Salads For Satisfying Lunches

Eating a healthy lunch can be problematic especially for those who work in an office that’s not in the home.

Based on my experience, if I consume a protein-rich lunch, I stave off those late afternoon “sugar snack” attacks. If you don’t think you can last all afternoon, tote along a small handful of natural almonds for a heart healthy crunchy snack.

These two salads are beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and leave one feeling extravagantly satiated!

This light yet very satisfying salad is adapted from a colleague, Deborah Mintcheff. The base is made with chickpeas and feta. Baby sprouts add pizzazz to the salad, so don’t leave them out! Carrot curls and soaked red onions with lightly toasted tortilla quarters complete this delicious lunch entrée. If you like spicy, don’t forget the Sriracha sauce.

Adding grilled halloumi cheese (halloumi is a firm, brined, slightly springy Cypriot white cheese, traditionally made from a mixture of goat’s and sheep’s milk) and organic turkey breast to spinach and avocado salad packs the salad with double protein.

Bon healthy eating appétit!

Deborah’s Chickpea And Feta SaladAdapted from Deborah Mintcheff, recipe developer and cookbook editor

(Serves 4, generously)2 cups cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Large handful chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons tahini paste

Grated zest and juice of one lemon or more to taste

1/2 cup crumbled sheep’s milk feta

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 medium red onion sliced very thin

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

2 carrots, peeled and sliced horizontally with a peeler

2 cups baby green sprouts—choose your favorite

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

Prepared Sriracha sauce to taste for drizzling

4 flour tortillas warmed and cut into quartersTo prepare:Rinse and drain the chickpeas.

In a food processor fitted with the stainless steel blade, add chickpeas and cilantro and pulse two or three times only.

Transfer to a mixing bowl, add tahini, lemon juice and zest, pinch of red pepper flakes, feta, olive oil and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Stir to blend. Add a splash of water if it looks dry.

Combine the onion and vinegar in a bowl with a pinch of salt and toss with your fingers to coat and soften the onions.To tote the salad: Create the carrot ribbons and place them in a zip-lock baggie. Place the marinated onions and greens in separate zip-lock bags. The chickpea and feta salad works well in a pint-sized plastic container.

Refrigerate until lunchtime. Drizzle a bit of olive oil over the assembled vegetables; add the tortilla and a dollop of hot sauce on the side.Turkey, Avocado, Greens And Grilled Halloumi Salad(Serves 2)2, 1/4-inch-thick slices halloumi, cut into thin sticks

About 4 cups mixed greens, (baby spinach, arugula, and sliced radicchio)

3 scallions, trimmed and sliced

1/3 large orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

1/2 firm ripe Haas avocado, halved and thinly sliced

Fresh lemon juice for rolling

3 to 4 thin slices organic roasted turkey breast, rolled and cut into bite-sized pieces

2 Campari tomatoes cut into eighthsFor the dressing:Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

White balsamic vinegar to tasteOr for horseradish Dijon mustard vinaigrette:2 teaspoons horseradish Dijon mustard

About 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

About 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to tasteTo prepare:In a heavy dry skillet over moderate heat, add the halloumi sticks and grill until medium brown on both sides, about five to six minutes. Turn off the heat and prepare the salad.

In a mixing bowl, toss the spinach, arugula, and radicchio together with scallions and bell pepper. Halve the avocado, cut it into thin slices, roll them in lemon juice, and cut each slice in half again. Arrange the avocado on the salad greens.

Roll turkey breast as if it were a cigar, then cut into half-inch slices and arrange on the salad greens. Add grilled halloumi cheese and scatter tomato attractively on top. Transfer to salad plates or plastic container for toting. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.For the mustard dressing:In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and lemon juice together until blended. Add olive oil in a steady stream constantly whisking until an emulsion forms. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Just before serving, drizzle either oil and vinegar or vinaigrette over the salad according to personal preference.