by Alison Landolt
Lunch in the Time of Coronavirus: My office reopened last week. That means it’s back to the 9-5, 40 hour a week grind. Business as usual! Plus, some “health screenings” and suggestions to social distance and wear a mask. Let’s be real, no one is doing that. Even the security guards conducting the health checks don’t wear masks half the time. (And I call them out.)
I’m 3 months post-excision surgery. I. Am. Tired. I am healing. I’m one of those people who gets sick easily in the best of conditions. I’m wearing a mask and keeping my distance!
I also like to eat all day long, which is at odds with my germ avoidance. This brings me to lunch time. I need something with fiber to keep me full, low effort to keep me out of the break room, and non-messy to eat while hiding under my desk.
Enter overnight oats. My boyfriend has been eating overnight oats for lunch for months, and I low-key judge him for it. Oats for lunch sounds weird. Turns out, maybe it’s not. (Sorry, Alex!) These are the apple cinnamon overnight oats getting me through Covid-19 lunches.
1 cup [gluten free] oats
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoons chia seeds
½ cup milk of choice
½ cup yogurt of choice
Generous sprinkle of cinnamon
Dash of cardamom
Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and stir to combine. Pop in the fridge overnight. Done.
Makes 2 servings.
I like to keep this in a lunch box with an ice pack at my desk, so I can avoid the kitchen (and people) entirely. I’ve also just left them out at room temp and did not die. You can microwave them for 30-45 seconds to heat if you aren’t into cold oats and don’t mind people.
Sometimes I pair the oats with a hard boiled egg or two, which I peel at home and eat with a fork at work.
Alison Landolt is an EFHou cofounder.