Class may be back in session, but we’re not ready to fall back into routine just yet. To help ease in to the demanding fall schedule, we thought we’d focus on one of the more challenging aspects of a jam-packed and on-the-go agenda: lunches. Do leftovers, quick pre-packaged lunches, or healthy, but taste-less meals mean anything to you? We thought so.  How about a lunch that is easy to do, healthy, AND will leave you and your kids wanting more, for a change?! It’s so easy to get repetitive and run out of ideas for this kind of daily task, so we’ve got one more set of recipes to add to your repertoire and to keep the whole family happily munching away when the clock strikes noon.

This week, blogger, recipe developer, and (have we mentioned?) school teacher Allison Sklar is back, not only in the classroom, but also to give us a lesson on lunchtime that will satisfy parents and kids alike. She’s got an exciting back-to-school lunch planned that will be a hit in the lunchroom at school and at the office. She will guide you through delicious recipes like a Fig and Cheese Wrap with Sumac, Crunchy Kale Chips, and Pumpkin Spice Granola that are worth the effort. With a tasty and filling main, a crispy snack (that are veggies in disguise) and a homemade granola to get you through the afternoon, your lunchtime woes will be left in the past–just like last semesters’ grumpy teacher. Kill two birds with one stone by making yourself and your kids a killer lunch for the beginning of the school year that is nutritious, delicious and well thought out.

Not only do we have a unique and tasty lunch to add to your selection, but we also have the perfect lunch bag for every day of the week! The Nelly Lunch Bag is available in two colours, green and red, and comes equipped with a bento box, perfect for your picky eater or to simply keep your mouth-watering creations organized. Plus, a knife, spoon, and fork are already in the bag, so you’ll never worry about forgetting to add them in again!

Don’t let the back-to-school blues get the best of you. Try our fun, nutritious, and easy recipes for an A+ lunchbox!

Here to help make your everyday routine a little easier,

Allison Sklar is a Montreal native who started her blog in 2009. Allison is an advocate of plant-based diets, and she eats a mostly vegan diet at home, but she does not like to label herself. For instance, from time to time, you may catch her enjoying some sustainably sourced fish, as she did last summer in New Orleans. You may also see her occasionally drizzling some fair trade honey into her green tea. Call her a flexatarian, a pescetarian, a confused omnivore, whatever—she eats what she enjoys, and she encourages you to do the same. Allison creates the majority of her own recipes, unless otherwise stated. She is inspired by friends, family, and of course, whatever’s in her fridge. For more of Allison’s recipes, visit her blog!

It’s incredible what we can manage to pack into a work week; between commute time, errands, working out, and family, there’s barely any time to think about what to eat. The key to healthy eating is to be prepared. We know that cooking at home and planning ahead leads to better dietary habits and overall health, but meal-prep also saves you valuable free time and money. Last minute take-out or drive-through trips will be no more! Don’t get us wrong, we love pizza and eating out too. But since we probably already indulged in those things over the weekend, the work week is a good time to get into some healthier eating habits. Think about it like this: all week, you’re eating your way to a healthy lifestyle and setting yourself up to enjoy the perks of weekend life absolutely guilt-free. What we have in store for you today is easy to do, will make sure you avoid that “sad desk lunch” and will provide you with a healthy solution when you’re stomachs grumbling (and you’ll love every bite of it!).

Today, with the help of recipe developer, chef and blogger Emma Cerulli, we have two quinoa-based recipes to get you through your work week. They are so tasty that they will have the whole office feeling envious! The first is a salad that will have you eating a fresh, filling, and nutritious lunch all week, and the other is a snack that will make sure you’re staying true to your new lifestyle by keeping cravings at bay and giving you the boost you need to keep productivity up. Emma’s Greek-style quinoa salad is bursting with colours and flavour. What’s even better is that it’s full of manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, and iron! These vitamins will keep you going all day long thanks to the little gluten-free quinoa seeds that are packed with them. And if that somehow doesn’t get you all the way to dinner (don’t worry, we all have afternoon cravings!), Emma has the remedy: her delicious sweet and sour energy bites crammed with a symphony of fruits, nuts, and seeds that will perk you right up and get you through the last few hours of your work day. The best part? There won’t be any chips or chocolate bar regrets thanks to the trusty office vending machine.

Part of making sure you have a delicious prepped meal is to have the right container to take it on the go, such as a mason jar, plastic storage container or a nifty gadget. It’s important to keep in mind which ingredients you should keep apart, so that when you have lunch hours or days later, you aren’t digging into a soggy mess. For today’s delicious lunch time meal, we suggest the thinkkitchen Chill Container. Though it was designed for yogurt, it is a versatile container that’s easy to transport and that can keep food cool for hours on end thanks to its built-in freezable wall. You can fill it with your salad, put some of your delicious toppings or vinaigrette in the lid, and be all set to take on your day! Plus, there’s a silicone band that stores your utensil, making sure you’ll never go to dig into a lunch without everything you need. Talk about practical!

A lifestyle change doesn’t happen overnight, but starting with a one week recipe will get you well on your way. Maybe you’ll only meal prep every other week, or once a month! Whatever it is, having this delicious Greek-style quinoa salad is definitely a step in the right direction. So roll up your sleeves, pick up your grocery list and set aside an hour to get you on the road towards the best week you’ve had in a while.

Tip: These can be made two weeks in advance. Use a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid to preserve freshness and store at room temperature.

Here to help you stick to your lunch time goals,

At the ripe old age of thirteen, I started cooking in restaurants. After attending the Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts in Vancouver B.C. and much traveling, I pursued my career by cooking my way through some of the top restaurants in a city known for its culinary scene, Montreal.

Having been raised in a multicultural household, the urge to explore different foods came to me very young. I started researching international cuisine and focusing on what I call “the anthropology of food” to find stories, myths and legends surrounding the popular dishes of today. 

I am now putting my knowledge to good use as a head chef, culinary instructor and coordinator of the President’s Choice Cooking School at Provigo in Lasalle. I am currently focusing on teaching children as young as two, to adults in their golden years, how to find their way around the kitchen and appreciate flavours and techniques from days of old. 

A Pear and Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail with Peach and Basil Chicken accompanied by an Almond and Pistachio Green Bean Salad and Buttery Herbed Potatoes with Mini Lavender Cheesecakes

Moms are extraordinary people! They deserve to know they are valued, and marking Mother’s Day with a special gesture is just the way to do that. Whether you are a mother, celebrating your mom or both (!), planning something that is out of the ordinary and breaks up routine, like hosting a special lunch, is a sure way to delight. Plus it will have everyone feeling good and having fun!

You could invite multi-generations of moms by including grandma, invite a group of friends over who are moms, or keep it intimate with just your family. You could host it outside or keep it inside, decorate extravagantly or keep it simple, the possibilities are endless for this extra-enjoyable and charming Mother’s Day lunch!

This year, getting Mother’s Day right will be a breeze, thanks to blogger and recipe developer Gabrielle Pellerin, of A Simple Thyme. Gabrielle is back with some scrumptious recipes perfect for the extraordinary women you are celebrating. These delicious dishes will definitely help make sure mom has an amazing day, surrounded by good food and the people she loves.

So, why not start off your lunch by making sure everyone has a sweet mixed drink? This pear, cranberry and prosecco cocktail recipe will help create a celebratory atmosphere at your lunch! Next, a flavourful and fresh peach and basil chicken recipe accompanied by an almond and pistachio green bean salad and buttery herbed potatoes will delight and enchant your group. Then, make Gabrielle’s delectable mini lavender cheesecakes for a sweet ending to your lunch and you’ll have everyone saying “best Mother’s Day ever!”

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Pear & Cranberry Prosecco Cocktail

Servings 2

Author A Simple Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 bottle prosecco
• 1 pear thinly sliced
• 2 branches thyme
• 40 ml cranberry juice
• 80 ml pear nectar

Instructions

• Fill your Grape Luster Flutes halfway with prosecco. 
• Split the cranberry juice and the pear nectar equally in the flutes.
• Fill the rest of the flute with some more prosecco.
• Garnish with pear slices and thyme.

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Peach & Basil Chicken

Servings 2

Author A Simple Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 peach thinly sliced
• 100 g mozzarella di Bufala thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 branches basil minced

Instructions

• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Heat a dash of oil in a pan on medium high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 minutes on one side, until golden brown.
• Turn the chicken over and reduce heat to low. Cook covered for about 12 minutes until the center of the chicken is cooked through. Transfer on a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes.
• Put the balsamic vinegar in a small pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the vinegar becomes syrupy and has reduced by half.
• Slice the chicken and serve on the Snow White Rectangular Platter with the mozzarella, peach and basil. Drizzle on the balsamic reduction.

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Green Bean Salad

Servings 2

Author A Simple Thyme

Ingredients

• 2 cups green beans
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1/4 cup almonds sliced
• 1/4 cup pistachios coarsely crushed
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1/2 lemon

Instructions

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Trim the green beans.
• Toast the nuts in a pan on high heat for 2-3 minutes until coloured and fragrant. Set aside.
• Blanch the green beans in the water for 2 minutes. Drain.
• Melt the butter in a pan on medium high heat. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Add in the green beans and cook for 2 minutes until warm. Season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with the toasted nuts and some lemon juice to taste.
• Place in the Blue Gerbera Oval Plate and toss with the Laguiole Salad Servers.

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Buttery Herbed Potatoes

Servings 2

Author A Simple Thyme

Ingredients

• 4 cups baby potatoes
• 4 branches parsley chopped
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

• Put the potatoes in a pot and fill with water to cover. Season generously with salt.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for 18-20 minutes until tender, but still slightly firm. Drain.
• Mix the potatoes with the butter and the parsley. Serve in the Blue Gerbera Shallow Bowl and season with salt and pepper.

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Mini Lavender Cheesecakes

Servings 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 4 tbsp butter melted
• 1/4 cup sugar

Filling

• 250 g cream cheese room temperature
• 1 egg yolk separated from the white
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lavender extract
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 3/4 cup 35% whipping cream
• 1 tbsp dried edible lavender buds

Instructions

Crust

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Mix the graham crumbs with the butter, sugar and a pinch of salt.
• Grease the thinkkitchen Non-stick Muffin Pan. Press the crumbs at the bottom of the pan to make the crust.
• Bake in the oven for 8 minutes. Set aside.

Filling

• In a bowl, beat the cream cheese with the sugar, the vanilla and lavender extracts and a pinch of salt until combined and creamy.
• Add the egg yolk and whisk for another minute.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white with a hand mixer until soft peaks are formed. Add 1 tbsp of sugar and whisk for another minute.
• Fold the egg white in the cream cheese mixture carefully until combined.
• Pour the mixture evenly on each crust and bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes.
• Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the muffin pan and chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
• Whisk the cream with 1 tbsp of sugar until fluffy and stiff peaks are formed. Chill in the refrigerator.
• Serve the cheesecakes on the Pearl Sea Platter with the whipped cream and garnish with the lavender buds (can be easily found in lavender loose leaves tea).

Notes

*Note: You can find lavender extract on Amazon, or make your own lavender syrup with the recipe that can be found here

Here to help you delight and spoil the ones you love most,

While studying restaurant management at the well known ITHQ, Gabrielle found her true passion for cooking. When she posted a few innocent photos of her creations on Instagram, the community quickly welcomed her and she now has over 11 thousand followers. This recognition drove her to explore and create more than she had before. In addition to finding photos of her delicious recipes on her Instagram, she now shares her recipes on her culinary blog, A Simple Thyme.

Gabrielle does it all, from simple recipes to creating the ultimate comfort food meal, and it is always guaranteed to make your mouth water. If you want to see more, make sure to visit her blog – and follow her Facebook and Instagram page to never miss a recipe again!