ECO Lunchbox Three-in-One #96

 

This lunch really plays up the "eat the colors" idea! Here we have lentil hummus topped with homemade pickled onions, black sesame seeds, and a bit of chopped scallion; cucumber slices; baby carrots; the very end of a pineapple cut in chunks; some dark chocolate; and an arugula-mushroom quesadilla made with Daiya cheddar.

I'm excited to have learned why my pickled onions weren't pink last time! You have to sweat them out with salt first before you add the brine. Once I learned that, I made these delightful pickled onions--the color is entirely from the onion, not the vinegar, which was just apple cider vinegar and nothing like that color. They went really well with the last of my lentil hummus. I was sorry when I was done with the hummus and veggies. I could have eaten that all day!

The quesadilla was a brainstorm I'm glad I had--easy and delicious and yet another way to get me to eat greens! I cooked some finely chopped onions low and slow in vegan butter while I did a bunch of other things so I could get them to caramelize a bit, then added sliced mushrooms and let them cook. When they were done to my liking, I warmed a tortilla a bit to make it easier to fold, then put in the onion-mushroom mixture, a handful of arugula, and a sprinkling of shredded Daiya cheddar. I toasted that in vegan butter until it was browned on both sides and the cheese was melted. It was absolutely perfect.

I guess this just goes to show you that vibrant colors don't have to wait until spring produce arrives. This was one of the best lunches I've ever made.