Chapter Content
Okay, so today, I thought I'd share some ideas for lunch. You know, 'cause lunch can be, like, the trickiest meal, right? So easy to just grab something unhealthy. Anyway, first up, we have this Fennel and Apple Salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing and Smoked Salmon. Sounds fancy, right? But it's actually pretty straightforward and, like, totally good for you. Smoked salmon gives you all those omega-3s and stuff, which is awesome. Just, you know, make sure you get the unsweetened kind. Okay, so you basically slice up some red onion, fennel bulbs, a Granny Smith apple, and celery. Oh, and some green olives and fresh dill. Then you toss it all together with that Lemon-Dijon dressing, let it sit for a bit, and then, you know, put it on a plate with some smoked salmon and toasted pecans. Fennel fronds, if you happen to have them. Super easy and, like, really refreshing.
Then there's this Rainbow Salad with Lemon-Dijon Dressing and Soft-Boiled Eggs. This one's got, like, all the colors of the rainbow, which is always fun. Plus, it's packed with those cruciferous veggies that are supposed to be really good for you. Oh, and chickpeas! So, for this one, you marinate some chickpeas in olive oil, shallot, garlic, red wine vinegar, za'atar, and salt. Like, let that sit for at least an hour, you know? That's the key to getting the flavor in there. And then you make soft-boiled eggs. You know, seven minutes in boiling water, then ice water, peel them, the whole shebang. For the salad itself, you've got arugula, bell pepper, yellow squash, red cabbage, and beet sauerkraut. Toss that with the dressing, salt, and pepper. Then, you just, like, divide it into bowls, add the chickpeas, some pumpkin seeds, feta if you're feeling it, and top with those halved soft-boiled eggs. Boom! Lunch is served. You can store the leftovers for about five days.
And, hmm, oh! There's also Curried Roasted Vegetables with Coconut Flour Flatbread. This one's a bit more involved, maybe for a weekend lunch? The curry powder is super good for you, tons of antioxidants, especially turmeric, which is anti-inflammatory. And the flatbread's made with coconut flour and psyllium husks, so it's got tons of fiber. So, you roast cauliflower, tomatoes, onion, and carrots with curry powder and olive oil, then add some frozen peas near the end. For the flatbread, you mix coconut flour, cassava flour, psyllium husks, baking powder, salt, and coconut milk with water, let it sit for a bit, then roll it out and cook it in a skillet. Serve the veggies with the flatbread, cilantro, yogurt, and lime wedges. Mmm, that sounds really tasty.
Finally, we have Cauliflower Rice Hand Rolls. This is kinda like sushi, but with cauliflower rice instead of regular rice. It's, like, a healthier twist, you know? So, you make "spicy salmon" with canned salmon, aioli, and some red pepper flakes if you like it spicy. Then you make the cauliflower rice with rice wine vinegar, sesame seeds, and flaxseeds. And a miso-tahini sauce, which is super easy, it's just dates, tahini, tamari, miso, vinegar, garlic, and ginger all blended together. Then you just put it all on a sheet of nori with avocado and cucumber, roll it up, and dip it in the sauce. Fun, right?
And, okay, lastly, last but not least, we have Classic Chicken and Celery Salad Wraps. So, yeah, instead of, like, bread or a wheat wrap, you use collard leaves. It's a "Good Energy swap," as they say. The best part is, you can make the components ahead of time. So, you basically simmer some chicken breasts, dice them up, and mix them with aioli or avocado oil mayonnaise, lemon juice, red onion, celery, and sour cherries. Then, you blanch some collard leaves to make them pliable. To assemble, you just put the chicken salad on a collard leaf with some red cabbage and cucumber spears, wrap it up, and you're good to go!
So, there you have it. Just, like, a few lunch ideas to get you started. Hopefully, that gave you some inspiration to get out of your lunch rut.