The 5-Minute Weekday Lunch

So often we grab lunch out to save time (but does it, really?). Or with the good intention of packing a healthy lunch, we peek in the fridge before work or school and surmise there is absolutely nothing to eat (or nothing we want to eat.)

Enter the delicious, nutritious 5-minute lunch:

Pictured here, we have mixed baby greens + leftover grilled chicken + leftover quinoa + avocado, tomatoes & toasted walnuts.

This was no special recipe. It was merely my lunch creation of the day based on what I had on hand. And what’s on hand comes down to planning. (Wait! If the word “planning” makes you want to bail here, because “order and organization” is something only other people do, please stick with me. I was in the creative, not-a-planner tribe years ago.)

 Quick and easy nutritious lunches can be had with two simples strategies:

 1.) Cook in bulk at dinnertime. Whether you whip up a rich one-pot curry or grill salmon and prepare a salad, make more of everything for tomorrow:

• veggies (e.g. asparagus, broccoli, carrot, cucumber, onions, peppers) , whether your ate them raw in a salad or roasted, steamed, sautéed … 

• protein (e.g. chicken, fish, beef, pork, legumes)

• whole-plant starches (e.g. sweet potato, winter squashes, plantain, quinoa, legumes)

 2) Stock your kitchen with the basics:

• dark leafy greens

• 2-3 colorful salad veggies

• healthy fats (e.g. nuts & seeds, olive oil, avocado, cheese – if dairy tolerated)

Now toss together your protein, veggies and healthy fats. This balance of ingredients supports blood sugar balance and steady energy. (I bring nuts/seeds to work separately so they don’t get soggy, plus I’m all about the crunch). I also keep olive oil, apple cider vinegar and S&P at work to add come lunchtime.

Note: Use a reusable container – such as glass, stainless or bamboo. (Skip plastic, which contains endocrine disruptors and potentially cancerous chemicals.)

For more easy tips, ask me about my menu planning workshop!  

 Happy lunching.