The Vegetarian's Lunch Box
- Mixed power greens salad with blackberries, goat cheese, pecans, and balsamic vinaigrette. This recipe is somewhere on my blog, and is absolutely delicious! The sweet burst of the blackberry works beautifully in tandem with the tang of goat cheese, and the almost caramel-like taste of pecans. But you could pretty much make up any salad your heart desires. Try to add hard boiled eggs for protein, or if you are pescatarian, some smoked salmon! Halloumi cheese is yummy, too.
- Coconut Almond Chia Seed Pudding. 2 Tbsps of chia seeds, 1/3 a cup of almond milk, and 1 Tbsp of monk fruit or another natural sweetener sit overnight to produce this wonderful dish. Top it off with a handful of almonds and unsweetened, shredded coconut for extra flavor! A dash of cinnamon or a spoonful of peanut butter doesn't hurt, either. STIR BEFORE EATING.
- Bell Pepper Nachos. If you have access to a microwave, try out this one! Cut a large red bell pepper into thick slices the night before, and add a snack bag of shredded cheese to your lunch box. Sprinkle the cheese on your bell pepper "chips," and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds, or until the cheese is melted. Add a dollop of salsa or sour cream, some sliced avocado, olives, jalapenos, or any topping you desire to make your veggie-tastic nachos a real treat.
- Smoothies. Oh my goodness. You seriously have a world of smoothie recipes at your finger tips; all you have to do is browse The Avocado and Me or explore the Internet! Search for smoothies that are rich in leafy greens, natural fats, or berries. Try to avoid those that use super sugary fruits or add an inhuman amount of sugar. Remember - smoothies are a superb item to have on your menu now and again, but food that you can actually bite and savor slowly tends to be more appealing.
- Zoodles or Shirataki Noodle Pasta. Zoodles have been all the craze of late - I believe that you can now by pre-zoodlized zucchini noodles in the frozen section of your local grocery store (spellcheck is trying to tell me that zoodlized isn't a word, but don't you think it should be?). Zoodles are more accessible than Shirataki noodles, and pack more of a nutritional punch. However, the latter option is delicious, too. Shirataki noodles are "thin, translucent, gelatinous traditional Japanese noodles made from the konjac yam," according to our dear friend Wikipedia. Very low in calories and nutritional benefits, these shouldn't be something that you eat everyday. They are quite yummy every now and then, though! Try zoodles or shirataki noodles in a homemade marinara sauce with Parmesan and grilled portobello mushroom slices. This is a dish that you can meal prep and heat up in the microwave throughout the week. If you can tolerate legumes, Banza is a chickpea based pasta that tastes wonderful, too.
- Teriyaki Tofu Bowl with Cauliflower Rice. I personally do not eat tofu, but that doesn't mean that you can't! Tofu can have an important role in vegetarian cuisine, as it "is a good source of protein and contains all eight essential amino acids. It is also an excellent source of iron and calcium and the minerals manganese, selenium and phosphorous. In addition, tofu is a good source of magnesium, copper, zinc and vitamin B1" ("The Health Benefits of Tofu"). Some of my friends (hey, Daniela) despise tofu with every ounce of their being. And that is completely okay. But tofu is a very versatile product, and can be prepared in many ways, from being steamed to stir-fried. Try to find a recipe that works for you!
- Lentils with Cauliflower Rice and berries. Lentils are another item that I do not typically consume. Then again, I am not a vegetarian. I get my protein from sources such as fish, chicken, and the occasional serving of red meat. You need to get your's from a different source, and lentils just might be your new best friend. "They're an excellent source of protein and soluble fiber. But lentils have an edge over most beans: They contain about twice as much iron. They're also higher in most B vitamins and folate..." ("8 Foods Every Vegetarian Should Eat"). Like tofu, lentils can be incorporated into your diet in many forms. Soups, bolognese, "meat" loaf, and "burgers" happen to be some of the items on the lentil's resume.
- Stuffed Avocado. Mmmm! I love this one. All you need to do is wash and cut open an avocado. If you have an oven available, remove about a spoonful of flesh from the center of your avocado half and crack an egg into it. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes. If you have no oven, but do have access to a microwave, sprinkle some cheese onto your avocado and some marinara sauce. Salsa works well, too. Microwave until the cheese is melty. Enjoy! (P.S. If you're pescatarian, you can load some tuna salad into an unheated avocado instead).
- Cheesy Spaghetti Squash. Spaghetti squash is a crazy thing. You bake or microwave it in a shallow tub of water, and it comes loose from the shell in these insane noodle-like strands. Research some ways to cook spaghetti squash (I'm partial to this one - just remove the pancetta); there are tons of scrumptious recipes out there!
- Hard boiled eggs. My dad moans and groans at the very thought of a hard boiled egg; perhaps this is because an image of a brown, crumbly yolk and a rubbery egg white comes to mind. But hard boiled eggs don't have to be crumbly or rubbery at all! Try boiling your eggs for less time; this will achieve a soft or medium boiled egg, whose whites are delicate, and encase a chewier, slightly runny yolk.
- Frittata. "Hakuna Frittata, what a wonderful phrase! It means no packed-lunch-troubles, for the rest of your days!" A frittata is kind of like a quiche without the crust. An egg-based dish loaded with the cheeses, vegetables, and seasonings of your choice, a frittata is simple to bake over the weekend and portion for tasty lunches. This vegetable frittata from My Recipes has some phenomenal reviews - why not give it a go?
- Lasagna Stuffed Portobellos. I Breathe, I'm Hungry's Lasagna Stuffed Portobellos is a family favorite at the Epstein household. For all you vegetarians out there (or none vegetarians, come to think of it), all you need to do is remove the sausage from this recipe and adjust the cook time accordingly. Bake these creamy, cheesy, saucy flavor bombs on a Sunday, and have lunch ready to heat up in the microwave throughout the week.
- Eggplant Parmesan. Story time. My sister, Abby, hates eggplant, and it breaks my heart to no end. What do you mean I can't make Keto Eggplant Parmesan for dinner? Then I remembered that - wait! I could prepare this dish over the weekend, and enjoy it (without Abby complaining) during lunch time. You really don't need wheat flour to make this delectable meal. Feel free to enjoy your Eggplant Parmesan with some roasted cauliflower rice or shirataki noodles. It might even be good with zoodles.
- Soup. If you are a vegetarian trying to eat wholesome, healthy foods, soup will be a sublime addition to your weekly menus. The great wide Inter web boasts tons of recipes for Low-Carb, Vegetarian soups that range from simple veggie stews to cauliflower Parmesan soups. I can't imagine anything better than a warm bowl of broth on a cold school day, can you?
- Loaded Sweet Potato. Again, you're going to need a microwave for this one. Pre-wash a sweet potato, and pack a spoonful of almond butter. You'll also need a generous amount of coconut oil or butter, and any toppings you feel like. Macadamia nuts, salted almonds, shredded coconut, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, berries, and some dark chocolate are fabulous options. Microwave your washed sweet potato on high for 6-9 minutes, or until tender and hot. Open the potato, and slather it with your butter or coconut oil. Add your almond butter and toppings, and enjoy! Don't be afraid to eat the skin of the sweet potato - according to the article "What Nutrients Are in the Skins of Sweet Potatoes?", sweet potato skins are chock full of fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, folate, potassium, and iron.
And there you are, dear reader. Fifteen options for mouthwatering, vegetarian, primarily Primal-approved lunch items. Remember that even if you are not planning on giving up roast turkey anytime soon, it is good to incorporate plant-based proteins and foods into you diet. While butter and bacon are undoubtedly toothsome, it is definitely a brilliant idea to add more veggies to your plate. Ciao, for now, everyone!
Carrot sticks and raspberries,
- Maya
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