This hub presents is a series of several Mexican or Tex-Mex inspired lunch dishes that can be prepared quickly and refrigerated overnight to allow the flavors to meld. Most can also be placed into lunch containers, ready to grab out of the refrigerator in the morning when you go to work.

It's great if you have a refrigerator at work, but if not, use an insulated lunch bag or cooler for these dishes and they will be good-tasting and have good texture at lunchtime.

Black Bean Salsa/Salad

90 calories per serving (excluding chips), for 4-6 people.

For 2 lunches, cut the recipe requirements in half or keep the other half refrigerated and use within a few days.

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 - 16 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 can mango slices, cut into chunks
• 1 can whole kernel corn, with peppers added if you like, drained
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped, cilantro; or used powdered
• 2 Tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper if desired

Prep Time is only 5 minutes

• Put together beans, mango, corn, onion and cilantro in a bowl.
• Add then lime juice, garlic salt and cumin/cayenne and stir briefly. Serve with your favorite corn-based chips, such as blue corn or cilantro-added.

Red Bean, Carrot and Avocado Salad

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 - 16 ounces) red or dark kidney beans (or use some of each), rinsed and drained. Any sort of canned lidney-typ bean you have on hand would be good.
• 1 can sliced carrots, drained
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (use a spicy variety if you like)
• 1 ripe avocado, the flesh diced
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Prep Time is 7-10 minutes

• Using a large bowl, add beans, carrots, tomatoes, avocado, and red onion.
• Add the olive oil and stir lightly, then season.
• If you have a refrigerator or chilled lunch cooler, chill for lunch or eat immediately room temperature.
• The salad can be kept in the refrigerator overnight as well.
• For only 1-2 servings, cut the recipe requirements in half.
• Serve with tortilla-type chips or your favorite bread.

Mexicali Salad

Serves 6 - 8. Cut the recipe requirements in half for 2-3 good lunch-sized portions.

• 2 cans (14 - 16 ounces each) black beans, drained
• 1 can diced Mexican tomatoes, drained
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 small can (about 4 ounces) chopped green chiles
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro; or 2 Tablespoons powdered
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons white or red wine vinegar

OPTIONAL

• Hot pepper sauce, to taste
• Low-fat sour cream

Prep time is less than 10 minutes

• Using a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, corn, chiles, cilantro, green onions and vinegar and stir lightly.
• Mix in the hot pepper sauce and sour cream, if desired.
• This can be prepared the night before so that the flavors will meld.
• Serve with tortilla-type chips or your favorite bread.

Avocado Citrus Salad

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

• 1/2 can (14-16 ounces) diced tomatoes with green pepper or chilies and onion, drained
• 1 small can Mandarin oranges, drained, but keep 1/8 cup of the juice
• 1/8 cup chopped cilantro or 2 Tablespoons powdered
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1 small chipotle pepper, seeds removed and chopped
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ripe avocados
• 3 cups leafy lettuce (not iceberg), shredded
• Parsley or Cilantro for garnish

Prep Time is 10-15 minutes

• Using a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, Mandarin oranges, cilantro, and green onion.
• In a small bowl, combine the chopped chipotle pepper, olive oil, Mandarin orange juice and black pepper.
• Pour the chipotle mixture over the tomato mixture and toss together without bruising.
• Let stand 30 minutes to blend flavors or eat immediately when avocados are prepared.
• This portion of the dish can also mellow and meld in the refrigerator overnight, but don't mix it with the lettuce and avocado if you do this, because to may turn to mush.
• Cut the avocado in half, remove the pit, and carefully scoop out the flesh with a spoon in a single piece on each half. Slice the halves ¼ inch thick.
• Place the lettuce into lunch containers. If this is for lunch, place the lettuce in one container, coat the avocado slices with lime or lemon juice to prevent browning and put them in another container, and put the tomato mixture in a third container.
• Whenever you are ready to eat, arrange avocado slices on top of the lettuce and spread or pour the tomato and orange mixture over the avocado.

Tortilla Chips

Lay out a few flour or corn tortillas on a cutting board and spray them with nonstick olive oil or other cooking spray on both sides.

• If you wanted seasoned chips, sprinkle seasonings on both sides after spraying with cooking spray. You might use cayenne, cilantro, garlic salt, onion salt, or some other favorite. I like to use a little lime juice (careful not to wash off the cooking spray), cilantro, onion salt, black or white pepper, and red pepper.
• Stack as many as 8 the tortillas together and cut into quarters with a sharp knife or a sharp pizza cutter.
• Place your tortilla triangles in one layer on cookie sheets.
• Bake 5 - 7 minutes at 375 degrees F until crisp and edges begin to curl up. Do not over cook and check ever 30 seconds after 5 minutes have elapses - they can burn quickly.
• Remove chips from oven and place on a cooling rack as they continue to become crisper. Cool 5-10 minutes and enjoy.