It’s looking like fall around here; temperatures are cooler, leaves are falling, and it’s getting darker earlier.  This type of weather always gets me in a contemplative mood.  It’s times like these when all though I want to socialize and meet friends, I really want to keep it low-key – you know what I mean?  This is the mood I was in when I had a friend over for a simple fall lunch one Friday afternoon recently.  Not two friends, not three, but just one.  It’s nice once in a while to have a quiet lunch with just one friend, it gives us a chance to catch up one/one and relax over comfort food and conversation.

A simple lunch for two friends

Since it was just the two of us, I decided to keep our lunch simple.  I made only two items – a vegetable upma (veggies semolina) and yogurt raita. And my friend brought butternut squash and lentil soup. For dessert I served fresh fruit with dates and little jam bars. And since no lunch is complete in my home without a steaming cup of chai, we had that too ☕️.  

This very humble menu was our lunch for the two of us.  Seriously though, what more can two ladies eat? This was plenty, believe me! Delicious, healthy, and comforting. The best part of this menu is that everything can be made in advance and easily warmed up when guests arrive.

Upma, Raita and Soup. A Menu Worth Replicating

Butternut squash soup
Vegetable upma
Yogurt raita
Fresh fruit, and jam bars
Chai

For healthy goodness loaded with veggies, fruits and grains, give this simple vegetarian menu a try.