The Mediterranean diet, a flexible and enriching eating pattern, emphasizes healthy additions instead of merely setting up restrictions, making it a perfect choice for those struggling with inflammation symptoms. If you’re tackling issues like digestive problems, joint pain, or mental fog, it’s a wise idea to indulge in delightful lunches that prioritize anti-inflammatory ingredients like salmon, kale, and quinoa.
Not only are these ingredients rich in antioxidants, but they also align with the Mediterranean diet, one of the healthiest eating patterns across the globe. Here, we present 18 winter lunch recipes, featuring seasonal ingredients and flavors that are nutritious, flavorful, and satisfying.
1. Vegan Burrito Bowls with Cauliflower Rice
These meal-prep vegan burrito bowls are healthier and more flavorful than takeout. Make them early in the week for grab-and-go meals when days are busy. We use frozen cauliflower rice, a low-carb substitute for white or brown rice, to cut down on prep time. View Recipe
2. Spicy Ramen Noodle Cup Soup
In just 15 minutes, you can make three jars of vegetarian ramen cup soup that you can bring to work or school. These cup soups are not only a time saver, but are also packed with protein from hard-boiled eggs, which will help keep you satisfied until your next meal. View Recipe
3. Kale Salad with Quinoa & Chicken
Toss the cooked chicken into this healthy salad recipe while it’s still warm to lightly wilt the kale, making it softer and easier to eat. Using store-bought salad dressing saves time, but you could also make your own tangy vinaigrette. View Recipe
4. Grain Bowl with Chickpeas & Cauliflower
This beautiful grain bowl is packed with healthy ingredients like quinoa, chickpeas, kale, and cauliflower—all drizzled with a lemony tahini sauce. The fast one-bowl meal makes a satisfying weeknight dinner or packable work lunch. View Recipe
5. Vegetarian Niçoise Salad
This vegetarian take on a traditional Niçoise salad omits the fish and piles on plenty of vegetables. View Recipe
6. Beet & Shrimp Winter Salad
This healthy dinner salad recipe gets its staying power from protein-packed shrimp and fiber-rich barley. With a simple red-wine vinaigrette, this quick salad makes just one serving but is easy to double or triple. View Recipe
7. Green Salad with Pita Bread & Hummus
Elevate hummus and pita by piling your plate high with cucumbers, carrots, and mixed greens! Just a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil is all it takes to dress it up. View Recipe
8. Pesto Pasta Salad
A creamy pesto sauce turns this simple pasta salad into a delightful dinner. Adding broccoli to the pasta cooking water just before the pasta is done is a convenient way to briefly cook it so that it turns a vivid shade of green and softens slightly. View Recipe
9. Stuffed Sweet Potato with Hummus Dressing
Hearty yet simple to prepare, this stuffed sweet potato with black beans, kale, and hummus dressing is a fantastic 5-ingredient lunch for one! View Recipe
10. Creamy Avocado & White Bean Wrap
White beans mashed with ripe avocado and blended with sharp Cheddar and onion makes an incredibly rich, flavorful filling for this wrap. The tangy, spicy slaw adds crunch. View Recipe
11. Roasted Veggie & Hummus Pita Pockets
These satisfying and tasty pita-pocket sandwiches are packed with roasted veggies and greens. A spread of hummus adds creaminess and keeps everything from falling out. View Recipe
12. Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna
This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender. View Recipe
13. Spicy Tuna Wrap
These tuna wraps were inspired by spicy tuna sushi rolls. We love how they taste with peppery watercress, but other greens, such as arugula, romaine, escarole, or even radish sprouts, would taste great in the filling. View Recipe
14. Kale, Quinoa & Apple Salad
This kale, quinoa, and apple salad is perfect for fall. Fresh apples bring crisp autumn flavor, and the kale breaks down when it’s massaged with the dressing. View Recipe
15. Chopped Chicken & Sweet Potato Salad
This easy salad recipe allows for a wonderful use of leftover cooked chicken. Look for escarole in the produce section near the leafy greens; if you can’t find it, you can use romaine instead. View Recipe
16. Kale Turkey Wraps
Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can’t find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap. View Recipe
17. Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushroom Salad
Shaving the vegetables for this easy salad recipe makes them deliciously tender-crisp without having to cook anything and helps them stand up to the bright homemade vinaigrette and salty Parmesan cheese. View Recipe
18. Brussels Sprouts Salad with Crunchy Chickpeas
This healthy high-fiber salad comes together in just 10 minutes. Serve it right away or pack it in individual servings for four super-satisfying high-fiber lunches for the week ahead. View Recipe
These recipes are not just delicious but also packed with nutrition, aiding in combating inflammation. Try them out this winter and enjoy a healthy and flavorful lunch.
