Let's face it, buying lunch everyday at the office gets pricey. Sometimes it can cost $10 or more a day, and add that up to over $200 a month! I'm sure there's better things you can do with that money...like buy groceries and make your own lunch at home. Not only do you save dollars buy you know exactly what's going into the food you make in your own kitchen. That means you're eating healthier and, hey, you might lose a few pounds! Sounds like a great plan to us. What's also a great plan? This dish of pasta and chicken with a kick. Mandarin Chicken Pasta features peppers, onion, ginger, garlic, a little vinegar and the Mandarin oranges and a splash of orange juice balances out all that savory flavor. This dish is great for lunch but since you're probably making it ahead of time, why not have it for dinner. Put some to the side for the next day and you're good to go! Recipe and image courtesy of Bradley Kitchen.
Dressing
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, diced
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp sesame oil
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix
2 tsp sugar
Mix well and refrigerate. (We used our food processor and added the oils very slowly as the last two ingredients while it was processing. this is the best way to mix oil and vinegar, by the way).
Salad
8 oz bowtie pasta, cooked (a fortified pasta is even better!)
1 lb chicken breast, poached and diced
1/2 of a cucumber, seeded and sliced
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped red onion
6 oz. baby spinach
11 oz can mandarin oranges, well drained
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted (350 for 8 minutes)
Toasted sesame seeds (optional, I think they go well with the sesame oil in the dressing)
Toss and serve immediately.
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