Category: Lunch

First Week of June–What I’m Having For Lunch!

by trailmixforthesole1, posted in Lunch

Hello, hello! Starting the first week of June off strong with this delicious power bowl that I’ve prepped for lunch this week. What’s a power bowl you ask? Well for me, it’s a big bowl of goodness that is packed with vegetables, greens, whole grains, protein, and a homemade sauce! I really gravitate towards making these bowls for lunch because they are the easiest for me to prep on Sunday. I usually switch up my vegetables based on what is in season and then I’ll make a big batch of grains for the entire week.  This also helps keep my meals interesting and prevent boredom from occurring. From start to finish, I can have my lunch prep done in about an hour! I say that’s worth it because all I have to do each night (or morning) is place the ingredients in my to go container for work!

This week, I was craving a peanut type sauce with soba noodles. I’m a huge fan of soba noodles because they’re slightly chewy, have a nutty flavor, and cook in about 2 minutes! I also had some eggs that I needed to use up so I made a batch of hard boiled eggs. If you struggle like me to perfect the hard boiled egg, I would recommend trying to bake your eggs in the oven! Yes, a friend of mine told me this trick and it worked! I preheated my oven to 325 degrees, placed my eggs in a muffin tin and baked for 25 minutes. I then placed the eggs in cold water to stop the cooking process. They turned out perfectly and I don’t think I’m ever going back to the stove top version. Too many failed attempts!

soba noodle salad

Cold Soba Noodle Power Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag of cruciferous crunch blend
  • 1/2 of a package of soba noodles
  • Radishes, sliced
  • Grape tomatoes, sliced
  • Hard boiled egg
  • EBTB seasoning

Almond butter sauce: 3 tbsp almond butter + 2 tbsp liquid amino’s (or soy sauce) + 2 tbsp lime juice + 1 tsp sesame oil + 1 tsp garlic

Directions:

  1. Cook the soba noodles and rinse with cold water
  2. Add the greens and veggie mixture to the noddles
  3. Toss with half of the almond butter sauce
  4. Plate and top with a hard boiled egg for some protein and Everything But The Bagel Seasoning if desired

Summer Caprese Riced Cauliflower Salad

by trailmixforthesole1, posted in Lunch

One of my favorite memories of summer is sitting in my parents backyard and enjoying a nice dinner outside. My Dad grows basil, tomatoes, peppers, blackberries, and raspberries every summer in his garden. I love sinking my teeth into fresh produce! You  just can’t beat the fresh, juicy, and bursting flavors of eating local seasonal food.

With having an Italian background, one of our favorites is making caprese salad with fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella cheese. I usually drizzle balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper right before serving. Honestly, one of my favorite summer side dishes that inspired me to create this salad. I opted to use cauliflower rice instead of brown rice for a lower carb swap and made a yummy mascarpone dressing. If you’ve never tried mascarpone cheese please add this to your list! It’s creamy, great in pasta, baked goods, and even on a piece of toast! So let’s get cooking!

caprese

Salad ingredients:

  1. 1 container of cherry tomatoes, sliced
  2. 1 zucchini, sliced
  3. 1/2 of an 8 oz container of mozzarella pearls
  4. 1/3 cup fresh basil
  5. 1/2 cup kalamata olives
  6. Fresh arugula (or your greens of choice)
  7. 4 cups riced cauliflower
  8. 1 block of tempeh, diced
  9. Balsamic vinegar

Creamy basil dressing: 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese + juice of 1 lemon + 1 tbsp olive oil + 1/4 cup fresh basil + salt/pepper. Blend all ingredients until smooth in a food processor. I added about 3 tbsp if water to thin.

I sautéed the tempeh in olive oil and added about 2-3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar until coated. Then I plated up this gorgeous and fresh tasting salad! Started with arugula, then cauliflower rice, added the tomato, mozzarella, zucchini and olive mixture.