Are you someone who is pretty short on time? Sprinting out the front door every morning, late for the train? Busy herding sleepy-eyed kids into the car? Or just overly fond of the snooze button? All these are valid reasons to skip the step of preparing your own lunch in the morning. But it's time to shake things up.
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At first it might seem hard to break the cycle of buying lunch every day. And maybe you work next to the best deli in the country. Sure. But the cost of those meals adds up.
You'll be amazed by the money you can save by preparing your own lunches. Plus, there's the added bonus of knowing exactly what goes into each and every bite. And all you need is five minutes and five ingredients.
Spending one day a week prepping all your lunches is one way to guarantee you've got something to grab as you're leaving for work. But even if you are preparing some of these recipes in bulk, try to make a few different recipes for the coming week. Besides providing you with variety - the spice of life - this will make sure that you're sneaking into your diet the broadest possible spectrum of nutrients.
One more thing. If you're someone whose job leaves you feeling constantly stressed, try not to eat these tasty lunchboxes sitting at your desk. Or behind a counter. Or in a windowless break room.
The best antidote to stress in our work lives are moments of calm. So, weather permitting, grab your packed lunchbox and head outside for 20 minutes. Leave your phone behind for extra points - all you really need is a fork.
Chorizo, roasted red capsicum and borlotti bean salad
Chorizo is the star of this deliciously tasty and hearty Spanish-style salad. There are many varieties of chorizo, but they fall under two broad styles - fresh and dry. Fresh chorizo, as the name suggests, needs to be cooked before it is consumed. Dry, or smoked chorizo, such as the one called for here, can be eaten without any cooking or preparation.
Ingredients
150g drained tinned borlotti beans
80g smoked chorizo, sliced
2 marinated roasted red capsicums, sliced
2 handfuls of rocket
Parsley and paprika dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Spanish sherry vinegar
1 tbsp chopped parsley leaves
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
Method
1. Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.
Serves 1.
Japanese chicken and rice salad with ginger soy dressing
If you prefer a nuttier flavour - and a little more fibre - in your salad, opt for brown rice here. Micro herbs can be found in most good-quality greengrocers.
Ingredients
150g cooked and cooled rice
100g shredded cooked chicken
50g snow peas, sliced
large handful of mixed micro herbs
Ginger soy dressing, store-bought or see recipe
Ginger soy dressing:
1 1/2 tbsp macadamia oil or other mild-flavoured oil
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
2 tsp minced ginger
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
Method
1. Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.
Serves 1.
Red quinoa autumn salad
Feel free to replace the red kale leaves in this beautiful, flavoursome salad with green kale, or whatever salad greens you have at hand. Kale can be a little tough to chew through, so to tenderise the leaves ahead of time, massage the leaves with a little lemon juice.
Ingredients
150g cooked and cooled red quinoa
handful of chopped red kale leaves
100g smoked chicken breast, sliced
2 tbsp toasted walnuts, chopped
Sherry vinegar and shallot dressing:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp Spanish sherry vinegar
1 tbsp finely diced shallot
2 tsp honey
Method
1. Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste, then tip into your lunchbox.
2. Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.
Serves 1.
Smoked trout wrap
Ingredients
75g smoked trout, flaked
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and quartered
Handful of watercress sprigs
1/2 avocado, sliced
Horseradish mayonnaise:
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp minced horseradish
1 tsp lemon zest
Method
1. Top the wrap with all the ingredients.
2. Roll up and secure the wrap.
Serves 1.
- Extracted from The 5-Minute, 5-Ingredient Lunchbox by Alexander Hart. Smith Street Books. $24.99.
