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LUNCH MENU IDEAS

If you, like me, sometimes get bored with your usual repertoire, and need some fresh inspiration, the below contain meal ideas.  Some are very basic, but the main focus for these ideas are usually just regular, daily meals, not necessarily the fanciest or most unusual.  Some recipes are housed here, some are offsite, but all have been tried and liked. I try to focus on a) healthy-ish, b) not using too too many processed ingredients and c) things that can be made ahead and quickly prepared (what I call Slow Fast Food). Obviously, a lot of the lunch ideas could be for dinner too, but I've tried to put in this category things that could be transported and reheated at work easily.

Right now they are arranged alphabetically below; you can click on the "Lunch Categories" in order to search by category. I've tried to add categories for the major or unusual ingredients. Eventually I hope there will be enough that you can head over to the categories and click on the ingredient in case you need an idea for how to use up some extra ingredients.

Entries in Summer Squash or Zucchini (1)

Sunday
Apr192009

Coconut Red-Lentil Curry w/ Brown Jasmine Rice

DateSunday, April 19, 2009 at 12:01PM

This recipe is on Epicurious here, but I have a few tweaks!  

  • Be sure to taste AND season during cooking.  I found the recipe as written could be bland without a bit more salt, but taste several times and adjust.
  • Add a squeeze of lime (preferably) or lemon juice before eating to brighten the flavor.
  • I used some extra yellow summer squash instead of zucchini and it worked fine.
  • Using some vegetable stock instead of the 2 cups of water will also help deepen the flavors.
  • If you want some real wow, also add some of this Red Curry Paste to the dish as it is cooking (to taste, start with about 2 tsp and work your way up).

 

You can make the curry and freeze in single servings. I generally serve over brown jasmine rice (available at Trader Joe's), brown basmati as a second choice.  Any long-grain brown rice is nice.  (Short-grain might be too sweet with the sweet of the dish.)

You can also freeze rice, don't forget, so if you want this as a grab-and-go lunch, freeze the curry and the rice separately and the reheat together.  While the cilantro and the squeeze of lime/lemon do make the dish great, if trucking along garnishes to the office is unrealistic, just forget about them, it's still good!

AuthorLeslie Seaton | Comment2 Comments | | | in , , , , , , , , , , ,