Vegetarian Lunch Ideas

Only veggies for lunch, won’t I be hungry?! A vegetable based lunch can be very healthy, satisfying, and hearty! A trick of a vegetable based lunch is to include vegetables high in protein and fiber to keep you satisfied with your lunch for hours. For a veggie wrap, try an Edamame Hummus Wrap from EatingWell (https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251218/edamame-hummus-wrap/) This wrap uses edamame instead of chickpeas to make hummus, giving the sandwich a unique flavor! Edamame is a great source of protein, as it contains all the essential amino acids1, meaning it is a complete protein! It is also a good source of calcium, vitamin A, and iron1! Recipe By: EatingWell Test Kitchen Ingredients
  • 12 ounces frozen shelled edamame (about 2¼ cups), thawed
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon ground pepper, divided
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups very thinly sliced green cabbage
  • ½ cup sliced orange bell pepper
  • 1 scallion, thinly sliced
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 8- to 9-inch spinach or whole-wheat tortillas
Directions
  1. Combine edamame, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons oil, tahini, garlic, cumin, ½ teaspoon pepper and salt in a food processor. Pulse until fairly smooth.
  2. Whisk the remaining 1 tablespoon each lemon juice and oil with the remaining ¼ teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl. Add cabbage, bell pepper, scallion and parsley; toss to coat. Spread about ½ cup of the edamame hummus across the lower third of each tortilla and top with about ½ cup of the cabbage mixture. Roll closed. Cut in half to serve, if desired.
Make Ahead Tip: Refrigerate hummus (Step 1) for up to 3 days. Per serving: 339 calories; 20 g fat(3 g sat); 8 g fiber; 35 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 307 mcg folate; 0 mg cholesterol; 4 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 1,320 IU vitamin A; 54 mg vitamin C; 104 mg calcium; 4 mg iron; 480 mg sodium; 641 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Folate (77% dv), Vitamin A (26% dv), Iron (22% dv) The other veggie sandwich, Tijuana Torta from EatingWell, utilizes black beans as the protein and fiber! Black beans are high in dietary fiber and folate2! (https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/249726/tijuana-torta/) Recipe By: EatingWell Test Kitchen Ingredients
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, or pinto beans, rinsed (see Note)
  • 3 tablespoons prepared salsa
  • 1 tablespoon chopped pickled jalapeño
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 ripe avocado, pitted
  • 2 tablespoons minced onion
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 1 16- to 20-inch-long baguette, preferably whole-grain
  • 1⅓ cups shredded green cabbage
Directions
  1. Mash beans, salsa, jalapeno and cumin in a small bowl. Mash avocado, onion and lime juice in another small bowl.
  2. Cut baguette into 4 equal lengths. Split each piece in half horizontally. Pull out most of the soft bread from the center so you're left with mostly crust. Divide the bean paste, avocado mixture and cabbage evenly among the sandwiches. Cut each in half and serve.
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the bean mixture (Step 1) for up to 3 days. Note: While we love the convenience of canned beans, they tend to be high in sodium. Give them a good rinse before adding to a recipe to rid them of some of their sodium (up to 35 percent) or opt for low-sodium or no-salt-added varieties. (This recipe is analyzed with rinsed, regular canned beans.) Or, if you have the time, cook your own beans from scratch. Per serving: 354 calories; 9 g fat(1 g sat); 17 g fiber; 60 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 116 mcg folate; 0 mg cholesterol; 3 g sugars; 0 g added sugars; 103 IU vitamin A; 19 mg vitamin C; 55 mg calcium; 2 mg iron; 822 mg sodium; 639 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (32% daily value), Folate (29% dv)
  1. https://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/green-soybeans-edamame-nutrition-selection-storage
  2. https://www.fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org/black-beans