The New Working Lunch = healthy. How to get from fast food frazzled to delicious eco-friendly edibles? Here’s a starter recipe for constructing the new working lunch: a Market Basket Salad with Bijouxs Lemon Miso Dressing, a cool lunch pail and little time out – everyday little jewels.
Just like most modern souls I do too much and still don’t seem to get everything done – full-time job, night school classes, produce Bijouxs website and writing a cookbook, all while tethered to a variety of digital friends (computer, phone, iPad) who keep me at a lightening pace – sound familiar? Ok, time for the New Working Lunch -what’s old is new, it’s analog verses digital, 30 minutes devoted to healthy.
Packing your lunch may seem old school, but re-think this as an opportunity. A simple way to begin is with a fresh Market Basket Salad, an always-varying collection of your favorite greens, vegetables and fruits. Here, I gathered a few farmers market finds of mizuna, pea shoots, French radishes and mixed baby greens along with supermarket finds of avocado, endive, and kumquats (yes, kumquats and Meyer lemons – courtesy of Bijouxs friends at Frieda’s Produce – who now offer a great everyday selection of specialty citrus at Ralph’s Markets (who can always make framers market?). Whisk together a simple batch of Bijouxs Lemon Miso Dressing – the recipe is enough for the week. Pack some crunchy nuts, a piece of fruit and a bottle of water with fresh lemon slices – ahh, I feel healthy already.
And is there anyone who does not still love getting a new lunch box? I am just loving my To-Go Ware stainless lunch carrier – two compartments (one for the salad and a another for cheese, eggs, fruit, etc.) with nifty little side carriers for dressing and nuts. (I found mine locally at Whole Foods). Place the chilled carrier in an insulated lunch bag from Built (machine washable) along with ice packs (with sweat proof covers) from Kids Conserve and you are cool until lunch.
While enjoying your healthy lunch eco-friendly edibles, don’t forget to enjoy your time – for me it means even a few minutes knitting a simple project, like the Mistake Stitch Scarf from favorite Purl Soho, here in a rich ochre yarn – perhaps listening to music, sitting outside or reading pages from a new book will provide you with the needed break.
The New Working Lunch recipe – a lovingly prepared salad and just a little time – it’s a healthy goal for a few days a week and a simple, everyday little jewel.
As always, enjoy. B
simple exquisite photos and writing. loving your blog!!!!
Merci Hillary! Back at you – love Paris Cafe culture on your site – travel and food, heaven!
Looks yummy!
Wow, I love this salad! So full of flavours!
Looks so fresh and wonderful! love the colours in the salad, so very enticing, we really do eat with our eyes! great post!
Funny, I was not planning on writing about my salad or my new lunch pail but it was just so naturally pretty and real in the moment. Thank you so much!
Now, that looks like the perfect lunch. Full of color, crunch and creativity. 😉
Now this is a work lunch I can get behind. The same old sandwich or leftovers gets really boring after awhile. I’d be so happy to open up my lunch to find this pretty salad. And I LOVE that stainless steel container.
Hi Dara! Great to hear from you! I really do love my working lunch routine and the stainless steel food carrier is wonderful. Best!
you should have a photo of yourself with that gorgeous lunch…so we can all suspect that if we eat like you we might be lucky enough to look like you 🙂 beautiful salad and LOVE the dressing.
–rip
Hey Rippler! Actually, the beautiful produce looks much better than I do – example of the everyday beauty that’s all around us, right in our kitchens. Hope to see you soon!
Love your blog and your salad. I’m especially anxious to try your lemon miso dressing; it sounds so good. If I eat it will my photos start to look like yours?
Hi Jill! Miso dressing is a great basic recipe – very flexible, so you can adjust as needed – without fresh lemons on hand, just substitute a mild vinegar. Thank also you for your kinds words about the photos and for being a part of Bijouxs!