Lunch & a Nice Little Book

Lunch is my favorite meal of the day.

There is no set time that you have to eat lunch.
For me, it's always after 1 pm, sometimes even at 3:00, depends on what I had for breakfast that day.

As you know, I make my husband's lunch everyday.
Partly, because he is too busy to go out and buy lunch, and partly because I like to know that he is eating a healthy, delicious meal, and partly because I am a control freak.

Lunch can be a salad, which it usually is.....or a fantastic sandwich with an amazing filling......maybe soup? but the best lunch for me is something made with leftovers.

There is something satisfying about creating another meal made from last night's dinner.

Do I really need yet another cookbook telling me how to make another Bolognese sauce? No.
I already know how to make a Caesar salad, and do it quite well, I might add.

But sometimes, I like a little lunch inspiration.

I like to see what others are eating for lunch, via instagram, Canal House Cooks Lunch, or this little book called LUNCH at the SHOP.

A group of creative people who own a bookshop in Seattle, make lunch at their workplace everyday.
They sit down at a table together and eat a healthy, homemade simple lunch. (I guess they all like each other too!).

They don't go out and waste money on take-out food (which is usually lousy anyway.....but probably not in Seattle), instead, they fix lunch at the shop.

They don't have a formal kitchen cooktop or fancy appliances, they do much of the prep at home and then tweak it at work.
They purchase good bread, some staples for the office, like a rind of Parmigiano Reggiano, olives, mustard, honey, and some fresh produce.
They bring the rice and lentils that they prepared at home, and do the rest at the office.

It just takes some thought and a bit of creativity to make beautiful, healthy lunches.

I know most of the recipes in this book already, but sometimes my brain needs a little help and inspiration, isn't that what cookbooks are all about?

I loved this book. I would eat everything in it.
The photos are lovely (Canal House people) as is the writing.

It's a quiet little book and makes me happy.

I had some leftover lentils, and before I even finished reading halfway thru, I ran into the kitchen to make this delicious, simple salad!

Lentil Salad w/ Feta & Avocado: (inspired from Lunch at the Shop)

1 cup of cooked lentils
1 ripe avocado, sliced
1 lemon
sea salt & pepper
1/2 cup of cilantro leaves
1/4 cup of feta cheese
2 tbsp olive oil

Arrange the lentils on a plate and lay the avocado slices and cilantro leaves on top.
Squeeze the lemon juice all over the plate and drizzle with olive oil.

Season w/ salt & pepper and finish with the feta cheese.

Something so simple can taste so good.