Now that classes are back in-person, it’s time to get back to a routine of being out of the house and on-the-go all day. If you’re like me, you refuse to pay for a university meal plan with subpar food, but we’ve still got to eat during the day somehow, right? Here are a few recipes that I like to make that are quick, easy, and yummy to pack for your lunch break.
- Veggie Hummus Wrap
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With the chopping and the wrapping, this lunch takes about 10-15 minutes to make. I like to use whatever vegetables I have on-hand, but these typically include: cucumbers, red onions, bell peppers, and spinach or mixed greens. Sometimes, to make it extra filling, I’ll add chickpeas or white beans. I prefer to use roasted red-pepper hummus, but it’s totally up to your flavor preference. Here’s a quick mock-up recipe:
1/2 bell pepper (any color), chopped
1/2 cucumber, chopped
1/4 red onion, chopped
1 handful of spinach or mixed greens
2 spoonfuls of roasted red-pepper hummus
1 tortilla
Spread the hummus onto the tortilla, and add all of the vegetables on top. Roll into a wrap, and you’re all done!
- Texas Caviar
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This recipe yields a bigger portion, so you can eat off of it for a few days. I like to eat it with tortilla chips or toast, but you could also make it into a hearty salad. I’ve tweaked a few different recipes I have encountered to make the combination that I like the best.
2 cans of black beans
1/2 bag of frozen corn (thawed)
1/2 bell pepper
1 jalapeno
1/2 red onion, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 bunch cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1-2 tablespoons of cumin
2 cloves of minced garlic
Combine the bell pepper, corn, black beans, and red onion in a medium-to-large bowl. In a blender or food processor, combine the garlic, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, and cumin. Salt and pepper to taste and combine again. Pour the mixture over the combined ingredients and toss. Enjoy!
- Roots bowls
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Like the recipe before, you have to prep for this one a little bit. I will list my favorite combo of ingredients, but you can take a lot of creative license with what you put together here. I like a simple salt and pepper flavor with my roasted vegetables, though you could also buy or make a dressing to top it with.
1 can of chickpeas
1/2 crown of broccoli, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red onion, chopped
Feta cheese, for garnish
A few handfuls of mixed greens
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the chickpeas, broccoli, bell pepper, and red onion on the baking sheet. Cover lightly with olive oil and toss with salt and pepper (your judgement on how much). Bake for 10 minutes, then take out and toss the vegetables and chickpeas. Put back in the oven for another 10-15 minutes, until they are the desired level of crispiness. Let the vegetables and chickpeas cool. Combine desired amount of mixture with mixed greens and top with feta cheese in a container for a to-go lunch!
I hope these few, simple recipes can be as helpful to you as they are to me. There is a lot of overlap in ingredients, to make grocery shopping very easy. It may feel like a pain to have to meal prep and pack lunches, but I guarantee you’ll be happy you did it!