This being my second year of teaching, you’d think I’d be much better at the weekday routine. You’d think I’d have that nailed down and be a well-oiled machine of productivity.
You’d be wrong.
Every morning, I wake up and make coffee. That’s the easy part. But then, every morning, I have to figure out what to bring for lunch.
I made this lunch bag a few years ago and gave it to my mom. I eat way too much food during the day to use such a tiny bag. I bring a grocery bag ‘o food.
The problem with this isn’t the time issue, but rather the fact that my creative food juices (ew, that sounds gross, doesn’t it?) aren’t really at their peak at 6:30 am and I end up eating the same hodge podge thrown together lunch every day.
It’s getting boring.
I could easily solve this problem with leftovers, I know. But you see, I don’t ever have leftovers. I get home late and throw together dinner, which means….no leftovers.
If I had leftovers, I’d bring them. I’m not one of those anti-leftovers people.
So, yesterday I made an impromptu “plan”.
Really all I did was make a whole ton (read: 3) of different sauces, went grocery shopping, and stocked up on veggies and meat.
So now, every day this week, even when I don’t have leftovers, I just toss some veggies and meat into a Pyrex dish, throw in some sauce, and lunch.is.served.
I’m getting smarter, see?
I know that looks like….well, it looks unappetizing, but it is really good. Zucchini hummus made with berbere (an ethiopian spice) on top of some veggies. And a big piece of steak on the side.
I also made Smoky Spicy BBQ sauce, using a recipe from an old Moosewood cookbook, and my all-time favorite salad dressing – a homemade version of Annie’s Goddess Dressing.
Annie puts crack in hers, I tell you what. Mine? No crack. (But still just as good. Better even, because crack is whack.)
While I had destroyed my kitchen I figured I should just go whole hog and make it into an epic morning in the kitchen.
If there was something that could be pickled in my way, I pickled it.
My fridge is now well-stoked with cucumbers, beets, carrots, and brussels sprouts, all soaking in briney vinegary goodness. Snack time will be a happy time around here.
And then, since there was no Packer game, I cleaned my house. Lame.
I also spent a bit too much time with Rory and Lorelai Gilmore and probably not enough time with my course planning, but I’m not worried. I can just distract my students with pickles.
….right?
Oh, and one more thing.
GO PACK GO!!!
Do you pack a lunch? Do you do the same thing over and over – the standard “Subway-Sandwich-and-bag-of-chips-maybe-a-carrot-stick-or-two” type of meal?
What’s your go-to lunch?
I just did a post on how I pack my lunches for the week. I’m a bit methodical about it. After teaching for 12 years, it’s what I have to do!
I want this ” cucumbers, beets, carrots, and brussels sprouts, all soaking in briney vinegary goodness.” — I know you’ve posted your recipe & method and I know it’s not complicated…but I can’t remember what it is. Lately i keep seeing all these refrigerator pickle recipes and need to make some! But with all the veggies you used, not just cucumbers.
It is so good to hear you are starting to get your good rhythm going! I do always pack my lunch and snacks. I really dislike eating out…
Go to lunch…hmmm… probably can of tuna with avocado and vegetables over more vegetables with an apple and a piece of unsweetened chocolate.
Snacks are usually nut butter and vegetables/fruit.
I have this mental image of you juggling pickles in front of your students..:D
I can relate to so much in this post–especially the fact that I also pack my lunch in a grocery bag! I go on kicks where I pack the same thing for a few weeks – this summer it was fresh blueberries, home-made granola, Greek yogurt. Right now it’s spaghetti squash, spinach, cottage cheese or chicken.
Snacks usually consist of apples(!), a granola bar, and sourdough pretzels.
I just drank a big cup of coffee – hence the stream of consciousness comment!
I wish I had a go-to lunch! I don’t really like cooking (plus I’m no good at it), and I don’t have a proper kitchen, all of which means that my meals don’t quite deserve to be called “meals”. I’m normally very pro-planning, but for some reason I can’t get a meal plan system going. I do it for a day and then rebel: how do I know what I’ll want to eat tomorrow, or what’ll be discounted at the shop? Things used to be easier when I had a freezer and more than half of a tiny fridge at my disposal…
GG! Coincidentally, I was spending ill-advised quality time with the Gilmores on Saturday. Just YT clips, though, as I don’t feel quite wealthy enough to splash out on DVDs yet.
If I’m really being honest, I only pack my lunch about half the time. But on days I don’t pack my lunch, I just don’t eat until dinner … I’m like a camel that way, I guess. PS – I love your (mom’s) lunch bag. You should just make a duffel bag-sized one for you
i pack my lunch every single day! my go to is usually some tinned fish (sardines in olive oil) and veggies with nuts/seeds
I love leftovers for lunch… but for the days I don’t make enough supper to take for lunch the next day, I make a big pot of squash soup or vegetarian chili and freeze it in individual containers so that’s easy to grab. Along with a frozen muffin or biscuit or banana bread or whatever… and fruit. And nuts. And several other snacks (I’ve been told my lunch kit is like one of those clown cars because it is packed far fuller than one can believe possible.) I always make my lunch the night before because I am not a morning person when getting up before dawn.