Lunch is my least favorite meal of the day because I find it very unpredictable. Time and ingredients dictate which lunch I’ll choose. I never know what kind of lunch I’m going to crave until about 11am. If it’s cold, it’s probably soup or a hot sandwich. If it’s hot, it’s probably a salad. As you know, I also eat a lot of leftovers for lunch! Sometimes I think it’s easier to pack a lunch because your lunch is already decided for you!
- Here’s a post with tons of lunchbox ideas
- Here’s a post about kids lunchboxes (and I have another one coming soon!)
Here is what I ate for lunch recently – soup, salad, sandwich – and why they were delish!
What I Ate: Soup
If you’ve been a long-time KERF reader you know that I am very picky about my canned/boxed soups and salad dressings. This soup from Bar Harbor Foods was sent to me by the Marine Stewardship Council and I really liked it! The ingredient list was simple, and it tasted like a freshly made clam chowder to me. I added some Trader Joe’s Parmesan Crisps on top – perfect crouton topping. Only downside: no veggies in this one so I made sure to have a salad for dinner.
What I Ate: Salad
I have to rave about this salad because it comes from one of Cville’s hidden gems: Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. They have an extensive menu of delicious teas (seriously, any kind you might want) plus some really great salads and platters (look for the Goatherder!) This salad is my favorite – the Bazaar Salad – which is a huge plate of mixed greens tossed with ginger-miso vinaigrette, with feta, pear, candied walnuts, raisins, cucumbers, carrots, and tomatoes. And the herby toasted pita on the side is the perfect complement. I enjoyed it with a pot of Moroccan Mint tea while I worked!
What I Ate: Sandwich
I think this is the best sandwich in Charlottesville. Thomas often gets sandwiches out for lunch and he brings me one every now and then. From Ivy Provisions, it’s called the Gobbfather and is packed with roasted turkey, pepper jack, pickles, spicy mayo, and arugula on sourdough bread. Served warm!! (I think the combo of pickles, spicy mayo and cheese and warmth make it epic.) I would not put this on the healthiest foods list, but it’s damn good!! Usually I only eat half (it’s huge – that’s only half on my plate) and have something green on the side. The second half is just as good heated back up the next day.
So there you have it: three very different but very delicious recent lunches!
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog says
Always so fresh and healthy! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
Melissa says
All look very tasty! I’ve always thought soup/salad or sandwiches were ideal for lunch. There are a lot of options, so there’s always room to have something different each day, if one chooses.
Jenny says
These lunch ideas look so yummy and are making me hungry for lunch already! I often pack a salad/sandwich/soup combination. This reminds me of the days you used to share your lunch boxes from work. 🙂 Do you have any PLENTY meals for lunch this week? Those always looked so good and saved you so much time. Hope you share more lunch ideas soon – I always struggle.
Eliza says
Ha ha! I would rejoice if I never had to pack a lunch again. Between the disgusting work refrigerator and microwave at my office, and the fact that my husband and I keep fighting over the dishes that haven’t lost their lids, and the time spent either on Sundays or in the evening after work, doing prep for the next day. I’m so over it. A lot of times, I just skip lunch altogether because it’s too much hassle to pack something. And I work right across the street from Mezeh! Their menu looks delicious but I’m sure that what I make myself is healthier.
The sandwich from Ivy Provisions looks delicious! What is the vegetable you put on the side? Are those green beans?
Kath Younger says
They’re green peppers. And if I had a Mezeh across the street I’d be in big trouble!! Love that place.
The Many Thoughts of a Reader says
That sandwich sounds amazing! I hate lunches too. Today I used up leftover rice on a tortilla and sauted onions/eppers and topped with Bang Bang sIauce from Aldi. I have also recently used pita chips with peanut butter and topped with honey bunches of oats w/ almonds ha. I do a lot of snack plates too. I would love someone to make me lunch.
Elizabeth Weber-Falk says
Ooo I want the Gobbfather. I would share!
Kate says
Is that also some smoked salmon on top of the Bazaar salad? Trying to figure out what protein that is!
Kath Younger says
Yes it’s hot smoked salmon that you can add as a topping!
Kate Erlewine says
YUM!!!