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Two slices of avocado sweet potato toast on a plate.

Whether you head into work every day or are working remotely from home, a healthy lunch is a key factor in powering you through your days. If you’re like many people, though, you may be stuck in a bit of a lunch rut, rotating the same few meals throughout the week. Not only does that get boring, but it doesn’t offer a lot of variety in terms of nutrition either.

So, we reached out to Ryan Dodge, the executive chef for Life Time’s LifeCafes nationwide, and asked him to help us whip up some fresh ideas. These five recipes are all healthy and quick to make, and require no more than six ingredients. Next week’s lunch menu is about to get a lot more interesting.

The New Egg Salad

This straightforward dish is one of my favorite things to eat for lunch. It’s made with ingredients that are staples in my household because of their versatility, so I almost always have them on hand. Arugula is my personal preferred green due to its peppery notes, but if it’s not available, I’ll grab whatever spring mix is in season — baby spinach works well, too.

Makes one serving
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 to 10 minutes, depending on egg preference

Ingredients

  • 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 cup loosely packed organic greens
  • 1/2 cup bell peppers, sliced
  • 1 or 2 large eggs, prepared over-easy or hard boiled
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Whisk the olive oil and lemon juice together in a large bowl.
  2. Add the greens and sliced peppers and lightly toss to coat.
  3. If you prefer your eggs over-easy, cook them in a sauté pan until the whites are set and the yolk remains runny, about five minutes, flipping once. Place on top of your bed of greens and peppers.
  4. If you prefer hard boiled eggs, simply slice and place on top of the greens and peppers. (We suggest hard boiling the eggs in advance so they’re chilled — and to save time.)
  5. Season with salt and pepper.

Avocado Sweet Potato Toast

I saw a colleague of mine preparing this for lunch in the breakroom at work and it inspired me — I thought it was so clever and easy. I’ve since made it many times. It can easily be tweaked with a number of different ingredients depending on your taste. 

Makes one serving
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes 

Ingredients

  • 1 sweet potato
  • 1 avocado, sliced
  • 1 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp. black and white sesame seeds
  • 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

  1. Clean the sweet potato and cut lengthwise in 1/4-inch slices.
  2. Place the sweet potato slices in the toaster oven or oven and cook at 375 degrees F for about 15 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat and top each with avocado slices.
  4. Drizzle with olive oil, top with the sesame seeds and red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.

20-Minute Chicken Teriyaki

This recipe’s a one-pan hit. The three primary ingredients — chicken, broccoli, and potatoes — when cut to the right size will cook evenly in the same amount of time.

Makes one serving
Prep time: 8 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium stalk broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 cup fingerling potatoes, cut in half lengthwise
  • 4 oz. organic chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 tbs. teriyaki sauce

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the broccoli with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and some salt and pepper.
  2. Toss the potatoes with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper.
  3. Toss the chicken cubes with the teriyaki sauce.
  4. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place all ingredients separately on the sheet (not mixed together) and cook for 12 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Club Lettuce Wraps

A classic, but with tons of versatility. I prefer using hearts of romaine as the base for my wrap, and am careful to avoid highly processed deli meats. Cheese could be another add-in, but I tend to leave it out and opt for mayo or mustard instead.

Makes one serving
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 0 minutes 

Ingredients

  • 1 head romaine (outer leaves preferred)
  • 4 oz. organic, nitrate-free deli turkey or chicken
  • 2 strips cooked nitrate-free bacon
  • 2 slices tomato
  • 1 tbs. mayonnaise

Directions

  1. Lay out the romaine leaves and begin layering: Add the turkey or chicken, bacon, and tomato, top with mayo, roll into a wrap, and enjoy.

Pan-Toasted Sandwich

A Cuban is one of my all-time favorite sandwiches. If it’s on a menu, more times than not, that’s what I’m ordering. This take on it has everything you need for the same great flavor but requires minimal ingredients.

Makes one serving
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 6 minutes 

Ingredients

  • 2 slices bread (French, gluten-free, or whole-grain sprouted)
  • 2 tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 1 slice Swiss cheese
  • 4 oz. organic, nitrate-free deli turkey or ham (or both)
  • 6 to 8 bread and butter pickle chips
  • 1 tbs. grass-fed butter

Directions

  1. On one side of one slice of bread, spread 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard. Repeat on the second slice of bread.
  2. Place the Swiss cheese on top piece of bread. Lay the protein on the other slice. Place the pickles on top of the meat.
  3. Place the two slices together to close — press with a good amount of pressure.
  4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Place the sandwich in the pan, and cook each side until it’s golden brown, about 3 minutes per side, flipping as needed. If necessary, add additional butter.
Molly Schelper
Molly Kopischke

Molly Kopischke is the director of content strategy at Life Time.

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