The Brown Bag Lunch

I've been listening to Cameron talk about bringing his lunch to work versus eating at the many restaurants in downtown Dallas surrounding his office. I thought it would be helpful to write about work-lunches and give some tips and suggestions.

I was doing some 'googling' on lunch ideas, looking for ideas and different things to put on here. I found that leftovers are a great way to save money and eat healthier. (Well healthier than if you were eating fast-food. It's also better than eating a PB&J.)

Most of the time when I make dinner, I always have left overs. Most work places offer microwaves, and reheating your lasagna or pasta from the night before could save you around $8 a day on a lunch at Corner Bakery.

The key to bringing your lunch to work/ school etc. Is to be healthier than the options around you.

I found this recipe for sweet potato soup. Sweet potatoes are in season right now, and I love soups during the winter. And to top it all off, it's healthy for you too!

Sweet Potato Soup

This soup would be delicious on a cold wet day, similar to today in Waco. But would also be delicious the next day at work! Serve with crusty cheesy bread!

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. salt
• 2 orange sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
• 2 white sweet potatoes, peeled & diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 c. sweet white corn
• 4 oz. green chili's
• 1/2 c. roasted red bell peppers, diced
• 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream
• 3 Tbsp. turkey gravy powder
• Cilantro to garnish

Directions:

Fill a large pot with water, sugar, salt, sweet potatoes and onions. Boil until sweet potatoes are softened, about 20 minutes. Add remaining ingredients to pot, stir well and bring just to a boil. Serve immediately, slurping all the while. Store left-overs in refrigerator and reheat for lunch!

Chicken Salad Sandwich

This next recipe is a chicken-salad that we made in Horse Shoe Bay during the summer. Anna and I made it mostly, but it was my first time to ever make chicken salad, and to take apart an entire chicken for the meat! It has lots of flavoring in it, so all it needs is a toasted croissant or crispy lettuce.

All the girls at the lake ate the chicken salad right out of the bowl though, so it can be done!

Ingredients:

The best part about chicken salad, is you can really change the recipe to your preference. If you don't like an ingredient you can always substitute it for something else. A lot of people put celery in theirs, but I've always put grapes in it for an extra sweet crunch. And if you don't like almonds, cashews are great too!

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 cups diced chicken
• 1 cup grapes, halved
  
• 1/3 cup slivered almonds

Variations: like I said you can add celery, raisins, dried cranberries, sliced apples, cashews, pecan, walnuts, sour cream,  or mustard.

Directions:

Combine lemon juice, mayonnaise, and salt and blend well. Toss with chicken, grapes, and almonds. Serve on toasted bread or crisp lettuce. If you are making a sandwich...

• Toast the bread and add sliced tomatoes and lettuce. 
• Toast bread and add cranberry sauce and melted brie  

In the end, it doesn't take long to prepare a good and healthy home-made lunch.

Left-overs are great, as well as salads, soups, and sandwiches. It saves you lots of money and you can test your skills with some new recipes. I always look for some in my cookbooks at home or on sites like Food Network or Williams-Sonoma!