Meal Prep Mediterranean Lunch Salad

I’m a big fan of weekend meal prep and I’ve found that meal prep is especially important for my lunches. Most mornings, I’m usually rushing out the door to work or school so having a ready-to-go lunch helps to keep me on track with my healthy eating. However, it’s easy for me to become stuck in a rut when it comes to packed lunches so I’m always on the hunt for new lunch ideas. When I’m looking for recipes, I have a few criteria that the recipes need to meet:

Healthy, minimally processed ingredients with plenty of protein and vegetables.
Easily portable to eat whenever or wherever I have a break during the day.
Customizable so I have the option to switch up a lunch or two during the week without having to prepare a completely different recipe.

While searching our sister site, MedInsteadofMeds.com, I came across a recipe that fit the bill perfectly. This lunch salad is completely customizable to fit with whatever ingredients you may have on hand and gives a step-by-step guide to incorporating plenty of vegetables and protein. This salad will definitely be on my meal prep rotation for a while!

Originally found on MedInsteadofMeds.com
Serves 6
Serving Size: 1¼ cups
Prep Time: 25 minutes-1 hour (based on choices)
Cook Time: (depends on grain selected)
Total Time: 25 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes (based on choices)

Ingredients:

Choose 2 CUPS Whole Grain:

Brown rice
Quinoa
Bulgur

Choose 1 CUP Beans:

Garbanzo beans
Pinto beans
Black eyed peas
White beans

Choose THREE Cups of Chopped Vegetables (choose a combination or just one):

Carrots
Cucumbers
Summer squash
Green peppers
Celery
Onion
Napa cabbage
Broccoli
Cauliflower

Choose a Protein:

6 ounces of grilled chicken
1 (5 ounce) can of tuna
1 cup of beans (additional)
3 ounces of nuts (about ½ cup of almonds or ⅔ cup of peanuts)

Dressing:

6 tablespoons olive oil

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Mix your selections with olive oil and balsamic vinegar (or vinegar of your choice).
Place in 6 individual containers. You are ready for a week (almost) of lunches.