I bet you didn’t know we were asked to join the Brown Bag Challenge over at the Food Network? Well, we have been, and unfortunately, I have been so busy that I have not had a chance to write about it. It has been crazy over at the Chez Us household for the past month, in fact, completely non-stop. Despite the crazy, we have tried to bring healthy lunches into the office. I usually make enough dinner the night before, to turn some leftovers into lunch. It is really simple when you have a little left over roasted chicken, to whip up some chicken salad the night before and then pack it in the morning along with some crackers, cheese and fresh fruit. As well I like packing salads made of spinach, pears and a little blue cheese; light but filling. I find if there is a little protein mixed with a lot of fresh fruit or vegetables it holds us over until dinner.
One of my favorite recipes to whip up is this amazing lentil salad. Lentils are a great source of protein and are very filling, making this the perfect lunch time meal. It is full of summertime cherry tomatoes, fresh mint and tangy feta. I usually make a citrus dressing out of lemons and olive oil; but decided to change it up a bit after reading about Za’atar. Za’atar is a popular spice used through out the middle east. It is a blend of oregano, basil, thyme, sesame seeds, sumac and salt. From the research I have been doing, I have found there are different versions made with different herbs. The particular one I found had a bit of tangy taste, which I contribute to the lemony sumac. I did add a bit more sumac and I really enjoyed the lemony tang with the feta. This is a very refreshing salad that is bursting with flavors.
To make this salad a complete meal, I packed our lunch bags with some homemade hummus, lavash and fresh plums. Not only was it a filling lunch but also a healthy one. This recipe is also a crowd pleas-er for a brunch or dinner. It is perfect served along side some grilled fish or even roasted chicken.
Do you bring lunch to work? What is your favorite lunch to bring along side your business files?
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Chez Us is participating in Food Network’s Brown Bag Challenge 2011. You can find other inspiring brown bag lunches over at the Food Network as well as at these sites: |
Essentials of Nutrition: Brown-Bag Challenge, Break Room Not Required
The Undercover Cook: Buffalo Chicken-Stuffed Baked Potatoes
This Imperfect Plot: Week 4 (and a BBC side effect: weight loss)
Confessions of a Curious Cuisiniere: What Does Your Sandwich Say About You?
I Brown Bag: Brown-Bag Challenge, Day-by-Day
The FN Dish: Using Leftovers to Create a Brown-Bag Lunch
Carmen Fitness: Brown-Bag Challenge, Going Strong
Family Fresh Cooking: Top Ten Best Lunch-Packing Tips
Canadian Mother Musings: Caught NOT Brown-Bagging It
BoysNBerry: Sandwiches . . . and a Not-so-Great Frozen Burrito
Feeding Philosophers: Lovely Legumes
Healthy Plates: Vegetable Beef Soup
Healthy Kitschy Vegan: Peace
Ali Girl Cooks: Brown-Bag Shake-Up
All Things Splendid: Ch-Ch-Ch-Chili
City Life Eats: Day 16 and a Recap of This Week’s Lunches
Grecian Kitchen: Brown-Bag Challenge
Cooking Channel: Monkeying Around Lunch Box
Reve Noir: Brown-Bag Challenge Day 9, Repeat Again
The Garden Ephemerist: Brown Bagged
Adventures in Every Day: Brown-Bag Recap
Eating Omily: My Lunch Story
Nutritious Daily: Easy, Peasy Pasta
Chick Bike: Brown-Bag Challenge Days 15 & 16
Glory Foods: Hot or Cold Lunch, That is the Question
Recipe: Lentil Salad
- 4 cups green lentils, cooked
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- mint, handful, torn into pieces
- 1/2 cup feta, crumbled
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon zaatar
- 1/2 teaspoon sumac
- kosher salt, to taste
She cooks. He devours. Culinary capers in an urban kitchen in West Oakland. Other half of Chez Us can be found @laudalino on Twitter. 
yum! I always think of lentils in soup for some reason so this is a fun change of pace!
This looks delicious! I typically do some sort of quinoa or brown rice salad for lunch (http://bit.ly/prDMMS). But I’m going to add this to the rotation. Thanks for sharing it.
As a financially challenged college student,I brown bag it all the time. Today after my classes 9am-2:30pm, I went to straight to my office job and pulled out a salad I had made for work: Mixed lettuce, honey crisp apple slices, red grapes, boiled egg, feta, and a homemade honey dijon vinagrette that I put in a baggie so that the salad would stay fresh. I love bringing my lunch because I can usually make something better that what I would get at a fast food place and it is way cheaper!
Love this. I’m a big fan of lentils and variations of salads and this fits the bill. It’s also healthy and perfect for my packed lunch. This will definitely be making an apperance one day this week. Thanks!!
I love everything about this recipe, even the fact I’ve never used zaatar and am now determined to find it. I could live off of lentils, whole grains….like wheatberries and bulgar….now if I can just get my 5 kids on board.
~Kristin
Oh, I love lentils. We never played with them when I was a culinary school student, but I’m playing with them at home. Just made a lentil soup that was divine. Now, for the salad.
Great recipe with lots of Middle Eastern flavor. Lentils are one of my favorite legumes, so versatile and I don’t have to remember to soak them the night before, a big plus.
I’ve been wanting to try cooking with lentils for quite some time and this recipe looks delicious and refreshing!
A delicious salad! Lentils are so versatile and gorgeous tasting.
Cheers,
Rosa
Tried it and it was delicious! Adding to my list of favorites!