Let’s talk lunch. There is no better time to think about packing a few weekday lunches than over the weekend. If you wait until Monday, the battle is already lost. But if you devote even just half an hour on Saturday or Sunday to prep some lettuce and a couple of interesting toppings, the entire week is just better.

It means that instead of snacking aimlessly throughout the day or spending way too much money on a takeout meal, you have a solid lunch to look forward to.

In the past, I’ve relied on a rotating series of grain, bean and lentil salads ( this one is great) that I scoop over torn lettuce or baby spinach. Lately, I’ve been prepping  the components of this Deconstructed Falafel Salad. It's a recipe from the team over at The Kitchen and is a darned good one.

It offers all the satisfaction of a basic falafel sandwich, but is healthier and far less work. I prep a big head of lettuce, roast off the chickpeas (they get deliciously meaty after some time in the oven) and mix up the dressing.

To prep the salad, I grab a big handful of lettuce and top it with the chickpeas and some chopped tomato and cucumber, and give everything a goodly dollop of the garlicky yogurt-and-tahini dressing. It is filling, flavorful and entirely meatless. Try it for your next Weekender!