Breakfast is said to be the most important meal of the day. But, lunch is pretty important as well. Eating in the middle of the day, several hours after breakfast, re-energizes your body and can raise your blood sugar levels when focus and concentration are flagging.
If you’re feeling sluggish, eating even a small lunch can renew your energy and help you feel refreshed and ready to take on the next several hours. In addition, eating lunch keeps your metabolism active, especially if you have a moderately sized meal and a snack before and afterwards.
Lunch may have even more importance for school-aged children than it does for adults. Since most kids don’t get breakfast or dinner at school and may not have any snacks until they get home, lunch is the only meal they have to power them through the day.
Keep reading for delicious and quick lunch recipes.
Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwich
- Heat a large skillet over low heat.
- Spread butter or margarine onto one side of two slices of bread.
- Place both pieces buttered side down in the skillet.
- Lay a slice of cheese on each one, and top with slices of tomato, onion and jalapeno.
- Butter one side of the remaining slices of bread, and place on top buttered side up.
- When the bottom of the sandwiches is toasted, flip and fry until brown on the other side.
Mediterranean Grilled Chicken Salad
- Heat grill to medium-high.
- Season chicken with coriander, oregano, salt, and pepper.
- Grill, covered, turning halfway through, until golden and no longer pink, 18 to 22 minutes.
- Let rest 5 minutes, then slice. Meanwhile, make dressing.
- Whisk olive oil, red wine vinegar, and parsley in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.
- Divide lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado, feta, and olives among four serving bowls.
- Top with sliced chicken, then drizzle with dressing.
Green Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Arrange almonds in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Toast in oven for 5 minutes, or until nuts begin to brown.
- In a blender or food processor, combine the vinegar, oil, cranberries, mustard, garlic, salt, pepper, and water.
- Process until smooth.
- In a large bowl, toss the almonds, onion, blue cheese, and greens with the vinegar mixture until evenly coated.
Quinoa Black Bean Burgers
- Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan.
- Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Roughly mash the black beans with a fork leaving some whole black beans in a paste-like mixture.
- Mix the quinoa, bread crumbs, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, salt, hot pepper sauce, and egg into the black beans using your hands.
- Form the black bean mixture into 5 patties.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet.
- Cook the patties in the hot oil until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
