Navigating vegan lunches can be difficult when it seems like lunch is supposed to be comprised of meat-filled sandwiches and soups dosed with dairy. Of course, leftovers are always as option, as are veggie burgers, pasta dishes, and more. But just because lunch isn’t the most important meal of the day doesn’t mean that it can’t be filled with delicious and nutritious ingredients that can be taken on the go! Here are five quick and easy vegan lunch recipes for everyday of the work week!
The Vegan Buddha Bowl
Photo courtesy of http://wellandfull.com/2016/02/the-vegan-buddha-bowl/
For a lunch that will definitely fill you up, go for Well and Full’s Vegan Buddha Bowl. Only a little prep is required – roasting some chickpeas, cooking some quinoa, and making a little dressing. It makes two servings, but if you only want one, the recipe allows for a lot of flexibility. Buddha Bowls are also a great opportunity to use up leftover vegetables in the fridge, so feel free to replace any ingredients or add more! Try adding corn in with the roasted chickpeas to make your recipe a little more refreshing.
Protein-Packed Kale, Avocado Hummus Wrap
Photo courtesy of http://helloglow.co/power-lunch-protein-packed-kale-hummus-wrap/
Hello Glow’s protein-packed kale, avocado hummus wrap requires no preparation besides slicing some leafs kale and avocado. The perfect lunch for on-the-go, this wrap will fill you up, and give you all the nutrients you need. Wraps are a classic lunch item, and this one is perfect for any who’s health-conscious and hungry! If you’re worried about it getting soggy in your bag, then put your sliced veggies in one container, seeds and hummus in another, and then find a spot for your tortilla. For some extra protein, try adding black beans.
Mexican Rice Soup
Photo courtesy of http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/mexican-rice-soup/
This recipe comes from Forks over Knives’ Recipe Archive, which is the result of the documentary’s huge success. All of their recipes are super healthy and delicious! It takes barely any time to prepare this soup, and requires about 45 minutes to cook. It’ll make plenty of servings, so it might be good to make over the weekend, and bring a serving in during the work week. You can also throw it together the night before and let it simmer while you do other chores around the house. It tastes amazing topped with vegan cheese, avocados, and tortilla chips!
Open-Face Roasted Tomato Sandwich
Photo courtesy of http://www.cearaskitchen.com/roasted-tomato-pesto-melt-vegan-healthy-gluten-free-easy/
Ceara’s Kitchen’s Open-Faced Roasted Tomato Sandwich is another recipe that’s easy to modify. If you’re really hungry, try adding in some spinach, arugula, vegan cheese, nutritional yeast, and more! In the event that you aren’t able to use an oven, or don’t want to, try toasting the bread first and then adding the pesto and tomato. Open-faced sandwiches aren’t always the easiest to transport, so if you need to bring it with you, try folding the bread together into a normal sandwich, but add a layer of plastic wrap or aluminum foil between the tomatoes so that they can stay separated when it comes time to eat them. To keep the bread fresh, you could also prep and pack each ingredient separately and then assemble them once it’s lunchtime.
Protein Packed Pita Pocket
Photo courtesy of http://ohsheglows.com/2011/09/12/5-make-ahead-vegan-gluten-free-lunches-part-2/
Oh She Glows is a great resource and blog that explores vegan eating. This pita pocket is a very quick and easy way to throw a lunch together – it’s also a great way to use up some leftover vegetables, grains, and beans from the rest of the week! Perfect for a fresh and filling lunch, this pita pocket is perfect for the summer and eating on the go. If you don’t have any pita, or don’t think you’ll end up using the rest, try using a tortilla or a few heads of lettuce to make a wrap instead!
