Varietay tay

Today's lunch was pretty well rounded and sort of experimental.

• Amy's Organic Lentil Vegetable Soup-Light in Sodium
• edamame, corn, mushroom and roasted pepper salad from Whole Foods
• thawed out frozen peaches
• grilled low fat colby/jack cheese on light whole wheat bread

Oh yeah, I had a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and it was great! Well, it wasn't hot, and the cheese wasn't melted but it was a grilled cheese sandwich. I made it in the morning and let it cool before I put it in my box. I liked it and I'll probably have it again because it seems "lunchy" to me. The edamame salad was just ok. It was a little too sweet and for me. I bet I could make one that is more to my liking. Maybe that's a project for a future day. Hmm.

Sad Girl's Bento

This lunch tasted exactly like it looks: pitiful.

• sardines
• steamed broccoli
• white rice
• frozen peaches

It reminded me of passage from a book I read in high school about the Japanese internment camps in California during World War II. Yes, that's how depressing this meal was. Some of it was left over from a Chinese take out that I may or may not have ordered this weekend.

Ugh, I've been so uninspired lately. Some of you might have noticed that I haven't been posting as regularly as I used to. I don't really have a good excuse except for my general laziness. However, I just got back from the grocery store where I picked up a few goodies that I'm excited to put in tomorrow's lunch. Also, we get our next winter CSA haul this Saturday so that will definitely reinvigorate my creative lunch juices.

As always, I'm open to ideas and recipes. Lemme hear it!

Wrapsody In Pink

It may look boring to you, but I'm still loving this lunch combo.

• cara cara oranges
• CSA carrots
• smoked salmon, light harvarti cheese, CSA lettuce on a whole wheat wrap
• fat free vanilla yogurt with dried cranberries

I guess there is not much to say about today's lunch that I have said all week. I do love the way the dried cranberries kind of melt into the yogurt, though. They plump up a bit and burst in your mouth when you chew them.

Well, I had a crazy sneezing attack around noon today and I've been sneezing about 3 times every 10 minutes ever since. I think someone at work sprinkled cat hair all over my desk when I went to the bathroom. They're gaslighting me, I tell ya. They're gaslighting me.

Still Thinking Pink

Today's lunch was an exact repeat of yesterday's. And just like yesterday, it was delicious:

• cara cara oranges
• smoked salmon, CSA lettuce, light harvati cheese in a whole wheat tortilla
• CSA carrots
• strawberries

Is it surprising that the goods from our last CSA haul is still being used in my lunches? I have to admit that I tend to use food until it appears positively toxic, but CSA food that I've been using in my lunches and for dinner is barely even bruised. I still have the entire butternut squash (going to make it in a cake, obviously) and it looks as good as the day we got it. The carrots are still crunchy and the lettuce is a little too limp to use for a salad, but it's got enough bite for sandwiches and wraps. For some reason I always thought organic food spoiled a lot more quickly than science-type food.

Anyone have any ideas about proportions? I'm not talking about portions but proportions. I kind of want to make my lunch as balanced as possible so I usually try to have some protein, grain, dairy, fiber, and vitamins. I know that's sort of a hodge-podge nutritional guideline but it usually means a sandwich or a salad with meat, cheese, and veggies, yogurt or piece of light cheese, and fruit and veggies on the side. I've mentioned by keen interest in nutritional targets. How much sodium should I be getting? I'm on Weight Watchers so I feel like I kind of have a handle on not going over certain targets. What I'm really eager to find out is what are the targets for nutrients like zinc and the various vitamins out there. Oh, and sodium. Basically, I'm looking for more ways to feel nutritionally smug.

Pinkerton

I'm totally smitten with smoked salmon again. Also, a longtime love of mine is now in season (sort of). The best part: they are the same color. The pink fleshed details below:

• smoked salmon, light harvati cheese and roasted asparagus in a whole wheat tortilla
• cara cara orange
• strawberries
• CSA carrots

Seriously, smoked salmon at room temperature is a little piece of heaven. I can't believe I used to not eat this stuff because I thought it was too slimy. It gives me hope that something like raw tomatoes might be in my future. Although, I shutter at the thought of actually putting that in my mouth.

Anyway, the big news is that cara cara oranges are on the market shelves these days. Finally! These things scream CHRISTMAS to me. I should be clear though: the ones that I buy out here are not even half as good as the ones that are currently flooding the fields of my hometown right now. I have such an obsession with these beauties. When I go home for Christmas my parents fill 3 or 4 fruit bowls with them and I devour them like a pirate trying to stave of scurvy. I can safely say they make up 90% of my Christmas Vacation diet. ZOWIE!!! I can't wait to eat the real thing. Ok, I'll stop gushing about them...I'm off to go eat one right now.

I Dood It

I got my act together and slapped together a pretty good lunch today. The best part was that it was way cheaper and tastier than my (store bought) lunch yesterday. Here are the deets:

• grapefruit cocktail
• chicken and CSA broccoli with brown rice
• birthday cake
• garbanzo beans with black pepper

Me and him had a 2 person party for his birthday last night. It involved pizza, ginger ale, and a cake crafted by a master baker...Entenmann's. Don't worry, that's not the only way we're going to celebrate his birthday. I'm in the midst of planning his traditional birthday extravaganza to be held at our humble abode on Saturday night. To that end, I'm going to be running around like a mad woman tomorrow night looking for decorations and booze.

Anyway, lunch blog, lunch blog, lunch blog.

Oh yeah, lunch was good today but I didn't have a chance to eat until 4:30. Surprisingly enough, the garbanzo beans were the highlight. I forgot how much I love them. The grapefruit cocktail was also a big hit (with my tastebuds). I'm definitely having that again tomorrow. Get excited!

This Is Not My Lunch

I went buck wild today and didn't pack a lunch. I bought a salad and a fruit cup from Au Bon Pain and it cost $10!!! What was I thinking?! I know what I was thinking: don't pack your lunch, buy something fancy and feel like a big shot for a change. Instead I just felt like a chump.

However, my great friend Zita took a picture of her lunch the other day and emailed it to me. Her adorable comments below:
"My full lunch: $9.45 greek salad, bbq chicken slice and a diet ginger ale. your lunches are better"

Zita also packed a snack!
Sugar snap peas! My favorite. I forgot to ask her if she nukes them in a little water like I do. Anyway, I love the fact that she's at least taking a portion of her food with her to work. I swear I'll be back on track tomorrow. Maybe. If not, I'll be posting a picture of SOMEBODY'S lunch.

Brat Ta Tat Tat

Today's lunch was barely eaten as I was still recovering from Puke Fest 2010. I had the intention of having a full on BRAT diet meal, but I couldn't do it in the end. This was as close as I could get. The low fiber and bland details below:

• low sodium chicken broth
• light rye Wasa crackers
• light mini Babybel cheese
• dried cranberries

I only ate the crackers and chicken broth. The cheese and the cranberries seemed a little risky. However, I think it's safe to say my appetite is back and in full effect because I just polished off about 4 oz. of steak and a lovely glass of Pinot. The way I figure it: go hard or go home. My ole' iron guts feel fine so I guess I'm back on the horse. Yippee!

Man Down!

I'm hit! After a spending Thanksgiving weekend in Texas with my sick 2 year old nephew, who got my sister sick, who then got her husband sick and finally got the brand new baby sick, I thought I escaped unscathed by the diarrhea and vomiting epidemic that was sweeping the household. But shortly after midnight (the night before my flight home) I started puking my brains out, and then some. I barely made it on the plane. However, I did get a seat upgrade by telling the flight crew that I had morning sickness. Yes, I know, it's wicked. But, when you're lucky enough to have a fine pot belly like mine, a gold ring that can easily be switched to your wedding finger, and a tendency to throw up every hour on the hour, not to mention the fear of being kicked off of a flight for being a biohazard...you do what you gotta do!

So, no lunch today because I was lying as still as possible in my bed. I did manage to get on a scale and saw that I've lost 4 pounds. If only it were real!

Flight Plan

I’m posting this early today because I’m off to visit my sister and her family for Thanksgiving. The office closes at 2:30 and I’ll be on a plane by 4:30 but I won’t be stuck with an overpriced and unhealthy airport meal. The fresh in-flight details below:

• big salad: lettuce, carrots, beets, peppers (I’m going to eat this while I’m still at work)
• grapefruit cocktail (recipe below)
• smoked salmon, lettuce, light harvati cheese, peppers on a whole wheat tortilla
• cinnamon raisin Gnu bar

Although I am a citrus snob (growing up California spoiled me) I didn’t start loving grapefruit until I moved here. That’s mostly because I discovered ginger juice and learned how to supreme citrus. But, you don’t need to watch countless how to videos to do this. There are just three ingredients.

Grapefruit, honey, ginger (juice or fresh chunks).

Dang! I’m getting hungry already. This is going to be a great flight. Maybe if I focus on my lunch I can stop worrying about the TSA workers seeing me naked or feeling me up. Happy Thanksgiving y’all.

A Little Spicy Side

Still reveling in the big salads. The box had a bit of a kick today with some of last night's dinner
and my version of a fruit salad. The sizzling details below:

• salad: CSA lettuce, carrots, beets and orange bell peppers
• salad dressing
• chicken andouille sausage with braised kale
• frozen peaches and pineapples

I'm a wimp when it comes to spicy food so I could only handle 3 or 4 slices of sausage and I added plenty of kale to try to neutralize the heat. Oh, the kale was delicious, btw. I had braised greens at a restaurant this weekend and I really wanted to try to do it myself. It was so easy. Here's a makeshift recipe:

Braised Kale

2 teaspoons olive
1 onion chopped
1 clove garlic chopped
3 cups kale (washed & chopped)
1/4 cup vegetable broth (or chicken or beef or even water)
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in pan over medium high heat. Add the onions, garlic, salt and pepper and saute for a couple of minutes. Throw in the kale and turn it around in the pan so that it's coated with oil and yummy onions and garlic for a another 3 or 4 minutes. Pour the vegetable broth all over the whole thing and keep turning the kale around in the pan. Does that make sense? When I say "turn it around" I mean swish it around with a spoon or tongs or whatever. It takes about 15 minutes to make. If you like your greens particularly soft and floppy maybe, 20 minutes.

Here is a picture of me that I'm posting purely because I think I look cute.

This was on Sunday at the Big Apple Tweed Ride. I think next time I'm going to pack a real picnic basket and spread a blanket out in the park with my friends. In fact, I've already bullied my friends into having a bicycling picnic this spring. I can't wait to really create a Packable Springtime Feast!

New Food!

Ahh! What a weekend and what a lunch to start this short week! It highlights the fact that we got our first winter share from the CSA.

• CSA salad: lettuce, carrots, beets and peppers
  
• Kashi Go Lean cereal
• apple

This is what we got:
I've got a pretty good idea of what to do with most of the items. But there are a few things are throwing me for a loop. Can you guess which ones:

• kale
  
• bok choy
• tatsoi
• lettuce
  
• broccoli
  
• scallions
• carrots
  
• celery root
  
• beets
• yellow onions
  
• fingerling potatoes
  
• butternut squash
• Crispin apples
  
• apple cider

Yep, that's right, BEETS! I thought they were radishes and I put them in my salad this morning because they weren't bloody at all. They weren't that tasty, but I sliced them very thinly and ate them with the delicious carrots and they were kind of masked. I wonder if this is some form of bloodless beet that will change my life. They do taste like dirt though. Are they worth roasting? I'm scared the blood will start to flow once they're heated. Will cooking them intensify the dirt taste? Jeez, beets are the bane of my existence! Also:
You see that green spiny ball of dirt hiding behind the red balls of dirt? That's a celery root. Now what the hell am I supposed to do with that?!

I Like It Like That

Not much of a change today, but I keep forgetting to mention that I really, really enjoy eating this soup.

• butternut squash and lentil soup
• yogurt with mini chocolate chips spreading the love
• sugar snap peas

It's Thursday and the week has been kind of hectic. When I get home I'm so tired that I just kind of flop on the couch and do this:
Don't judge us because of the clutter. We're going for a "lived in" look. Anyway, I wonder if there is something in my lunch that's making me so sluggish. I kind of doubt it though, because that's my most healthy meal of the day. Should I start packing (and thus posting) my breakfasts as well. I find that by merely knowing that I'm going to post my meal, I'm compelled to make it as tasty and healthy as possible. Should I go back to the veggie omelets? Maybe something more sumptuous? Or should I stick with simple and easy to pack? Are those breakfasts somehow draining my energy? A little help.

Sammy Saves The Day

A new player in the lunch game rescued me from early onset tedium. The heroic details below:

• butternut squash and lentil soup
• turkey bologna, light harvarti cheese and spinach on a fancy sandwich flat thingy
• clementine
  
• apple

I was so thrilled to have a little bit of meat in my lunch today. Although, turkey bologna is kind of odd. It tastes just like regular bologna but it's apparently better for you, or, should I say, less terrible for you. I mean, bologna is essentially swept of pig parts from the slaughterhouse floor, right? I guess if it's turkey parts it's less fattening. Dang, I hope didn't gross everyone out. I actually really love bologna but I get that it is not the most elegantly made food.

Anylenny, Melanie gave me some great advice about some jazzy side dishes so I'm scouring the cooking blogs for good grain salad recipes. Thanks, Mel!

Simple Tuesday

Today's lunch was kind of basic and a little restrictive. The barely there details below:

• butternut squash and lentil soup
• clementine
• apple

I don't know why I didn't learn my lesson with the lasagna, but now I'm really in the soup this week. I think it's going to be soup and a sandwich tomorrow. Why did I make make a bottomless pot of this stuff?

Anyway, I'm also feeling totally uninspired and lost when it comes to my "side" dishes. Don't get me wrong, I love apples, clementines, and pita chips, but I've got to come up with something else. It might not happen this week because there's not much in the house this week and I only go food shopping on Sunday. BUT, this Saturday we get our first share of the winter CSA so I'm super excited to see what's in the box. Please, God, let there be carrots and lettuce! The lettuce in a bag that I bought from the grocery store this weekend was so sucky compared to what I was we got from the CSA.

Yikes, this post sort of became a bit ranty. Sorry folks, it's been a long day. I promise to be more cheery tomorrow. Maybe.

The Dawn of a New Era

I'm back! There's a spring in my step and a frog in my throat so I guess I'm on the mend from my lingering cold/flu thing. Lunch today was decidedly different from last week. The lasagna-less details below:

• salad with carrots
• mini fuji apple
• pita chips (I got these "Reduced Guilt" ones from TJ's)
• butternut squash and lentil soup

Prepare for another week with a lot of repeats because I made like 10 gallons of this soup:

Adzuki Butternut Squash Soup Recipe

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon (ground) coriander

1-2 teaspoons finely chopped chipotle pepper

2 medium-large onions, minced

6 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups butternut squash, peeled and diced

5 cups vegetable stock or filtered water

1 large or 2 medium red bell peppers, diced

2 teaspoons sea salt

4 cups cooked or canned adzuki beans, rinsed

A few sprigs fresh cilantro or cilantro drizzle (finely mince a handful of cilantro and pour just enough olive oil over to cover - plus a couple pinches of salt)

Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon, coriander, and chipotle and saute for about 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the onions and saute for another 8 minutes, until translucent (add a splash of water to prevent sticking if needed). Add the garlic and squash, stir, and then pour in stock or water.

Increase the heat to bring to a boil, and once boiling, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 6 minutes, until the squash begins to soften.

Once the squash has softened, use a potato masher and start breaking up the squash a bit. Add red peppers and salt, and cook for 6 minutes more before adding the beans and cooking for 5 minutes more, until hot. Serve garnished (or drizzled) with the cilantro.

Serves about 8

I substituted lentils because I didn't have adzuki beans in the house. The big surprise is that I used the same butternut squash that we got in our CSA haul from October 26! Actually, the even bigger surprise is that I have absolutely no problem eating this. I'm talking mushed up squash here! Who woulda thunk it! But this is actually the second time I've made this soup and I still love it. I can't explain why the texture/color of the squash doesn't even phase me in this form, but roasted or pureed is a total deal breaker. Go figure.

Speaking the inexplicableness of food aversions. I DRANK BEET JUICE TONIGHT! Yes, after ranting about the evils of beets, I actually consumed the vile root in its essence. My Weight Watcher buddy (and wise yogi), Corinna, invited me over to her apartment tonight for a juice cocktail party. Well, it was just me and her and her very funny boyfriend, but we made it a party. Anyway, she has this badass juicer that strangles every last drop of liquid from fruits and veggies without even a shred of pulp or grit getting into the glass. We made a cocktail of pear, apple, carrot, orange, mango, kiwi and yes, beet juices. Corinna was so nice, she even cut the beet and hid it until the very last second because she knew I couldn't stand the sight of the blood. I'm pleased to report it was actually really tasty! Delicious, in fact! Thanks Corinna! Baby steps, people. Baby steps.

Still Going

I packed the exact same lunch as yesterday minus the PB&J. The reduced details below:

• Endless Veggie Lasagna
• withering sugar snap peas
• clementine
• empty box

Work really did a number on me today. I was swamped! So much so that I didn't eat ANY of my lunch!! That's right, I didn't even crack open my box. I packed a big breakfast egg burrito thingy (sorry no picture) and had that around 11:00; proceeded to wash it down with about a gallon of coffee. Then it was head down and work, work, work until way too late. I was supposed to go on a lovely autumn walk with some of my favorite fitness friends and then I got stuck with some last minute biz just as I was tiptoeing out the door. Rats!

BTW, if you're sick of seeing veggie lasagna with snap peas and a clementine then skip this blog tomorrow, because that's what you're going to get! But just know that as sick as you are of seeing it this week, I'm 10 times more sick of eating, or rather PACKING it and not even getting to eat it. I wish I could afford or had the patience to make a completely different lunch every day. BAH! I'm so annoyed with everything right now . . . I'm Googling "primal scream therapy" as I write this.

Are We There Yet?

Wow! A big Sunday dinner can really stretch throughout the week. The lingering details below.

• The Everlasting Veggie Lasagna
• peanut butter and jelly sandwich
• clementine
• sugar snap peas

I was at a complete and total loss as to what to put in the yellow section of my box today. After turning around and around in the kitchen looking for something crunchy, or even snackable, I decided to make a PB&J sandwich. Needless to say it was way too much food. Obviously, I gobbled up the sandwich first and then went straight for the cheesy lasagna. By the time I was finished with those two I totally forgot about the healthy stuff. Oh well, I guess I'll just be thankful that tomorrow's lunch is halfway packed.

Better Late Than Never

Similar to yesterday, but somehow even more yummy.

• Veggie lasagna
• pita chips
• clementine
• fat free vanilla yogurt

I just had a great evening out with another one of my best friend's so I'm a bit too tired for a full recap of today's lunch. Tomorrow's lunch might look very similar because there is still a lot of lasagna left.

Just Another Meatless Monday

Leftovers from a great dinner helped me start my week off on the right foot. The go-get-em details below:

• lasagna (zucchini, portobellos, swiss chard, spinach, CSA onions and homemade roasted CSA tomato sauce)
• sugar snap peas
• popcorn
• a clementine

I busted my butt to make that lasagna last night and it was totally worth it. Not that it was the best lasagna I've ever made, but I got to share it with one of my best friends (and frequent commenter on this here blog). We laughed and talked and managed to drain an entire bottle of wine. It was a perfect Sunday night cold weather dinner.

But this is a lunch blog, so let's move on. I rarely pack my box the night before because I like to be somewhat spontaneous in the morning. However, spontaneity is one thing and making important food decisions at 7 a.m. is quite another. So I'm going to try to start packing at least some of my lunch the night before. I did this last night and it came back to bite me a little because the popcorn was stale by the time I got to it this afternoon. But, you know me, I still ate it.

Speaking of popcorn, I've been having a bit of a crunchy moment recently. Pita chips, popcorn, etc. I've been trying to get something crunchy in my box every day. I have a feeling it's my way of substituting for the insanely delicious and crunchy carrots I was getting from the CSA. I crave those bad boys like nobody's business. So sweet, cold, crunchy and satisfying. We signed up for a winter share with the CSA so I'm praying that those dreamy carrots will show up in the box when we pick it up in a couple of weeks.

Frozen Friday

Submitted without comment. It's Friday!

A Little Razzle Dazzle

I tried to put some of the magic back into my lunch today. The mystical details below:

• smoked salmon, light havarti cheese, arugula and cucumber in a whole wheat tortilla
• French tomato lentil soup (left over from Monday & bought here)
• sugar snap peas
• oatmeal muffin (with cranberries and cough chocolate chips cough)

So, you know when you have a whole bunch of oatmeal and cranberries in your cupboard and unsweetened applesauce in the fridge and you figure you'll make something virtuous like reasonably sized muffins and then somehow a half cup of mini chocolate chips fall into mixing bowl? Jeez, I hate it when that happens. Moving on...

Everything was great about today's lunch except my broken tortilla. But, it didn't stop me from gobbling up the whole thing in just a few minutes. Also, it should be noted that I used to buy a similar lox wrap from this swanky Swedish coffee bar by my job. It cost $12!! My wrap cost maybe $2. So there!

I'm Not Going To Use The Phrase "Hump Day" But...

Yesterday was a sick day. Today I tried to muster some energy with a healthy lunch. It sort of worked too! The Revival Story below:

• salad (red leaf lettuce, arugula, cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, roasted chicken)
• salad dressing
• frozen peaches
• pita chips

I feel a lot better today. For some reason, I thought if I added chicken to my salad it would be better for me (protein, and all). Well, I ended up picking it out because I didn't like the texture of the soft cold chicken with the crisp crunchy veggies. And, the rest of the lunch was ok. I feel like my lunches have lacked in creativity and pizazz lately. Now that I'm feeling better, hopefully I can change that.

Moving on to things probably no one cares about, here is how I manage to keep crisp food crisp and wet food wet.
Lids! My big salad gets a lid and my peaches do too. So the pita chips are crunchy when I'm ready for them.
Oh, I started carrying my lunch box in my purse. It fits perfectly and helps me not look like a Major Nerd.
I had my personal photographer take a picture of me actually holding my purse, but I came out looking like a 5'2 weasel on her way to work. So, here's a snap of my handbag with my lunch box. Trust me, this leather bag looks a lot better than my mug at 8:00 a.m.

My Salad Days

It just feels right to start my week with a salad after a weekend filled with Halloween candy and rum spiked hot cocoa. The green leafy details below:

• salad (red romaine lettuce, arugula, yellow bell peppers, cucumbers, carrots)
• salad dressing
• kiwis
• popcorn

I've still got this stupid flu thing! I think that's what moved me to buy a cup of soup from the lunch spot by my office to go along with this tasty homemade lunch. I was supposed to make this delicious adzuki bean and butter squash soup over the weekend but I was asleep most of Saturday and Sunday. But, I have some of my impulse buy soup left over so I'll be sure to put in my lunch tomorrow. Now, I'm off to put my pajamas on and wait for the train to Sleepytown. Yes, it's only 6:30 p.m. Don't judge me, I'm sick!

Who Cares, It's FRIDAY!!!

Dude! For real? This week was nutzo freako. But now it's O-V-E-R! My Friday farewell meal specs below:

• turkey and light harvarti cheese sandwich with CSA lettuce and tinch of light mayo
• frozen pineapple
• pita chips
• cucumber slices with salad dressing for dipping

I'm feeling so elated for making it through this week being sick and handling the piles of work that faced me after taking 1 measly day off that I don't really feel like discussing my lunch tonight.

However, can we discuss this:MY NEW NEPHEW!!!

My sister and her husband made this little guy and he was born yesterday afternoon! So, you know, what do I really have to complain about?! Have a great weekend folks!

Sick Food

I'm still sick but I went to work anyway. My lunch was a comfort to me and my aching bones.

• smoked salmon and light havarti cheese sandwich on one of those sandwich flats
• frozen pineapple
• pita chip
• hummus

I don't even know why I put the hummus in there. Actually, I do know...I thought it would make a better picture. I don't really like hummus and I didn't even consider eating it. But, it seemed like I should put something to go with the pita chips. Anyway, I'm going to bed now. No more fever, just a cough and headache with a lot of joint pain. Fun!

That's More Like It

Today's lunch was gorgeous and still pretty simple. The humbly elegant details below:

• salad (romaine, arugula, cucumber, bell peppers, carrots, and some sort of radish)
• smoked salmon and lite havarti cheese sandwich on this
• frozen pineapple

I struggled to eat all of it because I most definitely coming down with a cold/flu thing. So, I won't be writing much here tonight. Just checked my temperature and it's 102.4 Not life threatening but high enough to warrant me going to bed a bit early. As my designated lifetime nursemaid said: "We can watch Undercovers under covers."

Expect a similar lunch situation tomorrow.

Slim Pickins

Isn't this a sorry state of affairs! The pitiful details below:

• a tin of sardines
• the last of the sugar snap peas
• a piece of cheese
• some raisins

This meal was straight up lame. I supplemented it with a packet of Go Lean oatmeal that I keep at my desk and some prunes that someone left in the office kitchen. Oh, FYI, a lunch featuring high fiber cereal, raw vegetables and PRUNES does not make for a settling afternoon, gastrointestinally speaking.

Anyboo, we got our last CSA share tonight (I'm too tired to take a picture right now) and I bought a couple of staple items from the store so hopefully tomorrow's lunch won't be so pathetic.

Hello, again!

The week has begun again and it looks like it's going to be another Doozy! Some old standards for today's lunch:

• homemade chicken fried rice (with spinach, peppers, snap peas, onions, carrots, etc.)
• fat-free vanilla yogurt
• carrots
• snap peas

I went out of town last week and over the weekend so my lunch/life routine was all over the place. When I got back home last night there was nothing special or new in the fridge to eat for today's lunch. It was the last of everything: the last of Thursday night's dinner; the last of the yummy CSA carrots; the bottom of the yogurt tub and almost the last of the snap peas. Anyway, now I'm home and everything is back to normal but I still haven't had a chance to whip up anything special for dinner tonight or lunch tomorrow. Heaven's knows what going to wind up in my lunchbox.

Fah Fah Fah Fresh!

Today's lunch was crisp and cool.

• salad (lettuce, arugula, purple carrots, red pepper)
• salad dressing (2 servings)
• sugar snap peas
• kiwis
  

Too bad I didn't get to actually eat any of this today! I got weak today and bought an entirely different lunch from Au Bon Pain (soup and pita chips). Yesterday woke up too late to make lunch and I had to buy lunch for the first time in months. Now it seems I've lost my mind and become addicted to spending $7.11 on inferior food. I put today's lunch in the work fridge and will have it tomorrow. I'm so disappointed in myself. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.

And, We're Back!

There were some hits and some misses in today's lunch. The rundown below:

• roast pork tenderloin with garlic, rosemary, sage, lemon peel on a bed of brown rice
• delicata squash and leek soup (also with rosemary and sage)
• homemade garlic croutons
  
• whole wheat banana bread with chocolate chips and ginger
• sugar snap peas

Clearly, this was originally a dinner. In fact, it was the leftovers from our big Sunday dinner last night. I used up almost all of the vegetables from last week's CSA!
I made the squash and leek soup with every intention of pushing through my mushy, yellow food aversion. I even made some delicious garlicky croutons to add some much need crunch and firmness to the soup. But, I regret to report, I couldn't get the whole thing down this afternoon. After about 4 or 5 difficult, angst laden swallows I gave up. I felt every atom of it slither down my throat and, although it was perfectly seasoned and flovared, it was agony. You'll be happy to hear that I had no problem with the chocolate chip ginger banana bread. Surprise. Surprise. The best part of today lunch, however, was definitely the sugar snap peas. I discovered that I can pack them in my box raw and then just put a tiny bit of water in the little removable compartment and nuke it for 60 seconds. Win!

Done Deezy

I made it, but just barely. My Friday feast below:

• salad (lettuce, arugula, carrots, grilled pesto chicken)
• fat-free vanilla yogurt with cranberries
• no pudge brownie with mixed berry compote

It's Friday night and I just got home from having a great night out with my girlfriend. Yay! Have a great weekend! I've already started mine.

Looks Can Be Deceiving

One of these dishes may not appear as appetizing as the other. But, believe me, today's lunch tasted splendid. The sumptuous details below:

• salad (lettuce, arugula, purple carrots, sweet peppers)
• salad dressing
  
• homemade chicken fried rice with diced purple onions (bok choy, spinach, peppers, carrots)
  
• fat-free vanilla yogurt with dried cranberries
• no pudge brownie
  
• mixed berry compote

Oh heavens, work was a killer today! I didn't even have a chance to eat my desert. In fact, once I saw the way the tide was turning (in the direction of more work chaos) I decided to save it until I got home. I'm savoring it as I type this.

Anybenny, my S.O. rustled up a spectacular fried rice last night so we could use up some frozen veggies and our fading bok choy from our CSA haul almost a month ago. We use the frozen brown rice from Whole Foods for all our rice dishes. Have I mentioned that before? Sheesh! I sound like someone from those old time tv and radio show commercials. Just casually dropping product placements in the middle of a conversation. But I bring up the rice because it is really convenient but I'm not sure it's so cost effective. It takes a hundred years to make brown rice the normal way. So the frozen stuff is definitely saves us time. But would it be a helluva lot cheaper to do it the long way? The stuff I get from Whole Foods is $2.99 for a 20 oz. bag. I wonder if I could make a big pot of rice and freeze it for like $0.89. Aww, the musings of a cheapskate!

Mambo Italiano

Back in the saddle again with fresh veggies. Also, today's lunch was another inadvertent completely vegetarian meal. The ovo-lacto details below:

• kale, zucchini and portobello mushroom lasagna
• salad (red romaine lettuce, arugula, sweet peppers, purple carrots)
• salad dressing
  
• more carrots (they're fantastic!)
• no pudge brownie
• mixed berry compote

The lasagna was our dinner for the past couple nights and it made a great lunch. I used whole wheat lasagna noodles. I hear a lot of people complaining about whole wheat pasta, but I've never had a problem with it. Maybe that's because I'm not really a big pasta eater. I could take of leave it. I do like to get my gob around anything that is a carrier of cheesy goodness and pasta usually aids in that pursuit. Anyway, I'm burying the lede here.

I made tomato sauce!

It took a long time and it was very messy but I made a delicious slow roasted tomato sauce with most of the tomatoes from our last CSA haul. I'm going to do the same thing with the tomatoes we got in yesterday's haul too! Since we got little yellow tomatoes and medium sized green tomatoes I'm doubly excited to see what they taste like in a sauce. Any suggestions?

Yes, Ice Cube, Today Was A Good Day

Another great lunch today. I solved the rich brownie issue in a brilliant way. The genius details below:

• pressed tuna sandwich
• roasted brussell sprouts
• carrots
• no pudge brownie
• special sauce

The second day of this pressed tuna sandwich and it was even better! The pesto soaked into the crusty french bread a lot deeper and the tuna was still really moist. It is kind of hard to eat because the bread is tough and the contents are loose so there ends up being a lot of fallen tuna and veggies in my dish at the end. It's okay, I just scoop it up with the spoon and shovel it in my cake hole. Cuz, I'm classy like that. Anyway, the big news is: MIXED BERRY COMPOTE! I stewed up some frozen berries last night and poured them over my brownie today. It was like a restaurant dessert and it really cut the chocolatey richness. Winner!

Speaking of winning . . . we got our CSA share tonight. Nothing bloody or too squishy. Lots of deliciousness.
See, not scary at all.

• arugula
• leeks
• kale
• chili peppers
• lettuce
• potatoes
• delicata squashes
• red sweet peppers
• tomatoes (big reds and little yellows)
• carrots (purple, yellow, and orange)

I was so relieved and thrilled at the same time. I've already got a bunch of ideas for using most of this haul.
Seriously, what can we do with all those chilies? I'm not a fan of spicy food and neither is my co-habitant. We've already got 2 habaneros and a jalapeno sitting in our freezer from the last CSA share! Oh well, I'll figure something out. Meanwhile, we'll be cooking up a storm this week. It is on like Donkey Kong!

Spot On Monday

Today's lunch was right on target. It satisfied all my cravings: crunchy, chewy, sweet, savory, garlicky. The bull's eye details below.

• pressed tuna sandwich
• garlic roasted brussell sprouts
• corn on the cob
• fudge brownie with dried cranberries

The best part of lunch was definitely the sandwich. It's a super simple, fancy sounding French thing called a Pan Bagnat.
I mixed 3 cans of unsalted white albacore tuna and mixed diced red onion and the last of the CSA bell peppers and parsley, a handful of chopped up steamed brussell sprouts, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. The kicker is that I smeared some pesto on the bread. I pressed it overnight in the fridge. The Mister and I are probably going to be having this for lunch for the rest of the week. I made a lot of it.
I was missing a homemade dessert last week but I got too lazy to make something good from scratch. I saw this No Pudge brownie mix and Whole Foods and the ingredient list was short and made up of things I could recognize as food, so I figured it was worth a try. But they are kind of a flop. Or, I guess I should say, I forgot I don't really like brownies. They are too rich and chocolatey. I can't believe I just wrote that. Maybe I am growing up. Anyway, I couldn't mix cranberries into the batter because of my fella's berry allergy so I sprinkled some on top to add some tartness to it. I think I'm going to have to fix it up with something even more dramatic and sharp tomorrow.