Vegans, vegetarians - do you have quick lunch recipes, especially for taking to work?

[Flaxbee]

I'm transitioning my husband to vegetarian (then vegan) ... and as you may know, it isn't easy to get meals on the go.

What do you guys pack for lunch if you take your lunch with you to work?

(I cross-posted this in the vegan, veg forum). Thanks :hi:

[newcriminal]

1. Humus, with pita or carrot sticks.

[Chan790]

2. Peanut butter and jelly.

and a pear.

[newcriminal]

3. My girls take that almost everyday to school.

I try to get them to change it up sometimes, but they would rather take pb & j than anything else.

[flvegan]

4. Depends on what I'm in the mood for.

Sometimes I'll want pasta for days. So I'll bust out my recipe for Unstuffed Shells (from "Vegan Vittles") and make enough for a week. Other times, a Tofurkey sandwich on a hoagie roll. If I'm feeling lazy, I'll grab one of the many frozen meals I keep on hand for just those reasons.

I also like a good PB&J.

[Flaxbee]

5. unstuffed shells sounds intriguing...

can you post the recipe, or is it over in the vegan, vegetarian forum?

[myrna minx]

6. Hummus is a staple - I practically live on it.

Baby carrots are an easy quick snack to pack.

Almonds are a great protein snack. If not vegan, you can add either them or sunflower seeds to cottage cheese.

Pita sandwiches - I enjoy either hummus or tzatziki (cucumber sauce) as the base and add cucumbers, carrots, olives, sprouts and any other veggies you prefer.

Bake a frittata the night before - it can easily be warmed up in the microwave.

Or make up a batch of tofu 'egg' salad:
(this takes minutes to prepare)

http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupssalads/r/tofueggsalad.htm
1 block firm tofu, drained
1/3 cup mayonnaise (use Vegenaise for a vegan version)
1/3 cup sweet relish
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 stalk celery, diced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tbsp mustard
dash paprika for garnish (optional)
Preparation:

In a medium-sized bowl, mash the tofu with a fork. Add remaining ingredients and stir together until well combined. Sprinkle with paprika for garnish, if desired.
Serve on bread with lettuce for an "egg" salad sandwich, or spread on crackers. Add your own seasoning to taste.


I spread on pumpernickel with a big romaine leaf. Yum!

[Flaxbee]

7. that sounds great!

we used to make tofu "scrambled eggs" ages ago, and so got out of the habit of cooking I forgot all about it ... I want to cook at home more b/c it's cheaper, and much healthier.

I'm going to try this soon. Thanks!

[myrna minx]

13. I was surprised at how tasty this was and how easy it was to prepare.

:hi:

[The empressof all]

17. If you don't mind the color....

Add some Avocado to that "Egg salad" recipe. It makes it really out of this world good!

Green "Eggs" are Yummers!

[rainbow4321]

8. Same issue here

I try to change it up a bit..I like the flavored rice that you heat up in the microwave for 90 seconds in it's own little bag that it comes in, throw in some veggies or tofu.

For a different kind of taste I mix white rice with Indian sauces that I found at the grocery store in the multiculture aisle. You heat it in the microwave for a few minutes in the microwave (again, you leave it in the bag you bought it in). There were multiple flavors of the Indian mix, one with mushrooms or others with veggies, all have a little spicy kick to them.

I may cook up a pound of pasta one night and alternate taking it thru the week.

Oh! And in the frozen aisle, there are these baggies of "Steamable Vegetables" that heat up nicely in 3 to 4 minutes. And (yeah, there is a pattern here), like the other stuff I mentioned above, you also heat them up in their bag, but you leave this bag unopened so they can steam as you cook them.

And, as others have said, if all else fails or my shopping trip has been delayed, it is the old standby of PBJ.

[jobycom]

9. Usually last night's leftovers. I also have a stash at work of junk food

I can eat without too much concern. Pretzels and almonds, right now. (Don't worry, they are nasty, salty smokehouse almonds and the pretzels are peanut butter filled nuggets, so they are truly junk food). For me it's just so I don't eat more potato chips, but if he's trying to avoid meat it could keep him from running out for a burger when hunger (and boredom) overpowers the best intentions.

As for lunch, if I have leftovers I bring them, usually with a tortilla so it's a little different than the night before. Red beans and rice or tofu lasagna are big favorites for that, because if I can't heat them up they are still good to eat.

If I have to make something, I make cheese and tomato sandwiches--if you keep the tomatoes in a container they don't get the bread soggy. I actually slice them at work, but I don't know what resources you have. If I want to skip cheese, I use hummus or avocado instead. And mustard or Veganaise. It's a simple sandwich with a lot of flavor. :)

A friend of mine who became vegetarian two years ago (and lost 120 pounds and all of her symptoms of diabetes in the process) keeps little containers of chopped up food in the fridge. She buys stuff and chops it up on Sunday, then each day she throws together whatever she feels like into a salad or over a grain (quinoa or bulgur or whatever), or rolls it into a tortilla. She even sautes it and tosses it with pasta. Since it's chopped she can whip out a pan and get it ready in less than ten minutes in the morning while she dresses. So I've heard--I'm not invited to watch her dress.

I'm not that good at planning, but I usually can toss together a couple of leftovers for a salad. Rice or quinoa (I've got a thing for quinoa lately), tossed with sauteed zucchini or even sliced tomatoes and black beans, toss with a favorite salad dressing (Olive oil and lemon juice, shaken, is mine). Since I'm using leftovers, it's quick--just toss it in whatever container you're bringing to work. I can always get to a microwave, so I can bring food to heat, too.

Now, having said that, I live in Austin, so honestly I just usually pop over to one of the ten or so Asian restaurants, the home-style Italian place, one of several sandwich shops (local and chain), or one of the three taco places within about two miles of my job. They all have a few vegetarian options. But not everyone gets to live someplace where probably 15-20% of the population is vegetarian. The counter person at the Italian place told me once she just assumes a person is vegetarian until they indicate otherwise. Nice town, eh? :)

Sorry so long. I was getting into that.

[tblue]

10. Trader Joe's has some 'Guiltless...something or other'

frozen entrees. Take to work and nuke at lunch time. Low call and veg. Tastes pretty good!

[REP]

11. Falafel

I like Fantastic Foods mix, but there are others. Mix it up and fry it the night before. It makes a good number; enough for several lunches.

For a lunch: spread some hummus and tatziki on a flatbread and add a few falafel balls (I smash them down a bit). Add onion slices, tomatoes, etc if you want, then roll the flatbread like a burrito. Or just pack some falafel balls with hummus, olives, pita and tatziki. Either option is delicious and filling; remove the tatziki and it's vegan, too.

We're both omnis but these are some of our favorite meals.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

12. I'm a carnivore but I like veggies too and I like to cook

The best Vegan recipes I've ever found were in cookbooks by Dr. Dean Ornish. In my opinion, these Vegan recipes are on par with anything Julia Child did with meat and butter. Many of these could easily be packed up for lunch and the red bean chili is the best I've ever tasted. You don't have to cook dead animals to get good flavor and this guy proves it. Not only no dead animals but no fat, no dairy, just veggies.

I will now go back to basting the babyback ribs.

[Hell Hath No Fury]

14. I love making wraps --

using Middle Eastern flatbreads. You can pile all sorts of stuff in them, using either hummas or spreadable cream cheese as a base -- thinly sliced cucumbers and tomatoes, herbs, and salt & pepper is my standard.

On edit: Reading the thread got my mouth watering and thinking of more options.

Chili (with or without soy bits) and crackers
Cous cous salad
Sloppy Joes with soy bits
Veggie deli slices on a sourdough roll
Pasta salad (I eat dairy so I use cheese tortelloni) with olives, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, herbs, & Italian dressing
Veggie Burrito
Black beans and rice
Veggie jambalaya

Those sre a few of my lunch favorites.

[unpossibles]

15. quick things like sandwiches and salads, but don't forget leftovers

I almost always make an extra portion when I cook dinner because it's not any more effort and not much more cost really. Then I put those in the fridge and eat them as lunches through the week (or even the occasional dinner).

One thing I like to do is make something basic like black beans and rice with veggies (carrots, peppers, onions, etc) and a simple salsa or guacamole, then use the leftovers to make quesadillas or burritos. This breaks up the monotony, and having the filling already prepared makes making the quesadillas/burritos a snap.

And even though I do not eat them often, there are a couple of companies who make relatively cheap ramen noodle style (but better than the ones we had in college...) meals that are often vegan or veggie and don't need refrigeration. They cost a buck or two and live in my desk for those times when I forgot to bring lunch or am too busy or whatever. Good backup "rations" even if not the best meals, and the ones you get at Trader Joes or the healthy section of the super market tend to not be quite as loaded with sodium and whatnot as the others, although be sure to check the labels if that's a concern. Speaking of Trader Joe's, again while I prefer to cook, I do buy one or two of their frozen meals for quick and easy lunches for quick/emergency situations.

Sandwiches are always a good call, and there are a lot of varieties you can do. If you don't want your bread to get mushy you can assemble them "on site" from a couple of containers, or you can try a heartier bread, like a toasted ciabatta or something. One more thing, if your husband likes tuna salad, you can make a decent fake one with garbanzo beans/chickpeas. Mash them most of the way with a fork (they end up with a flaky texture) in a bowl and add your mayo (or "mayo"), relish or whatever. I do a few varieties, one with spicy wasabi mayo and walnuts, another with cranberries and pine nuts, etc. You can get pretty creative with these and they are cheap and good. I will sometimes make a container of this and bring it along with bread or a croissant or something, and some lettuce and assemble them right before lunch, and can get at least 2-3 meals out of a single can of chickpeas.

Noodles/pasta also tends to reheat well in a microwave, and you can fancy it up with fresh or roasted veggies, peanut butter sauce, a cold noodle salad, or whatever. Again, I sometimes make some noodles and store them plain (shock them in cold water then put a bit of olive oil on them so they don't stick) then can have different leftovers without getting sick of them.

Fee free to hit me up for ideas. I love to cook and have been a veggie for a long time.

[mzteris]

19. pre-veggie days,

my boys used to love "tuna fish". I'll have to try your recipe - any other hints on this? Or just mash and mayo???

[unpossibles]

21. I like it with at least some sweet relish and maybe shredded carrots

but try a few theme ideas. Feta, pine nuts and olives are good for a Mediterranean flavor, or use wasabi and avocado for a tuna roll type of thing. You almost can't go wrong.

Lately I've been making a lot of stir fries and curries too, somewhere between Asian and Central/South American in flavors and ingredients, often with some fruit (plantains are good), veggies, hot peppers, and tofu.

One trick I learned with tofu is to freeze it then thaw it. When it's thawed, gently but firmly squeeze as much of the water out as you can between a couple of small cutting boards (or your hands if they are big enough). The tofu gets a firmer texture this way - more like the Thai style than the Chinese beancurd. Then I slice it and bake it with some BBQ sauce or mole negro for sandwiches or fry it up in something. I don't really follow recipes very often though - just have been cooking since I was little, and will try new things and combinations, and am not afraid (usually) to eat my mistakes as it were. I try not to get too experimental when serving others though. :)

Oh, one more thing I picked up from a restaurant that makes a good and fairly easy side dish (which is still decent cold or reheated): boil some small red or new potatoes (either bite sized, or cut into bite sized chunks, and when you dump them into the colander to drain, sprinkle some kosher salt on them (a decent amount as kosher salt is not as salty as sea salt) and serve with mayo, ketchup, or what have you. I like to mix a bit of horseradish in the mayo for these. Again, you'll have to experiment with how much salt you like - start lighter because it's easier to add more than to take it off.

[mzteris]

22. thanks for the tips.

I was never able to make "good tofu" except once in a very great while - so I stopped trying. I suppose I should try it again, though. Something else I need to "try again" with is tempeh - and while I'm at it - seitan, too I suppose. I had some really good BBQ seitan from the local store recently- it was even good cold!

[smirkymonkey]

16. Learn to make some good veggie risottos on the Sunday

before the week and divide into microwavable containers. You can use vegetable or mushroom broth (or mock-chicken stock) and even add a little wine or sherry to the stock if you like. I like wild mushroom, saffron w/ peas & cherry tomatoes, red pepper & asparagus, spinach, onion & tomatoe, etc. The possibilities are endless and if you aren't a strict vegan you can toss in some freshly grated parmesan and/or romano cheese at the end - yum!! It's even better the next day.

[mzteris]

18. you guys are making me HUNGRY!!

These are great; however, my son doesn't have access to a microwave so more "cold lunch" suggestions appreciated!!

note: I finally got him to try hummus again - this time tomato & basil - which he loved!, quickly followed by roasted red pepper-which he also liked! So now I'm on a mission to find more "flavored" hummuses (hummusi? hummi? . . . lol) That with some whole wheat crackers is usually is "mid-morning snack". ooo - just found kalamata olive today - i hope he likes it.

[sarge43]

20. Tabbouleh, fresh fruit, small termos of green tea. n/t

[applegrove]

23. If he can eat dairy you can make a great vegetable lasagna and freeze it in small containers.

I roast my vegetables 15 minutes on each side under broil (chunks of zucchini, red pepper, fennel (the white part), portobello mushrooms all tossed in olive oil). And I use a mixture of mozza, white cheddar and havarti on the cheese layers sprinkled with dried tarragon. Yummy.