For many of us, January is a month of self-imposed austerity. I’ve never been one to make resolutions, seeing them generally as easy ways to set yourself up to fail (and, like most lawyers, I tend to avoid situations that involve failure). But I still find myself stepping back in the new year and setting a few small, achievable goals for myself. It’s not about resolutions — it’s just a matter of necessity. My wallet and my body demand it. I personally just spent a month giving myself a free pass on all kinds of overindulgence (food, booze, spending money, chicken wings — trust, it got ugly).
One of the austerity measures I’m hoping to put in place over the next few months is to bring my lunch to work as often as possible (I know, totally unoriginal, but at least I’m not pretending I’m joining a gym). Admittedly, I’m usually pretty good about this; if I have time to cook the night before, I always make enough to pack a lunch. However, I’ve yet to find ways to make a quick lunch the night before, or buy things that assemble into something filling and healthy for the occasions where I’m too busy to cook (which seem to be more commonplace these days). During articling, I’m sure I blew at least $50-$70 a week on food court lunches, coffees, snacks, etc. If I had made it 6 months without buying lunch, I’d have saved enough lunch money to put towards a new kickass TV, or a laptop, or an all-inclusive vacation — you get the picture.
For any of you who want to join me in this non-resolution, here are a few tips that will help, plus a tasty and healthy recipe for a curried chicken salad that keeps and travels well:
1. Invest in a lunch bag. There are tons reusable lunch bags available now that are insulated and machine washable, and they varying in sizes depending on how hungry-man your lunches are. Built makes a great selection of affordable and stylish Neoprene totes and bags and are available at Staples and Good Egg in Kensington Market (and for those who don’t want to rock polka dots, there are plain black ones too).
2. Get the right containers. There are lots of microwave-safe containers now that are Bisphenol-A free. Stop using those cheap Ziploc containers and buy glass containers with snap-on lids (Starfrit makes good ones, available at Wal-Mart). For those of you who like bringing salads or snacks that you want to keep separate, try a set of stackable tiffin tins, available in many Indian kitchen supply stores and in Toronto Chinatown houseware stores as well. They can also be purchased online. Reusable stainless steel water bottles (I like Kleen Kanteen) and coffee mugs (check out this cool ceramic coffee cup with a silicone lid, available at Swipe Books) will also help you save on beverages and keep eco-friendly as well.
3. Plan your groceries accordingly. If you’re into salads, stock up on lots of component ingredients that will keep throughout the week and that can easily be thrown into containers for quick assembly in the morning or the night before (pre-washed mixed greens, grape tomatoes, chickpeas or beans, tuna, eggs for hardboiling, etc). Make a week’s worth of your favourite dressing and keep it in the fridge, then get a small Tupperware container to bring your dressing on the side to avoid soggy lunches. If you’re a sandwich person, tuna or chicken salad can be whipped up quickly the night before and spread on your favourite bread at work, or you can grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken for easy roast chicken sandwiches. If you have a free Sunday afternoon, you can make soups or stews that freeze easily in individual sized portions that can be defrosted overnight and taken for lunch the next day. Finally, think about foods that can double as a great weeknight meal and a lunch the next day — for example, leftover grilled steak or chicken can be thrown into a tortilla or pita wrap with your favourite fixings the next day, or tossed on top of a salad.
Curried Chicken and Apple Salad
3 chicken breasts, poached and diced *
2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
1 can rinsed chickpeas or fresh shelled peas (optional)
2 stalks chopped celery
handful fresh cilantro, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
squeeze fresh lemon or lime juice
2 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
salt and pepper to taste
*To save time, you can buy a pre-roasted rotisserie chicken and remove the skin before dicing.
1. To poach chicken, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to boil (throw in any old onions/carrots/celery that are kicking around in your fridge if you need to use them up, but not required). Add chicken breasts and make sure they’re covered by a half inch of water, cover and remove from heat. Chicken should be cooked through after about 20 minutes. Allow to cool, then dice.
2. While chicken poaches, prep the remaining ingredients. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mixing thoroughly to coat, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Best if refrigerated overnight. Eat it on its own, or serve with baguette or pita.
Sara Chan is a Toronto-based entertainment lawyer, food enthusiast, unprofessional home chef and even less professional food photographer. Her favourite food group is pork. Sara’s column appears every other Tuesday here on lawandstyle.ca.
Photo by Jeffrey Beall