5 Healthy Lunches (That You'll Actually Want to Eat)

How miserable a day can become when you actually force yourself to eat that sad, soggy sandwich or wilted salad you brought from home? And just how does lunch deplete your wallet faster than after-work drinks or inexplicably-spendy brunches? Why does noshing on spicy tuna rolls come noon guarantee your productivity will dip down to zilch for the remainder of the day?

In the interest of, um, investigative reporting, not to mention finding a solution to our daily dilemma (and no longer annoying our colleagues with endless hemming-and-hawing come 11:30) we hit up the girls (that would be Lisa Labute and Cat Parker) behind

The Goods, a Toronto-based takeout joint

that specializes in all things organic and generally good for you, especially when it comes to that ungodly lunch hour. And while The Goods girls offer a weekly "lunch club" here in T.O., wherein they hand-deliver salads, grain bowls and green smoothies to your office Monday-Thursday (we like to think the Friday off designates a cheat meal), we tasked them with putting together five vegan lunch options (they're also all free of soy and nuts, and thus guilt-free as well) that those outside of the city can recreate at home. Yes, they just so happen to not only be completely delicious, but also incredibly photogenic, and we pinky promise that they won't wilt come noon. Oh, and best of all? You can use the money you save to invest in something completely necessary and very adult and responsible—we're thinking either a

Saint Laurent jacket

or pair of

Maison Michel

lace ears might be just the thing to fit the bill.

“These recipes have been put together to make super clean lunching easy. Ideal to prepare at the start of the workweek, each recipe below will make enough for four meals or four very convenient lunches Monday through Thursday. Think about rallying a few office mates and each taking a turn making lunch for the group.

These recipes are also great pre and post juice cleanse meals. If looking for a 100% raw option, opt out of the grains/legumes and double the veg and dressings. We highly suggest using organic ingredients as well as quality oils and spices as they make a world of difference to taste—come on: if you’re going to eat clean, you’ve got to buy clean.

When you start your day with a large green juice or smoothie for breakfast, you’ll find it’s a great way to keep the majority day’s meals green, vegan, gluten-free and raw daily. You’ll soon find yourself craving more goodness, and by then, game over, you’re hooked. Welcome to a whole new world.

Thanks, enjoy the goodness LL + Cat”

DRESSING

3 teaspoons smoked paprika

Combine ingredients in small (500 ml) mason jar and shake well to mix.

GRAINS + LEGUMES

1-1/4 cup red quinoa = 2.5 cups cooked

1-1/4 cup dry chickpeas = 2.5 cups cooked

Soak dry chickpeas overnight and cook until soft; cook quinoa and allow both to cool.

VEGGIES

1 large cucumber, medium chop

GREENS 

8 ounces arugula

Layer veggies, quinoa and chickpeas on bed of arugula, add dressing and mix well.

Store prepared ingredients by keeping grains, veggies and sauce in separate containers to maintain freshness.

SAUCE

3 cups basil leaves, tightly packed

Add all ingredients except basil, blend well until smooth; add basil and blend again. Add a touch more water or olive oil if needed.

BEANS

1-1⁄2 cup dry white beans = 3 cups cooked

Rinse and soak white beans overnight, cook until soft. Drain and let cool.

VEGGIES

2 large yellow or green zucchinis, spiralize into noodles

GREENS 

8 ounces box baby spinach

Layer zucchini noodles, white beans, veggies, olives and dressing, mix well.

Store prepared ingredients by keeping grains, veggies and sauce in separate containers to maintain freshness.

SAUCE

2⁄3 cup cold-pressed olive oil

1⁄2 cup raw apple cider vinegar

1⁄4 cup raw unpasteurized honey

2 teaspoons cracked black pepper

3 teaspoons mineral salt

Combine ingredients in small (500 ml) mason jar and shake well to mix.

VEGGIES

1 cup green peas

Prepare and top salad when ready to serve:

2 avocados, halve & cube

GREENS

8 ounces baby spinach

Layer veggies on bed of greens, add toppings and dressing, mix well.

Store prepared ingredients by keeping grains, veggies and sauce in separate containers to maintain freshness.

SAUCE

1⁄2 cup cold-pressed olive oil

Blend all ingredients until smooth––field blueberries will not work as well as wild, as they contain more pectin and the sauce will become like jelly.

VEGGIES

2 peaches*, halve and slice when needed

[There's] endless easy variety when you mix these six staples—veggies, herbs, grains/legumes, good oils, seasoning and leafy greens. It works like a charm every time.

VEGGIES

2⁄3 cup of five different veggies (peppers, sprouts, peas, corn, carrot, tomatoes, zucchini)

Prepare veggies so they’re cut to about the same size, mix together with herbs, minced onion, oil and seasoning.

GREENS

8 ounces shredded kale, baby spinach, arugula, romaine or mixed greens