by Joan Albrecht

With summer coming to an end, kids going back to school, and a lot of people going back to the office I wanted to share some easy yummy lunch ideas.

I always look forward to lunchtime, it is one of my favorite parts of the day. Especially when I am having a super busy day, I love getting to sit down and enjoy a delicious meal. I know for busy mama’s it is hard to even think about lunch sometimes. These meals are perfect for anyone who is in a rush or wants to prep some food ahead of time.

*Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist, these are foods that I like and I think are healthy

When it comes to meals I deff like to have variety. I am not the kind kind of person that can eat the same meal 5 days straight. That’s why I love these super easy meals that you can throw together quickly.

For my lunch, I always need a healthy grain and protein. It helps me to stay full and gives me energy! I also make sure to sneak in as many veggies as I can into whatever I make. All of the meals I am sharing are vegetarian but you can totally add any meat to modify it to your preferences!

Here are some ingredients I always have on my grocery list for my lunches:

Grains:

• Basmati rice

• Quinoa

• Couscous

• Chickpea pasta (my go-to is banza)

• Farro- these microwaveable pouches from Good&Gather are so convenient!

• Sprouted grain bread (Ezekiel is my fav healthy bread)

Proteins:

• Chicken

• Beef

• Fish

• Shrimp

• Tuna

• Turkey

• Pork

• Falafel

• Tofu

• Black beans

• Pinto beans

• Chickpeas

• Lentils

Vegetables:

• Any kind of leafy green

• Spinach

• Broccoli

• Avocado

• Carrots

• Corn

• Zucchini

• Squash

• Sweet potato

• Bell peppers

• Onion

• Garlic

Best oils to cook with

• Olive oil

• Ghee

• Coconut oil

• Avocado oil

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Buddha Bowl:

Buddha Bowls are super easy to throw together.

Ingredients: quinoa, veggie stock, sweet potato, carrots, broccoli, soy sauce, spinach, edamame, black beans, spicy cashew dressing, cilantro, and avocado

1. As a base, I used quinoa (I cooked mine in veggie stock to give it extra flavor).

2. I used some sweet potatoes I baked in a pan (350 for 20 mins salt,pepper, and olive oil)

3. I roasted carrots and broccoli in some soy sauce.

4. Then I added fresh spinach and edamame.

5. For protein, I used black beans but you can put chicken, tofu, or shrimp on yours.

6. For a dressing, I used the Spicy Cashew Butter Dressing from Trader Joe’s.

7. Lastly, I love topping it with some fresh cilantro and sliced avocado.

Tex-Mex:

A colorful and classic dish!

Ingredients: white rice, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, cumin, black beans, corn, tomato, avocado, and cilantro.

1. The base is white rice.

2. Then I cooked some red and green bell peppers and red onion in some cumin.

3. Next, I rinsed some black beans and cooked them for a little in some cumin to give them extra flavor.

4. I added some frozen sweet corn, cherry tomato, avocado, and cilantro.

A super simple and easy dish that really fills you up. You can also add any protein you like! Chicken, beef, or shrimp would be super yummy!

Green Goddess Pasta:

For this dish, I take whatever green veggies I have on hand and tossed them together with some pasta and pesto.

Ingredients: broccoli, spinach, green beans, garlic, shallots, olive oil, pesto, parmesan cheese.

1. I cooked some Cavatapi Banaza Pasta (saved some of the pasta water to bind the pasta with the sauce)

2. Then I added some garlic, shallots, olive oil, and all the green veggies to cook together in a pot.

3. I put the pasta in and then added some Trader Joe’s Vegan Kale Cashew And Basil Pesto.

4. I poured the pasta water in and mixed it all together!

5. I topped it with some parmesan cheese (but you could make it vegan and skip the cheese).

So yummy and so simple!

Mediterranean Bowl

This takes less than 10 mins to make. It is such a great dish to whip up when you are in a hurry (I used the microwave to cook most of it).

Ingredients: couscous, cucumber, tomato, spinach, red onion, falafel, hummus, and creamy dressing

1. The base for the bowl is couscous.

2. Then I added half a cut-up cucumber, tomato, spinach, and some red onion. You could totally turn this into a salad by having the base your fav mixed greens and adding on all the toppings.

3. For some protein, I used some frozen Trader Joe’s falafels (they are so bomb!) I know they also have a falafel mix if you want to make your own. The frozen ones are just so easy to just pop in the microwave.

4. Lastly, I topped the bowl with some hummus and a creamy dressing (I used the Green Goddess Dip from TJ’s because it is what I had on hand and it is so yummy)

Veggie Packed Sandwich

Who doesn’t love a good sandwich! This one is packed with veggies and is scrumptious.

Ingredients: bread, hummus, avocado, red bell pepper, tomato, red onion, cucumber, spinach and cilantro.

1. I started with toasting my fav Ezekiel bread.

2. On one slice of the bread, I spread on some hummus.

3. On the other piece, I mashed up some avocado and spread it on.

4. I topped both sides with salt and pepper (I usually season all of the ingredients with salt and pepper as I go).

5. Next, I cut up some red bell pepper, tomato, red onion, and cucumber.

6. I evenly placed all of the cut-up veggies on both sides (to make joining the pieces of bread easier)

7. Lastly, I added some spinach and cilantro for extra freshness.

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Best containers for meal prepping

I always go with glass containers. They last longer than plastic containers, are easy to clean (they don’t leave stubborn food stains), and I feel better about warming up food in the microwave.