Casual Friday, Blue Jeans & an Easy Lunchbox

A casual work day calls for an easy, portable lunch.

My average travel day makes lunch planning a must.

The last few months the one thing I can count on for any given Friday is unpredictability.  My job takes me an average of 75 mile radius around my home town.  With this in mind if I pack an easy go to lunch any day of the week I'd better do it on a Friday.  Austin Texas is like many cities across the country with the less casual dress in the workplace environment. On Friday though it is a given that it is more casual than Monday through Thursday with blue jeans & flip-flops being de rigueur. The same can go for my lunches the last day of the work week. Lunchtime doesn't have to be a hassle. I generally throw things together on Thursday evening easing myself into the weekend a little early.  This Friday I will be having 2 small crimped sandwiches & a few garden veggies,.  I have had a few cucumbers & volunteer tomatoes which have been producing a little better than the seeded variety of veggies which seem to be burning up in the mid-summer heat wave.  As a mid morning snack I've packed a small amount of dried fruit & nuts.  My lunch also includes Coconut water which I found frozen at a local Asian grocery store.  The frozen coconut water also helps keep my lunch cool & fresh till I stop for lunch later in the day.  The coco water drinks have been very popular since last summer.  The beverage as a sports drink is popular too since it is super hydrating,  full of potassium & minerals.  Water of course is the beverage of choice in the heat but if you haven't tried coco water I can suggest this thirst quenching drink this Summer. Enjoy your own casual Friday & be inspired by simply packing a lunch today. **Lunch box find: You may notice the small salt & pepper (orange top) container in my bento photo. It was a .79 cent purchase at a local Asian store.

Fall Flavors, J'aime Le Fromage

Crisp Apple, smooth Brie & Smoked Turkey~means J'aime Le Fromage (translation: I love cheese!) I've be singing praises of Brie for years....

My youngest daughter was a Brie fanatic from an early age. Actually both my daughters seem to have a great appreciation for a good cheese.  They did however get the adoration of fine fromage from me...this love of all things cheese does make it into the lunch hour frequently.

Toasted Cheese Sandwich has always been a stand alone favorite in our house but taking it to work or school is a different story.  I decided a little lunch time improvisation as in order for a "toasted" Brie, Apple & Turkey sandwich.
 I toasted the bread slices with a scant amount of butter on one side of each piece of bread, let the toasted bread cool completely before assembling the sandwich. I thinly sliced the Brie cheese, sliced the Apple super thin & then layered in a few Spinach leaves after I added thinly sliced Smoked Turkey Breast.  Make sure the bread is not warm still ( it will be slightly soggy from the steam is so, wrapping it in a paper towel helps absorb the moisture too.) place it into your lunch box.  This sandwich is fine chilled or perfect reheated for about 20 seconds.  It makes the Brie slightly soft & the apple flavors seem to pop!  I spread nothing on the bread for this sandwich This is just personal preference.  Lunch box additions were: Blueberries & Watermelon slices & a few lowfat fig newtons
***Cheese note:  Brie comes in many varieties, this is one of the least in price & more widely available in the states but perfect for melting into a cheese sandwich.  Want to take a walk on the wild cheese side?  Check out the cheese counter at Whole Foods.  It is a real trip to Bountiful!! Happy Lunch hour!
Cheesy Factoid:
The oldest recorded evidence that anyone could find of the existence of Brie Cheese was found in the chronicles of Charlemagne. At that time, the Emperor in power, had a taste of the now-famous cheese in the city of Brie around the year 774 BC. And here’s another fascinating tidbit about Brie cheese… Louis XVI’s last and dying wish was supposedly to have a final taste of Brie. *

*for more history of Brie check here