Lunch in a Box: Spaghetti Squash with Kale and Chickpeas

I love having leftovers for lunch- it makes packing my lunch so much easier than planning an extra meal! After attending a cookie exchange yesterday afternoon (more on that later), I was in the mood for something light and healthy. Thanks to Pinterest, I came across this dish (Oh My Gosh, Spaghetti Squash) AND the healthy blog it came from. I've now added My New Roots to my Google reader and am looking forward to more delicious dishes.

The dish was super easy. Just go to the link above for ingredients and directions. Aside from splitting open the spaghetti squash, it took under an hour from start to finish. While the squash is baking, assemble the remaining ingredients and start sautéing them when there is only about 10 minutes left to go. It made enough for barely 4 servings, so I would recommend maybe using 2 bunches of kale for a heartier serving. I sprinkled dinner with a little parmesan from the fridge, but you could leave it out for a vegan dish if you wanted.

Dinner last night

So I had already prepared my lunch box last night, but needed to fill the other two compartments. We had gone to a Christmas party on Friday that had a Mexican food theme. Knowing that we would be gorging on tamales, I made a crudite tray with a spicy Chamoy dipping sauce to take. I found the recipe in one of my Rick Bayless cookbooks, but lucky for you it's also online. Click on this link for the Mexican Crudite Platter with Chamoy Dipping Sauce. I purchased 2 whole pineapples (because they're half the price of buying them already cut up). I have a nifty tool that takes out the center, so it wasn't too hard. It sounds weird to dip pineapple in a spicy sauce, but just trust me on this one. I passed on the jicama and radish in the recipe, and instead used yellow bell pepper, mini carrots, cherry tomatoes and sliced cucumber. I so wished I had taken a picture because the tray came out beautifully, but I was in a rush to get out the door on time. The sauce was so easy to make, and the heat can be adjusted to your taste. This is a winner dish in my book!

So...long story short is that I had some sauce and veggies left over, so I threw those in my box too. Tasty, healthy, but still hearty enough that I won't be hungry in an hour. But in case I am, I have an apple to snack on later.