Quick Lunch!

I have been running late for approximately the past 4 days. I hate being late, but there is a lot going on lately and somehow, I can't seem to quite keep up! This led to yesterday... I was hungry, wanting some veggies, and without a lot of time to make an awesome lunch. A quick check of the fridge revealed that we had a lot of vegetable choices, not a lot of protein options, and a nice loaf of whole grain bread. Next I moved to the pantry, knowing that my options there for protein were either a can of tuna or beans, most likely. Luckily I found a can of white kidney beans aka white cannellini beans. Yum! These beans are creamy and firm and delicious.

So now my quick lunch begins....

Grabbed my handy dandy can opener...

And drained the fluid. I also rinsed the beans in cool running water. Let them hang out for a little bit so the excess water drains off. Feel free to nibble on a few as you get your food ready. :)

Do you know what a powerhouse cannellini beans are?? 1/2 cup of these babies has 120 calories, 10g of fiber, and 8g of protein! There are 200mg of salt, but rinsing them in cool water helps to get rid of the excess salt! Excellent source of protein and fiber, though.

I love green onions. Anyone else? I could seriously add them to almost anything. A milder flavor than the larger varieties.... and so cute and crunchy! I missed a few pictures here (remember, late and overwhelmed for the past 4 days!)... but I threw the cannellinis in a bowl, added a splash of balsamic vinegar, with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Topped with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of the chopped green onions.

Next.....grab some asparagus! Rinse them off and break off the ends. The end of the asparagus is very tough and not much fun to eat. Put on a little (1 tsp) olive oil and salt and pepper. Throw on your pre-heated grill [I will stretch out summer and grill using for as long as I possibly can!]

After the asparagus are browned a little bit on each side (thinking of the extra browning as added flavor!), throw them into a pan. You can totally stop after the grilling process, and I often do, but I was in the mood for a little bit of extra flavor so I improvised and came up with this next step. So, back to the pan. Before adding the asparagus, place in 1 tsp of olive oil, 1 TB of soy sauce, and a drizzle of honey. Add the asparagus and stir to coat. The honey helps the mixture to carmelize just a tad. Salty, sweet, mmm.

I skipped a few pictures.... like I said, I was hungry and soon to be running late! Next, I cut a few slices off of the bread, did a tiny drizzle of olive oil and stuck them on the grill. Flip after a few minutes.

Although a few pictures are missing, I did manage to get a final picture shot! This gorgeous meal took me less than 10 minutes. The bread and the beans came mostly prepared as they were, with me just adding a little bit of seasoning. The asparagus are thin and cooked very quickly on the grill. Tossing the asparagus in the olive oil/soy sauce/honey mixture took about 2 minutes total!
My biggest recommendation to you is to get creative in the kitchen. You can really come up with some delicious and visually appealing meals in a short amount of time. Remember, we eat with our eyes first, so take an extra moment to treat yourself to a beautifully arranged plate and you will enjoy your meal that much more!

Mary