How do you do lunch? Most of my ways are hurried. It’s sad but true that lunch is usually taken at my desk, crumbs falling into the keyboards as I type and chew in synch. I don’t mind it, really. It’s just the way lunch is for people who are busy, who work, or who eat alone. 

But then, there is weekend lunch. Ahhhhh. It’s much nicer. It’s slower. There are often cloth napkins and outdoors places, warm breezes and time for talking between bites. A favorite weekend lunch involves taking a lot of stuff from the refrigerator, things that might have been part of a weeknight dinner and used again but then forgotten, items such as lentils, rice or quinoa. Those are nestled into a bowl with some kind of protein, like chicken or salmon (my favorite for this dish.) Thursday night’s cauliflower (or broccoli, or snow peas) will be right at home in there, so tuck those in too. 

And this is where you can be creative. My rules from here are: add color (pretty greens and fresh herbs) and crunch (sunflower seeds, pepitas, almonds.) Lunch on the weekend often involves avocado, because avocado makes us happy, so in goes the avocado. I like to put all that stuff in the bowl cold or at room temperature, and then lastly, pour warm broth over top of it all. How much broth to use? Just a bit. This isn’t soup, and it’s not a salad. The Brothy Weekend Lunch Bowl is more like a juicy salad, so pour over just enough to moisten all and leave a little puddle in the bottom. 

The last piece of advice here isn’t part of the recipe, but it’s equally important. Close the computer, put down the phone. Carry the bowl (and the cloth napkin) to a sunny spot outside, or even to a perch near a window. Chew and savor every bite. After all, it’s the weekend!

Brothy Weekend Lunch Bowls

Aesthetically pleasing arrangement of lentils, cut up avocado, chunks of salmon, cauliflower, and sprouts in a white bowl set on a dark wooden tableServes one, but can easily be doubled

Ingredients

    • ⅓ cup cooked French green lentils
    • ⅓ cup steamed cauliflower
    • 3 ounces salmon
    • ¼ avocado, diced
    • 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
    • ¼ cup microgreens
    • A few chives, minced
    • ½ cup good-quality broth (bone broth works well)

Instructions

    • Arrange the lentils, cauliflower and salmon in a shallow bowl.
    • Place the avocado on top, then sprinkle sunflower seeds, micro greens and chives over all.
    • Gently warm the broth and pour over all.
    • Serve right away. 

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