Does your midday meal look like it belongs on saddesklunch.com? (Yes, it actually exists.) Add these delish dishes to your repertoire to reclaim your lunchbreak.
Does your midday meal look like it belongs on saddesklunch.com? (Yes, it actually exists.) Add these delish dishes to your repertoire to reclaim your lunchbreak.
Damn it, 12.30pm again. You can’t face another of those salads that got you through 2014. Sure, it’s a first-world problem, but there’s something about lunch that induces stress like no other meal. The thought of munching down on something over your keyboard isn’t exactly inspiring… until now, that is. Behold five new reasons to count down to midday.
Monday
PROBLEM: You need to ramp up the veg.
SOLUTION: A sundried tomato and chickpea power salad with lime dressing.
YOU’LL NEED FOR THE DRESSING: 1 nub of ginger, diced 1 shallot, diced 1 tbsp fresh lime juice 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ½ tbsp pure maple syrup 1 tbsp olive oil 3 tbsp chopped fresh basil (optional)
YOU’LL NEED FOR THE SALAD: 1 can chickpeas, drained, rinsed and patted dry 3 cups arugula leaves 1 hard-boiled egg ½ cup black olives ½ cup sundried tomatoes ½ tbsp olive oil ¼ tsp ground cumin ¹/8 tsp ground cayenne pepper ¹/8 tsp ground ginger 1 tbsp chopped fresh basil, to garnish (optional)
TO MAKE: Combine all of the dressing ingredients. Then, in a separate bowl combine salad ingredients. Only combine them together when you’re getting ready for lunch – you don’t want your meal to turn soggy! Top with chopped fresh basil leaves to garnish, if desired. Serve up for a midday meal that’ll keep you charging right through to a potentially sleepy afternoon.
Tuesday
PROBLEM: You despise weeknight meal preparation.
SOLUTION: A tasty 15-minute cauliflower soup.
YOU'LL NEED: 3 cloves garlic, sliced 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra to garnish. 1 small head cauliflower, chopped 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock 1 tbsp thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish 1 tsp salt ¼ tsp black pepper
TO MAKE:
1 Cook the garlic in the oil in a large pot over medium heat and stir until golden brown. Remove from heat and set the garlic aside in a bowl.
2 Next, place the cauliflower, chicken stock, thyme, as well as the salt and pepper in the pot. Then, simmer for 15-20 minutes until tender.
3 Transfer the mixture to a blender and purée until smooth. Top with the garlic, a drizzle of olive oil and additional thyme to garnish.
Wednesday
PROBLEM: You just don’t like “lunch” foods.
SOLUTION: Breakfast for lunch (scrambled eggs, last night’s roast veg, green beans and asparagus).
YOU’LL NEED: 2 eggs Dash of milk Handful of asparagus, green beans and snow peas Small serving of last night’s roast veg ¼ avocado, sliced Two slices of bread (optional)
TO MAKE:
1 Whisk together eggs and milk in a bowl, then set aside.
2 Bring some water to a boil, then pour the water over the fresh greens. Steep for 2-3 minutes until tender.
3 Mix all the vegetables and eggs together and heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes, taking the mixture out every 30 seconds for a slow stir.
4 Put the bread in a toaster and serve together with the scrambled eggs if desired.
Thursday
PROBLEM: You’re over salad and want some meat in your diet.
SOLUTION: Minced meat hash with zucchini and mashed potatoes.
YOU'LL NEED FOR THE MASHED POTATOES:
700 grams of potatoes, peeled 1 tbsp milk
2 tbsp butter ½ tsp salt and pepper.
YOU’LL NEED FOR THE MINCED MEAT HASH:
1 medium onion, diced 1 medium zucchini, diced finely
2 small shallots, diced finely 2 tbsp sunflower or rice bran oil 1 tsp minced ginger 1 tsp minced garlic 500g lean pork mince 2 tbsp honey ¼ cup water.
TO MAKE THE MASHED POTATOES:
1 Boil peeled potatotes till soft. On the side, melt the butter in pan.
2 Place boiled potatoes in a large bowl, and pour melted butter in. Mash till creamy. Add milk till mixture is smooth.
3 Add salt and pepper to taste.
TO MAKE THE MINCED MEAT HASH:
1 Place the onion, zucchini and shallots in a pan with the oil and cook until light brown, stirring frequently. Add minced ginger and garlic, and continue stirring.
2 Add mince to the pan, breaking up with a fork to ensure it cooks evenly.
3 After 2 minutes, add honey.
4 When the mince is cooked and the sauce has thickened, serve together with a dollop of mashed potatoes.
Friday
PROBLEM: You need a quick lunch.
SOLUTION: A sweet potato jacket.
YOU'LL NEED: 1 large sweet potato Your choice of toppings
TO MAKE: While you’re making dinner the night before, wrap a large sweet potato in foil and throw it in an oven at 200°C for 45-60 minutes. Let it cool, then refrigerate overnight. At work, unwrap from foil and heat in the microwave for 90 seconds. Break open the potato and top with your choice of ingredients.
