s/o RAC - help me with veggies at lunch - UPDATE on p.2

[tacosforlife]

Yes, I could have put this in the RAC thread, but a) I'm an AW, and b) I thought this title might attract some other peeps.

For lunch, I'm really into using my bento box for meat, cheese, veggies, and fruit. For example, I've included a picture of today's lunch - 1.5 ounces salami, 2 ounces cheese (1 ounce of 2 different kinds), 8 crackers, carrot sticks, hummus (ranch dip for H), and sliced strawberries and plum. If I cut things up on Sunday, these are quick to assemble for both of us, and I can keep things varied by buying different kinds of cheese, different kinds of fruit, etc.

But I'm a little stuck on the veggies. Carrots get boring. H likes yellow and orange bell peppers. But that's about it for raw veggies. I don't mind cucumbers, but there's not really much to them. I'm trying to think of other options, including maybe a small vegetable salad of some sort because I can get a silicone insert to keep the salad separate.

I found a Yummly page with some chopped vegetable salads, but nothing stood out to me. I plan to continue researching palta rellenas (avocadoes stuffed with vegetable salad) because I had a great one and that could be a good template for a salad, but I thought maybe the fabulous ladies of CEP would have some ideas!

[AJL]

Blanched green beans with hummus or lemon aioli
Blanched broccoli
Mini sweet peppers plain or stuffed with goat cheese
Jicama with lime and chili powder (or just plain)
Romaine hearts for scooping hummus or veggie dip or chicken salad
Blanched asparagus
Zucchini or yellow squash rounds
Shelled edamame

[Deleted]

I'm eating sliced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar for lunch. A bit of feta makes it even better. I have a million garden tomatoes right now, so it's tomatoes twice a day forever for me.

Snap peas are good for dipping.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:39:42 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

I'm eating sliced tomatoes with balsamic vinegar for lunch. A bit of feta makes it even better. I have a million garden tomatoes right now, so it's tomatoes twice a day forever for me.

Snap peas are good for dipping.

I mean, that is patently false because feta is the worst.

But yes! I should totally do this! I need to hit up the farmers market (I've been too lazy) because that's where the good tomatoes are. But H loves tomato salad with balsamic vinegar and salt!

[cattledogkisses]

I love fresh cherry tomatoes this time of year. Sungolds and black cherries are my favorites.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:39:29 GMT -5 AJL said:

Blanched green beans with hummus or lemon aioli
Blanched broccoli

Have you ever done a salad with one or both of these? I am thinking instead of dipping them, H might like them better if the whole thing is lightly dressed, like in a garlic aioli maybe? Trying to figure out an easy dressing for them.

[AJL]

Aug 27, 2015 10:45:37 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:39:29 GMT -5 AJL said:

Blanched green beans with hummus or lemon aioli
Blanched broccoli

Have you ever done a salad with one or both of these? I am thinking instead of dipping them, H might like them better if the whole thing is lightly dressed, like in a garlic aioli maybe? Trying to figure out an easy dressing for them.

I haven't but I'm sure it would be delicious

[tacosforlife]

I even have these adorable little screw-top sauce cups that I could put the vinegar in to make sure it doesn't spill on anything else.

His coworkers already think his lunchbox is cutesy. Oh man, just wait. I just ordered a set of the silicone inserts for each of us. I'm cranking the cutesy up to 11!

[Deleted]

Oh, and this pdf generally had lots of bento-type lunch idea:
cf.livinglocurto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Free-Printable-School-Lunch-Ideas.pdf

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:46:48 GMT -5 AJL said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:45:37 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Have you ever done a salad with one or both of these? I am thinking instead of dipping them, H might like them better if the whole thing is lightly dressed, like in a garlic aioli maybe? Trying to figure out an easy dressing for them.

I haven't but I'm sure it would be delicious

I should throw in some spring onions. I could take or leave them, but H loves them. Green beans with a garlic dressing and green onions? He's going to love me!

[FloFTW]

I love that broccoli salad that has bacon, raisins, and nuts on it.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:48:14 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Oh, and this pdf generally had lots of bento-type lunch idea:
cf.livinglocurto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Free-Printable-School-Lunch-Ideas.pdf

Thanks! Sometimes I just need a little help to get out of the rut!

H is not very creative on lunches, so this is my domain.

Although fall means the fresh veggie quality will start declining, it also means APPLE SEASON! Apple slices + peanut butter = the bee's knees.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:49:33 GMT -5 FloFTW said:

I love that broccoli salad that has bacon, raisins, and nuts on it.

I am not sure I've ever had raisins in mine. H would probably revolt if there were raisins in it. But otherwise, yes, I dig the broccoli salad with bacon. The question is whether I am too lazy to cook and crumble the bacon for the salad. Answer: probably.

[kadams767]

Broccoli, cauliflower, cherry tomatoes and pepper slices are my go-to raw veggies.

[Deleted]

Aug 27, 2015 10:52:52 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:49:33 GMT -5 FloFTW said:

I love that broccoli salad that has bacon, raisins, and nuts on it.

I am not sure I've ever had raisins in mine. H would probably revolt if there were raisins in it. But otherwise, yes, I dig the broccoli salad with bacon. The question is whether I am too lazy to cook and crumble the bacon for the salad. Answer: probably.

The bag o' bacon bits from Costco would change your life.

I'm not saying for the better or the worse, but there would be much more bacon. It's so good. 

[FloFTW]

Aug 27, 2015 10:55:27 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:52:52 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I am not sure I've ever had raisins in mine. H would probably revolt if there were raisins in it. But otherwise, yes, I dig the broccoli salad with bacon. The question is whether I am too lazy to cook and crumble the bacon for the salad. Answer: probably.

The bag o' bacon bits from Costco would change your life.

I'm not saying for the better or the worse, but there would be much more bacon. It's so good. 

Yes. This.

Also - cranberries? Dried cherries? I really like the pop of sweet. Doesn't have to be raisins!

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:55:27 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:52:52 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

I am not sure I've ever had raisins in mine. H would probably revolt if there were raisins in it. But otherwise, yes, I dig the broccoli salad with bacon. The question is whether I am too lazy to cook and crumble the bacon for the salad. Answer: probably.

The bag o' bacon bits from Costco would change your life.

I'm not saying for the better or the worse, but there would be much more bacon. It's so good. 

Bah! We were just at Costco last night, so it will be a while before we are back. It's a minimum 30 minute drive.

[pixy0stix]

I want you to pack lunches for me.

I'm not help re veggies.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:57:09 GMT -5 FloFTW said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:55:27 GMT -5 @tokenhoser said:

The bag o' bacon bits from Costco would change your life.

I'm not saying for the better or the worse, but there would be much more bacon. It's so good. 

Yes. This.

Also - cranberries? Dried cherries? I really like the pop of sweet. Doesn't have to be raisins!

I would do it in mine. H gets "cranberried out."

But we're talking about someone who asked me a couple of weeks ago whether we'd hit peak taco.

You see what I'm dealing with here.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:58:30 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I want you to pack lunches for me.

I'm not help re veggies.

I will say - it's not a bad gig. We have quite a little rhythm going.

I make breakfast and lunches. H cleans the litter box, preps the coffee pot each night, and usually does the breakfast/lunch dishes.

I will continue to make breakfast every day to avoid cleaning the litter box. I'm no dummy.

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 10:59:36 GMT -5 @mrswindycity said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:45:37 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Have you ever done a salad with one or both of these? I am thinking instead of dipping them, H might like them better if the whole thing is lightly dressed, like in a garlic aioli maybe? Trying to figure out an easy dressing for them.

I'm going to ignore your comment about feta.

Blanched green beans are really good in a salad. They're good with regular greens/lettuce salad and also in pasta or grain salads. Same with blanched asparagus. And if you are into grain salads then that will add a bunch of possibilities, because you can add roasted veg to them, too, which everyone knows are the best. However, I will not get behind your aioli idea because mayo is, in fact, the worst.

Also, oven roasted tomatoes go on anything and everything.

You like feta, which objectively tastes like vomit, and do not like mayo?

I am sorry that we can no longer be friends.

[chedifuen]

I love jicama sticks dipped in a spicy peanut sauce, cucumber slices dipped in miso ginger dressing and a salad made of lightly blanched broccoli, capers, lemon, garlic and olive oil

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 11:01:28 GMT -5 chedifuen said:

I love jicama sticks dipped in a spicy peanut sauce, cucumber slices dipped in miso ginger dressing and a salad made of lightly blanched broccoli, capers, lemon, garlic and olive oil

H loves capers and olives and all those briney, salty things. I don't particularly, so I never would have thought of that! I can always make myself a different veggie - I just really want to make sure he gets a veggie he likes in every lunch.

[tacosforlife]

Y'all are the best! Sometimes you just gotta talk it out to get the brain a-flowin'.

MOAR VEGGIE IDEAS!

[twotrue]

How about making some kale chips to dip in yummy hummus?

[tacosforlife]

Aug 27, 2015 11:04:38 GMT -5 twotrue said:

How about making some kale chips to dip in yummy hummus?

You have obviously not seen my rants about kale.

[FloFTW]

Taco salad!

[SallyJ]

I really love a Corn Avocado Salad I make. It has corn, avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onion, and basil with a champagne vinaigrette. I just use one of the corn steamers packages rather than fresh corn. I modify the vinaigrette to have 3 TBS of olive oil and 2 tsp of dijon mustard. www.myrecipes.com/recipe/fresh-corn-avocado-salad

I make that same dressing for a salad of avocado, cucumber, red onion, and tomatoes.

One of my absolute favorite things is avocado sliced with a few sprinkles of soy sauce and lemon juice, topped with pepper. Sometimes I will do lime juice, salt and pepper only on the avocado.

Other ideas:
Celery & Peanut Butter
Snap Peas & Hummus
Edamame

To be honest, I eat most of my veggies at dinner because I love grilled vegetables, but those don't work for lunch time.

[chedifuen]

Blanched green beans are also really good coated with this pistachio dust stuff. You take a small handful of pistachios and pulse them in a food processor until they are finely ground, them mix in smoked paprika, salt and pepper. Toss green beans to coat and eat at room temperature.

[ESF]

Aug 27, 2015 10:45:37 GMT -5 tacosforlife said:

Aug 27, 2015 10:39:29 GMT -5 AJL said:

Blanched green beans with hummus or lemon aioli
Blanched broccoli

Have you ever done a salad with one or both of these? I am thinking instead of dipping them, H might like them better if the whole thing is lightly dressed, like in a garlic aioli maybe? Trying to figure out an easy dressing for them.

Pesto makes a good dressing for cold vegetable salads.

Or olive oil, lemon juice, and a bunch of chopped fresh herbs.

I'm not the biggest broccoli fan, but I do make green bean salads a lot. I usually blanche the beans for 2-3 minutes and hit off with ice water.

Ditto the jicama suggestion. One thing I like to do with jicama is to take some chili powder and a tiny pinch of sugar, and mix the two together and dip the jicama in that.   I also use jicama in place of corn chips with guacamole.

Radishes are good. You can dip them in anything.

I also like Asian-inspired cole slaw.  It will hold up for a couple days in the fridge.