Merry (almost) Christmas! It’s the time of year where I’m busy in the best ways possible – making gifts, spending extra time in the kitchen making treats, and staring wistfully out the window while thinking of Christmases past and future (a very time-consuming activity). Since free time isn’t abundant these days, it’s especially nice to not have to worry about what’s for lunch everyday. I get it all done on Sunday and my mind and schedule are gloriously freed up for the rest of the week.
It’s stunning to look back on this time last year and realize how much my concept of time has changed. Last year, the days in mid-December dragged on interminably. I did all I could think of to distract myself on a daily basis, hoping to speed up time even just slightly. I was newly pregnant, still very much in the stage where every twinge or ache could spell out disaster, and we were waiting until Christmas to tell our families the news. I am not a patient person by nature, so I suffered in my waiting loudly and dramatically. Pregnancy, I would learn, was all about patience. As much as I wanted to know everything about my baby that was approximately the size of a gummy bear, it simply wasn’t possible to rush those nine months, or even those few weeks before we told our families. I’d like to say the whole experience taught me to be a more patient person, but I have a nagging suspicion that I just learned to temporarily hide my anxiety a little better.
It was so worth waiting to tell our families, though. Even though I nearly lost my mind trying to wait, the joy it added to our Christmas celebrations is something I’ll never forget. The idea of Advent helped as well. It is, after all, the season of waiting in hopeful anticipation for the birth of our Lord. But as Shane Claiborne said, this is not a passive waiting. Waiting for our Lord should be anything but:
“As any expectant mother knows, this waiting also involves preparation, exercise, nutrition, care, prayer, work; and birth involves pain, blood, tears, joy, release, community. It is called labor for a reason. Likewise, we are in a world pregnant with hope, and we live in the expectation of the coming of God’s kingdom on earth. As we wait, we also work, cry, pray, ache; we are the midwives of another world.”
Isn’t that beautiful? I thought about that a lot during those endless weeks. I tried to put my waiting to the best use and embrace the stress and aches and uncertainty that came with it, and it ultimately it connected me to the spirit of the Christmas season like never before (how could it not, with that quote in mind?).
Now this year, everything is moving at lightning speed. My baby, who I have proof was once the size and shape of an adorable gummy bear, is now over two feet tall, rolling everywhere, talking adorable nonsense, and constantly flashing all his fans his trademark half smile. In the two seconds in bed before I fall asleep, I wonder at where all the hours in the day went. How have twenty weeks already passed? He’s not slowing down his growing, so how can I make these moments with him stretch? I never thought I’d be the person to want things to take longer, but if it was up to me, my days with him would drag on and on. But just like there was beauty to be found in the waiting, there is plenty of beauty to be found in the constant change and growth as well. Just like with the waiting, it’s my job to make sure I’m not a passive observer.
So long story short, this is why meal prep is essential for anyone out there looking to add a little more quality to their “quality time.” Get it all out of the way at once, forget about it, and eat it when you’re hungry. We have big, important things that need our attention. Even, it turns out, more important than lunch (that’s how much I love you, kid. Even more than lunch.)
This salad is adapted from a Moroccan salad I stumbled upon awhile back. I hesitate calling it Moroccan though, since I know alarmingly little about their food. I know it’s good, and that’s about it. I feel like I need a little more experience with the cuisine before I can go around flinging Moroccan labels on recipes. So I named this salad for what it is: Chicken-y and colorful.
Turmeric-spiced chickpeas, chicken, kale, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, quinoa, pistachios, dried mission figs (my new favorite salad addition), feta, and a red wine vinaigrette makes this prep-ahead salad pop with color and flavor that will keep you coming back for more all week long. It’s also really easy to make vegan or vegetarian. It’s not too heavy, not too light, full pf protein, and probably too colorful for it’s own good. Ultimately, you’ll feel great after eating it. And isn’t that what eating salads is all about?
Dig in, my friends. And in between, enjoy every shockingly fleeting moment with the tiny humans in your lives. And of course, have the merriest of Christmases.
Colorful Chicken Salad Lunch Prep
Ingredients
For the salad
- 3 chicken breasts, raw
- 5 tsp olive oil, divided
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp oregano, dried
- 1 lemon, juiced and zested
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 3 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1.5 tsp ground turmeric
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
- 1 bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
- 3-4 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths
- 1/2 English cucumber, chopped
- 1/3 cup fresh mint, de-stemmed and minced
- 1/2 cup Green onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled into ribbons
- 3/4 cup dried mission figs, stem removed and sliced in half
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta
- 1/2 cup pistachio nut meat
For the dressing
- 3 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 2 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Salad
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken breasts in a baking dish.
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Combine lemon zest, minced garlic, and oregano in a small bowl. Add 3 tsp lemon juice and 3 tsp of olive oil along with salt and pepper and mix well.
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Rub mixture onto both sides of each chicken breast and bake for 35 minutes or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Let rest for several minutes, then chop and set aside.
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Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chickpeas, turmeric, garlic powder, and salt and pepper. Cook until chickpeas are coated and no liquid remains in the pan. Set aside
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Cook quinoa (instant pot is fastest. 1 cup water or broth, 1 cup quinoa, cook for 1 minute). Set aside.
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Add kale to a large bowl. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and massage gently until the kale turns a more vibrant shade of green.
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Add tomatoes, cucumber, carrot, chicken, chickpeas, quinoa, mint, green onion, figs, feta, and pistachios. Toss with dressing and divide into five lunch containers. consume within five days.
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Avocado would make a great addition to this salad, but only add it fresh when you're planning on eating your salad.
For the Dressing
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Whisk together red wine vinegar, garlic, honey, and salt and pepper in a small bowl.
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While continuing to whisk, slowly add olive oil. Pour mixture over salad.
