Canada
At Earthbound Farm, we understand you don’t always have time to prepare a lunch from scratch. That’s why we talked with Earthbound Farm Executive Chef Sarah LaCasse for fast, light meals to eat on the go or at your desk, using Earthbound Farm Organic Chopped Kits.
“Any advanced preparation that you can do always makes your meal prep and meal planning so much easier. I even find that with myself,” LaCasse said. “I think that is a theme that people that don’t have a lot of time for lunch have to remember.
“If I’m busy and can’t stop for lunch, if I have [prepared vegetables in my fridge], I can eat those because it’s convenient. That’s the whole point of the Chopped Kits.”
LaCasse knows how to create an innovative recipe in a situation with limited supplies and ingredients.
A Relationship That Spans Beyond Food
LaCasse’s son went to preschool with the son of the original Earthbound Farm founders, Drew and Myra Goodman. At the time, LaCasse had an organic soup and bread business with her husband, and she would sell their sandwiches and organic breads to the Earthbound Farm Farm Stand before there was a kitchen.
“We got to be friends,” LaCasse said. “It’s been a longtime relationship that isn’t just food related. It’s a story that goes right along, hand-in-hand, with their own story. They really live their story.”
After the kitchen at the Farm Stand was built, the Goodmans approached LaCasse about becoming the chef. So, she’s been there: quickly snacking on a lunch at her desk in between meetings. Here are her tips for making an awesome (but easy) desk lunch:
Make Leftovers Shine
“It would be very easy to bring a piece of meat or chicken or fish that was extra from last night’s dinner, to work with you” LaCasse said. “Just toss that with the Chopped Salad Kit ingredients and microwave it with the sauce packet and create a warm meal.”
The Southwest or Asian Organic Chopped Salad Kits can all be customized for a convenient lunch option on the go, or at your desk.
Stir Fry It
“You can customize each Chopped Salad Kit by keeping your favorite stir fry sauce in your office kitchen,” LaCasse said. “If you don’t have access to a stove where you might quickly warm up the kit, just use a microwave and bring some protein along with you.
Add in Your Favorites
“I always think that having your protein already cooked is the best way to go if it’s a quick lunch, especially if you’re on the go or eating at your desk,” LaCasse said. “You can add all sorts of things: cooked beans, black beans, white beans, garbanzo beans for a little extra protein. It could be tofu.” Try adding “a little bit of extra sauce of your own or even vegetable broth to make a Chopped Kit into a warm bowl.”
After all, it’s February, so take a break from the cold outdoors and turn an Earthbound Farm Organic Chopped Kit into a warm grain bowl.
“If you just love the salad as a salad, just add your protein to it,” LaCasse said. “Even sprinkle some nuts over the top or sesame seeds, sunflower seeds. Something that’s quick and easy and kind of a snack food, but when you put it together, it becomes more of an entree.”
If you have more time, consider whipping up one of our organic recipes, with a Chopped Kit as a side dish!
