Welcome to Part 2 of my Make-ahead lunch series! For Part 1: Sunday Prep + Monday & Tuesday’s Lunches, see this post.
Thank you for your enthusiastic feedback in my first post! I guess I’m not the only one who has been eating the same lunch for the past several weeks, months, years… ;) This challenge has been just the kick in the butt that I needed.
Next up, we’re getting over the hump with a protein-packed lunch.
Wednesday’s Lunch featuring Back on Track Brown Rice & Chickpea Salad
Adapted from Back on Track Wheatberry Salad.
Salad:
- 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas
- 1/2-3/4 cup chopped cucumber & red pepper
- 1/3 cup finely chopped flat parsley
- 1 green onion, chopped
Dressing (or sub in your favourite dressing)
- 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tsp pure maple syrup
- Kosher salt, ground black pepper, & Herbamare, to taste
Snacks:
- Mary’s Crackers & 1/4 cup hummus
- 1 juicy in-season fruit
1. In a bowl, mix together the salad ingredients. In a small bowl or jar whisk/shake dressing ingredients together. Pour onto salad and stir.
2. Season well with kosher salt, pepper, Herbamare, crushed red pepper flakes, etc.
In the original recipe, I used wheat berries and I preferred it to the brown rice. If you don’t need a gluten-free recipe, I suggest using wheatberries if you can, but use whatever grain that floats your boat.
Love juicy pears!
And because no week is complete without a big salad, Thursday packs in a bounty of vegetables while strategically leaving room for chocolate…muhauha.
Thursday’s Lunch featuring Big Lentil Power Salad
Salad:
- 2-3 cups lightly packed leafy greens like romaine, spinach, or kale (I used kale)
- 1/2 cup cooked lentils (I used beluga)
- 1 tbsp hemp seed (or seed of choice)
- 2 tbsp chopped toasted walnuts (or nuts of choice, sub sunflower seeds for nut-free)
- 1/2-3/4 cup chopped vegetables (I used pre-cut cukes, peppers, carrots, and tomatoes)
- 1-2 tbsp raisins or goji berries or dried cranberries
Dressing:
- Use dressing of your choice
- Or I suggest using Lightened Up Tahini-Lemon Dressing
Snacks:
- 1 peach
- gluten-free Bread and Earth Balance
- Chocolate
(I wasn’t a big fan of that raw chocolate bar in the photo)
(I wasn’t a big fan of that raw chocolate bar in the photo)1. In a bowl, mix together the salad ingredients. If using kale, pour on dressing of choice and mix well. Allow kale to ‘marinate’ overnight or for up to 2 days in the fridge. If using other greens like spinach or romaine, pour on dressing just before serving so it doesn’t wilt.
This is a high volume lunch and one that I will split up into lunch plus a snack or two.
For Friday’s lunch, I used up any leftover grains or beans that I hadn’t used (you can also do this for dinners throughout the week).
Friday’s Lunch featuring Protein Packed Pita Pocket
Pita:
- 1 whole wheat pita pocket OR sub w/ Gluten-free wrap or bread if required
- 1/4 cup hummus mixed with 1/2 cup leftover cooked grains and beans
- Roasted red pepper slices or fresh red pepper slices
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Snacks:
- 1 plum
- Go Go Glow Mix
- Chopped vegetables
1. In a small bowl, mix together leftover grains/beans with hummus. Season to taste.
2. Spread hummus/grain mixture over inside of pita halves. Layer on avocado and red pepper slices.
Note: If packing this lunch, I suggest adding a layer of lettuce in between the pita and hummus mixture to prevent sogginess.
This concludes my first Lunch Series on the blog! I hope this has inspired you to add some variety into your own lunches. You can use my lunch recipes for inspiration in your own kitchen and whenever possible use the ingredients you already have lurking in your fridge and cupboards. The recipes I posted are simply suggestions and can be adapted quite a bit. Also, if you find yourself with a lot of leftover cooked grains and beans, you can freeze them (in an air-tight bag or container). Just defrost overnight in the fridge and heat as necessary.
Lunch tends to be my biggest meal of the day because that’s when I’m the most hungry (likely due to my A.M. workouts), but feel free to tailor it to your specific portion needs too. I also like to split up some of the food, so I have a snack mid-morning or a snack late-afternoon to spread it out.
Happy Dining!
I used to do a lot of prep on Sundays, like you did here, but the summer was too hot to have those pots on the stove! I’m inspired to get back into my Sunday cooking. Wednesday’s lunch is calling to me….looks delicious!
Wow, very creative and delicious. I rarely use recipes, but these are quite inspiring. Especially because I am not so good at thinking of satisfying lunches that don’t include cheese :)
Yes, I agree with everyone else, these lunch posts are a great idea. :)
Thanks for much for these recipes. I have been in a lunch rut and needed a kick. Can’t wait to try these.
You Rock!!! You are making it sooooo easy to be vegan!!
i’m from ontario too.. where did you buy the choco covered cocoa nibs?
Bulk Barn :)
This post and the previous definitely inspired my packed lunches for this past week and weeks to come! Thanks a bunch!!
Thank you for these 5 recipes and all the great tips & pictures that you included!
I made the lentil power salad for lunch today and it was fantastic. Since I tend to struggle with low blood sugar, I am not a vegan and eat animal protein with at least 2 meals a day, and I find that is what really helps control my hunger and blood sugar levels. However, I am trying to eat more meatless meals and this lunch has kept me nice and full for 2 hours and counting! Thanks.
Glad to hear that Lauren!
Thanks for your example of lunchs! It’s difficult to find new healthy ideas every day…
I made Wednesday’s chickpea salad and it is now one of my favorite things for lunch. I substituted quinoa for the rice and it was tasty. Thanks for sharing.
Has anyone made the Brown Rice and Chick Pea salad? How many servings does this recipe make? I’m hoping to make 16 or servings for a Volunteer Appreciation Lunch next week.
Thanks for any info!
Are these single serving portions for all of the prepped meals? I want to use some of these as ideas for lunches but I cook for two!
I know you’re not a fan of calorie counting, but I’ve been having a really hard time losing weight and feel that it is a good idea for me at this point in time. I went vegan two weeks ago (and doing great) and love everything on your blog. These lunches look amazing! I’m curious if you have any calorie information on your recipes and if you have any suggestions for me to figure out the calorie count in some of them?
Thanks!
Hey Meg, I occasionally calculate the calories in recipes on the blog, but usually only for desserts or things I want to see what the overall balance is with protein, etc. I use nutrition data software (it’s free) you can find it here: http://nutritiondata.self.com/
Is there a secret to keeping the chickpeas and black beans fresh all week? Mine never seem to last more that a couple days.
Hey Becky, What I’ve been doing lately is (after the beans cool) pop them in the freezer in a baggie. I put them overnight in the fridge before I want to use them to thaw. It seems to work well so far.
Thanks so much for this. I hope you will post a part 3. We are a gluten free vegan home, but I have 1 child that is also nut free (my 2 boys LOVE nuts, so we have to keep them in a seperate place). These are so helpful. It is hard to find foods that they like (especially the boys) and will not be embarrassed to bring to school. We have not always been vegan, but because of allergies and medical conditions have decided this is what we have to do for our health, and it has done wonders for all of us. Thanks for doing all you can to make it easier!
Wow! You totally rock! I just realized there was a part two! You just made my life so much easier! Thanks SO much!!!!
if you prepare and cook all of the beans and grains on the Sunday do they stay good through out the entire week??
They tend to last for 3-4 days sometimes longer. You can freeze them too and then thaw in the fridge.
Looooved the Big Lentil Power Salad and the Protein Packed Pita Pocket (I used a gluten-free tortilla). Both were super delicious and easy to make.
Looking for lunch ideas I stumbled upon this blog. My little ones wont eat the nuts in the trail mix. I am wondering if your trail mix could be made into a bar?
Hey Denise, Good question! I’m not sure but I suggest checking out my granola bar recipes on my recipage…I have a couple good ones! Most recently my Banana Bread Protein Bars have been reviewed well.
I’ve made almost all of these … thank you so much for the work you do. You’re changing lives, you know!
That Earth Balance is pure GMO crap. Stay away from it! I do love the rest of the recipes and ingredients from both posts. Great job!
wow I’m late to the game but this is great! My sister and I were just talking about how since I’m pregnant now I can’t seem to bring enough food to work and this leaves me starving and yucky really fast. I am totally going to use this as a guide and plan better for next week :)
Hallo. Any chance of another one of these series to start the year off right?
The chickpea & brown rice salad was great! I left out the maple syrup & used red onion instead of green. I also added in some lemon juice. I added this salad on top of a huge bowl of greens & it was the best looking lunch at my office!
I’m clearly over 3 years late to this posting, but WOW! I am making the slow transition to a plant-based diet and your blog is keeping me on the path! It’s been five days without meat so far (cheese is harder to let go) and I am doing ok :)
It’s redundant at this point, but you are inspirational.
Thank you Cheri, I appreciate it! Good luck with all your dietary goals.
This is an old post but I hope you see my comment because I want you to know how HELPFUL this post is (part 1 and 2). I’m not vegan, but I am very conscious of nutrition. I pack lunch every day for work to save money and ensure a healthy meal. I do a variation of these meals pretty much every week – I just pick 3 dry beans and 2 grains and whatever veggies are in season and adapt these recipes. I used to do a traditional “meal prep” where you pack 5 meals of the same thing every day, and this is such a better approach. No more lunch boredom. It’s so great for those of us who are cooking for one. Thanks for this!
Hi Angela, I was just wondering where a fellow Canadian can find the earth balance products? I live near Montreal and have never seen them before :(
That yummy-looking lentil salad seems appealing to me. I’ll give it a try the next Sunday!
I just tried this plan for my boyfriend and I (both vegan) and I was surprised at how easy everything was! Thank you so much for this post, I was able to study for exams while the the grains and beans were heating and morning prep work was minimal so I could catch some extra sleep!
I was wondering if you would have any ideas or suggestions about a meal plan for a 4 day vegan camping trip. All I’ve got is a cooler, and fires are prohibited on the grounds. My boyfriend and I are going to a rock festival (not the most vegan friendly environment) and I’d love some ideas that don’t require much refrigeration or reheating. We don’t mind eating room temp food for a few days, as long as we can avoid food poisoning and get enough energy to brave the mosh pit, we’re golden.
Thanks!
Hi Melodie, that’s a tough one to answer as your safety is my first priority and food poisoning is no joke! And, disclaimer: I am NOT a camper, so my suggestions should be taken with a grain of salt. haha. ;) I suggest bringing some of your fav fruits and veggies that tend to travel well and do fairly well at room temperatures (to save space in your cooler for other meals where refrigeration is a must), like apples, oranges, and avocados. Dried fruit, either store bought or homemade, is another great option as it’s energy dense. I’d also suggest bringing granola or muesli–again, either store bought (which likely has a lesser need to be refrigerated) or homemade recipes (that I generally recommend storing chilled) like my Ultimate Nutty Granola Clusters (p. 31 of The Oh She Glows Cookbook). For something more savoury, you could also bring crackers (for a recipe, try my Endurance Crackers or Homemade Wheat Thins). Protein bars or energy bites, like my Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Bites, Glo Bars, or Feel Good Hearty Granola Bars will give you a great boost for that mosh pit! hah. Keep those chilled too. If you have a really good cooler situation going, you could also consider making a salad that travels well (like my Chickpea Salad- recipe on the blog), or perhaps a gazpacho (check out the one on my blog!) that can be eaten cold, but both of those would have to be kept cold at all times. You could also bring single-serve, non-refrigerated almond milks for at some grocery stores (like juice boxes only for plant milks!), and little baggies of pre-portioned vegan overnight oats (chia, oats, dried fruit, cinnamon, a bit of granulated sweetener) and mix them up during breakfast. It wouldn’t be cold necessarily but it would work in a pinch. Or you could simply serve the granola with the milk. I recommend eating the most perishable items first, and this may be a situation where it’s worth stocking up on some store-bought, less perishable options because most foods won’t last in a cooler for that long. I hope this helps get the wheels turning, and that you have a fantastic weekend!!
The power lentil salad how many cups would say is one serve and if you were to add more protein too what would you suggest
Many thanks Emma