Lunch break!

Over the past year we’ve been eating lunch at home. As your kids head back to school and many of us head back to the office we still want to eat the delicious, healthy lunches we enjoyed at home. Enjoy these quick, easy and satisfying meals that celebrate seasonal ingredients. Watch my appearance on Good Morning Washington ABC 7 WJLA here.

Back to school: I updated this apple and quinoa tabbouleh with kids-palate-friendly substitutions – rich pecans for earthy walnuts, sweet baby spinach for parsley and mild scallions for sharp onion. Its got fresh, healthy nutrition you love and a flavor they won’t be trading away at the lunch table. Kid approved by my friend Ali’s daughter Piper.

Back to the office: Minestrone pasta is a one dish celebration of the last few weeks of summer. The tomatoes and zucchini may not taste quite as fresh but a little extra help from seasoning and some extra time on the stove boost flavor and texture. By leaving out the broth there are no spills on the way to the office, and if the microwave is down it eats as a great room-temperature pasta salad. This veggie heavy dish has just the right about of pasta to energize you for the afternoon without putting you into a food coma.

Still working from home: Lunch at home, squeezed in between zoom meetings, wasn’t all fun and games. This arugula salad with sweet, roasted Delicata squash and sautéed mushrooms can be prepared ahead of time and quickly assembled for a lunch you can hold up to the camera to make your coworkers jealous.