03 what's for lunch
easy veggie sides that hold up in the fridge
Before diving into this week’s lunch lesson, I just want to spotlight my farmers market crush. Every Sunday around 10am, this man, and his perfect woven basket, shop for the week’s produce at the Marché biologique Raspail. I like to snoop on his haul and imagine what he is cooking at home. I’m working up the courage to ask in French where he bought his basket, but something tells me it’s an heirloom with unknown origins.
Anyway. Now that we’ve covered how to perfect proteins at home, and some staple sauces, it’s a good time to chat about veg. I love keeping crisp, crunchy, flavorful veggie sides/ salads in the fridge, so that I can always incorporate nutrient dense, fiber-forward dishes to my meals throughout the week. Even if I am feeling lazy and order in…I can supplement my dinner with one of these sides and feel better about it.
For this category, I like to choose vegetables that sop up flavor well / get better and better in the fridge, and avoid those that tend to get mushy or sad-looking. As always, these are not exact recipes, but more so ideas to get inspired. Use your heart to measure, and feel free to tweak anything based on your preferences.
These are a few examples of what I’ve been keeping on rotation for my clients / myself:
feta cucumbers
incredibly simple, but astoundingly delicious
I like to rough-peel my cucumbers, leaving some skin intact. If you’re using thin-skinned Persian cucumbers, feel free to keep the skin on. I also like to halve them and use a spoon to remove the seeds. This eliminates any bitterness and ensures that the cucumbers stay crisp instead of mushy.
Ingredients
1 large English cucumber or 4 small Persian cucumbers
Feta (roughly 300g)
Mix of chopped soft herbs like dill, basil or cilantro, etc
Generous glug of olive oil
Sesame seeds
Flaky salt + black pepper to taste
Optional: thinly sliced jalapeño or dried red chili flakes
Directions
Chop cucumbers in any shape you like. In a separate large bowl, crumble the feta, and add the rest of the ingredients. Give it a good stir. Add cucumbers and mix well until evenly coated. store in an airtight container. Lasts 4-5 days.
