I look forward to lunch. Everyday, whether I’m coming from class, catching lunch in the cafeteria at my internship, or going out (which I particularly anticipate). What I don’t enjoy is the money missing from my account and the way-too-full, time-to-nap sensation that occurs after I’ve devoured a hasty decision. Cara Eisenpress, Co-Founder of Big Girls, Small Kitchen and bonafide health foodie, explains the precursor to the comatose phenom: “When your stomach starts growling at noon, unhealthy cravings show up. It’s the worst way to start a meal, roaming the streets looking for a satisfactory lunch.”
Somewhere in the repressed section of my brain, I’ve always known brown-bagging it is a healthy and thrifty alternative, but visions of cold sandwiches and sad fruit cups kept me in denial. Not anymore. Here, Eisenpress offers the entire manual: packing tips coupled with the best tasting and easiest to construct healthy lunch recipes for full-on lunch nirvana.
GET PACKIN’
The best part of packing? “The ability to control what goes into your body,” Eisenpress declares. Chances are that lunch hour will bring you face-to-face with fast food and comfort grub, whether you’re at the dining hall or downtown. Packing a meal allows you to “perfectly customize to your tastes, appetite, and dietary restrictions,” Eisenpress explains. Plan ahead, and you can count on a portion of satisfying fare that won’t bog you down.
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DON’T SKRIMP
Balance is key. “That means veggies and lean protein, but also, carbs and fat,” informs Eisenpress. The trend among many women is consuming a meager meal at lunchtime, one lacking in healthy fats and calories, or skipping lunch altogether. Eisenpress advises to make your lunch meaningful: “If all you have is a yogurt and an apple at noon, trust that you’ll be starving for cookies not long after.” Big Girls, Small Kitchen is a fan of sandwiches; they’re filling and compress many facets of a meal into one tasty package. One caveat: “We usually abstain from dessert at lunch; that way, if we do want cookies or ice cream later, we haven’t already indulged,” Eisenpress says.
TIME IS MONEY
Many women (myself included) shudder at the thought of adding anything else to their already-crammed daily routines. Eisenpress encourages us to relax—“lunch can be ready in 5 or 10 minutes easy.” Prepare by shopping and chopping vegetables early in the week, so you have your basic ingredients on-hand, or whip up a large portion of a meal that can be stored in the refrigerator and consumed throughout the week.
MONEY SAVED… CAN BE SPENT ON SHOES
Smart planning plus packing equals saved money. If you spend money on lunch everyday, you’re probably spending around—gasp—$50 weekly on takeout. “You can buy $15 of groceries and have five days of delicious lunches,” Eisenpress says. “Know your schedule before you go shopping, so you don’t end up wasting any food if you have meetings or lunches out.“ Consider that a saved $25 a week, and in month’s time the pumps you’ve been coveting can be yours!
MAKE YOUR MEALS DO DOUBLE-DUTY
Preserving leftovers from dinner and incorporating them into lunch is a savvy way to practice portion-control. “Make sure you leave enough on your dinner plate to make tomorrow’s lunch a reasonable size,” Eisenpress suggests. It’s a surefire technique to keep from overdoing supper because you’ll still get to indulge, just at a later time.
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DELICIOUS & HEALTHY PACKED LUNCH RECIPES
Crunchy Spicy Hummus Wraps
Makes 6 sandwiches
Ingredients
1 avocado, mashed
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 cup chipotle hummus
6 medium tortillas
2 cups sliced radishes
3 medium carrots, peeled, and cut into 4-inch match sticks
1/4 lb baby arugula
Directions
1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the avocado with the lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
2. On a work surface, spread a large spoonful of hummus over half of a tortilla. Spread a spoonful of the avocado mixture over the other half. Place a handful of carrot sticks in the center, top with a sprinkle of radishes and 1/4 cup of arugula leaves. Fold in the top and bottom sides of the tortilla. Fold in one of the sides length-wise and roll the tortilla, making sure the top and bottom stay tucked.
3. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
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Tuscan-Style Tuna Salad Pita
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
2 6-ounce cans chunk light tuna, drained
15-ounce can small white beans, such as cannellini or great northern, rinsed (see Ingredient note)
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
4 scallions, trimmed and sliced
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 pitas
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Combine tuna, beans, tomatoes, scallions, oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Stir gently.
2. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
3. Spread tuna salad into pita bread when ready to eat.
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Rice Noodle Salad with Vegetables and Cashews
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
6 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon roasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 cucumber, cut into matchsticks
2 cups mixed greens
2-3 scallions, chopped
about 12 cashews, coarsely chopped
Directions
1. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions—usually 2-3 minutes in boiling water. Rinse them in cool water and drain. On a cutting board, cut them into 4-5″ lengths. Toss them with 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and rice wine vinegar. Set aside.
2. In a salad bowl, mix together the vegetables, noodles, and cashews, reserving a few scallions and cashews for garnish. Toss well with the dressing and sprinkle with the garnish.
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Grandpa Caprese Panzanella
Serves 1
Ingredients
1 tomato, cut into a 1-inch dice
1 cucumber, cut into about a 1-inch dice
1/4 small red onion, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup toasted bread, cut into cubes (about 2 slices)
1/2 cup fresh mozzarella, cubed salt pepper
Directions
1. Mix the tomato, cucumber, and red onion in a large salad bowl. Toss with the olive oil.
2. Add the bread and mozzarella, and toss again.
3. Taste, then season with salt and pepper before eating.
With these healthy and tasty recipes, lunch doesn’t have to be a drain on your wallet or your energy level. To get into the smart eating habit, challenge yourself to a week’s worth of packed lunches, and you’ll never want to go back to those pre-packaged sandwiches again!
Sources:
Care Eisenpress, Big Girls, Small Kitchen
www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tuscan_style_tuna_salad.html