What’s lunch got to do with itI engaged in some frowned-upon behavior last week. On my way to a cake-supply store mid-workday (recipe testing, am I right?), I pulled a pint container from a tote bag and ate lunch on the subway. I had bolted from home and, having not eaten all day, grabbed a stash of leftovers from the fridge: Ali Slagle’s lemony orzo with asparagus. I threw a spoon and a zip-top bag of remaining bread-crumb topping in my tote. In front of God and about a dozen commuters on the C train, I poured its contents over my orzo and marveled at how good — if not better — the meal was cold the next day. Lunch is hard. We eat it on the go; we devour it at our desks; we, at times, work straight through it. With that in mind, I’m revisiting a few lunch-specific Recipe Matchmaker requests from last month, in the hope that we all stay well fed heading into one of the more chaotic stretches of the year. And for Karin and Brittanie, two readers who asked for high-protein, dairy-free, easy-prep lunches, keep an eye out for (dairy-free) next to the suggestions below. The leftovers-to-lunch-box pipeline
I think Ali’s lemony orzo is a perfect candidate for the cafeteria (and the subway car), but Hetty Lui McKinnon’s dan dan noodle salad, with curly ramen, corn, bok choy and a sesame dressing, is made expressly for eating at room temperature and makes “excellent leftovers for lunch the next day,” according to one reader. It takes well to seasonal vegetables and is easy to adapt to the palate and age of your child. “A hit with adults and very young children,” wrote another reader. “I left the chile crisp out and recommended it as a condiment on the table.” (Dairy-free, add some miso-broiled tofu for protein.) Another Hetty number that’s perfect for the busiest weeknights (and afternoons) is her no-cook chili bean salad. Top it with whatever combination of corn chips, tortillas, sour cream, avocado and cheese you desire — always a hit with the kids. (Dairy-free if you skip the optional sour cream and cheese.) Bored no more
Free yourself from the rut! While another bowl moment might be a little too close to your routine, hear me out: Skip the grains entirely with Ali’s spinach and feta lentil bowls, seasoned with oregano, red-pepper flakes and lemon, and packed with plenty of protein thanks to the legumes, cheese and jammy eggs. OK, a decidedly different direction next. We’ve got Hetty’s coronation cauliflower and chickpeas, a vegan spin on the regal chicken salad. Coconut yogurt steps in for the traditional mayonnaise and plays well with the curry powder, dried fruit and mango chutney. “This salad tastes even better the next day,” Hetty writes, “and any leftovers make a stellar sandwich.” Your tempeh sandwiches must abdicate. (Dairy-free.) Neither a bowl nor a sandwich, Kristina Felix’s smoky bean and sweet potato burritos are great for batch prepping, refrigerating or freezing, and toting. She has some advice for making them ahead, as well as reheating them (stovetop or microwave) in the recipe’s tips. The filling, spiked with chipotle chiles, is inspired by Mexican tinga and is just as good wrapped up in a tortilla as it is over rice and topped with greens. (Dairy-free if you serve with salsa instead of crema.) Some like it hot
Zainab Shah’s Kerala-style vegetable korma: Loaded with vegetables? Check. An hour or less? Bingo. (18 minutes!) Four to six servings? Right on the money. And if you have only broccoli in the house one week, give her broccoli korma a try, though that one serves around three to four. (Dairy-free, but a little lighter on protein.) A soup, like Kay Chun’s spring minestrone with kale and pasta, is another viable option for a warming meal, and is teeming with both broccoli and asparagus, just for you. Some assembly preferred
You, too, should peep those lentil bowls; Ali recommends dividing the components among individual containers for future lunch assembly. Similarly, Kay’s recipe for roasted eggplant noodles with cashew sauce comprises easy-to-prep and budget-friendly elements: vermicelli, a nut-butter dressing, hard-roasted vegetables and chickpeas seasoned with sesame oil and scallions. (Dairy-free.) And if that combination of eggplant and chickpeas speaks to you, perhaps you’d appreciate it over a salad as well. For Christian Reynoso’s eggplant and chickpea salad with olive dressing, you’ll similarly roast the toppings at high heat. Then prep and store the romaine separately from the shallot, olive and lemon dressing so it all stays crisp, and pack up herbs and crumbled feta for finishing everything off.
Coronation Cauliflower and Chickpeas
Smoky Bean and Sweet Potato Burritos
Roasted Eggplant Noodles With Cashew SauceFor a limited time, you can enjoy free access to the recipes in this newsletter in our app. Download it on your iOS or Android device and create a free account to get started. Email us at theveggie@nytimes.com. Newsletters are archived here. Reach out to my colleagues at cookingcare@nytimes.com if you have questions about your account.
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