what's for lunch?

[photo via 101cookbooks]

I'm kind of big on lunch. Maybe it's because it's a welcomed break from working (and maybe that says something), I usually jump right up at noon and either break into my home-packed lunch, or step out for something delicious (SF's FiDi has options, people). I'm definitely not one of those people who works through lunch and then looks up blearily at 1:30, starving. Nope. I like my lunch, and my coffee after. Civilized.

As you know well, starting this Friday, downtown lunches are off my everyday menu. From here on, in addition to the grub-rustling I do for Jacky, I'll be scaring up lunch for myself everyday, and I daresay I need to do a good job with this. On bad days, I have a slice of bread and some olives. With a side of malnutrition and crankiness. On a good day, there's some green stuff involved. Maybe soup with green stuff. Or salad. Happier.

Long time ago, I worked freelance from home for about 5 years. Yes, I was a lot younger, barely knew how to cook... and I ate, for the most part, rather terribly. There was the occasional warming, Italian-mama-ish pasta puttanesca, but mostly it was pretty bleak. Pajamas till noon, working through lunch, forgetting to eat. Bleary.

You know I'm super excited to start a new phase here, but if I'm (very/too?) honest, I'm a little freaked out that I'm going to be once again A) poorly nourished; B) isolated; C) sadly dressed. Well, I'll need to work on A (the task at hand). As for B, there's always the internet (ha! a joke); and for C, since Jacky's nanny will still be paying us visits (while I'm working on The Future, you know), I'll need to be at least presentable from time to time.

Anyway, back to the food. I've been collecting some lunch ideas, but I need your help. What are your go-to home-cooked lunches? Please share! I need veggies, protein and deliciousness. I mostly eat vegetarian till dinner, which suits me nicely. Keeps the energy level up, in my opinion.

So far, my super haphazard list:

:: Heidi's "quesadillas", with the addition of some sauteed greens inside, plus a garden salad. I've eaten this two days in a row and it's AWESOME. And quick. (Jora, this needs a spot on your breakfast list.) Pictured at top.

:: Bryant Terry's Jamaican Veggie Patties, via Heidi again.

:: Soup, soup, soup. I have a nice supply of stock waiting.

:: Salads in jars. A flexible formula.

:: Chopped/slaw-type salads. Like this or this or this.

:: Some grain-type salads? Or lentils?

OK, that's all I've got. Need help, people.