It’s Monday morning. You let your alarm snooze once, twice, three times. Maybe you stayed up a little later than you should’ve last night. Or maybe you’re just feeling lazy. Whatever the reason, now you have twenty minutes to get ready for work.
Don’t fret– we’ve all been there. I bet the last thing you want to do after oversleeping is spend a big chunk of your paycheck on overpriced salad and sandwich for lunch, right? You don’t have to! By preparing a few simple ingredients the night before, you can simply grab your ready-made, healthy, and delicious lunch on your way out the door; even if your hair is still wet and you didn’t have time to put on makeup. The best thing about this recipe? It makes enough food for at least three lunches, and everything lasts for the whole week!
You’ll need:
- 1 cup mixed red and white quinoa or millet
- 2 medium carrots
- 2 medium parsnips
- 1 sweet potato
- olive oil
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- salt and pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons tahini
- 2+ tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ avocado
Make the grain
Rinse the quinoa or millet in a fine mesh sieve and place in a saucepan with 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and set aside.
Make the vegetables
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Peel and slice the veggies into thin spears. Place on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper. Roast for 10 minutes, stir, then roast for another 10-15 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
Make the dressing
Combine all ingredients in a jar and shake well.
Put it all together
Place the grain and veggies in a lunch container. Slice half an avocado, drizzle the top with olive oil and wrap in plastic. Place in the lunch container with the grain and veggies. Transfer the dressing into a small jar (a clean jam or spice jar works well.) Place everything in a lunch bag if you have one, and store in the fridge until you’re ready to leave!
Recipe and text by Rebecca Firkser
Rebecca Firkser is a New Jersey-based food writer and blogger. A recent graduate of Smith College, she studied Theatre Design and Art History. She dreams of someday being as quick-witted as Pete Wells. Check out her food writing and photography on her blog,Spices and Spatulas, and follow her on Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.
