Mediterranean Salad Bento Box

Mediterranean Salad (Bento Box)

I love leftovers, and I love versatile leftovers. This recipe can be modified in so many ways. You can deconstruct it (as stated below), or you can mix it altogether. Want to put it in a wrap? You can! Want to have this meal for lunch, dinner or a snack? It’s all doable! A salad like this can be made by meal prepping or batch cooking, which saves so much time during those busy days where you don’t know what you want to eat or don’t have the time you need to cook. This bento box is vibrant, and bursting with fresh flavours and colourful ingredients. Each bite is like a mini vacation. A salad like this is not only delicious but it is also packed with nutrients, offering a satisfying balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Let’s dive into this delicious adventure and create a bento box that’s as beautiful as it is flavorful!

Servings: 1

Ingredients

Chickpea Salad

• ¼ cup chickpeas drained and rinsed
• ¼ cup cucumber diced
• ¼ cup tomatoes diced (I usually use cherry tomatoes because we grow them in our backyard!)
• ¼ cup red onions diced
• ¼ cup pepperoncini diced (you can omit these if you don’t like hot peppers but I love the kick these provide!)
• 1 tablespoon feta cheese
• ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of Greek seasoning (we have a store-bought mixture)

Chicken

• ⅓ the packaging of plant-based “chicken” (can use chicken or turkey, about 3 oz.)
• ½ teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of Greek seasoning (same as above)

Extra

• 2 tablespoons of Tzatziki (can use hummus instead or even both!)
• 2 mini whole wheat pitas (the ones you use for dipping)

*Vegan Options:

Feta Cheese: Use a vegan feta substitute (made from cashews, almonds, or tofu).

Tzatziki: Use dairy-free tzatziki (made with coconut yogurt or almond yogurt) or stick to hummus as the alternative.

Greek Seasoning: Confirm the store-bought blend is vegan (no animal-derived additives).

*Dairy-Free Options:

Same adjustments as above: replace feta with dairy-free feta and traditional tzatziki with a plant-based version or hummus.

*Gluten-Free Options:

Substitute pitas with lettuce (wraps), cauliflower thins or corn tortillas.

Instructions

1. Drain and rinse your chickpeas. Rinse and chop up your veggies. Mix all of the chickpea salad ingredients in a bowl. Place these ingredients in the largest section of the bento box.
2. Section off your chicken (plant-based or real) and cut it into smaller pieces. Coat the pieces evenly in extra virgin olive oil and Greek seasoning. Cook the chicken in a pan on medium heat for about five to eight minutes.* Once the chicken is cooked and cooled down a bit, place it in another section of the bento box.
3. Put the whole wheat pitas in another compartment (if using)
4. Place the tzatziki or hummus next to the pitas, on the salad or on the chicken.

* Being vegetarian, I usually cook with plant-based “chicken” and this is the cooking time that works for me.