Are you tired of take-out lunches? It can get boring to order from restaurants every day, and it’s just plain bad for you to eat all that greasy food.
Cooking your own lunch soothes the mind, brings peace to the soul, and nourishes the body in a constructive way. But healthy lunch recipes might be hard to come by. After all, there are many important nutritional factors to consider.
That’s why you need to start cooking with superfoods. These vitamin and mineral bombs are just what the doctor ordered for a tasty meal which leaves you feeling clean and full of energy.
So, how can you get started? Read on to discover which superfoods you need to incorporate into your diet, and 5 healthy lunch recipes which use them.
Which Superfoods You Should Look Out For
What exactly is a superfood? It can be difficult to define. However, superfoods are ultra-nutritious in nature. They must contain an abundance of one or more vitamins or minerals, and they are generally unprocessed. There are several delicious superfoods which are easy to incorporate into a healthy lunch:
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but these particular superfoods are inexpensive and easy to get your hands on. There are hundreds more, but many of them are exotic and difficult to obtain, or highly expensive.
5 Healthy Lunch Recipes with Superfoods
Ready to get cooking? Check out these 5 healthy lunch recipes which all incorporate superfoods.
1. Creamy and Creative Blueberry Chicken Salad
This chicken salad incorporates walnuts, blueberries, arugula, and Greek yogurt for an antioxidant-rich meal to nourish your body. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:
- 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cups fresh blueberries,
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup chopped red onion
- ¼ cup crumbled walnuts
- 2 cups baby arugula
- 1 tsp virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
This recipe is as easy at it is delicious. Once you have everything chopped, combine all the ingredients together in a bowl. Mix in the Greek yogurt and lemon juice last, then season everything with salt and pepper before mixing again.
This salad uses a combination of healthy superfoods designed to give you a burst of energy on your lunch break. You can even eat it for dinner if you have a mind to. This recipe makes 6 servings, but you can easily halve it if you want to make less. It stores well in the fridge, imparting extra flavor the second day.
2. Steamed Salmon with Kale
This salmon recipe incorporates kale and turmeric for an antioxidant-packed lunch which is full of flavor and energy-giving protein. Here’s what you’ll need to gather:
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ¼ cup basil
- 1 cup fresh kale
- 1 salmon filet
- Lemon slices
- 1 tsp virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
It couldn’t be simpler to make this steamed salmon and kale. First, arrange the herbs on the bottom of the steamer and place the salmon filet on top of them. Steam for around 11 minutes. Then, chop the kale and toss it with the olive oil and turmeric. Place it atop the fish and Steam for another 6 or 7 minutes, until it’s tender.
Upon removal from the steamer, squeeze the lemon on top of the mixture, and voila! A heart-healthy lunch packed with protein, vitamins, and antioxidants. This recipe makes only one serving, but you could easily double it if you don’t want to dine alone.
3. Sesame-Peanut Noodle Bowl
This noodle bowl has healthy peanut butter and sesame seeds to give you tons of energy while protecting your heart. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 8 oz package of soba noodles
- 2 tbsp creamy additive-free peanut butter
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp tamari
- 2 tsp Thai chili sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 2 cups broccoli florets
Cook the soba noodles in boiling water according to the package instructions. As that’s going on, you’ll want to steam the broccoli florets with the garlic and green onion. Alternately, you can stir-fry them with a bit of sesame oil, but steaming helps keep the fat content down.
Melt the peanut butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. Then mix in the honey, tamari, chili sauce, ginger, and sesame oil. Remove the soba noodles from the pot and place them in a large bowl. Then toss them in the peanut sauce along with the sesame seeds.
You can top the whole mixture with the broccoli and onions, or toss them in the noodles as well. This lunch is good for active people, as it has lots of complex carbs from the buckwheat in the soba noodles. These noodles could be classified as a superfood themselves, as they contain ample manganese, thiamin, and protein.
4. Vegetarian Detox Collard Greens
This recipe is based on the traditional Ethiopian dish gomen wat, and is packed full of essential minerals and vitamins to help you detox your body. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 lb. collard greens, cleaned and chopped
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp paprika
- ½ tsp allspice
- 2 tbsp fresh grated ginger
- 2 sliced bell peppers
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cups water
Boil the collard greens in the water until they’re tender and soft. This should only take around twenty minutes. Drain them and set the cooking water aside.
Next, heat the olive oil in a large pan and cook the pepper, onion, and garlic fully. Then add the cooked greens to the pan along with their cooking water. Turn the heat up to evaporate the water and add the rest of the spices.
This is a lunch meal which packs a mean punch, with tons of antioxidants from the turmeric and vitamins from the collard greens. This recipe is full of flavor but very light in calories, making it perfect for office workers or those looking to detox or cleanse their bodies.
It’s a great weight-loss meal as well. However, if you’re very physically active, it may not give you enough calories — it makes 3 serving of 180 calories each. Consider adding a protein source which goes well with collard greens. Ham or Canadian bacon is a good idea.
5. Tahini Salmon and Spinach
This tahini salmon recipe incorporates many eastern flavor elements, combining them with nutritious spinach and shallots. Here’s what you’ll need:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ¼ cup tahini
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 4 salmon filets
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 2 cups spinach, chopped
First, preheat the grill and brush it with olive oil to prevent the fish from sticking. Mix together the soy sauce and the tahini in a bowl. Brush it over the salmon and grill on each side for about 3 minutes. Alternately, you can sauté in a saucepan with ½ tsp of olive oil.
Next, heat the remaining oil in a pan and stir-fry the spinach and garlic together for a few minutes, until the spinach is soft and tender. Serve it atop the salmon for a delicious and nutrient-packed lunch. This recipe makes four servings, though you can divide it easily enough if need be.
Cook with Superfoods to Make Healthy Lunch Recipes
These healthy lunch recipes come packed with nutrients to fill you up and give you a boost in the middle of the day. Now that you know what to look for in a meal, why not get started and cook for yourself?