Summer Grab N Go

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Menu

* Fresh Papaya
* Steamed Corn-on-the-Cob
* Trail Mix
* Steamed Soy Beans (Edamame)

Preparation Notes

Nothing says "summer" like corn on the cob! Pack your dinner leftovers, or steam it fresh in the morning. Add some juicy fruits and vegetables for a refreshing lunch on a hot summer day.

Cut up the papaya. (Sprinkle with a bit of lime juice if desirable.)

Steam the corn and cut in half.

Add a scoop of trail mix.

Steam the edamame and salt lightly to taste.

Sushi Bento Lunchbox

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Menu

* Honeydew Melon
* Sushi Roll
* Mini Rice Cakes
* Wasabi Ginger Salad Dressing
* Fresh Red Bell Pepper Strips


Preparation Notes

Appealing to the eye and packed with nutrition, this bento lunch is light and tasty. Sushi rolls may seem daunting if you've never made them before, but they're really quite easy!

Cut the honeydew melon into bite-size pieces.

Prepare the sushi using a sheet of nori seaweed, some sushi rice, and filling of your choice. (We used shredded carrots, avocado, and cucumber.) Cook the rice and sprinkle with a small amount of rice vinegar, salt, and mirin. Mix gently. Lay a half sheet of nori on a bamboo mat. Gently press a thin layer of rice on top. Add the vegetables and roll it up, making sure to overlap the edges along the length of the nori. Slice into bite-size rounds.

Add some mini rice cakes.

Slice some fresh red bell pepper.

Pour some wasabi ginger salad dressing (or dressing of your choice) into the small dip container.

Avocado, Mango, and Black Beans

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Menu

* Avocado
* Sliced Mango
* Salsa
* Eggplant Dip
* Whole Wheat Pita Bread
* Black Beans


Preparation Notes

This grab n' go bento is easy to prepare and fun to eat. The variety of colors and textures mirrors the range of flavors and nutrients in this healthy yet simple lunch. Happy spring!

Slice the avocado in half, retaining the pit.

Include some eggplant dip that you've either prepared or purchased.

Fill a second dip container with salsa or pico de gallo.

Slice the whole wheat pita bread into triangles.

Scoop some black beans into one of the medium containers.

Peel and slice a mango.

Pesto Ravioli

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Menu

* Pesto Ravioli
* Cinnamon Applesauce
* Steamed Broccoli
* Whole Grain Cereal


Preparation Notes

We picked up this fresh ravioli, pesto sauce, and broccoli at the farmers' market over the weekend. We prepared it for dinner last night and packed the rest for lunch today--along with some applesauce and some whole grain cereal. It was quite good!

Prepare the ravioli with pesto sauce for dinner and pack the leftovers for lunch.

Steam some fresh broccoli until "al dente."

Include a handful of whole grain cereal

Add some cinnamon applesauce. We packed applesauce that we put up last fall, but store-bought applesauce and fresh homemade applesauce work just as well.

Baked Tofu and Sliced Fruit

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Menu

* Sliced Persimmon
* Whole Wheat Croissant
* Baked Tofu
* Kiwi Fruit

Preparation Notes

Create this mouth-watering meal for a delicious New Year's treat. The glistening colors and crisp textures make this a more-than-satisfying mid-day (or anytime!) meal.

Cut the persimmons into wedges and remove the skin.

Bake your own tofu or purchase your favorite brand.

Add a whole wheat croissant.

Peel and slice the kiwi fruit.

Potato Pancakes and Applesauce

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Menu

* Cinnamon Applesauce
* Potato Pancakes
* Mini Spinach Salad
* Italian Dressing
* Sun-dried Tomato & Basil Sausages


Preparation Notes

Few things go together as well as potato pancakes and applesauce. Combine that with a bit of spinach, salad dressing and some sausages, and you've got an awfully good lunch.

Prepare the potato pancakes.

Scoop some applesauce into the large water-tight container.

Fill the dip container with Italian dressing.

Pack the spinach around the dip container.

Add some of your favorite sausages. (Pictured here: Tofurky brand Italian Sun-dried Tomato Basil Sausages.)

Ghoulish Halloween Lunch

Here's a ghoulish Halloween lunch that caught our attention:



* Witchy fingers (recipe from Recipegirl.com) with gummi tarantula

* Apples with scary marshmallow teeth!

* Ghostly egg salad sandwiches with eyes made with black food marker

* Babybel cheese moon with bat ring (over baby carrots)

[FROM: http://www.kimdec.com/2009/10/halloween-laptop-lunch.html]

Arugula & Walnut Salad

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Menu

* Arugula & Walnut Salad
* Garlic Lemon Dressing
* Apple Strudel
* End-of-Summer Cherry Tomatoes


Preparation Notes

The end of the tomato season is always a bit hard to stomach, but it does mean that apples are ready for picking, providing a good excuse to pack apples and apple treats--like apple strudel. For a less caloric strudel, add extra apples and reduce the amount of fillo dough and butter. And be sure to pack a healthy portion of greens for your main course.

Create an arugula salad with baby arugula, sliced radishes, and walnut halves. Pair this with a delicious dressing made of garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Add a handful of cherry tomatoes to eat on their own or to add to the salad.

Spaghetti Squash with Pesto

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Menu

* Spaghetti Squash with Pesto Sauce
* Green Grapes
* Fresh Blueberries
* Oatmeal Bars


Preparation Notes

Substituting spaghetti squash for plain old pasta adds a depth of flavor and wholesome nutritients to any pasta sauce. The recipe for this dish was sent to us by Mariel Hemingway, whose new book, Mariel's Kitchen, is sure to be a winner in your home as well. We served this main course with fresh fruit and a couple of delicious oatmeal bars to achieve this way-more-than-satisfying meal.

Prepare the spaghetti squash with pesto. (This keeps well overnight, so consider making it for dinner and setting some aside for lunch the following day.)

Add a handful each of grapes and blueberries.

Prepare the oatmeal bars using the recipe on page 74 of The Laptop Lunch User's Guide.

Bread and Cheese Picnic

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Menu

* Fresh Papaya stuffed with Mountain Blueberries
* Francese Bread
* Zucchini Patties
* Brie Cheese
* Cheddar Cheese


Preparation Notes

This decadent picnic lunch is ideal for special occasions when you want something light and satisfying. It's especially deliciious during the summer months when local blueberries are in season. Substitute melon for the papaya if you prefer.

Slice the papaya in half and remove the seeds. Add heaping scoop of blueberries to the center (or pack them on the side and add them just before eating.)

Slice a piece of francese bread.

Prepare the zucchini patties. Combine 1 1/2 cups grated zucchini, 1/2 cup grated carrot, and 3/4 cup grated onion in a bowl. Add 1 egg and stir. Add 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, a pinch of salt and pepper, and mix gently. Add a small amount of olive oil to a skillet and heat. Spoon the batter into the skillet. Pan-fry the patties on one side and then the other until golden brown. Serve plain, or with salsa, marinara sauce,or ketchup.

Add two of your favorite cheeses. (Brie and cheddar pictured here.)

Pasta and Patties

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Menu

* Whole Wheat Vegetable Patties
* Fresh Spinach Fettuccine
* Walnuts
* Organic Plums


Preparation Notes

Lunch-making can be especially satisfying this time of year with so many fresh vegetables and fruits in season. This pasta dish, for example, is incredibly flavorful and takes just a few moments to prepare. If you belong to a CSA and end up with miscellaneous vegetables at the end of the week, these patties could be just what you're looking for.

Prepare the vegetable patties. Chop well and set aside about 2 cups of vegetables. (Cabbage, green beans, spinach, onions, mushrooms, carrots, yams, zucchini, and chard all work well.) In a separate bowl, mix 2 cups of whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat an egg and add about 1 cup of water, milk, or soy milk. Add the liquid mixture to the flour mixture and stir lightly to mix. Add the vegetables and stir again. If the batter is too thick, add more liquid. Add a small amount of olive oil to a skillet and heat. Spoon the batter into the skillet. Pan-fry the patties on one side and then the other until cooked through. Serve plain, or with salsa, marinara sauce,or ketchup.

Boil the fettuccine and set aside. In a large pasta dish, mix fresh diced tomatoes, chopped fresh basil, minced garlic, and olive oil. Add the pasta and toss well to mix, then salt and pepper to taste.

Add a handful of walnuts to one of the medium containers.

Include two fresh plums.

Grilled Baby Cabbage with Rice

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Menu

* Steamed Brown Basmati Rice
* Grilled Baby Cabbage
* Chick Peas
* Fresh Garden Tomatoes
* Fresh Plums
* Crispy Carrots


Preparation Notes

We put this lunch together after returning from a trip to the farmers' market. We were lucky enough to find these tender baby cabbages, which we seared to perfection. We then added a number of other items to "round out" the lunch.

Steam the rice and scoop some into the extra large container.

Slice the baby cabbages in half and sear in a small amount of butter or olive oil for a few minutes. Then add about 1/4 inch of water to the skillet, cover, and simmer until tender. Add salt, pepper, and paprika to taste. Place the cabbages on top of the rice.

Add some canned (drained and rinsed) chick peas.

Slice some fresh tomatoes (or include cherry tomatoes) and place in the corner of the extra large container for added nutrition and color.

Place two plums in one of the medium containers.

Peel and slice the carrots and place them in the other medium container.

Fruit Salad, Yogurt, and Granola

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Menu

* Fruit Salad
* Yogurt
* Hemp and Flax Seed Granola


Preparation Notes

The Bento Buddies extra large container is perfect for a nice, big summer fruit salad. We've used strawberries, blueberries and an heirloom melon from the farmers' market here, but any combo of fresh seasonal fruit will do. We like to add a bit of fresh orange juice for additional juice and flavor.

Spoon some yogurt into the medium lidded container.

Add a handful of granola to the other medium container.

Enjoy separately or mix the three items together at mealtime.

Lunch From the Farm

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Menu

* Fresh Watermelon
* Steamed Fresh Green Beans
* Carrot Sticks
* Herbed Bread Sticks
* Soft Goat Cheese

Preparation Notes

Expecting some heat this summer? Toting this fresh, colorful lunch will surely cool you down during the hot summer months. Soft goat cheese makes a delicious dip for bread sticks, carrots, and green beans, and juicy watermelon is a delicious finish to any fresh meal. Need we say more?

Cut up the watermelon.

Steam the green beans.

Cut a carrot into sticks.

Add a handful of bread sticks.

Fill the dip container with soft goat cheese.

Japanese Yaki Soba

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Menu

* Yaki Soba
* Spinach Salad
* Miso Dressing
* Energy Nougats
* Blood Orange Wedges

Preparation Notes

Yaki soba is an easy-to-prepare one-dish meal. Make it for dinner, and set aside enough to pack for lunch the following day.

To prepare the yaki soba, chop a few cups of fresh vegetables (onions, cabbage, carrots, green beans, etc.), and saute in a small amount of olive oil until tender but not mushy. Add a package of yaki soba noodles, available at Japanese markets and some grocery stores, and stir to heat. Sprinkle with the flavor packet, and you've got a quick meal full of delicious, colorful vegetables.

Wash the spinach. Add nuts, red onion, and apples, if desired.

Place the energy nougats (available in the bulk bin section of your natural foods store) in one of the medium-size containers.

Cut the blood orange into wedges.


NOTE: If you can't find yaki soba in your area, consider substituting the Rainbow Rice on page 64 of The Laptop Lunch User's Guide.

Cabbage Pasta

Menu Steamed Broccoli Cabbage Pasta Satsuma Tangerine Whole Grain Crackers Preparation Notes Leftover pasta dishes are an obvious choice for lunch, but be sure to look beyond the oh-so-ordinary spaghetti with tomato sauce. Pasta is versatile and easy to make, and pasta leftovers retain their flavor well. Tangerines are colorful and deliciously sweet at this time of year--and perfect in size. The broccoli provides color contrast, nutrition, and a bit of crunch as well. And the whole grain crackers are wonderfully nutty, salty, and sweet! Prepare the cabbage pasta for dinner and pack the leftovers for lunch. (For the recipe, click HERE.) Steam the broccoli. Peel the tangerine. Add the crackers.