Sometimes, I run out of ideas for lunches for work or dinners before the gym or soccer that will power me through, but recently I was overcome with ideas from different sources of inspiration! Here are a few ideas for you to keep in the recipe box whenever you need.

Power Lunches:

-Chickpea Salad: 1 large can chickpeas (rinsed and drained), 1 avocado (sliced), 1/2 cup chopped pecans, 1 small can mandarins, 1/3 cup feta, 1 cup cooked wild rice, 1/4 cup mixture of lemon juice and olive oil as the dressing

-Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad: 1 package gluten-free penne, 1/2 cucumber, 1/3 cup feta, 1 whole red pepper, 1/3 cup chopped red onion, 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, 1/2 cup of Greek salad dressing, pepper to taste

Healthy Dinners:

-Orange Marinated Chicken Thighs with Greek Yogurt + Blue Cheese Mash: 1 package of 6 chicken thighs, 1/4 cup orange juice, 1 package Swiss Chalet chicken marinade, 4 golden potatoes (cooked and mashed), 1/3 cup blue cheese, 1/4 small stick herbed butter, 1/4 cup milk (mix blue cheese, Greek yogurt, butter, and milk and mashed potatoes using a beater, while cooking chicken thighs in marinade at 425 degrees for 35 minutes). Paired with Santa Carolina Chardonnay from Chile.

-Maple-Soya Salmon with Basmati Rice & Roasted Brussel Sprouts: 2 Atlantic salmon filets from Farm Boy, 1 cup Basmati rice, 10 brussel sprouts (rinsed and covered with spices (garlic salt and spicy salt)), 1/2 cup real maple syrup, 1/3 cup soya sauce.

-Cauliflower ‘Burger n’ Fries’ (Makes 4 burgers): 3/4 cup of quinoa (cooked in rice cooker with chicken broth instead of water), 1/2 head of cauliflower (6 florets) (boiled, then roasted with oil, cumin, cayenne pepper, and black pepper), 3/4 cup of panko bread crumbs, 3 eggs, 3/4 cup of mozzarella or cheddar cheese, snap peas boiled and topped with salt as ‘fries’. Toppings: lettuce wraps, jalapeño gouda (2 slices each wrap), 8 slices red onion (2 each lettuce wrap), pesto and Greek yogurt mixture as the mayo, 2 avocados (1/2 per wrap).

-Gluten-Free Fettuccine with Avocado ‘Alfredo’ and Caprese Salad (Makes 5 servings): Pasta-1 package Catelli gluten-free fettuccine, 4 avocados blended in a food processor with 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 cup pecans, 1/4 cup basil, 1/4 cup grate parmesan cheese, 1 cup milk, 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, topped with grated Pecorino cheese. Caprese salad- 4 hothouse tomatoes, 1 ball mozzarella, 1 container bocconcini medallions, 1/3 cup basil, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup balsamic. Salt and pepper to taste. Paired with Zuccardi Malbec from Valle de Uco in Mendoza, Argentina.