celery stuffed with Crazy Richard’s peanut butter
chopped cucumbers with cherry tomatoes drizzled with yogurt dip
chicken salad using plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonaise
Greek yogurt
fruit
lots of great recipes for coleslaw/salads on Pinterest.
unsalted pistachios
make a pot of soup over the weekend and you’ll have a few days worth of lunches
make a crustless quiche paired with a salad, you’ll get a few days of that combo.
I eat a lot of Greek yogurt with berries, banana and walnuts.
Shakes made with almond milk, Vega protein powder, nut butter, banana and berries.
I try to combine protein, carb and fat so I feel fuller longer and avoid that sugar crash.
If I want something sweet, I’ve been snacking on Larabar “Renola” - it’s a grain free granola mix that comes in individual servings; the one I like is 200 calories and 5 grams of sugar. Kind bars are also a very good low sugar option.
I use leftovers frequently as well - things like brown rice or quinoa topped with leftover chicken fajita mixture (peppers, onions and chicken) with a sprinkle of cheese and chopped avocado. I also bake sweet potatoes in advance and eat those topped with black beans and a little cotija cheese (sounds strange but is delicious).
I also like chopped salads but really struggle with dressings - I know homemade ones are better for you but it’s one thing I’m lazy about!
Last week I made one of the quinoa/kale packs from Costco for dinner and had about 1/2 cup leftover. I put the leftovers in the container, topped it with chopped greens, some leftover grilled chicken and a few other raw veggies (grape tomato, cucumber, shredded carrot - whatever was in the refrig) Topped it with a little Garlic Expressions salad dressing (vinegar/oil based) and it was DELICIOUS!!!
I love hummus on pita bread with sliced avocados or other veggies. Thin slices of parmigiano-reggiano with a sliced
apple is a great snack.
OOH! Great thread! As I mentioned, I have been eating clean for over a year, and here’s what I do for work! I bring Ezikiel bread (I am a vegetarian and like the complete protein aspect of it!) and toast it. With the bread, I usually do either a cheese sandwich or an almond butter and banana sandwich. Cheese sandwich is just a serving of Swiss cheese and a little bit (half of teaspoon) of real Irish butter, with a side of crunchy veggies (I used to do cucumbers or tomatoes, and now I do radishes).
For the almond butte and banana, I use 2 table spoons of almond butter (one on each piece of bread) and then cut up a banana into round slices and place them on top. SO. GOOD.
On weekends, I sometimes do an avocado with lentils for lunch.
For snacks at work, I do nuts a lot of times, and a grapefruit in the afternoon.
Also, I usually do it for breakfast on weekend, but it could work for lunch - whole milk plain (so as to not get added sugar) Greek yogurt with fresh fruit - my favorites are cherries and bananas.
Ezekiel bread is terrific. I like it toasted with avocado mashed on top and sprinkled with salt. Really, really good.
Favorite salad: cooked lentils, kale, goat cheese, walnuts and vinaigrette. You can also do baby greens, goat cheese, roast asparagus and roast beets with the vinaigrette.
I do a lot of advance cooking on the weekend - big batches of steel cut oats, quinoa, brown rice - usually a crock pot of chicken tortilla soup, chicken breasts, taco meat - anything to cut down on prep time during the week. Lunches are usually mix and match with those items being staples.
“Ezekiel bread is terrific. I like it toasted with avocado mashed on top and sprinkled with salt. Really, really good.”
That sounds SOOOOO GOOD! I eat an avocado a day and Ezekiel bread almost every day, but I have never tried that! OK, that’s on my list!
sabaray: I like your ideas! I also make sweet potatoes in advance, but eat them with butter & parmasean cheese. I like the idea of adding black beans or cotijia cheese, yum.
Also, you can make a black bean burrito, stuffed with black beans & rice combo, avocado, cheese, tomatoes, oninons, cilantro, put it in a container and heat it slightly at work…
I’ve never heard of Ezekiel bread. What is it and where can you buy it? Thanks
I make a Garbanzo bean and veggie in pita that is easy and healthy. Mix drained and rinsed canned garbanzo beans, chopped onion, halved cherry tomatoes, fresh spinach. For dressing mix chopped avocado with garlic, fresh basil and Greek yogurt and vinegar. Mix and place in pita. Sometimes I leave out the yogurt and just add the avocado to the bean and tomato. It is based on this recipe:
Garbanzo Bean-Veggie Pitas with Creamy Avocado Dressing
Ingredients
2 1/2
cups dry garbanzo beans (chickpeas) (16 ounces)
7
cups water
1
large onion, quartered
4
cloves garlic, crushed
3/4
teaspoon salt
1/2
of a medium avocado, peeled and chopped
1/2
cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
1
teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2
cup snipped fresh basil
1/4
cup snipped fresh chives
2
cups chopped fresh spinach
1
cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
1
cup sliced green onions (8)
4
pita bread rounds, halved crosswise and warmed
Directions
Rinse garbanzo beans; drain. Place beans in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Stir in the water, onion, 3 of the garlic cloves, and the salt. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 8 to 9 hours or on high-heat setting for 4 to 4 1/2 hours or until tender. Drain and rinse beans; cool. Discard solids. Reserve half of the cooked garbanzo beans for another use.*
For dressing, in a food processor combine the remaining garlic clove, avocado, yogurt, and vinegar. Cover and process until smooth. Add basil and chives. Cover and process with on/off pulses just until combined.
In a large bowl combine the remaining cooked garbanzo beans, spinach, tomatoes, and green onions. Spoon bean mixture into pita bread halves. Add dressing.
I also use a lot of quinoa recipes. D2’s favorite is Spinach Parmesan Quinoa. I make this ahead of time and make little cups to pack for her lunch.
Ingredients
1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 1/2 cups water or sodium free chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon salt (I don’t add the salt)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup pine nuts or 1/4 cup sunflower nuts
1 clove garlic (I use chopped jarred)
2 cups fresh baby spinach, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring water, salt and quinoa to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until quinoa is tender and water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes, set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts or sunflower nuts and cook until lightly toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until it starts to brown, about 2 minutes… Stir in the cooked quinoa and spinach. Heat until the spinach wilts. Stir in the lemon juice and all but a pinch of the cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted. Serve sprinkled with the remaining cheese.
You can find Ezekiel bread in the freezer section at your grocer - usually with other organic healthnut products!
NorthMinnesota:
The garbanzo bean recipe sounds yummy, but can you just use canned beans instead of cooking them for so many hours? If so, how does that alter the recipe?
^^Thanks, sabaray! I’ll look for it
While it’s most often in the freezer section in bright orange (original) and green (sesame seed) bags, it’s out with regular bread in our local Trader Joe’s.