I plan meals and recipes around portable lunches. A recipe that: fills us up at the end of the day, will keep until tomorrow, and is light enough to work for a quick lunch = recipe gold, and destined to see heavy rotation in our repertoire.
I also like this kind of cooking kind of instinctively right now – these kinds of meals are how we want to be eating. They are mostly plant-based, rely heavily on veggies and whole grains, and are usually quick to make/require one pot. I hate washing pots.
Sturdy vegetables work well here – your broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, etc. Unless the veg is supposed to be melty, in which case, all bets are off. But I usually am going for some kind of crunch and heft, so I start with the sturdy vegetable and build the idea from there. Remember that it has to survive a brief stint in the pan and then time in the refrigerator, so staying power is key.
The key for me is more greens than grains. This makes it seem… better. Otherwise, play around, throw in what you will. I usually add nuts or seeds (walnuts here), and crucially, a dressing with a kick. This one has lots of fresh mint and both lemon and orange juice.
- 2 cups cooked brown rice (I cheat and use the frozen, microwavable stuff from Trader Joe's)
- 2-3 stems of broccoli, including peeled & trimmed stems, chopped small
- a small bunch of asparagus, also chopped small
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil (1 for the pan, 3 for the dressing)
- juice of ½ an orange
- juice of ½ a lemon
- salt and pepper to taste (I go heavy on the pepper)
- leaves from 2 stalks of mint (a handful), chopped fine
- a handful of walnut pieces
- Feta crumbles or plain yogurt (optional)
- Prepare the rice (in my case, this means microwaving for 3 minutes, but you do what works for you.).
- Put one tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the broccoli and asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, for no more than 3-4 minutes, or until cooked but still pretty crisp.
- Make the dressing: whisk 3 tablespoons of oil, the juices, and the salt and pepper. Add the mint and stir to combine.
- Add the rice and veggies to a large bowl or platter, Toss to combine, then add the dressing and toss to coat. Sprinkle the nuts on the top.
- You can add feta crumbles or plain yogurt drizzles to the top of the salad when it's portioned out, but avoid adding to the whole salad right away if you are keeping leftovers for tomorrow.
other
September 21, 2017 at 1:36 amΙn fact no matter if someone doesn’t understand after that its up to other users that they will help,
so here it takes place.
equal
September 21, 2017 at 2:05 amJսst want to sаy your article is as astounding.
The clarity in your post is simply great and i can assume yoᥙ are an eҳpert on this
subject. Fine with your permission let me to grab your feed to keep up
to date witһ foгthcoming post. Thanks a million and pleaѕe continue the gratifying work.
FirstRobin
September 21, 2017 at 9:03 pmI see you don’t monetize your website, don’t waste your
traffic, you can earn extra bucks every month because you’ve got hi quality
content. If you want to know how to make extra bucks, search for: Mrdalekjd methods for $$$
Alicia
September 22, 2017 at 1:13 amI’d need to test with you here. Which isn’t something I often do! I take pleasure in reading a submit that can make people think. Also, thanks for allowing me to comment!