Let’s face it – life gets busy and even as we age, it doesn’t always show signs of slowing down. With the hustle and bustle of your day, it can become difficult to be creative when it comes to healthy lunch ideas. You may catch yourself in a rut of grabbing fast food on the go or eating frozen meals. Don’t let your busy life deprive you of creative, colorful and nutritious lunch ideas. You deserve better! These ideas can help:
Tuna Avocado Salad
This healthy lunch option can be made in minutes on a busy day. It’s the perfect recipe to share with your friends or significant other for a lunch party or just by yourself on a quiet afternoon. The ingredients are simple and delicious. Please note that this recipe only serves one person. Plan to double it if you are inviting more people over for lunch.
1 packet or can of tuna
2 tbsp smashed avocado
1 tbsp lemon, juiced
½ tsp ground cumin
Combine all the ingredients into a small mixing bowl and serve with wheat crackers, vegetables or whole grain bread.
Veggie Burrito Bowl
This is the perfect lunch idea if you are craving Tex-Mex mixed with a bit of Korean spice. This dish also includes colorful ingredients like avocado and chipotle chiles. Serves four. Here’s what you’ll need:
1 boil-in-bag brown rice package
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
3 garlic cloves minced
¾ tsp kosher salt
1 can unsalted black beans, drained
1 tbsp chipotle chiles
1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
⅓ cup chopped onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1 ⅓ cup of red cabbage, sliced
3 oz. queso fresco, crumbled
1 avocado, sliced
To assemble this lunch, cook the brown rice bag and drain the excess water. Then, heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and add cumin and garlic to be cooked for 1 ½ minutes. Slowly stir in rice and 1/1 tsp of salt.
Next, partially drain the black beans and place in a small saucepan while stirring in chiles and ¼ tsp of salt. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for five minutes.
Next, combine the remaining ingredients included ¼ tsp of salt, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, lime juice and jalapeno in a mixing bowl. Toss the cabbage with 1 ½ teaspoon oil and juice.
Finally, divide the rice mixture evenly and add bean mixture, tomato mixture, cabbage mixture over the rice. Add cheese and avocado to finish it off.
