A few of my recent favorite easy weekday meals to whip up while I’m working
Have you, too, realized that your weekday lunches have been lacking? And I don’t mean in variety, I mean in general. For example, I often get to 4 pm and realize I haven’t eaten a proper lunch. Not that I’m not eating, I’m most certainly snacking.
And, I want to be more intentional again with the food I’m making at home and how I’m fueling my body.
Enter: a few of my go-to easy weekday meals that I’ve been whipping up from the comfort of my tiny kitchen.
3 Easy weekday meals to whip up soon
Mushrooms on sourdough with herbed chèvre and dill
This is a new favorite. It took me nearly twenty-nine years to come around to mushrooms and now I love them, with a capital L. I look at them each time I’m at the grocery store and tell myself not to buy them every week so I don’t tire of them. Because again, I love them. Perhaps I’m making up for lost time.
This little toast idea came about on a whim, I had these ingredients and thought they’d work out nicely. I’ve tried other mushroom toast recipes that used cream cheese which was good, but not my favorite. So I swapped that out for herbed chèvre and bam, loved it!
Here’s how I whipped mine up:
- Toast a slice of sourdough until golden
- Sauté your mushrooms (please buy the Trader Joe’s frozen mushroom medley! If you can’t/won’t, that’s okay, just grab the prep tips below)
- Swipe on a serving of your herbed chèvre
- Top with mixed greens (you can also use microgreens!)
- Add your mushrooms on top
- Finish off with lots and lots of fresh dill and a pinch of flaky sea salt
Prep tip: If you live near a Trader Joe’s, buy the frozen mushroom medley. They are DELICIOUS. And so so easy to warm up on the stove. It makes this lunch a 15-minute lunch and I love it. If you don’t, prep your mushrooms in advance by sautéing them with olive oil, salt, pepper, parsley, and garlic until heated throughout.
Avocado & chicken rice bowl
This one takes a little more prep work, but it’s worth it when you’re wanting a lunch that packs a punch while filling you up. Bowls are my go-to. I love them, they’re easily customizable, and can be assembled in advance. Lately, I’m loving:
- Easy, flavorful rice
- Chicken breast cooked up using The Kitchn’s method (for spices, I wing it but often include cumin, s&p, ancho pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and some red chile flakes)
- Sliced avocado or guac
- Pickled jalapeños (the Trader Joe’s version of these is stellar, but I’ve also been whipping up my own at home!)
- Lettuce and grape tomatoes
- Habanero hot sauce
- Crumble up some tortilla chips for a little crunch, too!
Prep tip: Grab a quick cook/protein-heavy rice like Banza’s Chipotle Tomato. It’s delightfully flavorful and so easy to cook up. Plus it pairs perfectly with the flavors in this bowl. You can also whip up the ingredients in advance and store them separately in the fridge until you’re ready to assemble before you eat or at the start of your day.
Snack plate lunch (the easiest of the easy weekday meals!)
I love a good snack plate lunch. It may not sound filling, but if you use enough protein, they can be! My husband, on the other hand, is not a snack plate lunch fan nor an aficionado like yours truly.
It’s okay, I know we all like different things. Most of our tastes overlap, but it’s a hard no on this one for him. But for me, it’s a resounding yes! Here’s what I like to include on my snack plate lunches:
- Organic sliced turkey (no antibiotics)
- A few slices of sharp cheddar cheese (Cabot’s Alpine Cheddar is the BEST)
- Cucumber and hummus
- A handful of graphes
- A small square of dark chocolate
Prep tip: Grab a few Pyrex containers (or any storage container) and prep these in advance. Even if you’re working from home, having these prepped and handy are great for grabbing when hunger strikes.
ps. We just celebrated one year in our home! Feeling so grateful for this sweet little house of ours. Also…how has it been a year!?
What are some of YOUR favorite easy lunches?
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