Tag Archives: quick lunch idea

Finances, Healthy, Less than 5, Main Dishes, Salads, Side dishes, Vegetarian

Mandarin-Cherry Tuna Salad

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For a quick, healthy lunch, tuna salad is always a go-to.  Pretty much all you need is a can or pouch of tuna and some lemon juice, but there are infinite ways you can spruce it up.
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For example:
  • Add a chopped hard boiled egg
  • Toss in diced celery
  • Shred up some carrots
  • Add chunks of apple
  • Spoon in a few tbsp of relish
  • Hot sauce!

And many more options, as creative as your mind can dream up.  This particular recipe came about because the baby oranges were on sale, and we needed to use some up before they dried out and became inedible.  Oranges go great with tuna, but I wanted just a little bit more to round out the flavor.  Dried cherries were just the thing.  Feel free to use raisins or cranberries if that is what you have.

Ingredients:

  • 1 can or pouch of tuna, drained
  • 1 small orange (or 1/2 can mandarin orange slices)
  • 1 tbsp dried cherries (or cranberries or raisins)
  • 1 tbsp mayo or miracle whip
  • 1 tsp lemon juice or cider vinegar
  • 1-2 cups chopped greens, or a wrap, or 2 slices of bread
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Step 1: Open and drain a can of tuna, mix in a bowl with the mayo and lemon juice.  Add in the cherries.

Step 2: Either wrap it up, make it into a sandwich, or serve it over a salad, topped with the orange slices.  Season to taste and enjoy!

Less than 5, Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Peanut butter, banana and Nutella sandwich

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This was a spur of the moment creation while packing for a hiking trip. We were attempting a 14-er (peak higher than 14,000 feet) and it would be a 5-7 hour climb round trip. When I do long hikes I like more than just a few granola bars and trail mix.
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So I made a peanut butter sandwich, then noticed a banana on the counter about to go bad. Sliced that guy up and added it on top of the Jif. Then I remembered I had bought Nutella a few weeks before and it was in the refrigerator still, so that was the finishing touch on this buttery, peanutty, fruity delight.
Ingredients:
  • 2 slices wheat bread
  • 1 tbsp peanut butter
  • 2/3 banana, sliced
  • 1 tbsp Nutella spread
Step 1: Spread the peanut butter on one slice of bread. Spread the Nutella on the other. Slice up the banana, and layer the slices on the bread. Sandwich together. Enjoy immediately, or pack up in a baggie or Tupperware for later.

It was gooey, filling and delicious. Even after being smashed in a backpack with 2 water bottles for 3 hours.

Might I suggest honey if you don’t have Nutella, or a semi-melted chocolate bar. Maybe try some marshmallow fluff instead of the peanut butter if you’re allergic to nuts. I bet peaches or pears would work well too, sliced thinly. I might need to go try all these combos now…