It’s really important to have a healthy, nutritious lunch and one that will keep you going until dinner. If you can, try to put some time aside either in the morning or the night before to prepare your lunch so as to avoid going to work with nothing and having to buy a pre-made sandwich or meal which are often packed full of calories and won’t leave you feeling satisfied. I know it’ a bit of an effort and is the last think you want to be doing in the morning but it’s definitely worth it in terms of the health benefits! Here are a few of my favourites to get you going:
Lettuce Wraps:
Top an iceberg lettuce leaf with a slice of turkey, chopped cucumber, hummus and a sprinkle of paprika. Then as if it were a normal wrap, wrap it up using another piece of lettuce. You can use a different meat or add in some feta cheese to make it a bit different.
Chorizo Frittata:
Put some olive oil in a pan on a low heat and add in some sliced chorizo and one chopped spring onion and cook for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs in a bowl, then pour over the ingredients in the pan. Once cooked, sprinkle some goat’s cheese over the top.
Watermelon and Feta Salad:
Chop up a large slice of watermelon and some feta cheese into chunks and put in a bowl. Add in a little bit of olive oil, some salt, pepper and some chopped mint leaves. Mix all of these together and serve immediately.
Lentil, beetroot and goat’s cheese salad:
This can be made the day before and tastes even better the next day. Peel the beetroot and then wrap it together with a garlic clove in foil and roast in the oven at 200°C for about 45 mins. After it has cooled, cut into small wedges. Meanwhile, place the lentils in a pan and cover with cold water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 15-20mins until cooked. Drain and mix with one thinly sliced red onion and the beetroot. Drizzle over some olive oil, balsamic vinegar and add a little bit of salt and pepper. Add in some chopped pecans and some chunks of goat’s cheese and give it all a good mix.
Mozzarella, tomato and avocado salad:
Chop up two large tomatoes, an avocado and half a ball of mozzarella into slices. Arrange these on a plate in a nice circular pattern so that they overlap one another. Drizzle over a little bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and add some basil leaves and salt and pepper.
Hummus:
Although not a lunch in itself, it can be added to almost any salad, wrap or sandwich as a healthy alternative to mayonnaise, salad cream or salad dressing. It can also be used as a great snack to have along with carrots, pepper or cucumber. Soak 250g chickpeas overnight in cold water. Drain, put in a pan and cover with fresh water. Boil them until tender but not too mushy. Drain the chickpeas (but keep the liquid) and leave to cool. Put 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, 1.5 tablespoons of tahini, 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 120ml of the chickpea liquid and a sprinkling of salt into a blender and blend until smooth. Put in a bowl and drizzle over a little olive oil with some chopped parsley.
Quinoa with roasted red pepper and seeds:
Deseed and slice a red pepper into quarters. Put on a baking tray and drizzle over some olive oil as well as some chopped garlic, parsley and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 mins at 220°C. Meanwhile, cook the quinoa (look at the back of the packet for cooking instructions) and drain. Place this in a bowl and add in the roasted peppers, one chopped tomato, half a red onion sliced, 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, a slice of crumbled feta cheese, some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Mix together well and serve.
