Healthy and easy Passover lunches

It's no secret that my drawer of take-out menus is filled more than the shelves of my fridge.

And when Passover rolls around, I find myself replacing the bread, rice, noodles and other no-nos that often come with the take-out food with matzah.

Well, not this year.

Thanks to a stellar list of healthy Passover lunches created by Debbie Koenig, anyone (even me, a vegetarian) can whip up delicious meals for the holiday. Here's a sampling:

Frittatas—baked Italian omelets made with eggs, vegetables and parmesan cheese—are packed with flavor, and particularly delicious at room temperature. Make one the night before (or, if you're an early riser, in the morning before work) and portion it out. Use mostly egg whites to save on fat and calories.

Baked potatoes are among the easiest (not to mention most portable) lunches, if your workplace has a microwave oven. Add some cut-up broccoli and shredded low-fat cheese, and you've got a filling, fiber-packed and flavorful meal.

Take advantage of spring's vibrant produce by bringing in an all-vegetable lunch or two. Pair a large, colorful salad with a generous portion of microwaved asparagus, cold roasted cauliflower, or lemon-and-basil-marinated baby zucchini for a vitamin- and flavor-rich treat. If you'd like something more substantial, toss in a small wedge of cheese or a handful of almonds.

A special salad, like a Niçoise with tuna (fresh or canned), green beans, boiled potatoes, hard cooked eggs, tomatoes and a few olives is satisfying to the eye and the tastebuds, and easily toted to the office in a plastic kitchen container.

Soups—from cold, spicy gazpacho to hearty potato-leek to matzo ball—are perfect make-ahead meals. And one big pot lasts for days! Pack a thermos in your kid's lunch box, add a baggie of matzo farfel for crunch, some kosher-for-Passover string cheese for protein and a juicy apple for dessert, and junior's got a complete, healthy meal.

Since most families' Passover traditions feature a special once-a-year recipe or two, take advantage by making enough for several meals. How often do you get to feast on a lunch of charoset on matzo, gefilte fish and farfel kugel?

Speaking of leftovers, almost any dinner can be transformed into a salad-topping lunchtime treat. Grill some extra vegetables, poach a few more salmon filets, toss some extra chicken breasts into the roasting pan when you cook a whole bird. Even vegetarian stews like ratatouille work beautifully over greens the next day.

If you simply must have a sandwich, try baking some kosher-for-Passover rolls using matzo meal. Fill them with tuna, chicken, or egg salad, or even a little leftover brisket.

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