Asian Curry Spice & Jelly?
In the interest of saving some cash, I've taken to brown bagging my lunch and bringing it with me to work. It's really nothing special, and if you were to look inside yon brown bag, you'd definitely think my mother had packed it for me (except for one key difference - I don't put canned fruit in sterile urine specimen containers, pilfered from the hospital where she works - they double as a great grade school conversation piece, by the way.) Each lunch I pack contains a sandwich (of course), some Stacy's Pita Chips (my favorite snack food), an apple or an orange, some celery and/or carrot sticks, two individual Dove chocolates and a Diet Pepsi. What can I say? I learned from the best.
And, although I've been doing the bagged lunch thing for the past couple of months, the response from my co-workers has been one of perplexity, to say the least. Many can't understand why I would waste so much time in such an undertaking (clearly others have the same problem, which this article explains. I actually have to force myself to do it on occasion.) Others don't see why I would dull my lunch so, when the employee cafeteria serves excellent meals at fairly reasonable prices.
Were I not all that concerned with job enjoyment and security, I'd probably answer their questions thus:
"I bag my lunch because in doing so, I think it saves me a little bit of cash, and it means I'm less pressured to venture down to the employee cafeteria and eat with the likes of you. Secondly, I know what I'm eating this way, and how healthy it is/is not for me to consume." Then I'd look them up and down and say, "Clearly you can't say the same."
But, I very much enjoy my co-workers and I really am concerned about job security and comfort, so I don't say these things. I just like to daydream from time to time, and maybe stretch out a blog post here and there. In reality, it's 99% finance, and 1% health.
My coworkers have a point, however. Bringing your own lunch day in and day out can get very dull after awhile, unless your creative about it - which I tend not to be. My idea of living it up is alternating days and types of sandwich. Turkey on Monday, Ham & Cheese on Tuesday, etc... Clearly, I could use a little excitement in my life. That's why I was so excited to discover P.B. Loco. Hefty price tag aside, look at some of those flavors! Peanut Butter with CoCoBanana, Peanut Butter with Sun Dried Tomato (OK - that sounds disgusting), Peanut Butter with Raspberry White Chocolate. I mean, would you even pair these with jelly? It almost seems sacrilegious.
I think I'm going to order a can of this stuff (flavor to be determined although I'm open to suggestions), but in the meantime, I guess I'll have to rely on my own noggin for creative consumption. So, tomorrow - I think I'll eat a pomegranate, and Thursday... maybe a kiwi. Any of you want to throw some recipes or suggestions my way, feel free. In the meantime, chow down boys and girls. Say no to girth, and all that jazz... I'll catch you tomorrow.
And, although I've been doing the bagged lunch thing for the past couple of months, the response from my co-workers has been one of perplexity, to say the least. Many can't understand why I would waste so much time in such an undertaking (clearly others have the same problem, which this article explains. I actually have to force myself to do it on occasion.) Others don't see why I would dull my lunch so, when the employee cafeteria serves excellent meals at fairly reasonable prices.
Were I not all that concerned with job enjoyment and security, I'd probably answer their questions thus:
"I bag my lunch because in doing so, I think it saves me a little bit of cash, and it means I'm less pressured to venture down to the employee cafeteria and eat with the likes of you. Secondly, I know what I'm eating this way, and how healthy it is/is not for me to consume." Then I'd look them up and down and say, "Clearly you can't say the same."
But, I very much enjoy my co-workers and I really am concerned about job security and comfort, so I don't say these things. I just like to daydream from time to time, and maybe stretch out a blog post here and there. In reality, it's 99% finance, and 1% health.
My coworkers have a point, however. Bringing your own lunch day in and day out can get very dull after awhile, unless your creative about it - which I tend not to be. My idea of living it up is alternating days and types of sandwich. Turkey on Monday, Ham & Cheese on Tuesday, etc... Clearly, I could use a little excitement in my life. That's why I was so excited to discover P.B. Loco. Hefty price tag aside, look at some of those flavors! Peanut Butter with CoCoBanana, Peanut Butter with Sun Dried Tomato (OK - that sounds disgusting), Peanut Butter with Raspberry White Chocolate. I mean, would you even pair these with jelly? It almost seems sacrilegious.
I think I'm going to order a can of this stuff (flavor to be determined although I'm open to suggestions), but in the meantime, I guess I'll have to rely on my own noggin for creative consumption. So, tomorrow - I think I'll eat a pomegranate, and Thursday... maybe a kiwi. Any of you want to throw some recipes or suggestions my way, feel free. In the meantime, chow down boys and girls. Say no to girth, and all that jazz... I'll catch you tomorrow.
Labels: Lunch, Peanut Butter
posted by Eric at 10:29 PM
3 Comments:
When I went vegan, I had to bring my lunch all the time cuz it was almost impossible to buy vegan fast food where I lived.. so I'd cook a couple of microwave-friendly meals on Sunday, pack them up in tupperware and then all I'd have to do is pull a container out of the fridge. It did mean that I ate the same thing a couple times a week (cuz I'd make things in big batches rather than making five small different meals.. but it also meant that I got hot food (if so desired) for lunch. So, if the sandwitch thing is getting boring, try making a pot of soup over the weekend, packing it into individual servings and there y'a go. Also, sometimes, if I get really organized about it , I can use the same base ingredients to make several different meals.. like sauteing some bell pepers and onoins, adding basil, pasta, and tomatos for an italian thing or getting some tortillas add salsa and cheese and you have a totally different taste. I bring my lunch to work a lot, which usually makes me the odd person out too, so I feel y'a on that.
One of my favorite cheap and easy lunches is a Spanish-ish tortilla. Just saute some chopped onions, add some thinly sliced potatoes. Cook those until pretty much done, then add beaten eggs--enough so that you have something roughly the thickness of an omelet. Let it set on the stovetop, then throw it under the broiler for a few minutes. You can eat it in a sandwich, or just on its own. You can add cheese or other vegetables, top with salsa or (ew) ketchup or whatever.
Also, any sort of bean salad is good in the summer. You can add corn and things to make it caliente hot. And, as j-dog noted, mix it up: use edamame, nori and soy sauce for a Japanese bean salad, or cannelini, tomato and basil for Italian . . .
Clearly I am very excited by this post . . .
Jesus! The two of you are fantastic! I shan't go hungry at work again! Thank you!
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