Since this is packed lunch week, I am focusing on foods that are great when eaten cold the next day – and also that travel well! Here are my 3 favorites left-over meals, which I make sure I cook almost every week:
1. Quinoa: Quinoa is a fantastic leftover grain and perfect for a next-day packed lunch because unlike rice, it doesn’t clump and solidify. If I am making a quinoa bowl topped with steamed veggies etc, I make double so that I can use it the next day for lunch topped with crunchy salad veggies and a good dressing. I also make a number of easy quinoa salads during the week, which can be eaten for dinner and packed lunch. Remember quinoa is a gluten-free grain, and full of healthy protein.
2. Couscous (aka Bulgar Wheat): Couscous is typically used in Moroccan dishes such as a Tagine, and is also used to make Tabbouleh. I love to prepare a veggie Tagine for dinner, make double the amount of Couscous needed, and create a simple Tabbouleh with it the next day: I chop up cherry tomatoes, Persian cucumber, scallions, olives, and tons of chopped flat leaf parsley. I use a simple olive oil and lemon dressing and I’m good to go. You can also add a little tofu or feta if you like.
3. Sundried Tomato or Pesto Pasta: I use Ancient Harvest gluten-free pasta to make a large pasta bowl for the family because its texture holds well for leftover lunch the next day. The key is not to drench it in a Marinara or Bolognese sauce, which is only nice when heated. Instead, I add chopped sundried tomatoes, fresh basil, and olives because the oil keeps the pasta from getting dry, but the texture stays firm.
Remember that packing your own left-over lunch is a HUGE money-saver, and is way better for your health than almost anything you can buy from a deli, drive-thru, or restaurant.
