Monday, January 04, 2010

Portable Foods

This was surprising:

Where do you most often eat your midday meal?



I didn't think that many people were home during the day. Most of my life I've eaten my midday meal away from home. At school, at work, in the car or on the train. No matter how many gung-ho articles there are about how easy it is to eat healthfully when you're on the road, it hasn't been my experience. Even brown-bagging means getting up earlier to pack it.

Some of my recent portable foods:
  • Sweet potato
  • Squash (the drier kabocha-type)
  • Dried mission figs
  • Pumpkin seeds
  • Soy nuts
  • Grape tomatoes
  • Chunks of my sprouted wheat bread experiments that no one else will eat
I'm open to suggestions.
________
Photo: Bix

10 comments:

Maria Verivaki said...

maybe it's the people who took part in the survey - i usually eat my midday meal at home too, but i'd say most people eat their midday meat elsewhere

Perovskia said...

Granola!

A friend of mine makes a *great* recipe (surprise: its vegan) and I can't get enough of it.

Unknown said...

fruits, carrot, yogurt with fresh fruits in it - addition of honey makes it heavenly, peanut butter/almond butter/tahinini/hummus sandwich, boiled egg, - small one/two cup containers are easier to carry small sized nutrious meals such as "kichri" ( rice mixed with lentils and spices) , millet and bite sized vegetables, tabbouleh, roasted vegetables and baked chicken/meat cut bite size, pasta, macaroni and cheese

virginia said...

My son still brings up the frozen sandwiches I packed for him (and me). They thawed by lunch, and kept the fruit, cold. I expect those sandwiches to be featured in a graphic novel someday!

He traded them for "lunchables", and my nutritious efforts ended up in the trash.

Every Sunday night I assembled meals for the entire week. Life was crazy, and time and money, limited.

Leo said...

My fave is Doritos and vienna sausages, ya just have to have access to a fork because digging out vienna sausages from the can is icky. My HEALTHY alternative to that portable snack is Babybel cheese and Wheat Thins, Wheat Thins are just great alone also. ;) peace

RB said...

For lunches:
Tangerines, oranges, grapes, apples, raisins, almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cherries, olives, dark chocolate, cheese, greens, spices, beans.

I back pack. I need portable dense energy foods for 4 or 5 days at a time. Some things I carry: raisins, prunes, almonds, walnuts, granola, jerky, canned tuna & chicken, tortillas, spices, peanuts, peanut butter, dark chocolate, cheese; gator aid powder(for quick energy) A back pack stove allows me to heat water so I can also have instant oatmeal, tea, coffee, hot chocolate; dehydrated pack back meals (most stew type stuff - chicken, beef).

Perovskia said...

Oooh.. yeah.. Babybel cheese.. good one..

Bix said...

Lots of great foods here. Tabbouleh, there's something I haven't had in a while. I may make some. Fruits are so portable but I just don't have a big sweet tooth.

Now Doritos, god I loved them. I don't do them anymore though ... Leonard, you're fearless!

P., what's your granola made with? Rolled oats, and ... ?

Perovskia said...

Cranberry Ginger Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup oat or spelt bran
1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped raw cashews
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds (chopped if desired)
1/4 cup softened non-hydrogenated coconut oil or sunflower oil
2/3 cup brown rice syrup or barley malt (1/2 c maple syrup or agave nectar can be substituted, though it may not create the same crunchy granola clusters)
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger root
3/4 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly oil a casserole dish.

Combine the oats, bran, coconut, cashews, pumpkin seeds, oil and syrup (or malt) in a large bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl, then add the pulp, too.

Transfer to the casserole dish, evenly distributing granola, and bake for 25 min, removing from the oven to stir a couple times for even baking.

Remove from oven, mix in cranberries, and allow to cool.

Stores in air tight container for a month or more.


.. Complements of Get It Ripe, A fresh take on vegan cooking and living, by Jae Steele.

Enjoy!

Bix said...

RB, this is a great list. I keep referring to it.