Tired of the same old brown-bag lunch? Check out these nifty—and tasty—grub ideas.
Beet Poke, $7.95
Humble Beet
1124 NW Newport Ave., Bend
541-598-5973
humblebeet.com
Coconut Chia Seed Pudding, $8
When you aren't super hungry but want to eat something, order the coconut chia seed pudding at Jackson's Corner. It's healthful and hits the spot for breakfast or lunch. The lightly sweet pudding is made with chia seeds soaked overnight so they're soft. The texture is like tapioca but with a slight crunch. This dish gets a lot of depth from the toppings. The bites with dates are super sweet and the ones with strawberries or blueberries are slightly sweet and tart. Additional crunch comes from the toasted coconut flakes. You may think you're eating an indulgent treat but this one is good for you. Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants and an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, iron and calcium.
Jackson's Corner, East or West
jacksonscornerbend.com
Rice Macro Bowl, $12
Where do you go when you're starving but you don't want to end up in a food coma? Visit the ultra-hip Fix & Repeat and order the rice bowl, a macro bowl layered with brown rice, black beans, diced sweet potato, spicy chiles, walnut pesto, fresh chopped kale, basil, avocado, cashew cream and sprinkled with pepitas and sesame seeds. That hits all your macronutrients: fat, protein and carbs. If this dish sounds too healthful to be delicious, I'm telling you, the combination of spicy, creamy and tangy is oh, so satisfying. Bring your furry friend when you visit and both of you can have lunch on the patio. Indulge Fido with a pup smoothie made with kale, peanut butter, coconut oil, banana and apple.
Fix & Repeat
555 NW Arizona Ave., Bend
541-385-9603
fixandrepeat.com
Chicken Katsu Curry, $12.50
When you're craving comfort food with a global influence, visit Bend-o Bento, in a strip mall off of Wilson Avenue, owned by Yukiko McLaughlin and recommended to me by Leela Morimoto, who eats here when she's feeling homesick for Japan. I told McLaughlin, "I want what Leela usually orders." What I refer to now as "the Leela," is chicken katsu, rice, macaroni salad and bean thread noodle with a side of curry.. This was the creamiest mac salad I've ever tasted, coming from Japanese kewpie mayonnaise, made with more egg yolks and no whites. The curry tasted surprisingly Indian to me. The bean thread noodle was a salty, cold glass noodle with crispy vegetables and not very memorable as the other stuff. Also note: the owners visit Japan every year around this time; try them after early September.
