Peanut Butter and Date Sandwich

Here's another sandwich that's quick to throw together and a little more "adult" than your standard PB&J. These dates are just as sweet as jelly (if not sweeter!) and pack three grams of fiber per serving. This meal is also super easy to store and assemble at work - neither the peanut butter nor the dates need to be refrigerated and a baguette would last you several days.

If your dates don't come chopped, it's much easier to take 30 seconds to chop the whole container before bringing it in to work. Bonus: chopped dates also make a great, fiber-filled afternoon snack...just try not to eat so many that you get a sugar buzz!

Grocery list

• Bread
• Peanut butter - about 2 tbsp. (I used Brad's Organic)
• Dates - about 4, chopped (I found a container in the dried fruit section of Whole Foods for $3.99)
  

Directions

Slice the bread and spread peanut butter on the bottom layer. Top with chopped dates!

Hands-on time: Less than 5 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
To bring: plastic bags or store at work

Avocado Toast

I know what you're thinking - what a pretty picture! Many thanks to Ferris of Dove + Sparrow wedding photography for teaching me how to actually use my camera! To think, all this time I was trying to shoot with fluorescent lights. And who knew aluminum foil had uses outside of the kitchen? Stop by her newly designed site to see some great photography (and yes, stalk pictures of my wedding!)

On to the gloriously photographed food at hand...although, avocados are fairly glorious no matter how bad the photo is. I love that they come in their own packaging - as long as it's not too mushy, you can just throw one in your bag, or even have a few ripening on your desk (stick them in a paper bag to speed things along.) I topped this with a squeeze of fresh lemon (you can pack a few slices in a plastic bag, they're also great for drinks) and chili flakes, which are a great desk pantry staple. My last office always had some floating around due to massive pizza orders! There's some cilantro on there too, which you could pack in with the lemon, but it's optional.

And yes, I cut the avocado open with a plastic knife and spooned it out with a plastic spoon, just to see if it could be done! It's no trouble at all as long as the fruit is ripe.

Grocery list

• Avocado - 1 medium (I find they're most affordable packaged as bags of four in many stores)
• Bread (or crackers like melba toast) - 1 slice
• Lemon or lime - juice of 1 wedge (or a few squirts of bottled)
• Cilantro (optional)

 Pantry

• Salt - to taste
• Red pepper flakes - to taste

Directions

Toast the bread and slice it. Granted, you have to have a toaster in your office for this lunch to work properly. If you don't have one, avocados are perfectly good on untoasted bread, or there's always melba toast! Cut open the avocado and spoon out each half onto the slices. Mush it together and top with salt, chili flakes, lemon juice and whatever else you like. I think za'tar would be another great option. Any other suggestions?

Yield: 1 toast
To bring: plastic bags

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Questions about the cooking method? Please let me know in the comments!