Guest post by Alexandra Rothwell, RD, CSO, CDN, Dubin Breast Center, The Tisch Cancer Institute.
Beach trips, weekend getaways, parties, and happy hours…with summer finally here, we can anticipate lots of fun celebrations with friends and family. If you’re health conscious and worry that all this fun may lead to one tortilla chip too many, don’t fear! The workweek can be a great time to catch up with some healthy meals, so that you can fully enjoy the more festive times. Here are some great bring-to-work meal ideas to try:
Make-Ahead Yogurt Parfait
There’s nothing worse than warm yogurt, a fact that deters many from bringing this great breakfast or snack to work. In this make-ahead version, yogurt is packed on frozen berries so that by the time you’re ready to eat, the berries have thawed, but the yogurt stays cold.
- Mix 1 cup frozen mixed berries with a dash of salt, cinnamon, and ground ginger in an airtight tupperware.
- Dollop 6 ounces of plain greek yogurt on top of the berries.
- Sprinkle with roasted almonds.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad
To make the best lunch “al desk-o,” choose foods that taste great at room temperature. I’ve always thought that roasted vegetables taste better at room temp, which is why this recipe is a perfect bring-to-work lunch. This is a lighter, healthier version of a classic meal, filled with eggplant and peppers to reduce the amount of pasta used. Chickpeas give a nice touch of protein to fuel you through the afternoon.
- Combine about 1½ cups of roasted eggplant and red peppers with ½ cup cooked farfalle (bowtie) pasta.
- Mix in ¼ – ½ cup chickpeas (rinsed and drained), ½ tablespoon olive oil (optional – the roasted vegetables may supply enough olive oil to the salad), a few sprigs of chopped, fresh basil, and a sprinkle of a hard, salty cheese like shredded parmesan or ricotta salata. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
To make the roasted vegetables:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Cut a medium eggplant and 2 red bell peppers into 1 inch cubes. Mix with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and a ½ teaspoon ground pepper. Spread the vegetables on a baking sheet, and roast for about 25-35 minutes, flipping halfway through.
Napa Cabbage Salad
My favorite bring-to-work salads are made from sturdy greens that can hold up to hours of marination in an acidic dressing. This Asian-inspired salad is based in Napa cabbage and can hold for days in the refrigerator. It’s light, refreshing, and full of flavor!
*This recipe makes multiple servings.
- Combine about 5-6 cups shredded napa cabbage, 1 cup grated carrot, ½ cup thinly sliced scallions, 1 halved and thinly sliced red onion, ¼ cup chopped cilantro, ¼ cup toasted sesame seeds, and ½ cup toasted chopped almonds.
- Dress with a mixture of 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 2 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon canola or olive oil.
- Add additional protein if you like – shredded chicken or tuna are nice compliments.