Usher in spring with delicious and energizing lunch options that will help you refuel and feel your best. These dishes contain at least 15 grams of protein per serving, which slows down digestion and keeps you feeling satisfied longer. Additionally, protein supports muscle growth and repair, bone health, healthy blood pressure, and more. From hearty salads to hearty bowls, each recipe is packed with seasonal ingredients like crunchy cabbage, sweet peas, and tender asparagus. Recipes like Roasted Chickpea and Cauliflower Pita Sandwich with Dried Tomato Sauce and 5-Ingredient Grilled Cheese with Brie and Blackberry Jam are nutritious and delicious, perfect for welcoming the warmer months. Optional.
Roasted chickpea and cauliflower pitas with sundried tomato sauce
Photographer: Robbie Lozano, Food Stylist: Nicole Hopper, Prop Stylist: Tucker Vines
Inspired by a trend made popular by Catherine Perez (@plantbasedrd), these pitas are piled high with roasted vegetables for a satisfying vegetarian dinner. Be sure to dry the chickpeas thoroughly. Otherwise, it won’t get crispy in the oven. If the chickpeas are wet, they will create steam and the cauliflower may not brown properly. Bibb lettuce goes well with these pitas, but a few leaves of arugula would be equally delicious. You can use garam masala or shawarma spice blend in place of the spices if you have them.
green goddess tuna salad
Jessica Ball, MS, RD
Using canned tuna makes this recipe convenient and pantry-friendly while also providing a nice punch of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. This easy recipe works equally well with salmon, sardines, and mackerel. Use leftover herb sauce as a dressing for salads or grain bowls, as a spread on sandwiches, or as a dip for vegetables. Easily double this recipe to make a big batch for a week’s worth of meal prep. Enjoy wrapped in bread or plastic wrap, on top of vegetables, or with your favorite chips, crackers, or cucumber slices.
5 Ingredient Grilled Cheese with Brie and Blackberry Jam
Photography: Rachel Malek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
This irresistible sandwich combines creamy brie cheese with a sweet and savory blackberry jam spread, making it perfect for a super easy lunch or dinner. You can easily double the recipe by using a medium-sized pot or a sandwich press if you have one on hand.
A cup of Harira is like a hug from Morocco during Ramadan
Photographer: Rachel Malek, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelli, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Harira is a tomato-based soup that appears at the center of many Moroccan tables during the month of Ramadan. It is enjoyed with dates, milk, hard-boiled eggs, semolina pancakes, and chebakia (sesame cookies) as part of iftar, or the meal served each night to break the fast. This version features chickpeas, lentils, beef, and noodles in a fragrant tomato soup, but there are endless variations to the soup.
Creamy Pesto Shrimp, Gnocchi and Peas 20 Minute Dinner
Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
This speedy dinner recipe combines shrimp with pillowy gnocchi, pesto, and peas in a creamy sauce. You can also use other vegetables like broccoli or asparagus instead of peas. If you like it a little spicy, sprinkle with crushed red pepper or grate Parmesan cheese for extra flavor.
Quick and Easy Baked Chickpeas with Feta and Tomatoes (20g Protein)
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This simple feta casserole recipe turns into a nutritious, protein-packed vegetarian meal with cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and chickpeas. When baked, it creates a sweet and savory tomato and olive oil sauce that is perfect for spreading on pita bread. Feta that has been soaked in brine melts more easily than dry, crumbly feta, so it’s worth seeking out. Another interpretation is to use creamy white kidney beans in place of the chickpeas.
Skinless Spinach and Asparagus Quiche with Gruyère
A light spinach and asparagus quiche made with lots of spring vegetables and baked with flavorful Gruyère cheese, making this a light yet filling doughless quiche. Enjoy a slice for dinner with a salad or as part of a simple spring brunch.
chicken caesar salad
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This timeless chicken Caesar salad comes with a tangy dressing made with Greek yogurt. Our dressing calls for anchovy paste, which adds the flavorful flavor that Caesar salads are known for. Leftover anchovy paste can be used to enhance the flavor of vinaigrettes, dips, and sauces. You can use whole anchovies if you prefer, but you’ll need to blend them or crush them with the flat side of a large chef’s knife before adding them to the dressing.
chicken fajita quesadilla
Photographer: Bree Goldman, Food Stylist: Adeline Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
These 5-ingredient quesadillas are ready in just 10 minutes. You can shorten the ingredient list (and prep time) by using taco seasoning blend in addition to pre-sliced onions and peppers. If you like it a little spicier, use pepper jack cheese in the filling.
Farro salad with arugula, artichoke and pistachio
Using pre-cooked farro, this dish comes together quickly. You can make it in the same bowl you use to serve it, so you can keep washing up to a minimum.
3 types of salmon and vegetable sandwiches
Photographer: Carson Downing, Food Stylist: Annie Probst, Prop Stylist: Joseph Wanek
This 3-ingredient salmon sandwich recipe is a great way to use up leftover cooked vegetables and salmon (you can also use canned salmon). Pulling out the inside of the bread creates a convenient pocket for stuffing inside. Use those bread pieces to make breadcrumbs or croutons.
Chicken and cabbage bowl with sesame dressing
Photographer: Rachel Malek, Prop Stylist: Holly Driesman, Food Stylist: Gabriel Greco
All you need to prepare this delicious bowl are four convenient products. The base is a bag of shredded coleslaw, topped with seasoned chicken strips, crunchy almonds, and a sesame dressing. Leftover chicken can easily be substituted for chicken strips. Traditional cabbage slaw works just as well as broccoli slaw with a few changes in appearance and flavor.
Grilled sweet potato and cheese
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
The crispy, golden exterior of this sweet potato grilled cheese comes from mayonnaise, which spreads better than butter or oil and browns evenly. Roasted red onions and sweet potato rings make the filling, but you can also roast the onions separately and use leftover roasted sweet potatoes if you have them on hand.
chicken, spinach and feta wrap
Photographer: Grant Webster, Food Stylist: Adeline Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabe Greco
This chicken, spinach, and feta wrap recipe is taken to the next level with the ease of rotisserie chicken and the delicious flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. Mix together a simple dressing, toss with chicken, add spinach and wrap for a delicious lunch or dinner. Using a rotisserie chicken will speed up the process, but you can also use this recipe if you have some cooked chicken on hand.
Tagine shrimp tacos with cabbage slaw are ready in 15 minutes
Greg Dupree
Tajín, a Mexican chili-lime seasoning, adds a spicy and tart punch to the sweet and mellow shrimp. Choose a low-sodium chili-lime seasoning, or improvise a combination with chili powder, a little lime zest, and a healthy squeeze of lime juice. Look for pineapples that are already peeled and cored for faster preparation.
Doughless capri quiche is ready in two easy steps
Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This light and fluffy crustless quiche is dotted with tomatoes, melted mozzarella, and flavorful pesto. And the best part is, it mixes, assembles, and bakes in a pie plate, so cleanup is easy. Serve as a quick breakfast or brunch, or with a mixed green salad for lunch or dinner.
Smoky black bean and pepper soup
Unlike many black bean soups, this Cuban soup is loaded with pepper and leaves the beans whole, giving it a more interesting texture. It’s delicious whether you eat it as is or sprinkle it on rice.
Citrus lime tofu salad
This vegetable-packed salad is packed with protein and fiber to keep you feeling full and satisfied. Prepare ingredients in advance for easy vegan lunch ideas to pack for work.
grilled black shrimp tacos
Juicy shrimp tacos are spiced with Cajun flavor and quickly grilled on a hot grill. A simple avocado mash adds creaminess and cuts down on the spicy kick.
Stewed lentil and kale with fried egg
These lentil stews are cooked with tender kale, soaked in a flame-roasted tomato broth, topped with an egg, and packed with protein. Microwavable lentils can be cooked in a short time in a pot. If you have cooked or canned lentils on hand, you can use them as is, but you may need to reduce the cooking time by a few minutes to avoid them becoming too soft. I loved the way the runny yolk coated the dish. If you want the egg yolks to be firmer, cover the pot and add 2-3 minutes to the cooking time.
High protein tuna and chickpea salad sandwich
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This tangy tuna sandwich has even more protein from chickpeas. Adding some of the chickpeas to the tuna adds texture and helps the filling hold together. The combination of garlic and Sriracha adds a fun kick, but feel free to choose your favorite alternative hot sauce, or skip it entirely for a milder flavor.
Chicken salad recipe perfect for sandwiches
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
What’s the secret to the best chicken salad? Use punchy, flavorful ingredients packed with flavor, like tangy herbs, tangy lemon juice, and sharp onions and shallots. This herb-filled chicken salad recipe is perfect served between two slices of whole wheat country bread, but it doesn’t stop there. Serve with crackers, wrapped in plastic wrap, or served over vegetables.
black bean and quinoa bowl
This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, except for the fried bowl. It was loaded with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro, and avocado, and served with a hummus he dressing that drizzled easily on top.
Cabbage, tofu and edamame salad
Craving some crunch? Enjoy this salad packed with crunchy purple cabbage, edamame, bamboo shoots, and fried noodles. A slightly sweet salad made with grilled tofu, mandarin oranges, and sesame vinaigrette.
high protein tex mex chicken soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
When you have leftover chicken, make this take-home Tex-Mex soup or use rotisserie chicken to create an easy meal prep soup. Frozen pepper-onion mix adds flavor and saves time in the kitchen, and black beans add fiber and protein. Mix everything except the broth in advance, add it when you eat it, and heat it in the microwave. If you don’t want to carry liquid soup with you or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use low-sodium broth instead and just add hot water.
