Need cold lunch ideas

[Tradd]

When my company moves into the facility of the company we're merging with in several weeks, there will be about 50 people to 2 microwaves. Even if half those people don't want to use a microwave, being among 25 people competing for the microwave is not my idea of lunchtime fun.

So, ideas for COLD lunches appreciated, please. I need something besides my usual PB&J or sliced meat sandwich or pita bread, hummus, and olives. If it's vegan/veggie or easily adaptable, so much the better.

Caveat: no "fake" meats/cheeses; no tofu, tempeh, TVP. And no curry (I always get sick, even on authentic Indian cooking - the spices don't agree with me). I love Mediterranean/Middle Eastern food. My toleration for spice "hotness" extends to something the level of "medium" salsa.

Thanks!

[chrisgermany]

On most days my office lunch is: 1 banana + 1 apple or some other fruit that has to be finished, + some spoonful plain joghurt, all mixed and mashed in a glass jar, 3-4 spoonful of muesli mix (shredded oats and other grains, seeds, nuts, raisins). In summer I add some frozen berries to keep the mix cool until lunchtime.
The banana + grains fill me up well and keep me going till evening.
It uses up brown bananas: I regularly peel and freeze these, then defrost the night before in the jar and use them for my lunch mix.

[Acorn]

I've been making room temp salads with barley. I just cook the barley in water and then mix it up with olive oil and assorted veggies and seasonings. It's very tasty and healthy too.

[lhamo]

I've been trying to do the low carb thing for the past few months, and most of the food I take for breakfast/lunch is cold. I tend to be ok eating more or less the same thing every day, so the most common options I have been using are:

1) Breakfast: High fibre wasa bread spread with cream cheese and either smoked salmon or ham and slices of hardboiled egg.
2) Lunch: Green salad that is basically my variation on a cobb salad -- greens, cucumbers, green onions, red or yellow peppers for the salad base and small cubes of ham or sausage, pepper jack cheese and hardboiled egg.

I usually have some fruit with lunch or as a midmorning snack. Sometimes take a small amount of nuts for the midmorning snack.

I find these foods have enough fiber and protein to keep my energy levels up. If I didn't have the wasa bread stuff for breakfast I would be happy alternating that with a salad every other day.

lhamo

[Rosemary]

I usually pack salad for myself, too.
I pack hot foods for my daughter in a stainless steel food jar - she doesn't have microwave access, either. Prep the jar with boiling water, put in the hgt food, wrap it in a small towel, and put in an insulated carrier. She reports that it is still hot at lunch. We bought our food jars from Lands End, but many places carry them, from REI to Target to Amazon.

More ideas: see http://rosemaryevergreen.blogspot.com/search/label/Packed%20Lunch

[Mrs-M]

You can never go wrong with salad and wraps (all kinds). Additionally, homemade soup, chili, stew, and any other casserole dish could be easily packed in an insulated Thermos or food jar to add interest and appeal to a well prepared and wholesome sandwich.

[IshbelRobertson]

Aubergine dip?

Bulgar wheat salad - just add your favourite roasted veggies (eaten cold, they are delicious)
Pasta salads with peppers (? Bell peppers in the USA), sweetcorn, cooked frozen peas and a little mayonnaise.

I tend towards spicy foods, but the above are all pretty bland, easily digestible.

[iris lily]

I don't need most food heated up, but that's me.

One thing I used to take for lunch was tuna salad mixed with rice. I thought it was fine at room temp. This didn't have mayonaise, it had lemon juice and pickle juice and sugar as the marinade.

[Bastelmutti]

Greek salad w/ tomatoes, cukes, red onion (maybe not at the office!) and feta. I just use olive oil, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper for the dressing. Maybe a little lemon juice. Goes well with or in a pita.

Rice (brown or white) salad - can be dressed with an appropriate salad dressing & done with flavors from any cuisine:
Chickpeas, cucumbers, tomato, feta
Black beans, salsa, corn, green onion +/- cheese
Veggies plus some sort of soy sauce/ginger dressing, edamame for protein

I'm sure there are good combos with lentils, too. My sister makes a salad like this, which is very good:
http://www.5thjoy.com/2010/07/01/csa-week-2-recipes-lentil-radish-salad-in-thyme-vinaigrette/

[libby]

Smoothies are another option for you. Packed with fruits and veggies plus a little bit of protein and it will keep you going all afternoon.

[puglogic]

Salads and wraps. And I make some mean salads - usually with great greens, a few mixed veggies, a protein source of some kind, a fruit, and a nut (example from today: greens, shredded carrot, peas, minced red pepper, shredded chicken, chopped pears, gorgonzola cheese, pecans) Mark Bittman's "how to cook everything vegetarian" has some amazing ideas about these kinds of salads.
I eat it as a salad, or wrap it up in a tortilla or pita. Endless variation and I never get bored with it.

[Jemima]

Here's a high protein bean salad I often took along for lunch:

Chickpea and Olive Salad

15 oz. can Chickpeas, drained
2.25 oz can Black olives, drained
1 rib Celery, shredded
10 Green olives, sliced
4 T Bleu cheese or feta, crumbled
1 T Olive oil
½ T Red wine vinegar
To taste Oregano
To taste Cayenne pepper

Dump everything above into a bowl and toss. Makes about three servings


That's my version. Here's the original, from Prevention Magazine if I remember right:

Chick Pea Salad

1 – 16 oz. can chickpeas, drained
1 Cup chopped celery
2 carrots, chopped
½ Cup chopped roasted red pepper
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp salt

Again, mix all of the above in a bowl. Makes four servings.

[Miss Cellane]

Pasta salad is another option. Also, I bring cut-up vegetables to dip in hummus. Potato salad? Add some nuts or hard-boiled eggs to add protein. A lot of quiches are good cold, as well. Check out cookbooks for "substantial salads" or "cooked salads" for things like three bean salad and a lot of other salads based on cooked vegetables.

Here's a sandwich that takes a little time to assemble, but is very good. Sort of Americanized Middle Eastern.

sub roll
olive paste or chopped black olives
pimentos--thinly sliced
marinated artichoke hearts--slivered
tomato-sliced
feta--crumbled

Dressing:
1-2 tbs garlic-flavored olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard
1 tsp red wine vinegar
Whisk all together.

Cut the sub roll lengthwise, trying to leave a "hinge," and pull out most of the soft insides. Drizzle a bit of dressing on each half. Spread olive paste or chopped black olives on each half. Then layer the pimento, artichokes and tomato on one half. Put as much feta as you like on top. Drizzle with more dressing. Wrap tightly (foil or plastic wrap) and let sit at least 4 hours before eating.

Garlic olive oil. One cup olive oil, 4-5 cloves of garlic, a pinch of red pepper flakes. Simmer on top of stove for about an hour.



Focaccia bread's another thing I take for work lunches. I make my own pizza dough, but you can buy fresh or frozen dough.

Sprinkle a cookie sheet with cornmeal or flour. Spread the dough out thinly. Let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Then I put a bit of rosemary on the dough, and then I put a lot of stuff from the following list on:

thin sliced onions (red onions are good)
halved cherry tomatoes or thin sliced tomatoes
slivered marinated artichoke hearts
feta or goat cheese
sliced olives
any leftover cooked vegetables (green beans are surprisingly good)
capers

Bake in 450 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, until dough is golden brown on the bottom and cheese is starting to turn brown on edges. If you want, sprinkle some good olive oil and coarse salt over the top. Good hot, but also very good cold.

[pinkytoe]

My current favorite is black bean and sweet potato salad. Peel, dice and steam one large sweet potato until just tender. Combine with one can black beans. Toss with diced green onions, chopped cilantro and lime vinaigrette. In addition, I squeezze fresh lime juice.

[RosieTR]

When I have to go to class as my "lunch" break, I bring basically trail mix: 1/3 each of dried cranberries, walnut chunks and dark chocolate chips. Often also some grapes or an apple, and maybe some pretzels or crackers (peeled carrots/celery would work instead for a lower carb diet). Almost anything you'd take on a hike could work too: beef jerky, pouches of chicken or tuna with crackers, any hard cheese plus apples, etc.

[Mrs-M]

Wow! So many awesome ideas and recipes!!!

[Packratona!]

Tabouli. Pasta salads. Egg salad. Potato salad. Make your own sushi roll-ups. Homemade soup in a thermos. Hot dogs in chili in a thermos. Cold rice pudding.