what to eat?

[crawmommy]

I love what raw is and what it can do, but I have a problem. I teach and find it hard to resist school lunches and I don't know what to eat for lunch. For breakfast, I do a smoothie sometimes. I am sick of salads( especially school). I need some ideas. Help!

[theresaann]

if you have a dehydrator, try pizza bread or enchilada wraps with avo, veggies, etc. That could be filling, easy and tasty!

[fuzzywater]

Hi crawmommy! I'm a teacher too and have been looking for good lunch ideas. My favorite: tacos. Make some walnut taco meat (try www.goneraw.com for the recipe - VERY quick, VERY easy, VERY yummy), on a collard leaf (or other green leafy thing) with some avocado and tomato. It's easy to make the "taco meat" the night before and you can chop the tomato the night before as well. Then all you have to do is take the wrapper, add the meat and tomato and slice up your avocado. One of my coworkers was moaning as she ate some!

The deviled egg egg-less salad stuff is quite tasty too and transports nicely.

I've also discovered that I love the Caesar dressing in Alissa's book, so I sometimes just grab that, a bag of pre-washed salad greens and some fruit for lunch.

Freezer fudge is a good one to take too, if you have a freezer available to store it in. I make a batch and just leave it in the freezer at work so it's available when I need a quick sweet fix before my next round of kids come in. (This is another one that most of my coworkers love.)

Hope this helps!

[crawmommy]

Thanks so much for your responses!! I will try those and you guys have put me at ease. As a teacher, I was starting to think this was impossible. I feel better.....

[RawFoodieMom]

Great thread, nice ideas. I was needing some new ideas...

How about these for more ideas:

- no-bean Hummus with baby carrots/celery sticks/cherry tomatoes
- mock salmon pate in big romaine leaves or other leaves
- big fruit salads
- raw chili, mmmmmm

Anything leftover from the previous night's dinner would work too!

Fuzzywater, how do you eat your eggless salad?

[fuzzywater]

For the egg-less egg salad, I've done a variety of things.... I've wrapped it in romaine lettuce leaves, dipped veggies in it, and just recently made some bread-like stuff from my juicer pulp, flax and sunflower seeds. Honestly, I think I like the romaine way best....

[RawFoodieMom]

Cool, thanks fuzzywater (cool name, BTW), I'm going to try it, everyone's been raving about the eggless recipe. ;)

[Veganforlife]

Yep, the egg-less spread is very good and does transport easily. Someone (sorry, can't remember who, maybe RowanC?) But someone cut up jicama and celery in it. I didn't have any jicama, but I did have celery and rolled that up in romain leaves - YUM-MEE!!!
Also, how about a basket of fruit? I have one on my desk and days when I either don't go home for lunch, it helps to have a grapefruit and a banana and an apple. It fills me up.
I wanted to add - school lunches? Blech! I work for a public school system. I USED to work in the food services department and it grosses me out that they serve that garbage. No wonder our students are not performing up to their potential. I'm sorry, but school lunches could be improved so much. But, once again, it's all about the money. I know our school system puts bids out and they take the lowest bid on food, and also get government garbage.
Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me)? This is on his agenda. Improving school lunches.
So do yourself a huge favor. DO NOT EAT THOSE LUNCHES!

[crawmommy]

I agree and I hate what it's doing to the kids too. Most of it is processed. If we could keep this thread going, it would be nice b/c I am sure that it's not just hard for teachers, I am thinking office workers too. Just a thought. Foods that are portable, easy to make, not time consuming, and can keep well would be great. I know that some people can just eat fruit for lunch and be fine, but as for me, it's not enough sustenance. I am enjoying the responses. Thanks a million.

[SeaRose]

I put the eggless salad in on tomatoes, just hollow out the inside a little, and put the salad in there. Really good!

I would suggest that along with a salad, make some raw cheesecake, and have a slice with your lunch. It is very filling!

Try some new salads, like the Waldorf salad in Allisa's book. A salad doesn't have to be just lettuce, tomatoes and dressing. Experiment so you won't get bored. Make three different kinds of salad and bring with a small container of each one.

Allright, now I am hungry.:rolleyes:

[blacktulip]

i love so many things for a midday meal!!

a bowlful of mushrooms (yup, by themselves!!)

a bunch of sliced apples with freshly ground tahini or nut butter (i make all my own in a coffee grinder)

bananas mashed with ground flax meal, shredded coconut, raisins, and a pinch of celtic sea salt, with a bit of water to make it blend like a mashed up cereal

an avocado mashed up in a bowl with handfuls of sprouts or greens, sauerkraut, or some homemade seed "cheese"

slices of jicama and red pepper with raw hummus or pesto to dip them in

all sorts of soups that can be made that morning and kept for a few hours at room temperature

my very own cheesecake or berry pie (in a smaller tart size or leftover from another day)

so many possibilities and they can be very easy to transport and store if you work in an office or school, etc.

good luck and enjoy all your delicious raw food and energy!!!!

[greenfeline]

When I was in grad school (and still now), I keep a cooler with ice packs in my car with all my goodies in it. I like lettuce wraps and crackers, salads, soups, etc... I have also found it is better to bring more food than you think you need. That way you are not tempted to pick up something else to fill you up. I had been making that mistake for so long, as it seems I have a huge appetite! Fudge balls or any dessert is good to bring in addition to your entree.

[Vegan Princess]

Flax crackers are great alone or with a dip. Also, I just made Alissa's collard wraps and they were really yummy and satisfying. I bring oatmeal for breakfast all the time...that's another option. Just put some steal cut oats in a tupperware the night before with water or almond milk and let it soak overnight then add some agave and banana when you eat it. Mmmm. The carrot pecan veggie burgers are super yummy and very portable.

Cindy