Customizable lunch bowls!! Just in time for the school year. I’m showing two of our favorite lunch bowls: a cilantro lime rice with black beans and a buttery pasta with rotisserie chicken. So good! We hope you give these a try.
Disclosure: This recipe and post are sponsored by Land O’Lakes.
This school year is looking different for a lot of us. We started virtual school on August 31st and so far, we’ve been doing okay! I’m staying positive and trying to remain upbeat and encouraging for my kids. What I do like and appreciate about virtual learning: my kids are at home, they don’t have to take that much time in the mornings getting ready, there’s no rush to the bus stop or to school and I can listen in and check on them throughout the day. The teachers have been amazing as well. I am so thankful for the teachers and administration for all of the pivoting, research, learning and implementation they have done in order to get our district set up and ready for distance learning. Madeline started 4th grade and Phoebe 8th grade.
CUSTOMIZABLE LUNCH BOWLS
Our school day might look different but one thing remains the same. Lunch time. We need to feed our children and ourselves. Enter these fabulous Customizable Lunch Bowls! They are made up of three components: a carbohydrate, a vegetable and a protein. Make what you want, mix and match and – maybe the most important thing – prep and make as much as you can beforehand. This is my strategy and how I am winning at mealtime.
MEAL PREP
I find it easier to meal plan, grocery shop and prep as much as I can on Sundays. I will roast a chicken (or simply pick up a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store), make some rice and pasta, cut up vegetables and marinate other proteins like beef and pork. Sometimes, I even make a big batch of soup and ladle it into glass storage containers so I have soup prepped and ready to go for the week. My tip for you: just prep as much as you can before the school week begins so you are not scrambling and driving yourself crazy.
CILANTRO LIME RICE
One of our favorite things to eat is Cilantro Lime Rice. This, with black beans and sautéed vegetables, makes up my first customizable lunch bowl. I love this lunch bowl with black beans but my husband loves this bowl with rotisserie chicken. Again, you can roast a chicken at home or pick one up from the grocery store and you are ready to go! Do what works for you.
Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
My cilantro lime rice comes together in minutes and only requires a few ingredients. Butter, lime zest, cilantro, some lime juice and salt. I love using Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. If you know me, you know this is a staple in my refrigerator and I love using this when I cook. The ingredients are just sweet cream, olive oil, salt and sea salt. The Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt, mixed with the cooked basmati rice, lime zest, cilantro and lime juice just works perfectly together. I also use my Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt as a flavor booster for my vegetables. Watch the video to see how I use this and for one more of our favorite lunch bowls!
To help bring some familiarity and fun, you can pack these lunch bowl recipes into lunchbox containers for your kids. Alternatively, you can pack everything into a glass container or microwave-safe lunch container and simply heat up before lunchtime at home.
Wishing everyone a fabulous school year. Hang in there! We’re all in this together!
CUSTOMIZABLE LUNCH BOWLS
Ingredients
CUSTOMIZED BOWL #1: CILANTRO LIME RICE:
- 2 cups cooked basmati rice
- 3 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
- zest from 1 lime
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped fine + more if desired
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- salt to taste
BLACK BEANS:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil extra virgin
- 1 medium onion chopped fine
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cans black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 to 4 cups water enough to cover the beans
- fresh lime juice to taste
- salt and pepper to taste
COOKED VEGETABLES:
- Assorted red, yellow and orange bell peppers sliced into strips
- 1/2 small onion sliced into strips
- 2 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
- fresh cilantro chopped
- lime wedges to serve
CUSTOMIZED BOWL #2: BUTTERY PASTA WITH ROTISSERIE CHICKEN:
- 1/2 lb. cooked pasta any kind: elbow, penne, shell, rotini
- 2 to 3 tablespoons Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt
- freshly cracked pepper
- fresh parsley chopped
- Rotisserie chicken
- Serve with raw veggies: cucumbers and carrots
- Your favorite dressing optional
Instructions
CUSTOMIZED BOWL #1: CILANTRO LIME RICE:
- Using a pan or skillet over medium heat, add your cooked rice into the pan. Add two tablespoons of LandO Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt and mix together until warmed through and combined. Add in the lime zest, fresh cilantro, 1 more tablespoon of Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt and mix together until combined.
- Turn off the heat, add in the lime juice and salt to taste. Mix, taste and adjust any ingredients as needed.
BLACK BEANS:
- In a Dutch oven or large pot, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the beans, chili powder, cumin, oregano and bay leaves. Pour in the water and cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and let simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Remove from heat; discard the bay leaves. Add the lime juice and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust any ingredients as needed.
COOKED VEGETABLES:
- Using a skillet or pan over medium heat, stir together the vegetables with the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt until the vegetables are cooked through and softened, for about 5 to 8 minutes.
- To serve: Serve each lunch bowl with some cilantro lime rice, black beans and sautéed vegetables. Add lime wedges and garnish with cilantro. Enjoy!
CUSTOMIZED BOWL #2: BUTTERY PASTA WITH ROTISSERIE CHICKEN
- Using a skillet or pan over medium heat, stir together the cooked pasta with the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt until the pasta is warmed through and mixed with the Land O Lakes® Butter with Olive Oil & Sea Salt. Season with black pepper if desired. Garnish with some fresh parsley.
- To serve: Serve each lunch bowl with some buttery pasta, rotisserie chicken and the raw veggies with the dressing on the side. Enjoy!
