Put some thought into lunch. Something as simple as actually setting the table and sitting down can make a big difference. What you serve doesn’t have to complicated. Here are some ideas:

• Serve Leftovers
• Make some soup or stew
• Fancy up a plain sandwich with lettuce and tomato or specialty breads
• Get a box of fancy crackers and serve crackers and cheese
• Add some cut up raw veggies and dip to your plain lunch

How about you? What is your best easy lunch recipe?

Zucchini Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
2 zucchini, sliced
12 oz. tomato sauce
3 cups Rigatoni
6 oz. Mozzarella cheese, sliced
1 tsp olive oil
Handful of shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 350F.

Cook pasta according to package instruction, then set aside.

In a small saucepan, boil a small amount of water. Add zucchini and cook until tender. Grease a baking dish and layer 1/3 of the Rigatoni, tomato sauce, cheese and zucchini. Continue layering until you have three of each. Cover with shredded cheese and add a sprinkle of olive oil.

Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Rice and Spinach Salad

Ingredients:
6 cups fresh spinach, torn
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil (preferably extra virgin)
1 tbsp honey
1 cup green grapes, cut in half
1 cup raspberries
2 oranges, peeled and cut into sections
2 tsp fresh basil
2 cups of brown rice, cooked and chilled
Salt and pepper to taste
Add spinach, rice, grapes and sunflower seeds to a large salad bowl and combine.

Blend vinegar, oil, honey, basil, salt and pepper thoroughly and pour over rice mixture. Toss until well coated then gently add oranges and raspberries.

This would make an ideal accompaniment to any BBQ meat.

Spiced Gourmet Popcorn

Ingredients:
1 tsp onion salt
1 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup popping corn
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp sweet paprika
In a little bowl, mix paprika, thyme, oregano, onion salt and half the vegetable oil.

Heat other half of oil in saucepan. When oil is very hot, add popping corn and cover with tight fitting lid. When the corn starts popping, give the pan a shake. When the corn stops popping, take pan off heat.

Place popcorn into a serving bowl, discarding any unpopped corn. Add the spice mixture and toss.

Great addition to any lunchbox.

Salad with Goat Cheese and Apricots

Ingredients:
7 dried apricots, sliced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 cups lettuces of your choice, chopped
1/4 cup pistachios, shelled
2 oz goat cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large salad bowl and add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss well and serve!

Miso Sauce with Almonds

(Makes about 1 ½ cups)

Ingredients:
¾ cup boiling water
5 tbsp almond butter
4 tbsp miso
Combine almond butter and miso in medium bowl. Add half of the boiling water and – using a spoon – mash the mixture until it resembles a paste. Add the rest of the boiling water and blend thoroughly.

Pour over steamed vegetables and tofu or add to hot whole-wheat noodles.

Ham Fried Rice

4 cups of cooked rice
1/2 cup cooked ham, cubed
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
Dash of Tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup fresh parsley, snipped
1/2 snap peas
1/2 cup carrots, chopped

Method:
In a wok, melt butter and sauté onions, carrots and parsley for about 2 minutes. Vegetables should be tender, but still be crunchy. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until well combined. Cook until the rice is hot.

Enjoy this delicious meal with the whole family!

Chilled Avocado Soup

Ingredients:

3 avocado (ripe)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 cup cream
2 cups chicken stock
Fresh mint to garnish
Peel avocado and cut into bite-size chunks. In a blender, combine avocado, green onion, lemon juice, sugar, salt, pepper, jalapeno, 1 cup chicken broth and process until nice and creamy.

Pour soup mixture into a serving bowl and add the cream and the remaining chicken broth. Whisk with wire whisk until well blender. Put plastic wrap directly onto the soup and put into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.

Serve chilled and enjoy this fantastic summer soup, garnished with mint leaves.

Cauliflower Bake

Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter, unsalted
4 cloves garlic, minced or mashed
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cauliflower, chopped
1/2 yellow onion
1 cup parmesan cheese
5 slices bacon, crisp and crumbled
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease oven baking dish

In a skillet, heat butter and sauté onions and garlic until onions are tender and slightly golden. Add cauliflower and cook for another minute. Transfer to grease baking dish

Combine eggs, parmesan cheese and crumbled bacon in separate bowl. Spoon into the greased baking dish, then bake for 1 hour.

Crusty Pizza Dough

From the Kitchen aid mixer cookbook. Can be doubled. — posted by Julia Rodriguez

From Recipezaar: Breads recipes.