My New Favorite Vegan Lunch from Trader Joe’s

My New Favorite Vegan Lunch from Trader Joe’s

by | Health & Wellness, Recipes

I am not a big lunch person. You probably don’t see that very often. I’ve heard many people claim to not be “breakfast people” though. Here’s the thing….I’ve told you all before that I practice intermittant fasting, which means that I don’t typically have my first meal of the say until at least 10am. That meal is usually a breakfast-y choice like a green smoothie, oatmeal or avocado toast. When noon rolls around, I am not hungry for lunch yet. Not only that but I usually don’t start work until right after my breakfast so I’m usually cranking along in the early afternoon and not ready to take a break for lunch. This has lead to a weird habit of just snacking mid-day. I’ll eat some nuts, coconut yogurt, a protein bar. But not “real” food. I recognize this is not a good habit. So, I needed to find a lunch that was fast and light and I could get excited about. I discovered that a certain combination of vegan ingredients from Trader Joe’s fit the bill! So, I thought I’d share it with you all. Here is my favorite Trader Joe’s Vegan Lunch!

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Ingredients Include:

  • Organic Persian Cucumber
  • Organic Broccoli Slaw
  • Raw Walnuts
  • Vegan Ranch Dip

Directions:

  1. Place a handful or two of broccoli slaw into a decent sized bowl (I use my large Fiesta soup bowls).
  2. Slice one cucumber in half lengthwise and then into small half rounds. Toss in with broccoli slaw.
  3. Throw in a handful of walnut pieces.
  4. Add Vegan Ranch Dip to desired taste. (I like a LOT of it so all the broccoli slaw pieces are well coated).

See, totally easy!

Here is the finished product.

It might not look like anything special but let me tell you that TJ’s Vegan Ranch Dip makes this delicious!!!

If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s close by you could still get most of these ingredient at a typical grocery store. The more challenging item to find would be the vegan ranch dip. A quick google search turned up several options. I haven’t tried any of these so I can’t vouch for how they compare to the TJ’s version.

Do you have some favorite Trader Joe’s vegan products? What is your favorite Trader Joe’s vegan lunch? Drop me a comment below and let me know.

Kid Friendly Instant Pot Vegan Chili

Kid Friendly Instant Pot Vegan Chili

by | Recipes

Are your kids picky eaters? Mine sure are. I guess it’s pretty normal for a kid to dislike vegetables, which makes cooking vegan and vegetarian meals a challenge. This vegan chili recipe gets my kids excited every time! So, I have to be careful not to make it too often since I don’t want them to get tired of it. It’s also really easy. I use the pre-chopped mirepoix from Trader Joe’s which saves a ton of prep time.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp oil (I use avocado but olive oil works too)
  • ½ cup chopped onion
  • ½ cup diced carrot
  • ½ cup diced celery
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 cups dried lentils (green or brown)
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 3 ½ cups vegetable broth
  • 1 Tbsp cumin
  • ½ tsp dried mustard
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • ½ tsp chipotle seasoning
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • Pinch of chili powder (you may add cayenne if you like a spicy chili)

Preparation

  1. Set the Instant Pot to Saute and add the oil.
  2. Once the oil is heated, add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Saute for a few minutes until soft. 
  3. Add the spices and toss with the vegetables to coat.
  4. Turn off and add the remaining ingredients
  5. Close and seal the instant pot and set to Chili Setting for 14 minutes.
  6. When timer beeps, turn to off and do a quick release to let out the steam.
  7. Add your favorite chili toppings (to keep it vegan I just add avocado) and enjoy!

Note: If you do not have an instant pot you can still make this vegan chili recipe on the stove using a large pot or dutch oven. For a quicker recipe, use pre-cooked lentils. If using dried lentils you’ll need to let simmer for about 20-25 minutes. 

Looking for a side salad to go with this? I would recommend my favorite vegan lunch recipe. Doesn’t have to just be for lunch though. You can check it out HERE.

If you give it a try let me know what you think! What’s your favorite thing to make in the instant pot? Leave me a comment.