Tag: Lunch

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Bringing y’all another easy lunch recipe! This one is particularly good as we head towards summer because there is no cooking at all. It’s smashed chickpea salad! And when I say salad I mean like egg salad or tuna salad, not your average salad with greens.

I’ve seen this kind of recipe around a lot and since my roommates and I tend to eat vegetarian at least 50% of the time, I thought it would be a good recipe to try for some lunch time meal prep. And it was a hit!

I ended up reading through a bunch of recipes and then used what I had in our kitchen to make my own. But this is totally customizable to whatever you have! To make my version, I smashed my chickpeas, added mayo and dijon mustard, sprinkled in salt and pepper to taste, and was good to go! But you could add more or less mayo or mustard depending on your preferences, mix in some hot sauce or sriracha for a spicy kick, mix in some dill if you have it, add chopped cucumbers or celery or bell pepper for some crunch. This recipe simply serves as a base for whatever you want to add.

In terms of serving, my roommate Carissa and I have been eating this in sandwiches: I’ve been adding cheese, she’s been adding pickles. Both are delicious. Other options I think would be tasty: avocado, cucumbers, red onion, hot peppers. This would also make a great filling for a wrap, or a dip/spread for crackers or chips! And it keeps super well in the fridge, so is excellent as meal prep for the week.

As the weather gets warmer and you want to stand over a stove less, try this super easy smashed chickpea salad for some no-cook lunch meal prep!

Smashed Chickpea Salad

Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

  • 2 (14 oz) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1-2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1-2 tbs dijon mustard
  • Salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Mash the chickpeas with a fork, or pulse in a food processor until roughly chopped.
  2. Add mayonnaise and mustard to desired consistency
  3. Season to taste with salt and pepper (or any other spice you wish!)
  4. Enjoy! Keeps super well in the fridge

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

This recipe was part of my mission to find more lunch recipes that aren’t sandwiches or leftovers, and oh my gosh guys it’s incredible. I made it 2 weeks in a row if that’s any indication!

Of course this pasta salad recipe comes from Budget Bytes, and it’s honestly one of the easiest recipes I’ve ever made. Because I don’t have a grill (college life) I used the broiler on my stove, and this recipe was as easy as 1. cooking my veggies, 2. making my dressing, 3. making pasta, and 4. putting it all together. It honestly took me half an hour, and for a whole week of lunch meal prep? Incredible.

It would also be a great side for dinner, especially for a cook out. And could definitely be a filling vegetarian dinner if you added some protein like beans! Or add (grilled) chicken for a delicious summer meal.

Dropping the recipe below, but just know you could use any vegetables you happen to have! Or use more than the recipe calls for to bulk it up (I did this, adding more peppers and squash)! Add beans or chicken for protein! The possibilities are endless so you should definitely try it. Bonus points for being tasty warm OR cold. Basically a perfect recipe.

Grilled Vegetable Pasta Salad

Time: 30 minutes

Serves: 8

Ingredients

  • 1 zucchini
  • 1 yellow squash
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 1 red onion
  • 1 pint grape tomatoes
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbs balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tbs mayonnaise
  • 1/2 tbs dijon mustard
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 tsp dried basil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 lb penne pasta

Instructions

  1. Wash the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper. Remove the stems from the zucchini and the squash and cut into large slices or pieces (cut each in half, then each half in thirds). Remove the seeds and stem from the bell pepper and cut in half. Slice the red onion into thick slices.
  2. Place all the vegetables on a large baking sheet, drizzle generously with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
  3. Grill the vegetables (except the cherry tomatoes) over an open flame, OR move top rack of oven to 6 inches from the top and cook all vegetables (including tomatoes) under the broiler until vegetables are charred, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly. Bring a large pot of water to boil, add a handful of salt, and cook pasta 8-9 minutes. Drain and let cool.
  5. While the pasta is cooking and the vegetables are cooling, prepare the dressing: mix all dressing ingredients in a jar or bowl and shake/whisk to combine.
  6. Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, chop into 1 inch pieces. Add pasta and vegetables to a large bowl and add about half the dressing, tossing to combine. Eat warm or chill in fridge, adding more dressing as necessary.

Cucumber Salad

It has been HOT in Pittsburgh this week. I think the high today is 80° which is a far cry from the snow storm we had last Thursday. But with this heat comes the need for cold, refreshing recipes and this salad from Budget Bytes is perfect.

I made this this past weekend as a side for the burgers we made for dinner, and it was delicious. Refreshing, fresh, crunchy, and so easy! Just chop up your veg, make a quick dressing, and enjoy! Or let it hang out in the fridge to absorb all the tasty flavors (which is what I did).

We’ve had this just chilling in the fridge for the past couple days and it’s made an excellent side for burgers or sandwiches (especially made with leftover Easter ham!) but today I decided to switch it up by mixing it with pasta! It made for an excellent, pretty filling lunch for today and was a nice little change up from eating it plain. You could also totally do that with rice or quinoa too!

So try out this cucumber salad for your next hot spring or summer day! You won’t regret it.

Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

Red Wine Vinaigrette

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Salad

  • 2 cucumbers
  • 4 Roma tomatoes (about 1 lb)
  • 1/2 small red onion
  • 1 bell pepper
  • 2 oz feta

Instructions

  1. Prepare the vinaigrette first to let the flavors blend as you prepare the rest of the salad. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano, salt, and pepper. Set the dressing aside.
  2. Peel the cucumbers if desired. Dice the cucumbers, tomatoes, and bell pepper. Thinly slice or dice the red onion. Crumble the feta cheese.
  3. Place the cucumbers, tomatoes, bell pepper, red onion, and feta in a large bowl Pour the dressing over top and toss to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad

Back with another lunch prep recipe! Another one from Budget Bytes (can you tell she’s my favorite?). So Beth classifies this recipe as an “autumn” salad, but I thought it sounded delicious so I pretended it was October. And it was so good! So many different textures and flavors (which is really what makes salad worth eating).

The only true “prep” for this recipe is roasting the sweet potatoes. I actually added a can of (drained and rinsed) chickpeas as well as a diced onion to bulk it up a little (and because I had them hanging around) and the mix of the chickpeas and sweet potatoes was actually so good. Plus the spices: I very rarely use cinnamon in savory settings but I promise it makes a huge difference.

After roasting your veg, you could pre-assemble the salads in containers (with or without the dressing), but I just kept all the ingredients separate since I eat lunch at home. It was a nice little routine to build my salad every afternoon! I also decided to just dress it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil (and salt and pepper) because I didn’t feel like making Beth’s dressing, but you could totally use almost any store bought dressing. Balsamic, Italian, or Honey Mustard would all be good in my opinion.

So if you need some easy, tasty lunch prep for work or school, try this sweet potato and kale salad!

A VERY full bowl of goodness

Roasted Sweet Potato and Kale Salad

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs sweet potatoes
  • 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 large onion
  • 1-2 tbsp cooking oil
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 cups chopped kale
  • 1-2 medium/large apples (I used gala)
  • 1/4 cup pepitas
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries (I left these out)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Peel and dice the sweet potatoes, and dice the onion.
  2. Place the sweet potato, onion, and chickpeas on a baking sheet, coat with cooking oil, and toss with spices.
  3. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until potatoes are soft and tender, stirring once halfway through.
  4. Chop the apples, and assemble your salad by splitting the kale, apples, and roasted vegetables evenly, and add about 1 tbsp each of pepitas, pecans, and cranberries (you can also store all components separately and assemble each day if you prefer!)
  5. Serve with dressing of choice

Easy White Bean Soup

Now that school is starting back up and everything is still virtual (and thus I’m still at home a lot), having easy lunches has become super important. This soup is so easy, so delicious, and makes excellent meal prep!

I found this recipe on Budget Bytes a few years ago, and it’s definitely one of my favorites. Beth starts by blending up one of the cans of beans which makes the soup thick and creamy (without any dairy!). The recipe itself is super simple, but it’s super easy to add whatever else you may have in your fridge to bulk it up. The first time I added zucchini and spinach, and this time around I just added the zucchini. You could also add other greens like kale, or other veg like broccoli, bell peppers, carrots, The possibilities are endless! If you are adding more veg, just add it to the oil with the garlic to cook down before you add the beans. If you’re adding greens, add them towards the end since they’re easier to cook down and wilt.

I loved having this on the menu for lunch last week, and it was super filling with a half a sandwich or cheese quesadilla on the side. And it couldn’t be easier! So try this White Bean soup for you lunch meal prep next week!

Easy White Bean Soup

From Budget Bytes

Serves: 4

Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

  • 2 tbs olive oil
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 2 small zucchinis, chopped (or other vegetable)
  • 3 (15 oz) cans cannelini beans
  • 2 cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper
  • black pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

  1. Pour one of the cans of cannelini beans with the liquid in a food processor (or blender) and blend until smooth. Drain the other two cans of beans.
  2. Mince the garlic and add it to a soup pot with the olive oil and zucchini. Sauté until garlic is fragrant and zucchini is beginning to soften.
  3. Add the pureed beans, the other two cans of beans, the broth, and the spices. Stir to combine.
  4. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn the heat down to medium low, remove the lid, and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  5. Smash the beans slightly to thicken the soup even more. Taste and add salt as needed (depends on the broth you use). Serve hot with crusty bread and shredded parm!

Lunch Box

In elementary and middle school I was a sandwich queen when it came to lunch. When I got to high school, I was a bit bored of sandwiches so I turned to leftovers. And while I’m still a fan of “meal prepping” by making way too much for dinner and bringing the leftovers for lunch, this summer I’ve become a big fan of making these “lunch boxes” for work.

Today’s meal prep

They kind of remind me a bit of the snack or lunch packs you can buy from places like Starbucks? But this is way cheaper, plus cuts out extra waste. And you can fill them with pretty much anything! I’m a big fan of protein packed lunches because they keep me full all day and prevent any “hanger” (hunger + anger, not pretty). So I almost always bring a hard-boiled egg along with a few slices of cheddar or jack cheese. Then I like to add some veggies: sliced bell pepper, cucumber slices, baby carrots, cherry tomatoes. Then for a little crunch you can add nuts (like cashews or almonds). Or add half a peanut butter sandwich, or a piece of fruit. No matter what I bring, I’ll pack it all in a tupperware and I’m ready to go! Quick and easy lunches that are perfect for meal prep! Toss in a few extra snacks for a long day of class and band (like granola bars or some salami) and you’re good to go:)

Yesterday’s meal prep

This post isn’t really a recipe, so here’s a list of some go to options for the perfect lunch box:

  • Hard-boiled egg (boil for 7 minutes for the perfect egg!)
  • Sliced cheese
  • Salami or pepperoni
  • Half a peanut butter sandwich
  • Nuts (like cashew, almonds, peanuts, mixed nuts)
  • Sliced bell peppers
  • Cucumber slices
  • Baby carrots
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Apple slices
  • A kiwi
  • A peach
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