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It’s intriguing that when you have something that irritates you it just doesn’t vanish on its own no matter how much you long for it to. I’ve spent years complaining about how I never know what to eat for lunch, but never spent any time really trying to figure out the solution—preferring to grumble about it.
It is only when my stomach starts to make noise that I wonder what there is to eat. Since I haven’t planned or purchased anything to eat, I don’t know why I expect there to be something to eat when I want it? It’s magical thinking and life doesn’t tend to work that way.
Without a doubt, the easiest lunches are meals that I’ve pre-frozen. Since when I initially cook them I’m making enough to freeze an extra dinner, adding a little more for lunch isn’t hard.
Besides frozen meals, the other quick lunches are the ones for which I’ve purchased all the ingredients before I need them.
Planning is the solution. But there’s a difference between solving a problem and implementing the solution. Now that I’ve resolved what to do, let’s hope I can get into the habit of doing it.
Here are some lunch ideas:
Salad — grains with a protein, fresh vegetables, with a peanut dressing.
Wrap — avocado, tuna, or chicken with lettuce.
An open-faced sandwich with hummus (instead of mayonnaise), sliced hardboiled egg, avocado, tomato, and fresh herbs.
Eggs — scrambled, hardboiled, omelet, or egg salad.
Quesadilla — grilled ham and cheese.
These dishes freeze really well. The recipes can be found in le Kitchen Cookbook: a Workbook
Quiche: page 160
Soups: start at page 263 (Soups are ideal; make in big batches and freeze in individual containers.)
Asian lettuce wraps — (recipe to follow) with lettuce cup
Asian Lettuce Wraps
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound ground turkey
1 onion diced
3 cloves garlic sliced thinly
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 can sliced water chestnut, 8 oz, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon sauce rice vinegar
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 scallions sliced thin
Optional: a dash of hot sauce
1 head bib lettuce
1. Heat oil in large skillet.
2. Add onions and cook until softened and slightly browned.
3. Add the garlic, let it cook two minutes.
4. In a large sauté pan add the turkey in chunks so it’s easier to breakup. Stir as the meat breaks up and browns.
5. Add the grated ginger and water chestnuts and stir to combine.
6. Once the meat has browned and broken up, lower the heat to medium low, add the soy sauce, vinegar, and hoisin sauce; mix well.
7. Add the scallions.
8. Optional: add a dash or two of hot sauce.
9. Taste, and adjust the flavors to your liking.
10. Serve by placing 1 or 2 tablespoons of the meat in the center of the lettuce.
11. To freeze, divide meat in individual portions, date and label bags. Will keep up to 3 months.
Find out where I'll be
Here Is What's Happening
October 13th, Cooking Class: 5 Tricks to Great Flavor
Learn the five tricks that chefs use to add flavor to sauces. And discover why their food tastes so good.
Poulet en Sauce (Chicken with Sauce)
Participants will taste the sauce after each adjustment, to understand the transformation.
Albano Appliances, Pound Ridge, NY
October 15th, Book Signing with Food and Wine Tasting
6 to 8 pm, at King's Crown Wines and Spirits in Pleasantville, NY
Space is limited – call for reservations 914-769-0042
King's Crown Wine and Spirits, 45 Washington Ave Pleasantville, NY 10570
October 20th, Flour-based Sauces and What to Make With Them
Bechamel
Mac & Cheese
Feuilleté
Velouté
Chicken Pot Pie
Soups
Albano Appliances, Pound Ridge, NY
October 27th, Butter-based Sauces, Once Difficult—Now Easy! How to Use Them.
Hollandaise sauce made easy
Mousseline sauce
Burnt butter
Beurre blanc sauce
Albano Appliances, Pound Ridge, NY
If you are interested in finding out about any of these events email me at:
Le Kitchen Cookbook
A Workbook
Everything you need to know to be a good cook.
by Adeline M. Olmer
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