Nourish
1 HOUR OF PREP ON SUNDAY = LUNCHES ALL WEEK LONG (PART II!)
When we ran our first installment of this series, we had a feeling you’d like it—but we had no idea how much. We received emails thanking us for the idea, plus comments—both online and off—asking us for more. So we’re thrilled to be coming back to you today with the second installment of what appears to be your favorite cooking hack.
Once again, the always-inspiring Lauren Chandler shows you how you can spend just one hour of prep on Sunday and have healthy, delicious lunches all week long. So much easier than the morning grab-random-ingredients-from-the-fridge method, and a whole lot cheaper than buying lunch every day.
Here’s Lauren’s simple breakdown, including all the ingredients you’ll need, a 3-step prep guide, and your menu for the week. (NOTE: You’ll likely already have at least some of the ingredients in your pantry, so be sure to check before you head to the grocery store.)
YOUR INGREDIENTS
1 large sweet potato
2 large yellow onions
1 small red onion
3 lemons
2 limes
6 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño pepper
3 large avocados
¾ pound dark leafy greens (such as spinach or kale)
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint (around 1 cup of leaves)
5 sprigs tarragon
3 sprigs marjoram or oregano
1 ½ pounds salmon and/or cod (optional, for soup)
5 portions of fruit, optional
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground white pepper
6 dried unsweetened unsulfured apricots
¼ cup hemp hearts
1 can chickpeas, black beans, lentils, or other legumes
½ cup of your favorite nuts and/or seeds, toasted optional
Balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
YOUR SUNDAY PREP
STEP 1: Get going on the tasks that require heat, and prepare the raw ingredients while you’re waiting for the cooking to be complete.
- Bake 1 large sweet potato:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Prick the skin of the sweet potato with a fork 5-6 times, place on the baking sheet, and cook until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cool, slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise, dice one of the halves, and store in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the soup. When getting your ingredients ready for the soup, double the quantity of ingredients for step one (extra-virgin olive oil through white pepper). Once the onions soften, transfer half of the cooked mixture to an air-tight container and cover and store in the fridge once cool.
STEP 2: Prep your red onion:
- Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small air-tight container. Add the juice of two lemons and mix to coat and then store in the refrigerator.
STEP 3: Make the dressing by following step 3 of this recipe.
YOUR (EASY, DELICIOUS) LUNCHES ALL WEEK
M O N D A Y
1/2 sweet potato topped with cooked onion mixture, 1/2 cup legumes, sprinkle of nuts/seeds, small handful cilantro, drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
T U E S D A Y
Spring Herb Soup
W E D N E S D A Y
Green salad with 1/2 cup legumes, sprinkle of nuts/seeds, ½ avocado, pickled onion, mint, diced sweet potato, apricot dressing, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
T H U R S D A Y
Spring Herb Soup
F R I D A Y
½ cup legumes tossed with ½ avocado, pickled onion, tarragon, drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Want more ideas for streamlining your lunch game? Check out the first installment of this series here. And for hundreds more healthy recipes, head here.
When we ran our first installment of this series, we had a feeling you’d like it—but we had no idea how much. We received emails thanking us for the idea, plus comments—both online and off—asking us for more. So we’re thrilled to be coming back to you today with the second installment of what appears to be your favorite cooking hack.
Once again, the always-inspiring Lauren Chandler shows you how you can spend just one hour of prep on Sunday and have healthy, delicious lunches all week long. So much easier than the morning grab-random-ingredients-from-the-fridge method, and a whole lot cheaper than buying lunch every day.
Here’s Lauren’s simple breakdown, including all the ingredients you’ll need, a 3-step prep guide, and your menu for the week. (NOTE: You’ll likely already have at least some of the ingredients in your pantry, so be sure to check before you head to the grocery store.)
YOUR INGREDIENTS
1 large sweet potato
2 large yellow onions
1 small red onion
3 lemons
2 limes
6 garlic cloves
1 jalapeño pepper
3 large avocados
¾ pound dark leafy greens (such as spinach or kale)
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint (around 1 cup of leaves)
5 sprigs tarragon
3 sprigs marjoram or oregano
1 ½ pounds salmon and/or cod (optional, for soup)
5 portions of fruit, optional
2 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp. ground white pepper
6 dried unsweetened unsulfured apricots
¼ cup hemp hearts
1 can chickpeas, black beans, lentils, or other legumes
½ cup of your favorite nuts and/or seeds, toasted optional
Balsamic vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
YOUR SUNDAY PREP
STEP 1: Get going on the tasks that require heat, and prepare the raw ingredients while you’re waiting for the cooking to be complete.
- Bake 1 large sweet potato:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil. Prick the skin of the sweet potato with a fork 5-6 times, place on the baking sheet, and cook until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cool, slice the sweet potato in half lengthwise, dice one of the halves, and store in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the soup. When getting your ingredients ready for the soup, double the quantity of ingredients for step one (extra-virgin olive oil through white pepper). Once the onions soften, transfer half of the cooked mixture to an air-tight container and cover and store in the fridge once cool.
STEP 2: Prep your red onion:
- Thinly slice the red onion and place in a small air-tight container. Add the juice of two lemons and mix to coat and then store in the refrigerator.
STEP 3: Make the dressing by following step 3 of this recipe.
YOUR (EASY, DELICIOUS) LUNCHES ALL WEEK
M O N D A Y
1/2 sweet potato topped with cooked onion mixture, 1/2 cup legumes, sprinkle of nuts/seeds, small handful cilantro, drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
T U E S D A Y
Spring Herb Soup
W E D N E S D A Y
Green salad with 1/2 cup legumes, sprinkle of nuts/seeds, ½ avocado, pickled onion, mint, diced sweet potato, apricot dressing, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
T H U R S D A Y
Spring Herb Soup
F R I D A Y
½ cup legumes tossed with ½ avocado, pickled onion, tarragon, drizzle of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Want more ideas for streamlining your lunch game? Check out the first installment of this series here. And for hundreds more healthy recipes, head here.
