By John B, CN Assistant Grocery Lead
Well, it’s back-to-school time already and here in Cambridge the air is positively abuzz with student activity. Among the least exciting things about the yearly return to academic mode can often be the lunches. Whether you’re a parent planning for your little ones or a student living on dining room grub, we all can get pretty despondent about square pieces of cardboard masquerading as “pizza”, reheatead chicken fingers, and mystery meat.
Thankfully, packing hearty and healthful lunches that taste good whether they’re hot, cold, or room temperature is easy with help from our grocery section and our fine selection of reusable food containers! Below, you will find 5 recipes to get you started, each with a suggested container in which it can be stored and transported. Hope you find it helpful!
Mashed Chickpea Salad Sandwich in Beeswrap Sandwich Wrap
Ingredients:
Dan’s Bread Whole Wheat Sourdough
1 15.5oz can Chickpeas
2 stalks Celery
2 Carrots
3 Scallions
1 Avocado
A handful of your favorite leafy greens
1 cup Magic Bites Hummus thinned with 2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon Dark Horse Fermented Dijon Mustard
¼ cup Living Intentions Sprouted Pumpkin Seeds
1 teaspoon Cambridge Naturals bulk garlic powder
1 teaspoon Lakewood Organic Lemon Juice
Maldon Sea Salt and Cambridge Naturals bulk black pepper to taste
Dice the celery, scallions, and carrots. Roughly mash the chickpeas (some should still be whole, for aesthetics and texture). Add the carrots, celery, scallions, mustard, hummus mixture, pumpkin seeds, lemon, salt, and pepper to the mashed chickpeas and combine. Scoop the mixture onto your Dan’s Bread and top with avocado and greens. Voila! There should be enough of everything for several sammies. Store in Beeswrap Sandwich Wrap.
Wrap up that sammy nice and tight!
Miso Sweet Potato and Broccoli Bowl in W&P Porter Bowl
For the Bowl:
1 cup Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice, uncooked
1 to 2 large Sweet Potatoes
1 large head Broccoli
2 tablespoons Oleamea Sogukoluk Olive Oil
2 tablespoons Cambridge Naturals bulk sesame seeds, toasted
Maldon Sea Salt and Cambridge Naturals bulk black pepper to taste
For the Dressing:
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 minced garlic clove
2 tablespoons South River Sweet White Miso
2 tablespoons Dastony Tahini
1 tablespoon Crystal’s Own Honey
¼ cup Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Spectrum Sesame Oil
2 tablespoons Oleamea Sogukoluk Olive Oil
Cook your rice according to package instructions and preheat oven to 400. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Cut tops off broccoli and separate into bite-sized florets. Peel the broccoli stems and cut into 1-inch pieces. Coat a large tray in olive oil. Layer sweet potatoes on tray and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until beginning to brown. Toss, and add broccoli. Roast another 10 to 20 minutes, tossing one more time if it’s cooking unevenly. While veggies are roasting, prepare your dressing: Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Assemble bowls: Scoop some grains into each, then pile on your sweet potatoes and broccoli. Coat lightly with dressing and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Store in W&P Porter Bowl.
W&P’s colorful to-go bowls will make your lunch the envy of the office.
Soba Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing in Klean Kanteen Insulated 16oz Food Canister OR Hydro Flask Insulated 18oz Food Flask
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons Coconut Secret Coconut Aminos
2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tablespoon Crystal’s Own Honey
2 tablespoons Spectrum Sesame Oil
2 inches ginger, peeled and grated
7 ounces King Soba Sweet Potato Buckwheat Noodles
2 carrots
1 cucumber
1 endive
1 tablespoon Cambridge Naturals bulk sesame seeds, toasted
1 tablespoon Cambridge Naturals pine nuts
2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
In a small bowl, lightly whisk aminos, vinegar, honey, sesame oil, and ginger. Peel and slice the veggies to uniform size (about half inch pieces). Cook your noodles according to the package instructions. Rinse noodles under cold water and drain thoroughly. In a large bowl, mix your noodles, sauce, and veggies, as well as the sesame seeds, pine nuts, and chives. Store in Klean Kanteen Insulated 16oz Food Canister OR Hydro Flask Insulated 18oz Food Flask.
Keep your lunch as snug as a bug in a rug
Coconut Sweet Potatoes with Wild Rice in LunchBots Stainless Steel Leakproof Food Container
Ingredients:
8.5oz Lotus Foods Forbidden Rice
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ¼ inch pieces
1 cup frozen edamame, thawed
1 can Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 cup Once Again Organic Smooth Peanut Butter
1 tablespoon Entube Curry Paste
2 teaspoons Nutiva Coconut Sugar
Fresh basil (optional)
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 2 quart casserole dish and set aside. Prepare rice according to package instructions. In a medium saucepan cook sweet potatoes, covered, in enough water to cover for about 8 minutes. Gently combine sweet potato, rice, and edamame in casserole dish. In a large skillet combine coconut milk and onion. Bring to boiling, reduce, and simmer for 3 minutes. Whisk in peanut butter, red curry paste, and coconut sugar until peanut butter is melted and smooth. Pour coconut mixture over vegetables and rice. Bake covered for 15 minutes and uncovered for an additional 15 minutes. Top with basil. Store in LunchBots Stainless Steel Leakproof Food Container 3 Cup.
Soon the robots will be making our lunches, too
Curried Chicken Salad in U-Konserve Divided To-Go Stainless Steel Container
Ingredients:
1lb boneless chicken breast, cooked and cut into cubes
½ carrot, shredded
1 stalk celery, thin sliced
½ cup Cambridge Naturals Curry Cashews
¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
¼ cup Cambridge Naturals golden raisins
For the Dressing:
½ cup Primal Kitchen Mayonnaise
¼ cup White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt
1 tablespoon Lakewood Organic Lemon Juice
2 teaspoons Cambridge Naturals bulk curry powder
½ teaspoon Crystal’s Own Honey
Maldon Sea Salt and Cambridge Naturals bulk black pepper to taste
Whisk dressing ingredients. Combine everything else in a large bowl, pour dressing over the salad and toss. U-Konserve Divided To-Go Stainless Steel Container.
We have no witty caption for this one, it’s just super awesome.