Green Grain Bowls

One of my favorite segments on late night TV is when Jimmy Fallon writes his Thank You notes. He has a way of saying everything I believe but never knew I was thinking.

In my never-ending quest to be "hip" and "cool," I came upon the idea of grain bowls. Grain Bowls can be whatever you want them to be. The best way to sum up this mysteriously tasty but good for you concoction, is through a Jimmy Fallon-style thank you:

Thank you, Grain Bowls, for being a salad without the lettuce. 

After all, that's what they are. Every element of a really good // tasty // filling salad is right here, in one bowl, and it is not weighed down by just a bunch of soggy leafy greens. Oh no, quite the opposite.

In my grain bowl research (very official blogging business, don't worry about it), I learned there are some essential elements to a perfectly composed grain bowl. I also learned that the grain bowl is yours and yours alone, so you should make it and change it in a way that will make your taste buds sing. 

First, you need a grain. Or a grain mix. I, personally, detest quinoa (see above: reasons I am actually not "hip" despite my quest), so my ideal grain bowl tends to begin with brown and wild rice, barley, or farro. A protein is also recommended, as this will keep you full for hours. Rotisserie chicken, albacore tuna, or chickpeas tend to have priority at my grain bowl party. Robust veggies fill out our bowl, and leave just a little room for a handful of fresh leafy greens (though, remember, no salads here). We are almost there. A sauce or dressing cannot be forgotten, as it will bring everything together in a flavorful marriage good for your body and your soul. Toppings, too, because we need texture, interest, and salt. I'm thinking nuts, cheese (<3), seeds, avocado and a snipped herb or two.

So there you have it. That's how it's done. And that's how I created these Green Grain Bowls last week. I LOVE this recipe and re-made it a few days later in bulk for a week of delicious work lunches. What isn't to love about a brown and wild rice blend + roasted broccoli and brussel sprouts + rotisserie chicken + fresh spinach + a pistachio parsley pesto + diced avocado and pistachios and feta cheese? *insert prayer hands emoji here*

Now we can finally get excited about what's hanging out in our lunchbox! 

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad

I think picnics are an under-utilized date idea.

What is more fun and romantic than packing up a homemade meal, preparing refreshing adult beverages, and enjoying dinner in the park? 

Yesterday was the first perfectly warm summer day in Boston so Cory and I wanted to be sure we spent some time outside enjoying the sunshine. A picnic down at Jamaica Pond was just what the doctor ordered!

I prepared simple but delicious Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with a side of Dill Potato Salad. A great picnic meal should be easily portable and just as delicious chilled, warm, or at room temperature. For this meal, I prepared the potato salad ahead of time and the sandwiches just before we packed up to leave. 

I think the best compliment Cory gave was saying how it felt like we had bought the sandwiches at a nice sandwich place. And they are an absolute cinch to make, for far less dough than you'd spend at a local sandwich shop! The homemade potato salad is just a bonus! I lightened it up by using greek yogurt and dijon mustard for the dressing, and tossing it with red and yellow potatoes, celery, shallots, and fresh dill. Totally fresh and delish. 

Lunchbox Upgrade: Mediterranean Barley Salad

For those of us working the 9 to 5 grind, lunchtime can be a very trying time. I'm not being dramatic, I swear. See, around 12 o'clock a very real internal struggle happens. The struggle is between eating that very sad looking sandwich or boring salad sitting in your lunchbox or being weak and spending a lot of unnecessary money at one of the various lunch spots in the area.

For a while I thought leftover dinners would do the trick--they'd be warm and satisfying and something different every day. Sometimes, though, leftovers just fall flat. And that healthy salad we threw together the night before? Sometimes it just does not keep us satisfied until dinnertime (am I right?!)

This Mediterranean Barley Salad is the perfect lunchbox upgrade for anyone who needs something new and exciting to look forward to. Barley is chewy and nutty, a fulfilling whole grain that goes beautifully with roasted red peppers, sauteed zucchini, and tangy feta cheese. I dress this salad with a lovely, simple balsamic vinaigrette.

Mediterranean flavors are some of my favorite to work with. Beyond the amazing flavor in this salad, the best part about it is that it is equally delicious slightly warmed or chilled. It makes a satisfying lunch or a very interesting side dish for dinner with grilled chicken.

Mix up your lunchtime routine and give this salad a try! This recipe will make about 4 servings. Cook it up Sunday night then portion it into 4 separate containers and store in the fridge for an easy lunch solution the whole week!

Cheddar, Apple, Bacon Grilled Cheese

Has everyone gone apple picking this year? We went a couple of weekends ago and we are STILL working on our peck of Macintosh and Cortland apples.

I've literally been eating an apple a day. Last week, I had two in one day. So many apples.

I made a cinnamon sugar apple cake that was just BANANAS good (or...apples good?) and I thought "Oh, apple cake? This is going to use up a whole bunch of apples and we won't have to worry about any of them going bad!"

Want to know how many apples that took? Two. Two medium apples. Not even the biggest in our peck. Ugh, ok. Time to get creative.

When I was younger, I always remember my dad putting a slice of cheese on his apple pie and shielding my eyes from the terror. It always struck me as the weirdest thing in the world, because obviously apple pie should be eaten with ICE CREAM, not cheese. Wrong dairy, pops.

Turns out my dad may have been onto something. Salty and sweet is a flavor combination that makes my knees go weak.

Here's an incredible lunch idea that is going to use up some of those extra apples and also make your taste buds sing. Cheddar, Apple, and Bacon Grilled Cheese is everything that is right in this world. Ooey, gooey white cheddar, crunchy bacon, crispy apples all sandwiched between two beautifully golden brown pieces of bread. It's your childhood lunchbox, elevated to the next level.

I recommend an apple that has some tart notes to its flavor but is still softly sweet. Nice and crisp, but with a tender skin. I mentioned how we have MacIntosh and Cortland apples -- these are great, and honey crisp apples would also work beautifully. Surely a Granny Smith apple would be OK, but I almost think it's TOO tart for this sammy.

I also slather some Sweet Potato Mustard onto these outrageously delicious sandwiches. This is a shameless plug for my friends over at Green Mountain Mustard who make delicious gourmet mustards out of Vermont. The sweet potato mustard is out of this world--I put it on everything! You can order online, but if you don't have this mustard, a good dijon will do the trick!

I have a feeling I will be buying more apples at the store once we have made it through our first bundle JUST so I can have more of these amazing grilled cheese sandwiches! Recipe below will make 2 sandwiches.

Kale, Green Apple, and Feta Salad

Let's talk about a salad today. I want to talk about salad because I feel like I have been throwing lots of carbs and cheese and overall gut-busting (BUT DELICIOUS) food your way. Really, I just need some company to help me enjoy the pizzas, and breads, and cookies in my life. Thanks for being there when I need you the most.

Lunch this week has actually been quite delicious, which is surprising because lunch has been this Kale, Green Apple, and Feta Salad. And usually anything that is based in "kale" is already pretty low on my list of delicious. Sorry, kale...

The flavors in this salad are fresh and light. The tangy feta and sweet green apples love each other big time. Kale and toasted walnuts add body to this salad, keeping you full straight until dinner. Fresh cucumber and thinly sliced red onions bring the whole thing together.

I particularly love this salad as a lunch option because as all the flavors marry so beautifully in the refrigerator overnight. And since we are using kale, it stands up to the dressing without getting soggy. The dressing, on that note, is a simple cider vinaigrette. The apple cider vinegar keeps the apples from getting brown and sad-looking..extra win!

The composition of this salad is quite simple. I start by mixing together a touch of brown sugar, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. A big batch of kale is tossed in the dressing and set aside to soften slightly.

In the meantime, walnuts get toasted in the oven until they are fragrant and enticing.

Vegetables are sliced thin.

Everything along with feta cheese gets tossed together with the kale. And that's all there is to it.

Elegant and simple and tasty. Plus, this salad is packed with all sorts of good-for-you elements. If you are tired of boring sandwiches at lunch or need a filling dinner in a hurry, this salad is for you! Recipe below will serve 2 big dinner portions or 4 small lunch portions.

Lunchbox Makeover: Greek Cous Cous Salad

Soggy bread with cold cuts, wilted lettuce, and a slice of cheese. How often is this not-so-appetizing lunch awaiting you at noon?

I say, too often. It is nasty and unsatisfying. It is a gateway to endless afternoon snacking and a grumbling tummy come dinner.

Because I have not yet perfected the homemade, brown-bagged sandwich, I'll often scoot down to the cafeteria in my office and pay too much money for a meal that is chock full of empty carbs and who knows what. This is a waste of money and a waste of calories, I know. But what else am I to do?

Well, I decided it was time to be more aware of my lunch choices and to get creative with my lunchbox. It was then that I started thinking of salads and how I could make a salad fill me until dinner.

I am totally obsessed with Greek salad. Feta cheese, cucumbers, red onions, tomatoes....so many of my favorite things! Using this classic as my base, I pumped it up with some whole wheat cous cous and a homemade dressing. I have to say, this will definitely be a repeat contender for lunch time bliss!

Makeover your lunchbox with my Greek Cous Cous Salad with a Garlic Hummus Balsamic Vinaigrette!

Here's what you need:

1 cucumber
1/2 red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 red bell pepper
1 box whole wheat cous cous, cooked according to the package
1/2 cup feta or parmesan cheese
salt and cracked black pepper
Garlic Hummus Balsamic Vinaigrette (recipe here!)

Here's what you do (so easy!):

While your cous cous cools, finely dice your cucumber, red onion, and red bell pepper.
Half or quarter the cherry tomatoes.
Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Top with cous cous, dressing and cheese.

Stir well and enjoy!

These measurements will make two lunch-sized portions of this salad. It is refreshing and light, but also filling and flavorful! The perfect summer salad.

Do you have a go-to lunch that keeps you full and satisfied all day long? What was your inspiration?