Day 208 - One Year's Worth of Work Week Lunches!

Half Pimento Cheese Sandwich, Sugar Snap Peas, Peaches and Blueberries, Cracker Crisps.

A year ago this week, I started making lunches for work.  I said I'd make and document four lunches a week for a year, a total of 208 lunches.  And here we are!  I decided to end with a classic, cold sandwich lunch.  A half pimento cheese sandwich on toasted wheat bread, sugar snap peas, peaches and cracker crisps.  I took it to a brown bag lunch conference, and I definitely had the best looking lunch at the table!

So, I seem to be at a crossroads and need to decide what to do with this blog next.  Should I just leave it up as it is?  Keep documenting lunches?  Do something different?  I'd love to hear your feedback - whether or not you'd keep reading, if there are particular things you'd like to see, etc.  Let me know!

Either way, I'm taking a week off.  I am just a little tired of making lunches.  Don't worry, I'll still be having lunches at work, but I'll give myself a break from the photos and the creativity.  Heck, I may have a chicken sandwich every day this week!  Ok, probably not...

If you're distressed over the lack of lunches next week, just pop over to my Lunch Ideas Pinterest page. Pin It Now!

Day 206 - More Delicious Salad

Can you tell I bought a whole lot of spinach last week and I keep trying to think of inventive ways to eat it?  Well, today that resulted in a very simple spinach and tomato salad with a white wine vinaigrette, a scoop of pimento cheese, peaches, blueberries, and some poppy seed crackers. 

That's really all of interest I have to say about this lunch, other than it's delicious!  You can check out my Lunch Ideas Pinterest page if you need more ideas for the week.  Only two more lunches til I reach my one year goal!  


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Day 200 - Cold Shrimp Plate

Baked Shrimp, Berry Salad, Wasa Crispbread, Goat Chevre, Cucumber Slices

 
Two hundred days of lunches!  Woooohooo!

Let's celebrate with a grown up, classic cold lunch, shall we?

Scouring for leftovers last night, I came up with some leftover baked shrimp, berry salad, wasa crispbread, goat chevre, and cucumber slices.  I spread the goat cheese on the wasa and alternated topping it with berries, or a combo of shrimp and cucumbers.  Delicious! Pin It Now!

Day 198 - I Really Just Want A Cookout

Turkey Hotdog with Wheat Bun, Berry Salad, Baked Beans, Potato Salad

 
So, in menu planning this week, I realized that I'm really just in the mood for a constant cookout.  Hotdogs, burgers, barbeque, whatever.  So, I made myself a big batch of potato salad and baked beans, and we'll see what else this week brings!

Today's lunch was a turkey hotdog on a wheat roll, potato salad, baked beans, and fruit salad.  I try in the summer to buy up lots of fruit, cut it up, and keep it in the fridge all week for healthy eating!  I try...I don't always succeed.  But I succeeded this week, making a delicious mix of strawberries, cherries, and blueberries.  Get ready to see a lot of this fruit this week.

Look at all that beautiful fruit!

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Day 194 - Baked Shrimp

Twice Baked Potato, Baked Shrimp, Grape Tomatoes, Orange Slices

This lunch is all leftovers, and wow were they good last night!  I'm hoping they're just as good for lunch today!  Last night I had a big green salad, twice baked potatoes (I'm on a kick with these that needs to end now), and baked shrimp.  So, for lunch today I packed a leftover potato, leftover shrimp, cherry tomatoes leftover from my salad making, and some orange slices.


I can't wait for lunch!

Baking these shrimp was super easy.  They'd be delicious on pasta, salad, or - as I had them last night - on their own.  These are so easy, even your culinarily-challenged friends could make them.  You should try it!

Baked Shrimp

1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 T olive oil
2 T adobo seasoning
1 T butter, melted

Gently toss together all ingredients and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake at 425F for 10 minutes.  Shrimp should be delicately pink, and the oil should be sizzling.  Serve hot, or chill in refrigerator for use in cold dishes.  Enjoy!

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Day 184 - Somedays, You Go Pantry Spelunking

Tomato Soup, Banana

Yeah, so, remember when I had a schpiel the other day about sometimes just doing the best you can?  Well, some Fridays you realize that you forgot to plan a day of lunches, so you go pantry spelunking.  And what you come up with is tomato soup and a banana.  And you smile, because even if it's not glamorous, you're still not buying your lunch at the cafeteria! Pin It Now!

Day 182 - I Had a Lot of Extra Feta Cheese

I really, really  love feta cheese. And I had some leftover, and no idea what to do with it.  So, I thought, "Hey!  Why don't I just eat feta for lunch?!"  So, I did.  I mixed feta, olive oil, kalamata olives, and red pepper flakes together for  lunch today, which I heated in the microwave for about 30 seconds to make a warm feta spread.  Soooooo worth all of the calories!  Put in some leftover pita bread, leftover caesar salad, and sections of a Cara Cara orange.  Good, healthyish, easy, and quick! Pin It Now!

Day 181 - Memorial Day Leftovers!

Hash Brown Casserole, Green Beans, Orange Sections.

I hope you each had a good, long weekend.  And I really hope that you all did a lot of good eating this weekend, too!  I got in some unnecessary but delicious calories myself - pulled pork, fruit salads, green beans, hash brown casserole, and ice cream!

Today for lunch, I brought some of those leftovers!  Hash brown casserole, green beans, and orange segments.  Yum!

Hope you're all having a good day back in the swing of things at work, life, and whatever you do.  Pin It Now!

Day 178 - Aren't Salads Easy to Make?

Spinach Salad, Orange Sections, Toasted Pita Bread

Alright, friends, due to some unexpected rearranging of my week, today for lunch I just packed a regular, boring salad.

Who am I kidding, and good spinach salad is never boring!

Spinach, dried cranberries, almonds, and a delicious raspberry vinaigrette.  Added some orange sections and toasted pita for crunch, and I was good to go.  Going to be honest, I'm a little worried there's not enough protein in here (which usually leads me toward the vending machines around 3:00 - eek!), so if you decide to make this lunch then you should add some chicken!  Or, more nuts, or shrimp, or even a little beef, or some grilled tofu with a raspberry drizzle.  Yes.... Pin It Now!

Day 177 - Sometimes, You Just Do the Best You Can

Poppy Seed Chicken over Rice, Navel Orange

I ended up working today - had to cover a shift at the hospital for someone at the last minute.  Which, of course, meant that I had to pull together some dinner in a hurry to bring to work.  And so, I grabbed my leftover Poppy Seed Chicken from last night and an orange, tossed in a Diet Coke, swiped on some mascara and got to work in a hurry.  And so, friends, above you see my very unglamorous, but delicious lunch. 

I considered not including it, because it wasn't very planned out or fancy.  And you've seen this recipe before.  But then I thought "You know, sometimes, you just do the best you can.  The last thing I want for this blog is to represent some illusion that every meal should be planned out.  Sometimes, life happens, and sometimes when life happens you fall short of your plan.  It's not the end of the world."

I see all these beautiful lunches that people make, especially for their children, and I appreciate all of the love and creativity that gets put into those projects.  At the same time, though, I appreciate others who just pull lunches together with a lick and a promise because they need to spend more time helping their kids with homework, or doing something nice for themselves, or covering a work shift for a friend.  Life happens.  And so, I've added this lunch to the "life happens" file, because I want to be clear that I make lunches because I enjoy them, not because I have to, and not because I don't sometimes run out of time. :) Pin It Now!

Day 175 - Leftover Zaxby's

Zaxby's Boneless Wings with Hot Honey Mustard Sauce, Celery, Carrots, Apple Slices

Zaxby's is one of my favorite indulgences.  It's some of the only fast food I will eat, and I get it for myself every once in a while.  I was out at a professional event until 9:00 last night, and just didn't feel like being creative for lunch today.  So, I bought some Zaxby's boneless wings and added in celery, apples, and carrots. 

Easiest lunch ever.  Pin It Now!

Day 172 - PB&J

PB&J, pretzels, cantaloupe.

It's happened.  I've been fighting it for 172 days, but here it is:  My first PB&J for lunch.  I couldn't help it - I was so tired, so uncreative, and that white bread looked so inviting!  To be fair, I do usually buy the thin white bread from the store, which makes me feel like I'm being a little healthier.  Right?  Well, at least I added cantaloupe, that's healthy!  And, pretzels...

I feel like a little bit of a lunch fail, and yet this was so inevitable. AND delicious!  Pin It Now!

Day 168 - Breakfast in a Box

English Muffin, Blackberry Jelly, String Cheese, Cantaloupe, Yogurt Covered Raisins, Cashews.

Very easy lunch today, friends. And, mostly pulled randomly from my refrigerator (are you noticing that trend this week?).  English muffin for a carb with blackberry jelly, string cheese and cashews for protein, cantaloupe for vitamins, and yogurt covered raisins for dessert.  Super fast, easy, and relatively healthy!  And rather breakfasty, which you know I love. Pin It Now!

Day 166 - Wasa and Toppings

Wasa Crispbread, goat cheese, pepperoni, strawberries, blackberries.

 I really like Wasa Crispbreads.  My parents always talked about them like they're the worst diet food in the world, but I find them to be an excellent vehicle for cheese, vegetables, and fruit.  I usually keep a pack or two around the house, and top them with goat cheese and apples when I need a quick, healthy snack.  Today for lunch, I packed sesame Wasa and goat cheese, as well as other things randomly selected from my fridge - blackberries, strawberries, and pepperoni.  Both the berries and the pepperoni were great toppings with the Wasa and goat cheese, so I got to have several little creative moments at lunch!

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Day 165 - Takeout Dumplings

Leftover dumplings, soy sauce, honeydew melon, dried pineapple, yogurt covered raisins.

I had leftover dumplings from takeout last night, so guess what I had for lunch today!  You guessed it, dumplings!  They were so good...little bits of shrimp and pork and vegetables and happiness!  I added in some honeydew melon, dried pineapple, and yogurt covered raisins, and I was one happy lunch-eater.

I promise to be more creative later in the week.  But today is Monday, and I'm proud of myself for even packing a lunch to begin with. :) Pin It Now!

Day 164 - The Laziest Lunch Ever

Pancakes, Syrup, Strawberries

This is the laziest lunch I've ever made.  Seriously.  Why?  Because I was too tired last night to pay attention, and too busy this morning to make up anything more creative.  Some Fridays are just like that!  So, I quickly microwaved some Eggo pancakes - not even real pancakes, just frozen ones.  Then I threw in whole strawberries - not even cut up - and some maple syrup.  And by the way today is shaping up, I'll probably eat this lunch with my left hand while I type with my right.  Oh, Fridays!

Here's hoping your Friday and your weekend are much more relaxing and peaceful! Pin It Now!

Day 162 - Pork Sliders

Pork Tenderloin Sliders, Teriyaki Sauce, Watermelon, Dried Green Beans

 
Remember when I said yesterday that I had some leftover pork to use up?  I made my Cranberry Dijon Pork Tenderloin on Sunday, and so today I had pork tenderloin sliders for lunch!  I put them on little homemade country white rolls with some teriyaki  on the side for dipping.  I put some watermelon (which is getting fresh again, YAY!), and TJ's dried green beans on the side.  Pin It Now!

Day 158 - Chicken Drumsticks

Chicken drumsticks, dried apricots, cashews, rice cakes, strawberries & blueberries.

When you buy a rotisserie chicken, do you have a hard time not just tugging off the legs and eating them right there at the kitchen counter?

No?

Ok, me either....

Ahem, but I do love those little drumsticks.  So, I made a lunch for today with chicken drumsticks, cashews, dried apricots, mini rice cakes, strawberries, and blueberries.  So good, fun to snack on during the day, and super fast to throw together in the morning!

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Day 156 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Green Salad

Cucumber, Grape Tomatoes, Green Salad, Grapes, Mini Wheat Pita

Delicious lunch today!  Cucumbers, grapes, tomatoes, mini pitas, and a green salad with julienned vegetables.  I whipped up that bagged salad for dinner last night, so I just popped the already dressed salad in with my other delicious healthy treats.  I wish I had included a little more protein, but I certainly got an energizing burst of vitamins with this lunch!

Next week I'll be using one rotisserie chicken for all of my lunches; in the meantime, you can check out my Pinterest Board of Lunch Ideas for inspiration.  Happy Weekend! Pin It Now!

Day 155 - Fruit and Veggie Box with Goat Cheese

Whole wheat pita, cucumber, grape tomatoes, edamame, marinated goat cheese, green grapes.

Today's special treat is some goat chevre drizzled with a little olive oil and honey, which I let soften before lunch and spread all over some whole wheat pita.  Yum.  Packed it with some grapes (yum!), tomatoes (ok, I'm getting a little tired of these), cucumbers, and edamame.  Since goat chevre is a pretty low fat cheese, as cheeses go, I felt really good about the health factor in this meal. 

In other news, if you're looking for good lunch box ideas that also use the Easy Lunchbox system, try checking out Kelly Lester's Easy Lunchbox Facebook page.  She's the creator of these ingenious little devices, and features lots of great bloggers on her page! Pin It Now!