Mix and match your way to a healthy, tasty lunch with this Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad—a Tex-Mex-inspired favorite lunchbox recipe.

Formula for a Perfect Lunch

It’s easy to get in a lunchtime rut, eating the same few foods over and over because they’re easy and you have them on hand. Having a mix-and-match lunch system can help you break out of that rut, allowing you to have a variety of easy lunch options that don’t compromise on flavor or quality. Here’s my basic formula:

Grain base + protein and veggie filling + dressing or salsa + toppings = one incredibly healthy and delicious lunch!

You can use just about any grain for the base—rice, quinoa, millet, or even a “faux” grain like cauliflower rice. Canned beans or lentils and a combination of your favorite raw, steamed, grilled or roasted veggies, will work for the filling and toppings can vary from day-to-day based on what you have in the fridge or pantry—nuts, seeds, chopped fresh herbs, etc. Yesterday’s hummus makes for a great addition to a Mediterranean themed bowl, and that 1/4 jar of marinara that has been hanging out in your fridge is great in bowls with white rice, cannellini beans, marinated artichoke hearts and a sprinkle of basil and pine nuts. Toss lentils with a simple red wine vinaigrette one day and use the rest with a tahini dressing the next. The possibilities are endless!

About the Recipe

This Mexican Cauliflower Rice Salad is a perfect example of a typical lunch bowl I make. I prepare the cauliflower rice and red onion relish on Sunday evening and keep them in the fridge for the first three lunches during the week. The cauliflower rice takes the place of a grain, on which I layer beans, corn, roasted red peppers and salsa. If you follow the recipe, you’ll have enough ingredients to make 3 servings of this particular salad, or you can prepare the cauliflower rice base and switch things up with different toppings for each serving. This salad is great warm, but it is equally delicious straight out of the fridge for a completely hassle-free lunch.