lunch Recipes

Letting Go of Control

I’ve struggled with the concepts of change and control for as long as memory serves.

From Drab to Bright

Deborah Madison has been an unquestioned member of my kitchen for over four years now.

The Lunch Predicament

Each day I face a dilemma sometime between the hours of 11:30 and 1:00.

Beet and Quinoa Salad with Provolone

An “Original” Recipe – Justin and I have a running joke in our kitchen.

Cabbage, Farro, & Bean Soup

A Warming Soup, No Matter the Weather – With the exception of that incredibly hard freezing snap that wreaked havoc on farms throughout Oregon, Portland’s winter has managed to cast itself as both mild and one of the driest in recorded history.

Flavors Without Page Numbers

This summer, I’ve noticed a distinct – and seemingly permanent – change in how I approach cooking.

Quinoa & Sourdough Panzanella

Endless Variations: Now, With Quinoa! – There are hundreds of varieties of panzanella, the classic Italian tomato and bread salad.

Avocado, Quinoa & Fava Bean Salad

Immediate Inspiration – Sometimes it takes me 45 minutes before I’m intriguted enough by a recipe to feel ready to head to the farmers’ market.

Avocado and Arugula Quinoa Salad

Quinoa in a Supporting Role – I can never eat enough quinoa – which is not to say that I consume quinoa for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but rather that no amount of it seems to fill me.

Carrot Soup

A Simple Carrot Soup – Carrots are always heaped on tables at the farmers market, but when overwintered carrots appear in April, I renew my enthusiasm for this versatile root vegetable.

A Fragrant Onion Tart

Storage Onions – You wouldn’t know it from this post, but we cooked with asparagus and strawberries this weekend.

Brussels Sprouts Pasta

Lunchtime Flexibility – The ease I referenced in my last post has stayed with me in the kitchen this week.

Mixed Mushroom Tart

Kitchen Exhaustion – If anyone had walked through my kitchen the Monday after Thanksgiving, they would have stopped in alarm.

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup

Spiced Butternut Squash Soup – We got carried away at last weekend’s farmers’ market.

Toasted Garlic Romano Beans

Cooking it Fresh: Romano Beans – I have to be honest: I prepared and ate this romano bean salad three weeks ago.

Zucchini Soup

Zucchini Glut – Lately, I’ve been feeling apathetic about zucchini.

Basmati Rice Summer Vegetable Salad

Finally: Fluffy, Restaurant-Quality Rice – I don't have a great track record with cooking rice.

Fava Beans on Toast / Pea, Ricotta, and Onion Salad

No Mushy Peas Here – Fresh produce can have an extremely limited shelf life; I have to stay on my toes to make sure we eat the produce we bought from the farmers' market before it loses its flavor.

Spinach Strata

Weekday Lunch: Spinach Strata – I've stated before that my ideal weekday lunch is seasonal, nutritious, and filling.

Fennel and Carrot Soup with Orange Zest

Weekday Lunch: A Winter Soup & Salad – I used to sporadically watch Jeopardy and my favorite segment was always the cringe-worthy question and answer sessions between Alex Trebek and the contestants.

Fennel, Blood Orange, and Avocado Salad

Weekday Lunch: A Salad to Brighten your Day – This is a punchy winter salad destined to bump you out of any winter doldrums, for a brief moment at least.

Root Vegetable and Herb Couscous

Weekday Lunch: Root Vegetable and Herb Couscous – I'm listing this meal as a weekday lunch, but that's not how I originally envisioned it.

Farro Salad with Mushrooms & Butternut Squash

Weekday Lunch: Farro Salad with Mushrooms and Squash – I hesitated to pick this recipe initially.

Potato, Cheese, and Broccoli Soup

The Only Recipe I’ll Need – Sometimes I make a dish and realize that I'll never have to experiment with another version of the recipe again: the one I just made is the only one I need.

Orzo with Broccoli Pesto

Weekday Lunch: Orzo with Broccoli Pesto – The most recent thief of my cooking motivation is the Fall time change.

Squash and Pear Salad

Weekday Lunch: Squash and Pear Salad – When I make a satisfying and seasonal lunch (and have time to take a few pictures before devouring it!), I want to share the recipe with you because if you're anything like me, lunch can be a sore spot in your day.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Chickpea Salad

Weekday Lunch: Roasted Sweet Potato Salad – I sometimes dread when the clock turns to noon.

Gazpacho

Weekday Lunch: Tomatoes – You say tomato, I say tomahto.

Farro with Fava Beans, Peas, and Tomatoes

Cooking it Fresh: Fava Beans – I'm going to keep this short and sweet because it's a holiday weekend.

Nettle Soup

Ouch, those nettles sting! – While we were in Portland, exploring the farmers market, we couldn't help but notice how many farmers' stands featured stinging nettles.

Mulligatawny Soup

Mulligatawny Soup – I wandered down to Root Hill Cafe yesterday with high hopes that they'd be serving my new favorite soup, mulligatawny.