Tomato, Avocado, Chickpea & Orzo Salad

When I found this recipe online, I immediately knew it would be great for lunches at the office.  At the house, we stock a bunch of the same lunch size Glad® containers, and anytime we make a big batch of food or have leftovers from dinner, we pack it up in these containers in individual sized portions.  That way, when it comes time in the morning to run out the door to work, we can just grab a container and go.  It's also nice to just always buy the same type and size of container, so that you don't have to always try to find the correct lid.  Somehow said lid is always nowhere to be found once you've already put the food in the container, or is that just me? :)

I usually stash a bag of salad and salad dressing in the office fridge (or I pack up some lettuce from home in another Glad® container), so this orzo salad paired with a more standard side salad makes the perfect lunch.  

I also love that this orzo salad is very enjoyable cold and easily transportable, because on particularly nice days - which we've had a ton of lately! - I can quickly sneak away to a nearby park for lunch, get some sunshine and breathe in the fresh air even if just for a small bit.  It helps make the afternoon much more enjoyable.  Also, since I've eaten a very healthy lunch, I don't get the afternoon food coma, desperately wanting to take a nap.  That is something I used to feel like I needed all the time.  Don't get me wrong, I love a good nap, I just don't like the feeling of having to take one.

I love a salad with a beautiful variety of colors and textures.  It makes eating what you've just created so much more enjoyable. 

Tomato, Avocado, Chickpea & Orzo Salad

Adapted from Love & Lemons

• 1 large tomato
• Olive oil
• Sherry vinegar
• 1 Clove garlic
• 1/2 C uncooked orzo (I love tri-color)
• A few handfuls of arugula
• 1 - 15oz can Chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 avocado, diced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Handful of fresh basil
• Handful of fresh parsley
• Pine nuts
• Feta cheese
• Salt & pepper (I prefer sea salt)

Chop up your tomato into nice juicy hunks.  Place in a bowl with a few tablespoons of olive oil, a tablespoon of sherry vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.  Crush the garlic (no need to chop - you'll be taking it out later) and place in the bowl.  Give everything a good stir and let marinate while you prepare everything else.

Cook the orzo according to package directions.  Strain and let cool slightly.

Chop up the arugula a bit, add to a bowl with the chickpeas, avocado, lemon juice, chopped basil and parsley, pine nuts and feta.  The original recipe did not call for feta, but I added it later and it was the perfect addition.  I prefer buying a block of feta and then crumbling it myself with a fork - that way I get nice big hunks and it tastes so much fresher to me than pre-crumbled feta.

Resist the longing looks of your adorable doggie - if you can :)

Once your orzo has gotten a few minutes to cool, mix that in with your greens and chickpea mixture.  Fish out the garlic from your tomatoes and discard.  Drain a good bit of the marinade from the tomatoes and finally mix the tomatoes in to your salad.  Voila!

Three pre-packed lunches - done.  It would have been four, but I couldn't resist immediately chowing down a bit :)

Kale, Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Salad with Dijon Dressing

This salad was super easy to whip up on a weekday night for a healthy dinner with a lot of variety, and I enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day.  I could also see myself tossing a double batch of this together to take to a family gathering at my Mom's.  Over the years, I've had some trouble finding raw kale salads that I've truly enjoyed.  This is definitely one of them.  I've always enjoyed steamed kale as a side but thought raw kale was too tough in a salad.  One of the major ways I've turned this around for myself is slicing the kale into really skinny strips.  Something about doing that really changes the game for me and kale salads.

Kale is nice and sturdy so it will last a few days in the fridge even with the dressing.  Having some acid from the lemon juice in the dressing on the apples helps to keep them from browning as well, so I'd say overall this is one of the better salads I've made to be able to fully prepare ahead of time.

The combination of flavors and textures here also feels more substantial than just your average salad.  The hubs even gave it two thumbs up (literally)!

Kale, Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Salad with Dijon Dressing

Adapted from Real Simple Magazine - September 2013

• 1 sweet potato - cut into 1" cubes
• 6 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and black pepper (I prefer sea salt)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 bunch kale (I used a flat leaf variety)
• 1 Gala or Fuji apple
• 1/4 C sliced almonds
• 4 oz shaved cheese (I used Swiss - next time I will probably try Gruyere)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Toss 2 Tbsp olive oil with the cubed sweet potato and season with salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until slightly browned and a fork easily pierces the sweet potato.

While the sweet potato is roasting, whisk together the remaining oil, salt and pepper to your liking, lemon juice and Dijon mustard.

Chop the kale by folding in half, cutting out the large stem and then slicing into thin strips.  Slice up the apple and toss in a large bowl with the kale and the sweet potato once it has cooled slightly.  Top with the almonds, cheese, dressing and lightly toss once more.  Enjoy!