As we head into month 6 (or is it 7?) of lockdown with most people working from home, LUNCH should not be something that takes up much of your precious energy and brain power.
For me: I’m just feeding myself each day, but I want it to be
- Healthy
- Quick
- HOT
- Not a lot of cleanup.
The tips below apply even if you’re feeding a family of four. The key? Prep accordingly. Here’s my lunchtime breakdown so I’ve got TWO different dishes so that I don’t get bored (and I get that way…easily)
First: I make two proteins: The easiest ones?
- Falafel (link to recipe) (blog)
- Chicken
Then I serve it two ways:
- Pita Sandwich
- Salad with Croutons
Advanced Move:
- Have two sauces ready to go like tzatziki or a salad vinaigrette (link – healthy salad
Monday: It’s 1:00pm and I need food! I’ve probably finished a marketing project and so I head to the kitchen. My 12” frying pan is on the stove, pretty much always, as I never put it away. I put 3 falafels on it on low heat and 1 pita bread. As it gently reheats, I pull out containers with chopped tomato, onion and lettuce and my premade tzatziki. In about 5 minutes, the falafels are warm (be sure to flip them) and I cut the pita in half and fill each half with tzatziki, falafels and sliced veggies. Serve that with a glass of water, and maybe some cut up fruit and I am good to go!
Tuesday: This is my “content creation” day and I’ve spent the morning going on a 6 mile jog and writing newsletters/blog posts like this one. For today? It’s salad time.
I cut up some bread and put it in a pan over medium heat with olive oil to make some croutons. As they crisp up, my fridge has chopped lettuce and other veggies from the falafel. I make a quick vinaigrette by putting balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper and honey and a bit of Dijon in a jar and shake it up. In about 6 minutes, the croutons are done and I make a salad with some pre cooked chicken, croutons and dressing
Wednesday: See Monday
Thursday: See Tuesday
Friday: Use up my leftovers and eat it again…I’m definitely going to treat myself over the weekend because I cooked healthy foods the rest of the week!
I hope these tips helped and you use them!
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