Bring-To-Work Lunches
Let’s do [work] lunch!
This week I’m sharing soup, salad, and sandwich recipes that are perfect for packing. And yes, I’m counting a sandwich as a real recipe, especially with my special honey mustard sauce. Besides, how often do we eat at a sandwich shop and think “Dang, why do I always forget how awesome sandwiches are? I definitely need to make these at home.” For me? 100%. Sandwiches and salads are the unsung heroes of busy SISters. Really, we make healthy eating into a whole big thing, when we can just arrange items on a plate or on bread, and eat. No cooking or heating required.
Another great go-to for quick lunches? Mmmm! Soup! I get that soup is best simmered for a while, but I still count it as a quick lunch in the long run. Prep one pot and eat all week.
What about if you are working from home?
Honestly, all the more reason to plan your lunch ahead of time. Food is a very basic need, and your body is going to demand you find it in the simplest way possible. Which is simpler: Making a meal, even a quick one, or hitting the Halloween candy stash?
Quick sugar will always win. Plan ahead to hit your macro goals!
Let’s get some soup simmering. I LOVE Zuppa Toscana soup but it’s usually pretty high in fat for the serving size. My recipe subs out the heavy cream and pork bacon, but I promise you can’t tell. Give it a try!
Zuppa Toscana soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound mild lean ground Italian sausage
3 slices turkey bacon, chopped
1 large onion chopped
6 cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 quarts (1.5 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
5 Russet potatoes scrubbed, rinsed and sliced into 1/4-inch slices*
1 cube beef bouillon crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional — adjust to your taste
2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
3 cups chopped kale hard stems removed (substitute with baby spinach leaves or Swiss chard if you do not like kale)
Fresh shredded parmesan cheese for serving
Directions
Brown the sausage in a heavy based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat while breaking up the meat with the end of your wooden spoon. When browned, and cooked through (about 10 minutes), drain most of the oil, leaving about 1 teaspoon of drippings in the pot. Transfer sausage to a plate.
Cook the turkey bacon slices in the same pot/Dutch oven over medium heat until crispy (about 10 minutes). Drain, leaving about 2 teaspoons of drippings in the pot.
Transfer cooked bacon to the plate with the sausage meat.
Sauté onions in the pot and cook until soft and translucent (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
Increase heat to high, pour in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Season broth with crushed bouillon, salt, pepper, fennel and chili flakes. Add the potatoes and boil until fork tender (about 10 minutes).
In a bowl, whisk together the corn starch & skim milk. Mix well until free from lumps
Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the corn starch/milk mixture, the cooked sausage, bacon and kale. Let simmer for 2 minutes, until kale leaves have softened.
Notes
Cut potatoes into even pieces to ensure even cooking. Chicken, turkey or beef sausages can be used.
We are at a magical seasonal overlap when Granny Smith apples and Mandarin oranges are both in season. Combine those flavors, and a few more, for my Fall Flavored Salad.
Fall Flavored Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
4 (6oz) boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 cups of baby spinach (3 cups per salad)
1 Granny Smith apple sliced (1/2 apple per salad)
1 Gala apple sliced (1/2 apple per salad)
1 avocado sliced (1/4 per salad)
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 mandarin oranges whole fresh, peeled (1/2 per salad)
1/4 cup dried cranberries
Marzetti® Simply Dressed® Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing (2 Tbsp per salad)
Directions
Grill your chicken ahead of time
In a large bowl, combine all salad ingredients except for chopped pecans.
Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top of each salad.
Notes
If you are preparing it ahead of time, don't add the dressing. Put 2 Tbsp of dressing into a re-sealable container & drizzle over the salad when you're ready to eat.
There are still seven more recipes to try in this week’s collection! Get your copy by clicking the link below!