I figured I’d begin by giving you a peek into five weekday lunches and if you like the idea, I’ll share some more meal recaps in the future! (I actually got the idea for this post late last week so the lunches featured below are a combination of a few from the last half of last week and the first half of this week.)
When I began assembling the pictures for this post, I noticed a few themes: 1.) Lots of repurposing of dinner leftovers happens at lunchtime. 2.) Roasting sweet potatoes on Sundays saves me when I’m in a pinch and the potatoes provide a great base for a variety of lunches throughout the week. 3.) I apparently cannot get enough chicken thighs these days!
5 Weekday Lunches
- Shredded Chicken Thighs with Mashed Sweet Potato, Sautéed Kale and Nutritional Yeast
On Sunday evening, I roasted a bunch of sweet potatoes in the oven to have on hand throughout the week! I do this almost every week and it’s very helpful, especially if I need to throw together lunch or dinner in a flash. I mashed one whole baked sweet potato and topped it with shredded baked miso chicken thighs, kale (sautéed in coconut oil and seasoned with garlic salt) and a hefty sprinkle of nutritional yeast (<—a great source of B vitamins, protein and fiber). This lunch was a good one, but I found myself reaching for a snack shortly after and topped a cup of vanilla Greek yogurt with some fresh raspberries and pistachios which helped me feel more satisfied.
- Tuna Salad with Roasted Beets and Pretzel Sticks
I’ve been a fan of tuna salad ever since I was a little girl and it’s always a great fall-back lunch option for me. I made my tuna salad with dijon mustard, Primal Kitchen Avocado Mayo (a Thrive Market purchase), sweet relish and chopped carrots and served it on a bed of sautéed kale. Sides were simple thanks to pretzel sticks and sliced organic roasted Love Beets that I bought in the produce section of the grocery store.
- Cold Quinoa Salad and Baked Chicken Thighs
This lunch was easy thanks to dinner leftovers! I heated up two leftover chicken thighs and served them with a cold quinoa salad made with pineapple, red onion and cucumber. I’m planning to share the recipe for the cold quinoa salad soon, so stay tuned! It’s a great side dish and also makes a wonderful entrée if you top it with grilled chicken or steak.
- Wheat Berry Bowl with Shrimp and Sautéed Swiss Chard
Halfway through the week, I cooked up a big batch of wheat berries (I love to have some kind of pre-cooked grain on hand, whether it be wheat berries, quinoa, brown rice, etc.) and used the wheat berries as the base for this lunch. I topped them with shrimp and Swiss chard sautéed in a combination of coconut and sesame oils with fresh ginger and garlic and loved the different flavors and textures in this dish. I topped everything with a drizzle of sesame oil and a squeeze of fresh lime juice before digging in. I only wish I would’ve had an avocado on hand because I felt like I was missing a punch of creaminess and an avocado would’ve been the perfect addition.
- Mashed Sweet Potato Stir Fry with Shredded Chicken Thighs
Another mashed roasted sweet potato saved the day and served as the base for this lunch which included leftover stir-fried veggies (mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli and onion) sautéed in a combination of sesame oil, coconut aminos, ginger and garlic. I topped everything off with shredded chicken thighs for some satiating protein.
Question of the Day
- What have been some of your go-to lunches lately? Notice any themes in your lunches?
- What was the best thing you ate for lunch so far this week?
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With the cold weather we’ve been having soup is definitely my go to! If not soup my lunch is always a random mish mash of leftovers.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried wheat berries, but they look delicious! I’m going to keep an eye out for them at the grocery store. My lunches definitely follow a pattern – spinach or arugula topped with quinoa or brown rice and then whatever vegetables / protein I have laying around. It’s easy and I love it!
Love that! Wheat berries are SO good but definitely chewier than brown rice and quinoa. They remind me a lot of barley.
I love prepping two different chicken dishes and then adding them to salads or roasted veggies for the week. I just roasted some sweet potatoes last night and was thinking that I need to do it at the beginning of the week, problem is between the hubby and I we could eat almost a whole tray in one sitting, hehe.
Love food posts!! I’ve been struggling with lunch lately, meaning I usually eat a pb&j sandwich LOL! I’ve always loved those, haha. Yesterday I actually had a real lunch of leftover sweet potato and black bean enchiladas (oh she glows recipe here: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/05/04/vegan-enchiladas-with-cilantro-avocado-cream-sauce-2/ ). Can’t wait for the cold quinoa recipe!!! And thanks for the lunch inspiration!! I have sweet potatoes and broccoli so today I may make a veggie scramble of sorts 🙂
-Sarah http://www.thefrugalmillionaireblog.com
angela’s recipes are always SO good! i’ll have to try that one!
Great ideas! However, I am finding your site so hard to read because of all the ads. The site continually reloads or shifts as I read, which leads me to accidentally click on ads or lose my place. I know the ads are revenue, but I feel they really take away from your content. Not criticizing you, but just wanted to give you some feedback.
thank you for the feedback, jess! are you reading from your phone? i’ve been having similar issues when i read it on my phone and reached out to my ad network and am hoping to get it resolved soon!!
I love this post idea. I always listen liked seeing your meal ideas. My go to is veggie egg omelette with avocado toast. Also leftovers.
My lunches often revolve around leftovers and putting them together in a new way. I do a lot of stir fry, fried rice, and rice/beans type dishes!
I usually make a big batch of soup or chili on the weekend and then take that to work all week for lunches. This week it’s a new favorite: Chicken, Sweet potato and Coconut stew from chew out loud blog. I pair my leftover with a piece of fruit.
I totally forgot about NOOSH. That stuff is good- need to pick some up this week! My go to lunch lately has been packed baked chicken and roasted vegetables with some fruit on the side!
Great ideas! How do you cook your sweet potatoes?
I love this idea. It’s so fun for me to see how other people get creative with their lunches. My go-to lunches lately have been big salads with really sharp cheese, homemade croutons, and spicy grilled chicken. I’ve also been loving soups for lunch – I like Costco’s minestrone one a lot. The best thing I ate for lunch this week was when I went to Panera with my mom and got a kale chicken caesar salad and chicken noodle soup. So simple, but so good!
I love the sound of that cold quinoa salad! Something the man and I have been doing is making a bulk salad on Sundays for lunches throughout the week. It’s usually something that can even be dressed and not get wilted. My favorite is this week’s: a pearled barley “Caprese” salad: pearled barley, arugula, basil, cherry tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella, tossed in an olive oil/mustard homemade dressing. SO good. 🙂
I take my lunch to school with me twice a week, so it usually ends up being leftovers from the night before. Occasionally I’ll pick up my favorite chicken curry from the farmer’s market and use that for lunches instead.
I have quinoa salad practically every day for my lunches. Tuna salad is also one of my favorites!!
CUrious as to what recipe or what you do with the cooked quinoa for lunch salads…
The ingredients in my quinoa salad won’t vary that much. It is normally spinach (or any kind of greens), grilled chicken or tuna, avocado, and some kind of dressing. Lately I’ve been loving the Bolt House dressings made out of Greek yogurt.
This combination is so easy to put together, and also very filling!
Delicious Julie! For lunch, I often just throw whatever veggies are in the fridge together plus a protein. I’ve been loving having some frozen salmon ready to heat up and add to salad, quinoa bowls etc.
these sound great!
I have got to hop on board the chicken thigh train, because these meals are calling to me! My go-to lunch lately has been a homemade turkey burger on top of spinach with some roasted butternut squash! I top all of that with olive oil and some feta, and it’s seriously heaven on a plate!
http://www.poweredbysass.com
I made the swap for chicken thighs vs breasts and oh my gosh they are so great! I marinated them in a morroccan chicken recipe (http://www.closetcooking.com/2013/07/moroccan-grilled-chicken-kabobs.html) and then grilled them. They were so juicy and I found that they reheat so much better than chicken breasts which tend to get dried out when microwaved the next day. Plus they cook up pretty quick on the grill.
This week I’ve got sweet potato shepards pie on repeat for lunch! I like making a dish on Sunday that’s easy to pack for work each day.
That recipe looks amazing!!
It was SO good! I paired it with this “cous-cous” recipe for a little Moroccan themed meal! http://www.paleomantic.com/moroccan-inspired-cous-cous-salad-carrot-dates-mint-paleo-aip-whole-30/
Hi Julie!
Quick question, is there a nutritional reason as to why you use chicken thighs as opposed to chicken breasts in your meals or is it simply preference? I was just curious to know if there was nutritional meaning behind it.
Thanks,
Jess
http://jessforhim.blogspot.com/
Completely for taste alone! I think they are more flavorful than chicken breasts! (They are also less expensive which is a great bonus!)
I would like more posts like this too! My go-to lunch at home is always a quesadilla on Ezekiel tortilla with chicken and spinach and a side of whatever leftover veggies we have on hand.
Great ideas! The past few days I’ve been craving a good old sandwich and put Applegate Farms herb turkey, spinach, dijon mustard, and pickles (you heard right) on quinoa bread from Trader Joe’s. Cut diagonally 🙂 It’s SO good.
Tonight I’m making a salad with shaved brussels sprouts, white beans, sauteed mushrooms, hearts of palm, and shallot vinaigrette that will make awesome leftovers for lunch.
Great lunch ideas! I have been eating a lot of salads, soups, and leftovers lately for lunch. I am always trying to add some variety to my lunch.
I love this post!! Lately I have been struggling with meal planning/prepping, especially with lunches, and this is so helpful! I hope you will share more of these types of posts 🙂
You’ve given me some great lunch ideas! I don’t eat meat but a lot of these look like they would be good even without the meat or swapping in beans or tofu instead. The best thing I had for lunch this week was a spinach and chickpea curry. It was delicious and only took 15 minutes to make!
Love these posts! I always need the lunch inspirations
I always love tuna on pita with avocado. I also eat a ton of salads made up of shredded Brussels sprouts- so crunchy and delicious!
Love these ideas! I seem to always have baked or roasted potatoes and kale lately.
What would you recommend as a sub for shrimp? I don’t eat it, and chicken can get old after a while as a lot of great recipes call for shrimp.