We all have trouble finding lunch options that are both healthy and exciting. As a founder of Malibu farm Restaurants, I spent years creating dishes that feed without sacrificing the flavor. I have never had formal training – in fact, my name is a “cooler lady” because I dragged a cooler full of food around Hollywood doing a private chief work and intended for a few decades. One day, my daughter’s friend said: “Hmmm” cooler “, you were a little” cool “” – the greatest compliment in my life! Read more to discover spring lunch recipes that will transform your midday meals with fresh ingredients rich in protein.
My approach to create tasty and protein -rich meals
I have never had any ambitions to be in the world of food and it was more a accidental path. One day, a friend asked me to help prepare a business dinner, then I started to be hired to cook events and before I know, I was a caterer. Later, I went to the work of the private chief, then I started Malibu Farm in my backyard 2008.
The only thing I like is to muddy the boundaries between vegetables, cereals and vegetarian proteins. The traditional protein plate, generally animal, an starch like the potato and a side vegetable was always very boring and without inspiration.
I grew up in Sweden and therefore the potatoes are a basic food and a beloved ingredient, but I always aim to make the magic trio of comforting starch like rice, potato, couscous, combined with a vegetable and a protein such as quinoa, lentils or beans.
This is the basis for many of my meals that I am then associated with a simple salad, and sometimes I also add dairy products, poultry or seafood.
Which makes the ingredients of special spring
Spring is always exciting when the choices of products arise! The more ingredients we have to play, the more options we have, the more fun our plates. The excitation when the producer market in the spring goes from winter roots to Gogo to the joy of more selections, such as the pleasure of asparagus, carrots, peas, spinach, herbs, arugula, is (literally) acceptable.
Six Spring Lunches with essential proteins
- Spring calls for roasted asparagus with marinated white beans and fresh herbs, grilled fish or shrimp is going very well with that.
- I also love roasted carrots thrown with red lenses and Israeli couscous in a lemon vinaigrette and a pinch of hot honey on a bed of yogurt or goat cheese sprinkled with all the seasoning. Smoked salmon is an excellent addition.
- Another rapid favorite is spring and broccolini with pesto and orzo which only takes a few minutes to do. Roast chicken is an easy addition for more protein.
- Mixed salads, such as arugula and curly cabbage with quinoa, green lenses, mushrooms, avocado, parmesan and Luzerne germs with any vinaigrette of your choice. Add the crisp tofu strips for additional proteins.
- Vegetable frittata is always a good idea, in particular filled with marinated artichokes and cheese served with one side of freshly raw shaved artichoke salad with spring micro-reverse.
- Tortilla whole wheat envelope filled with houmous and ingredients of Greek salad, feta cheese, crispy Garbanzo beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and black or chopped green olives, is delicious and practical.
All the articles above are well with your favorite traditional proteins such as roasted chicken, smoked salmon, grilled fish of all kinds and so on.
Key ingredients and preparation advice
I never start from scratch when I cook at home, or rather I hate from scratch. My advice number one is to always save something for a day in the coming days, or always doing more.
If I use black beans for a meal, I save half a cup for the next day. From half a cup of black beans, I can now cook the sweet potatoes and fill it with black beans, herbs, peppers and sure cream.
If I have quinoa remains, I can add it to a cooked rice which quickly with almost no student effort from ordinary rice to a rice accompaniment dish with quinoa.
I often precker and storing my refrigerator with quinoa, lenses, beans or farro, etc. And I season them with salt and throw slightly into a lemon vinaigrette and keep a hiding place and practical meals in a flash.
The cooked grains and proteins will last several days and can be added to a vegetable, cheese or animal proteins and lunch is quickly served and well deserved.
Remarkable ingredients that energize
It is not a spring ingredient but …… my daily slat energizes me. I must admit that I always appreciate my cup with whole milk, which is proteins, and the joy of the coffee combined in a beautiful cup. Coffee, the sun, the fresh air, a walk and the connection with other humans are probably one of the healthiest things that we can do for ourselves and our mental health.
Best advice for fast and protein -rich lunches
My best advice I use myself is always to make an additional cost and use the remains to inspire me for the next two meals. For me, the rules of simplicity, so well seasoned with oil, garlic, salt and lemon or vinegar of your choice are my basic advice.
I love the baby potato salad. Skin boiled on, in salt water, then thrown with cooked grains remaining in my refrigerator, beans, lenses, quinoa, many fresh herbs, the dill is a favorite, alias “dill” icous “then mix in the lemon vinaigrette and a spoonful of mayonnaise.
The potato salad can be served with eggs or left roasted chicken or smoked salmon slices and a side salad. Fast and yum.
I make a similar sweet potato salad with soft roasted potatoes, black lenses or black beans, lots of herbs, a lemon vinaigrette and a pinch of honey. Serve with a side cabbage and turkey salad in slices or additional proteins of your choice and you are ready to roll.
How these lunches compare to “typical” health foods
The only thing that is boring is the outdated foods of color, flavor and generosity of nature. Listen to your plate and don’t be afraid to experiment.
The softness of spring garlic can be added to any dish without mastering it. I really eat with my eyes first and therefore an explosion of color is a joyful thing.
I also like spicy foods, marinated Fresno peppers are an excellent addition to your fridge stables. Everything is better with the kick of peppers, that’s how I like to relax.
To not be cheesy but I like the cottage cheese and cheese, parmesan, Gruyère, cheeses with high protein content are cheeses rich in protein, so I would say cheese please.
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