Sad desk lunch? Not on my watch. Whether you occupy a cubicle, breakroom, teacher’s lounge, seat behind the wheel or work-from-home-standing-and-staring-into-the-fridge zone, I’m here to solve your lunchtime dilemmas. Because at Red Stick Spice, if there’s one thing we take very, very seriously, it’s this: Mealtime.
At Red Stick Spice Company, we pride ourselves on being good listeners. When you visit (or type) we are all ears (and eyes and typing fingers.) We lean in, and we hear you. We’re here to help you re-invigorate Taco Tuesday, brainstorm grab-and-go breakfasts and get those picky eaters bellying up to the dinner table. But when you tell us drive-thru is the only way or convenience store burrito nuking is easier or you don’t have time for lunch box packing, we say: Nope. Not hearing it. Now, grab that lunchbox (and jars and reusable containers,) and let’s pack your lunch!
If your work breakroom (or kitchen for you work-from-home peeps) is well-equipped with a blender, put it to work. Load up a jar with the ingredients for this delicious Peach Smoothie with Turmeric and Cinnamon. Pop it in the freezer the night before, then pop it in your lunchbox the next morning. By the time lunchtime rolls around, it will be just the right consistency for blitzing in the blender. If you need a more satiating smoothie, add in protein powder, Greek yogurt or tofu. Give it a whirl, pour back in the jar, add a straw and bask in the turmeric-tinted satisfaction of not sitting in the drive-thru line.
Speaking of jars, I love these little workhorses. From shaking up our Rosemary Peach Vinaigrette to sipping soups, re-usable jars are where it’s at. Prep this totally-customizable and completely-delicious Schichimi Togarashi Ramen Jar and watch your co-workers marvel at your creativity, intelligence and general greatness. A few minutes in the microwave, and you’ll have a warm, veggie-packed soup that’s packed, heated and consumed all from the same jar. Brilliant.
While they look a lot like a salad with grains and garnishes, they’re so much better when you say “Grain Bowls.” Trust us. We did the research, and our findings say that you should make a Grain Bowl for lunch at least once a week. Prep and pack is easy: cook up a big pot of grains on Sunday—we love farro and barley, but quinoa, brown rice or freekeh will fit the bill. Then check out our Plant Based Power Street Bowl or our Lime and Garlic Shrimp Grain Bowl for inspiration. You can layer the grain bowl in a jar—dressing at the bottom, then grains and protein with veggies and garnishes at the top. You can also arrange it all in a bowl. Don’t fret too much about separating all the ingredients, just be sure to use hearty greens like spinach, kale and romaine lettuce. With these, you’ll still have lots of crunchy goodness at lunchtime.
Got the turkey sandwich blues? Cheer up your sammy with these delectable sauces and spreads. We love these make-ahead condiments for their versatility. Use our Romesco Sauce in place of mayo and mustard, but it’s also delish on grilled shrimp or fish. This Alabama Sauce is a must for our slow-cooker Pulled Chicken Sliders. We also love this sauce as a sandwich spread, a salad dressing and dip. Get that hot chile endorphin rush from this Korean Dipping Sauce—another great multi-tasking condiment. We love it on lettuce wraps (a great lunchbox choice, btw,) but go ahead and dip that turkey sandwich in it. Yum!
Listen up! Give that lunchbox a place on honor on your desk. Leave the flavor to us, and we promise the rest is easy and so worth it.
Let’s do lunch!