Watch video above or scroll down to get the written recipes!
I’m a little late on the “back to school” train but here are some delicious and easy lunch ideas for school or work! Truth be told, I graduated university back in 2012 so I’ve been out of school for some time now. I also don’t have children which makes me very not-on-trend for “back to school” season. BUT I know we need lunches all year round 🙂
If you are someone that struggles to prepare lunches for yourself because you think it’s too time-consuming or difficult – look no further!
Also, if you are someone that wants to meal prep but you don’t want to eat the same thing over and over again, I’m giving you some ideas to repurpose some ingredients to make different meals.
I hope you find these helpful – make sure you watch the video above to see how I made these lunches and you can scroll down for the recipes.
For Recipes #1 and #2
For the first two recipes, we are going to make a simple Tofu & Veggie Mix which we can repurpose into two different meals.
Tofu & Veggie Mix Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1/4 tsp oil
- 1/2 block extra firm tofu, cut into long matchsticks
- 1/2 bell pepper, chopped into long thin pieces
- 2 mushrooms, chopped
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
Instructions:
- Heat oil on a pan on medium-high heat and add tofu. Sautee for a couple of minutes until the sides become slightly golden.
- Add bell pepper and mushrooms and sautee for a few minutes until the tofu pieces are really nicely golden and pepper and mushrooms are cooked.
- Add desired amount of salt and garlic powder, mix well.
- Take out and set aside half of this mixture then proceed onto the next step (tofu & veggie hummus wrap).
Now that we have our versatile tofu & veggie mix, we are going to make a delicious wrap as well as a teriyaki stir fry!
Recipe #1: Tofu & Veggie Hummus Wrap
Ingredients (2 servings):
- 1/2 of the Tofu & Veggie Mix (recipe above)
- 1/4 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp thyme
- For one wrap:
- 1 12-inch tortilla wrap
- 2-3 tbsp hummus
- 4-5 large romaine leaves
- small handful alfalfa sprouts (optional)
Instructions:
- With half of the Tofu & Veggie Mix remaining, let’s add in some basil and thyme and mix well. Add any other spices of desired.
- Then taking one tortilla wrap, spread hummus in the large middle portion of the wrap. Then lay down around 3-4 romaine lettuce leaves.
- Add around half of the seasoned Tofu & Veggie Mix (or however much you can fit!) into the wrap along with alfalfa sprouts.
- Cover everything with another large leaf of lettuce.
- Taking the bottom of the wrap, fold over everything and roll gently. Fold over the sides then roll over to complete the wrap.
- Lightly toast or grill the wrap if desired.
- Cut in half if desired, place into your lunch container and enjoy!
Recipe #2: Teriyaki Stir Fry Recipe
Ingredients:
- The other 1/2 of the Tofu & Veggie Mix (recipe above)
- 2-3 tbsp Vegan Teriyaki Sauce
- Desired amount of rice or quinoa
- Optional garnish: chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds
Instructions:
- We are going to heat the pan back up again and putting the remaining half of the Tofu & Veggie Mix.
- Once the pan heats up, toss everything around and add 2-3 tbsp Teriyaki Sauce. Turn the heat off immediately and stir well.
- Top with chopped green onions and toasted sesame seeds and serve with cooked rice or quinoa.
For Recipes #3 and #4:
For the next two recipes, we are going to be making a yummy oil-free apple cider vinegar and lemon dressing which we can use for both meals.
ACV Lemon Dressing Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 tbsp raw apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 tbsp dry basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions:
- Add lemon juice, tahini and maple syrup into a small bowl and mix until smooth.
- Then add in rest of the ingredients and mix well to make the dressing.
- Store in a tightly-sealed jar or container in the fridge if you don’t use all right away.
With this recipe, we are able to make many things – today, we are going to be making a Lemony Pasta Salad and a Quinoa & Lentil Salad. Both recipes contain tons of vegetables and you can adjust anything according to your preferences.
Recipe #3: Lemony Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 1 serving of pasta (I used fusilli)
- 1.5 cups fresh veggies of choice (I used broccoli and carrots)
- 1/4 red onion, chopped finely
- 2/3 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed & drained
- 2-3 leaves fresh basil, chopped finely
- Desired amount of ACV Lemon Dressing (recipe above)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Cook pasta according to instructions.
- Chop fresh vegetables you’d like to use.
- Once pasta is cooked, drain and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
- Add pasta with all other ingredients into a lunch container then mix well.
- Adjust the amount of dressing, salt and pepper according to your tastebuds.
- Serve cold. This should keep in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Recipe #4: Quinoa & Lentil Salad
Ingredients (1 serving):
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked
- 3/4 cup cooked or canned lentils, rinsed & drained
- 1.5 cups fresh veggies of choice
- 3-4 pieces artichoke hearts, chopped (optional)
- small handful of cilantro, chopped finely (optional)
- Desired amount of ACV Lemon Dressing (recipe above)
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Place all ingredients into a lunch container, close lid and shake well until everything is well combined.
- Adjust amount of dressing, salt and/or pepper if needed.
- Enjoy cold! This should keep in the fridge in a tightly sealed container for up to 3-4 days.
This Quinoa & Lentil Salad recipe is amazing. Really lovely recipe. Thanks for sharing amazing work.
Glad you liked it! 🙂