Going to work? Brown bag your lunch.

I recently went back to work. While our building is going through massive reconstruction and renovation, the cafeteria space is reduced to a small counter selling coffee, tea, a large refrigerator for water and drinks and a small counter with one or two choices of hot dishes and a display refrigerator with pastries, sandwiches and wraps, and some salads. I've tried the salads: they are mainly little sad Caesar salads with slices of chicken, cooked, but God only knows how, and drowned in some kind of heavy creamy dressing. The hot dishes are not much better: the choices are limited, either fish or chicken, and they are always the same. Kinda makes you think: are these the same dishes that were here last week? Confronted with this situation I decided to take matters into my own hands and bring my own lunch. At the beginning my husband was very skeptical, but when he saw what I was going to have for lunch, he immediately was on board with the idea. Who wouldn't? He was having roast beef, smoked salmon, home made turkey sandwiches with just a smear of mustard, no mayo, just as he likes them. I was having my own delicious salads, and I was sure that they were not sitting on a shelf for days before I got to eat them. The best thing about brown bagging your own lunch is that you know for sure that you are eating good food, fresh food, and on top of that you are using the leftovers in your kitchen, so you don't have to worry about serving them again to a resentful crowd. We have established by now that in our house leftovers are not considered food, and unless I manage to completely change their appearance and maybe the consistence, nobody will eat them, and if mom is kind enough to accept them, she does it just because she loves me. My husband, on the other hand, insists that he does, love me of course, but not to the point of eating leftovers. The idea is to mainly use what you have at hand to create delicious meals that you can easily carry along with you. They shouldn't, in principle, need re-heating, an elaborate container, or add-ons. They should simply be a one dish meal, a nutritious one that would keep you going through the rest of the working day.

Today we'll start with a couple of nutritious salads, no sandwiches please, we're trying to limit the intake of carbs.

FAST AND EASY SALAD

                                                  
                                                     

This salad is the easiest one you can whip up in seconds. You don't need a recipe for it, you simply look into your fridge, check out what you have and with a little imagination create a delicious combination that will keep you satisfied until you come back home and start dinner. To make this salad, I used the last piece of leg of lamb I had from the other day, some rice from Chinese take out and some fresh ingredients I always have at hand. You'll need:

1/2 cup cooked brown rice

1 large endive

2  small cucumbers

1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese cut in small dice

1 cup diced cooked meat (I used roasted leg of lamb, about the size of a deck of cards)

1 tbsp canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

5 or 6 black Kalamata olives

In a medium bowl, put the brown rice and add the cheese and meat cubes. Slice the endive in 3/4 inch rounds, peel and slice the cucumbers and add them to the bowl. Drizzle with the oil, sprinkle some salt and pepper. I would start with 1/2 tbsp oil first and add more if needed. Also make sure that you don't add too much salt from the start, the cheese may be enough. Mix well then transfer to the carrying container. Add the black olives, and you're done. How easy was that?

SHRIMP AND BEANS SALAD

                                                         

I made this salad for the whole family and took some with me for lunch. It still follows the same principle of using what you have in the kitchen, it also helps with your spring cleaning of the freezer and pantry. I used the last leftover brown rice I had, but any cooked rice will be fine. You'll need:

1 (15.5 oz) can each: black beans and chick peas

1 (15.25 oz) can corn

1 (6 oz) can black olives, pitted

2 to 3 cups small cooked shrimp (100 count)

1/2 small container of Chinese brown rice

2 celery stalks

2 tbsp very finely chopped red onion, or to taste

2 tbsp canola oil

2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice

Salt and pepper

Finely chop the celery. Drain, rinse and drain the beans, drain the corn, and put them with the celery in a large bowl. Slice the olives into fine rings, add them to the bowl. Thaw the shrimp, make sure it's completely drained and add to the bowl. Work the brown rice with a fork to break up any possible lumps and add to the bowl. Sprinkle the chopped red onions. I used only 2 tbsp, you may put more if you like, everything should be to your taste. Add the lemon juice, the oil and salt and pepper. Mix well, cover and refrigerate. Serve in small bowls, and fill up a container to take with you to work. You don't need crackers, toast or anything else, all the nutrition you need is in the bowl.