Copycat Starbuck's Protein Bistro Box

Easily make your own copycat Starbuck's Protein Bistro Box! Healthy, nutritious and prepped for lunch or post workout snacks.

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Please tell me that I'm not the only one that has been eyeing these guys in the drive through Every. Single. Time. I go through and get coffee (which is admittedly WAAAYYYY too often). Maybe it's the fancy branding, I mean how cute is ordering a "bistro box?" Maybe it's just the idea of somebody packing MY lunch that is so wonderfully appealing.

In any case.. 20+ grams of protein and a full serving of veggies and fruit.. these guys NEEDED to be recreated. So I took it upon myself, and you guys... they are SO easy. Best part,  I doubled the recipe, made 6 boxes and lunch for the rest of the week was a no brainer!

Calling this sandwich a "recipe" is a bit of a stretch, but adding this tangy herbed cream cheese spread adds a some legitimacy and a little something fancy. Whipping it up is super simple, just throw some herbs (I used basil and thyme) into the cream cheese with a squeeze of lemon and mix it up. Nothing complicated, but it definitely adds an extra layer of flavor to a sandwich that might otherwise be a bit bland.

By making my own bistro box instead of purchasing a pre-assembled one from Starbucks I was able to control the quality and quantity of the ingredients. The main change I made was to the sandwich bread. In my opinion, bread gets a really bad wrap. It can have tons of health benefits, you've just got to know what you are looking for. This bread is from a local bakery and is made from 100% whole grains and recognizable ingredients (i.e. packed with nutrients, protein, fiber and anti-oxidants). I also chose high quality deli meat (I like Applegate) and organic cream cheese, cheddar, apples and romaine lettuce. I feel confident in saying that by making my own version, I REALLY improved upon the quality of the entire box and STILL saved money.  Yep, this is one that you MUST give a shot!

Time Saving Tips and Tricks

Prep: I did not take the time to prep these boxes since they were so simple to throw together, but if you want to get a jump start you could definitely make the cream cheese spread ahead of time. It will keep in the refrigerator for up
to 3 days.
Make Ahead: That's the idea! I made 5 boxes so I could eat them for lunch throughout the week. I did hold off on chopping the apples until the night before. If you want something completely make ahead friendly try berries instead.
Freezer: Not this time.

Copycat Starbuck's Protein Bistro Box

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Author: Bailey Sissom

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Description

Easily make your own copycat Starbuck's Protein Bistro Box! Healthy, nutritious and prepped for lunch or post workout snacks.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
juice of half a lemon
⅓ cup chopped fresh herbs (I used basil and thyme)
pinch of salt

1 loaf of crusty whole-grain artisan bread.
¼ lb. Vermont Cheddar Cheese, sliced thin
½ lb. smoked turkey
1 head Romaine lettuce
1 jar roasted red peppers
1 bag baby carrots
2 apples, sliced

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Instructions

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE SPREAD:

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, lemon juice, herbs and pinch of salt.
2. Mix to incorporate.
3. Set aside.

FOR THE SANDWICHES:

1. Cut bread into 16 ¼" thick slices. Smear 8 slices with a good amount of the cream cheese spread.
2. Build your sandwiches on the 8 remaining slices of bread. 1 slice cheddar cheese topped with smoked turkey, romaine lettuce, and a roasted red pepper.
3. Place the top (which has been smeared with cream cheese spread) on each sandwich and secure with 1-2 toothpicks.

FOR THE BISTRO BOX:

1. In each box, place ⅓ of the apple slices, ½ cup of carrots and 3 sandwiches.
2. Cover with lid or plastic wrap.

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Notes

1. Apples, romaine lettuce and red peppers all rank in the top 12 on the EWG's dirty dozen list, for this reason, I recommend purchasing organic when possible.
2. Lunch meat can be tricky, I used Applegate  Organic Smoked Turkey.
3. Nutrition Info is not included for this recipe because it will vary depending on the products and quantity of each that is used.

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