I don’t know about you, but if I never had to feed myself (or anyone else) between breakfast and dinner, I’d be that much happier. Seriously. But unfortunately, lunch is, in fact, a thing. People want it every day (including myself, I must admit). But I hate planning for it, hate preparing it, and rarely have more than a few minutes in which to devour it. Therefore, most days, I end up snacking on leftover pb&j or mac & cheese. Hardly healthy. Hardly filling. Though often tasty, I admit. Who doesn’t love mac & cheese?

Most days all we have time to do is open the refrigerator and gobble something down before the door closes on us. So, lunch has to be easy. It has to be fast. It cannot require extra dishes or utensils or time.

So, I’m on a mission … on a mission to make lunch easier than checking Facebook. Unfortunately, this requires planning. And a little prep. But, if I take a little time on the weekend to prepare for the coming week, where I will inevitably need lunch – every day – I can make it super easy. Eat-from-the-container-while-holding-the-refrigerator-door-open-with-my-foot easy.

Here’s my first recipe for a healthy easy lunch that, yes, you can eat straight from the container in which it is stored in the fridge. I call it Rice & Veggie Salad.

Ingredients (use some or all, and feel free to add your own):

• 1-2 cups pre-cooked rice, brown or white (I always make a bunch and keep some in the fridge, some in the freezer. It’s a great staple to have on hand.)
• tomatoes (I always buy the little cherry ones, because I hate cutting up tomatoes)
• zucchini, or squash of your choice (chopped)
• red, yellow, green, and/or orange bell peppers (chopped)
• red onion (chopped)
• black beans (or beans of your choice – garbanzo or great northern are also good)
• one recipe homemade salad dressing (recipe below)

I like to wash my beans of all their juices …

Now mix everything together!

Now for the dressing. There are tons of great salad dressings out there, and any vinaigrette would taste great on this salad. And I suppose making my own dressing is less than easy. BUT! Once you taste this lemony goodness, you may never go back to store-bought again. You just need a glass jar for mixing (a mason jar will do). Here’s the simple recipe:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (I buy the stuff in the little yellow container – no squeezing lemons!)
• 3 Tablespoons tarragon vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• 2 Tablespoons minced green onion (sometimes I leave this out, if I don’t have it)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• Dash pepper

Combine all dressing ingredients in a jar with tight-fitting lid, preferably glass. Shake well and let stand until ingredients are well blended. Refrigerate, if desired.

Toss your salad with the dressing and enjoy! You can divvy up your salad into separate containers, for grab-and-go lunches during the week or, like me, just eat from one large container all week.

Isn’t it pretty?

You’re welcome.