Social media is full of adorable pictures of perfectly boxed up bento-style lunches, but there isn’t just one way to pack a lunch. A Tupperware full of leftovers is just as nourishing as a neatly organized lunch box. What you take for lunch, or what you send along with your kids, depends on time, taste, budget, and countless other factors. These are some things to consider when bringing lunch from home.
Option one: pack up those leftovers
Pros: Reduce food waste and save time by packing leftovers for lunch. Today’s noodles will be just as delicious at lunch the next day. Some foods even taste better after they’ve had some time for flavors to mingle.
If you love taking leftovers for lunch, planning ahead can be your friend. Make extra large portions of foods like noodles, chili, and enchiladas. These meals all reheat well. For couples, consider ordering a 4 serving Blue Apron meal. That way you can eat half for dinner and save the rest for lunch.
Cons: For some, variety is the spice of life. Some people may not want to eat the same thing for lunch that they ate for dinner.
Option two: box up a sandwich and sides
Pros: For particular eaters, the no-mess aesthetic of a neatly packed lunch box can be a delight. Including lots of sides creates an opportunity to add servings of vegetables or fruits to lunch, and multiple courses makes grazing through lunch feel fun.
Cons: This method takes a little extra time. Cutting carrot sticks, cubing cheese, and de-stemming grapes make for an adorable packed lunch, but it also means waking up early to prep or getting started the night before. Some sandwiches, like chicken salad, are best made the day of. Preparing a sandwich with a moist filling the night before can lead to soggy bread.
Option three: make things even easier
Blue Apron Heat and Eat meals are ready in just minutes. There’s no need to repeat meals or to plan ahead. Bring these pre-made nutritious meals for lunch, pop them in the microwave, and enjoy.
Packed with decadent flavor and healthy vegetables
Here’s how Blue Apron Chef Jessica Goodman makes a healthy, satisfying lunch.
This Buffalo Cauliflower Wrap with Avocado Ranch is inspired by my favorite indulgent dish: Fried Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches. I am always craving these flavors, so I found a healthier way to enjoy my favorite food while getting a good portion of veggies in for the day.
The wrap is tangy, creamy, and hits all the crave-able flavors I want with a healthier approach. It’s balanced with hot sauce for spice, Worcestershire for umami, and date syrup for a little sweetness. The creamy avocado-greek yogurt provides the perfect counterpoint to the spicy cauliflower and adds a feeling of creamy indulgence.
Buffalo Cauliflower Wrap
Serving size: 2 Servings
Estimated Cook Time: 30 minutes
Cauliflower, 1 head
Melted Butter, ½ tablespoon
Hot Sauce, 1.5 tablespoons
Worcestershire Sauce, ½ tsp
Date Syrup, ½ tsp
Garlic Powder, 1 tsp
Onion Powder, 1 tsp
Spinach or Whole Wheat Wrap, 2 each
Avocado, 1 each
Greek Yogurt, ½ cup
Lemon, 1 each
Lettuce, 1 small head
Carrot, 1 each
1. Roast the cauliflower:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of sauce and toss to combine.
2. Prepare the remaining ingredients:
Wash and dry the fresh produce. Thinly slice the lettuce. Peel the carrot and cut into ¼ inch pieces lengthwise. Quarter and deseed the lemon. In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, hot sauce, worcestershire sauce, date syrup, half of the garlic powder and half of the onion powder. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Make the Avocado-Ranch
Meanwhile, To a blender or food processor add the greek yogurt, avocado, the juice of 2 lemon wedges, the remaining garlic and onion powder, and 2 tablespoons of water. Season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth adding an additional teaspoon of water at a time to get your desired consistency. Transfer to a bowl.
4. Finish & serve your dish:
Combine the cut lettuce and carrots in a bowl; drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place your wrap on a work surface. Spread a thin layer of the avocado-ranch on the middle of the wrap. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of dressed cauliflower in a line ¾ down on the wrap leaving 1 inch on both sides of the wrap. Top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the seasoned lettuce and carrots. Fold the wrap starting at the bottom and tucking in the corners as you roll. Place a toothpick on each end of the wrap if desired and cut in half. Serve with the remaining avocado-ranch dressing.
Enjoy this healthy lunch, and let Blue Apron handle dinner. Our Wellness menu is designed with holistic health in mind. Look for meals with the “Wellness” badge to find these feel-good options.
Don’t skip the garnish—fresh cheese and herbs take these tacos to the next level
Tacos don’t need to be meaty to be delicious. These hearty vegetarian squash tacos have all the right flavors and textures. The acorn squash is crispy and tender, with a natural sweetness. Avocados add some cool creaminess, and a mayonnaise-based sauce brings in the rich, smoky, savory flavor you’d get from a traditional carnitas taco.
Prep your ingredients in advance for a stress-free frying process
Inspired by Roy Choi’s famous Korean short rib taco, we’ve borrowed a few Asian flavors for our recipe, this time from Japan. Our tacos start with acorn squash that gets sliced into wedges, battered, and then crisped up tempura-style. Pro tip: when creating your tempura batter, be sure to work with cold water. This will keep the final product light and crispy.
After the squash is fried we pair it with a smoky, tangy sauce and a few bright herbs to make a delicious vegetarian filling. The crispy squash pairs beautifully with bright queso fresco and creamy avocado.
Double up on those tortillas—you’ll need the extra durability
We’re serving these vegetarian squash tacos in toasted corn tortillas with a wedge of lime. Heating the tortillas for about 30 seconds per side will bring out their best flavors and texture. To do this, simply place a pan on the stove top over medium-high heat, and toss the tortillas in the pan. Work in small batches. Serve each taco on two tortillas for extra stability and the perfect filling to tortilla ratio.
Jessica Halper is a Blue Apron Chef, MPH, and Registered Nutritionist. Here are four of her lunch ideas for healthy meals kids will love.
The perfect healthy lunch for kids will fill them up, help them focus, and keep them happy. These lunch ideas incorporate things that kids love, like bright colors and food you can eat with your hands, along with hearty vegetables that pack a powerful nutritional punch. If you find yourself making more lunches at home these days, try taking one of these kid lunch ideas for a spin.
Recipes for Healthy Kid Lunches
Rainbow Hummus & Veggie Spread
Kids love the beautiful colors in this nutritious lunch. While creating the whole hummus rainbow takes a bit of prepwork, these dips can all be made in advance. When it’s time for lunch, just arrange them on a plate with a few vegetables and pita triangles.
Pink Hummus
Serves 6
1 15-oz can of cooked chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
1 cup roasted beets, peeled and chopped
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, tahini, chopped beet, lemon juice, garlic and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with any cut-up vegetable of your choice and enjoy!
Green Hummus
Serves 6
1 15-oz can of cooked chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
½ avocado, pitted and halved
2 cups spinach or any green of your choice (kale, arugula, etc)
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, tahini, avocado, spinach leaves, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with any cut-up vegetable of your choice and enjoy!
Golden Hummus
Serves 6
1 15-oz can of cooked chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
⅓ cup tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the drained chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, turmeric and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and blend until smooth.
Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired. Serve with any cut-up vegetable of your choice and enjoy!
Whole Wheat Pita Pizzas
This spin on a pizza night is perfectly suited for a quick kids’ lunch. Nothing sparks a kid’s culinary mind like creating your own pizza. This lighter option uses whole wheat pita breads, which count towards two of three recommended daily servings of whole grains (when made from 100% whole wheat flour). Incorporate some kid-friendly color, and sneak in a few extra vitamins, by topping your pizza with a variety of vegetables .
Rainbow Pita Pizza
Serves 4
4 whole wheat pita breads (choose brands that specify 100% whole wheat and at least 4g of fiber per round)
6 oz tomato puree (choose brands that specify no added sugar)
6 oz shredded mozzarella
1 Cup yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
1 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 Cups spinach or kale leaves, washed
½ tsp dried oregano, basil or all purpose Italian seasoning
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Arrange your topping on a whole pita. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool and serve.
White Pie Pita Pizza with Honey Drizzle
Serves 4
4 whole wheat pita breads (choose brands that specify 100% whole wheat and at least 4g of fiber per round
6 oz shredded provolone
2 Cups spinach or kale leaves, washed
2 Cups red onion, thinly sliced
2 Tbsps honey, at room temperature
2 Tbsps olive oil
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Arrange your topping on a whole pita. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool and serve.
Green Pie Pita Pizza with Feta Cheese
Serves 4
4 whole wheat pita breads (choose brands that specify 100% whole wheat and at least 4g of fiber per round)
½ Cup pesto sauce
4 oz feta cheese
1 Cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ Cup mushrooms sliced
2 Cups spinach or kale leaves, washed
2 Tbsps olive oil
½ tsp dried oregano, basil or all purpose Italian seasoning
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Arrange your topping on a whole pita. Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted. Allow to cool and serve
Blue Apron is teaming up with chefs across the country to support Feeding America®. To participate, head over to our social media channels. Share our Facebook post or tag a friend on Instagram, and Blue Apron will donate $5 to Feeding America, up to $50,000. Thanks to Daisy and Gregory Ryan for sharing the hearty and comforting Bell’s egg salad sandwich recipe.
Buttery, eggy, delicious
The story of Bell’s Restaurant is a homecoming. Chef and Owner Daisy Ryan grew up in the Santa Ynez Valley in California. As an adult, she spent several years in New York. She first attended culinary school at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde park, and then cooked in a handful of New York’s best restaurants: Per se, Chef’s Table Brooklyn Fare, Gramercy Tavern. When it came time to open a restaurant of her own, Daisy and her husband Gregory Ryan relocated to Los Alamos, and together they opened Bell’s.
Bell’s is both elegant and welcoming. The Ryan’s menu features French classics and comfort food. It’s the type of place where drinking a glass of organic wine alongside a bag of Utz potato chips makes perfect sense.
Even though the restaurant has temporarily closed in response to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Ryans are still hard at work feeding people and supporting their community. They quickly realized that one of the standouts on their lunch menu, an egg salad sandwich with savory tomato jam, would be easy to deconstruct and repackage as an at home “egg salad survival kit.”
Those in Los Alamos can order a kit with loaf of buttery bread, a quart of egg salad, and homemade pickles. It’s enough food to keep you assembling egg salad sandwiches all week. For those not in California, here’s your chance: recreate this rich and savory egg salad sandwich with tomato jam at home using the recipe below.
Recipe: Bell’s Egg Salad Sandwich
For the egg salad
15 large eggs
¼ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chives
2 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
For the tomato jam
16 Oz canned whole tomatoes
2 cups medium yellow onions, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup olive oil
3 tablespoons fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
2 tablespoons sugar
Make the egg salad
1. Fill a large pot halfway with water. The pot should be large enough to fit all the eggs in one layer on the bottom, with water deep enough to cover the eggs by an inch.
2. Add a tablespoon of salt to the water and bring to a boil on the stovetop over high heat.
3. Meanwhile fill a large bowl with ice water.
4. Once the water is boiling, add all of the eggs. Lower them with a strainer, spider, or spoon, so they don’t hit the bottom of the pot and crack open.
5. Boil eggs for 8 minutes and then plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking.
6. Allow to cool completely and then peel and quarter.
Make the tomato jam 1. Preheat the oven to 375 °F.
2. In a large heavy bottomed pot melt the butter and olive oil.
3. Add onions and cook over medium heat until they become translucent.
4. Add salt, sugar and pepper and stir.
5. Add tomatoes, including juice, and cook over high heat until liquid has reduced by half.
6. Put the pot in the oven uncovered. Stir every 20 minutes, the surface should start to blacken a little bit, and the consistency should be similar to tomato paste. This will take approximately 3 hours.
7. After the mixture has reached the consistency of tomato paste, approximately three hours, transfer to a food processor and process until smooth.
Assemble the Sandwich
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat a cookie sheet or sheet tray in the oven.
2. Butter two sides of the bread, and spread the tomato jam on the inside of one piece.
3. Toast the bread butter side down for about 7 minutes, or until the bread appears to be turning golden.
4. Spread your desired amount of egg salad on one slice of bread, add a pinch more salt, top with the other slice and serve.
Chef Jessica Halper is staying home, but she’s still committed to eating well. Here’s how she’s making the most of her limited runs to the grocery store.
Canned tuna, artichokes, and white beans
These days, my trips to the grocery store are few and far between. While that’s ultimately the best thing for everyone’s health, it can make it difficult to maintain a nutritious and diverse diet. Grabbing a box of mac and cheese or a frozen pizza to fill my stomach and comfort my soul has never been so tempting. While these options are both consoling and accessible, they likely do not provide the essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep our bodies in fighting shape.
Cooking with canned goods can be an inexpensive and pandemic proof method for maintaining a nutritious diet when fresh produce is unavailable. This bright and healthy recipe utilizes two of my favorite canned products: beans and tuna. The canned tuna provides a daily dose of lean protein rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and the beans are packed with fiber, which makes for a happy and healthy gut (and a vocal one too!). Artichoke hearts are also an excellent source of fiber and antioxidants, even in their canned state.
Quick note: When buying canned goods, choose options that are low in sodium or have no salt added. If you aren’t sure, give the ingredient a quick rinse before using.
Tuscan-style White Bean Salad with Canned Tuna, Artichokes, and Shallot Vinaigrette
Serves 2
1 15 oz can of cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 4 oz can of tuna, packed in olive oil or water, drained
¼ cup canned artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced on a bias
2 teaspoons capers, drained
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 tablespoon red or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
¼ cup olive oil
3 oz greens (arugula, spinach, mixed greens, etc) (optional)
In a large bowl, combine the drained beans, chopped artichoke hearts, drained tuna, capers, celery and mixed greens (if using).
Combine the chopped shallot, vinegar, mustard and olive oil in a jar. Shake the jar until the vinaigrette has emulsified. Taste, then season with salt and pepper, if desired.
Add half the vinaigrette to the salad; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Add the remaining vinaigrette if desired or store in the refrigerator covered for up to one week. Enjoy!
Working from home can be unpredictable. Sometimes there’s a lull in the middle of the day, and you find the time to take a break and make something special. Other days, things are so busy that you can only grab a minute to eat a few spoonfuls of peanut butter before you jump back online. No matter what type of day you’re having, a good work from home lunch is important for keeping you alert and happy all afternoon.
Here’s how the team at Blue Apron makes work from home lunch a treat, even on those rushed days.
Switch things up
I was getting tired of eating the same turkey sandwich for lunch so I decided to deconstruct it into a salad. You can do this with whatever produce you have at home, just top it off with a simple vinaigrette. I also sprinkled some dill on top, as it was about to go bad in my fridge. Chef tip: fresh herbs are a great way to add lots of flavor to a salad! — Chef Sarah Entwistle
Turkey sandwich, but make it a salad
Reinvent your leftovers
This week I made a salad with chopped romaine, sesame seeds, lightly sautéed snow peas, and a tahini-ponzu dressing. I had some leftover chicken from dinner, and I tossed that on top for extra protein. I also sautéed the snow peas for 1-2 minutes, just to make them a bit more tender. — Chef Ashley Giddens
Give yesterday’s noodles new life
When you’re reheating pasta, drizzle a little water into the bowl (I use my fingertips to kind of “spray” water) before microwaving, it gives the noodles new life. Sometimes I’ll even make a little extra sauce on the side so that when I reheat and stir it together they’re still nice and coated with sauce. — Chef Emily Ziemski
Crispy tofu & spicy peanut sauce with marinated carrots
Work in advance
You can make a big batch of pancake batter ahead of time. The longer the batter sits, the more it “ferments” and builds flavor. Pancakes for lunch? Yes! In these weird WFH times, don’t be afraid of treating yourself to comfort foods. — Chef Emily Ziemski
Didn’t catch last month’s recipes? Here’s the scoop on this new series: Every month, we share four office lunch recipes that feature the same specialty ingredient (think apple butter, toasted coconut flakes, matcha.) The specialty ingredient is one that you may be hesitant to pick up at the store for fear of only using once and then relegating to pantry-placeholder status until (or well beyond) the use-by date. So, we recipe tested our way to a convenient excuse for you to work something new and entirely interesting into your office lunch routine!
New month, new lunch! This November we’re mixing up our default desk lunch with another specialty ingredient, apple butter. Many orchard-goers turn their apples into “butter” (or cider or dessert) this time of year, jarring the fruit to use once the apple season is over. Now is the perfect time to work this specialty ingredient into your office lunch! Before the recipes, let’s get to know the ingredient.
Apple butter:
It is a staple at Farmer’s markets and orchards but you should still be able to find some in the jam section at most grocery stores.
It is a highly concentrated apple sauce wherein the sugar from the apples actually caramelizes, turning the butter a rich brown color.
It can range in color and taste depending on how it’s made (IE: how long it’s cooked down)Some apple butter is light brown and apply, while others are dark brown and almost caramel-ey.
There’s no dairy in apple butter – the term is just used to refer to the butter-like consistency.
Chickpea Salad with Apple Butter Dressing
While we love this chickpea salad as it is hearty and full of fall, this apple butter dressing could be drizzled over all of your fall salads!
INGREDIENTS
Dressing: 1/3 Cup Apple Butter 3 Tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Whole Grain Mustard
1 Tablespoon Honey
¼ Cup Olive Oil
½ Lemon, juiced
Salad: 2 Ounces Sharp White Cheddar
½ Butternut Squash
1 14 Ounce Can Chickpeas
½ Head Radicchio
¼ Cup Roasted Pecans
¼ Red Onion
1 Honey Crisp Apple, cubed
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Peel, deseed and cube the butternut squash. Cube the cheese. Thinly slice the radicchio. Roughly chop the pecans. Peel and thinly slice the red onion. Quarter, core and cube the apple. Drain the chickpeas and pat dry.
Place the squash and chickpeas on a sheet pan (you may need to separate them between 2 sheets pans if they are crowded) and drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Roast in the oven, tossing halfway through, 20 to 23 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork.
To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients in a small jar with a tight fitting lid and shake until combined.
In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, squash, chickpeas, pecans, red onions, apple and as much dressing as you desire. Toss to combine and transfer to a tall jar with a tight fitting lid. Top with the sliced radicchio. Store in the refrigerator. To prepare for lunch, gently shake the contents of the jar to mix the radicchio and dressing into the chickpea salad. You may want to add more dressing as the chickpeas and squash tend to soak it up.
Open-Faced Apple Butter, Ham & Gruyere Sandwich
We’ve taken the classic ham and cheese and added a few key ingredients that take it from default desk lunch to desk envy status!
INGREDIENTS 1 Slice Multigrain Bread 3 Slices Ham 2 Slices Havarti Cheese
2 Tablespoons Apple Butter
2 Tablespoons Dijon Mustard
A few slivers sliced Red Onions
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk to combine the apple butter and Dijon mustard. Place the bread slice on a sheet tray. Spread as much of the apple butter condiment as desired onto the bread. Top with a few pieces of red onion slices and top with the ham and cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Bake 4 to 6 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. If you want to store the sandwich, let cool, wrap in foil and when ready to consume, warm the sandwich in a toaster oven until the cheese has melted.
Peanut Butter & Apple Dip
This here is a surprisingly filling, energizing recipe that is also extremely healthful – perfect as we get ready for the holiday season!
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
¼ Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
½ Cup Apple Butter
1 Tablespoon Honey
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Combine everything in a bowl and stir to combine. Transfer to a jar and refrigerate. Enjoy with sliced apples, Asian pears, pita chips or celery sticks.
Apple Butter Muffins
We know you love breakfast for dinner, so we decided there’s no reason breakfast can’t work for lunch,specially when all you want in November is something hot, spiced, and flavored with the best of fall!
INGREDIENTS
Muffins: 2 Cups Flour
¾ Cup Sugar
3 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
½ Teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
¾ Cup Milk
½ Cup Oil
½ Cup Apple Butter
Streusel: ½ Cup Sugar
8 Tablespoons Flour
¼ Teaspoon cinnamon
2 Tablespoons Butter
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a large bowl add the egg, milk, and oil and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix!
For the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cube the butter and add it to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips, gently rub the butter into the mixture until it is crumbly.
Spray muffin tins with cooking spray and evenly divide the batter between the cups. Put a tablespoon of apple butter over top the batter, then using a toothpick, swirl the apple butter into the batter. Divide the streusel topping between the tins.
Bake at 400 for 15 to 18 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
When’s the last time you enjoyed a corn dog? If you’re like us, it’s been a few years. Maybe even a decade? We had forgotten about our love for this portable snack, lunch, and/or dinner, but now it is back in full force. After testing this recipe, we all agreed that we should to be eating far more of them. And not just at fall fairs.
Why? Well, there are a few reasons why this savory treat has sparked such a passionate response. They’re easy to make (our recipe is only five ingredients!), they don’t require utensils, and they pack up perfectly for fall picnics! Plus, they’re DELICIOUS. So, without further ado, here’s the recipe that reignited our latest love affair.
Read on for the recipe.
5 Ingredient Corn Dogs
INGREDIENTS 1 Cup Corn Dog Mix
1 Egg
3/4 Cups Milk
8 Hot Dogs
Canola Oil (approx. 48 Fl Oz. Bottle)
EQUIPMENT 6 Inch Skewers
Candy Thermometer
COOKING INSTRUCTIONS
Homemade corn dog mix by mixing together:
½ Cup Cornmeal 1 & 1/3 Cup All-Purpose Flour ¼ Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
¼ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Smoked Paprika ½ Teaspoon Ground Onion Powder ½ Teaspoon Ground Garlic Powder
Pour batter into a large drinking glass or cocktail shaker. This sounds strange, but actually makes for the perfect vessel for coating the hot dogs.
In a large wide pot, heat about 3 inches worth of canola oil until a candy thermometer reads 375 degrees.
Carefully insert 1 skewer into each hot dog, leaving 1 inch to use to hold the corndog. Dip hot dogs into batter one at a time. Carefully place in the deep fryer you made out of the pot and canola oil. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Remove and set on paper towel. Season with salt and serve with condiments.
It’s 11:45am, and our minds shift to lunch and the inevitable weekday fail. Our forks dive into that big batch of grains we made on Sunday to last us through the week. Or, we hit refresh on our default takeout order that’s good, not great, and likely overpriced and unsatisfying. And when desperation hits, we go foraging for lunch meeting leftovers.
Now, we know that our desk lunches don’t have to be a disappointment, but sometimes the convenience of the default desk lunch wins us over. Starting this month, we’re making sure that what’s convenient is also entirely interesting and enjoyable.
Here’s the idea: Every month, we will share four office lunch recipes that feature the same specialty ingredient (think tahini, toasted coconut flakes, matcha.) The specialty ingredient is one that you may be hesitant to try out for fear of only using once and then relegating to pantry-placeholder until(or well beyond) the use-by date. If you’re like us and looking to step up your desk lunch game, read on to find four delicious recipes that are quick to prepare, pack up easily, and add excitement to your lunch hour.
For our first desk lunch series, we’ve chosen tahini as our specialty ingredient. This Middle-Eastern seed butter is extremely versatile, but hasn’t yet become a pantry staple. We’re advocating for you to stock up, and we’re making it worth your while by giving you four ways (dressing, condiment, dip, and baked good) to use it, pack it up, and enjoy it at work. Before the recipes, let’s get to know the ingredient:
It is made from ground sesame seeds
Often found in the Middle-Eastern aisle of your grocery store, more and more stores are stocking it by the peanut butter
Just like all natural peanut butter, the oil in tahini has a tendency to separate. Make sure to stir it back in before each use!
Tahini does not need to be refrigerated
It comes in both a jar and can. We taste-tested multiple varieties and determined that the packaging yields no difference.
The night before, make the dressing: In a small jar with a lid, combine the dressing ingredients and shake until smooth. In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients and add as much of the dressing as you’d like. Toss to thoroughly coat and transfer to a resealable container (such as a quart container or quart-sized mason jar). Refrigerate overnight. (The dressing will tenderize the kale as it sits.) Keeps well for several days in the fridge.
Tip! Save any leftover dressing and use as a dip for vegetables or chicken tenders!
Chicken & Snow Pea Wrap with Tahini Aioli
Wrap: 1 Wrap (about 8-Inch Diameter) Cooked Chicken, Shredded Snow Peas, Raw or Blanched Microgreens or Sprouts
Tahini Aioli: 1/4 Cup Tahini 1/2 Cup Mayonnaise 2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
The night before, make the aioli: In a small bowl, combine the tahini, mayonnaise and garlic and stir to combine. Transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate. In a small container, combine ¼ cup of the tahini aioli and 2 tablespoons water; stir to incorporate. Prep the snow peas and dress with some of the diluted aioli; transfer to a resealable container.
In the morning, place your wrap on a large piece of aluminum foil. Spread a few tablespoons of the tahini aioli onto the wrap and top with dressed snow peas, chicken and micro greens. Fold the bottom third of the wrap up, then fold the sides over, folding the foil at the same time. Secure the wrap by folding the bottom piece up and the top piece down (like a burrito). Eat in the same way!
Cherry Tomato Salad: ¼ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes ½ Pint Cherry Tomatoes, Quartered 2 Tablespoons Red Onion, Minced
1 Piece of Toast
The night before, in a large bowl, combine the chickpeas, avocado tahini, lemon juice and using a fork, mash until combined and still chunky. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a resealable container and top with a thin layer of water (to prevent the avocado from oxidizing and turning brown). In another resealable container, toss together the cherry tomatoes, onion, crushed red pepper flakes and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate overnight.
At the office, pour off and discard the water from the top of the chunky hummus and stir to recombine any residual liquid. Toast up a slice of bread and pile on some of the chunky hummus. Top with the tomato salad. Finish with some flaky salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy!
Breakfast Tahini & Chocolate Oat Cookies
Cookie mix: 3 Large Ripe Bananas 2 ½ Cups Instant Oats ½ Cup Peanut Butter (Creamy or Chunky) ½ Cup Tahini ½ Cup Chopped Walnuts 1/3 Cup Chocolate Chips ¼ Cup Light Brown Sugar Pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine the bananas and tahini. Using a fork, mash the bananas and tahini until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Form the mixture into 1-inch balls and place on a greased sheet pan. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are light brown and golden. Remove from the oven and let cool on the sheet pan for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Enjoy!
If you have a suggestion for our next featured lunch ingredient, let us know if the comment section below!
On nights when there’s no Blue Apron box in sight, you can make dinner from potatoes. A baked potato, baked to perfection – crisp exterior, fluffy inside – is the perfect start to dinner. (Sweet potatoes are amazing, too!)
But you don’t have to limit your potatoes’ toppings to sour cream, butter chives, and cheese, though all four make excellent crowns for your tater. Here are five out-of-the-ordinary ways to top, stuff, or smother your potato. Which would you try?
This is basically mac ‘n cheese sauce with broccoli thrown in. So you get your cheese and broccoli all at once, and together they make your potato great.
This vegetarian topping introduces Indian spices and tons of vegetables to the potato bar. Top with a dollop of plain yogurt, if you like, and a garnish of cilantro.
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