healthy lunch ideas

This mushroom soup looks really fancy, tastes incredible and takes no time at all – just 15 minutes.

Mushroom soup

onions

olive oil

organic chicken or vegetable stock cube

thyme

garlic

portobello mushrooms

100 g basmati rice

single cream

truffle oil

chestnut mushrooms

ciabatta

apple

½ a bunch of fresh curly parsley

lemon

Stilton cheese

walnuts

Customize a delicious, packable veggie box lunch by following this formula: a grain, a legume, kale, a roasted vegetable, a raw vegetable, and a pickled vegetable. Top with creamy tahini sauce.

Healthy Lunch Ideas: Box Lunch Buddha Bowls

Brown rice (quinoa,

Massaged kale

Chickpeas (black beans, or edamame)

potatoes

Radishes (shredded cabbage, carrot peels)

Sauerkraut (pickled ginger

Lemon Tahini sauce

Sesame seeds

Assemble bowls with a grain, the massaged kale, a legume, roasted vegetable, raw vegetable, and a fermented or pickled vegetable.

Drizzle generously with tahini sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with more tahini sauce on the side.

A brilliantly simple, flavour-packed supper for two – get stuck in to this tasty stir-fry! 

Simple Veggie & Tofu Stir-Fry

cashew nuts

sesame seeds

175 g firm tofu

cornflour

vegetable oil

runny honey

ginger

spring onions

chillies

broccoli

red pepper

baby sweetcorn

sweetcorn

lime

soy sauce

Simple veggie & tofu stir-fry

Mexican refried beans

red chilli

coriander

peppers

x 400 g tins of beans

eggs

This simple pasta salad is perfect for lunch or as a barbecue side dish. To make it vegan, omit the feta.

Each serving provides 567 kcal, 22g protein, 70g carbohydrates (of which 10g sugars), 20g fat (of which 9g saturates), 7g fibre and 2.5g salt.

Easy pasta salad

pasta,

½ unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest and juice

¼ red onion, finely chopped

olive oil, ideally extra virgin

cucumber,

grams/3½oz cherry tomatoes, quartered

grams/½oz fresh basil, roughly chopped

60 grams/2¼oz feta, crumbled (optional)

black olives (optional)

sea salt and black pepper

Spicy Chicken Nourish Bowl - A filling and nutritious warm salad, with middle eastern flavours -perfect for Fall. A healthier Autumn dinner.

Spicy Chicken Nourish Bowl

500 g chicken breast

½ tsp black pepper

salt

tsp cumin

cinnamon

tsp coriander

paprika

sumac

g couscous

½ tsp chilli flakes

400 ml boiling water

chickpeas,

tsp smoked paprika

baby salad leaves

flatbreads

radishes (thinly sliced)

tomatoes

parsley

Place the chopped chicken in a bowl with the pepper, salt, 1 tsp of the cumin, cinnamon, coriander, paprika, lemon juice, 3 of the crushed garlic cloves, sumac and all but 1 tsp of the olive oil. Mix, cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (up to overnight).

When ready to cook, heat a large griddle or frying pan on a high heat and add in the chicken pieces to the dry pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle.

Whilst the chicken is cooking, make the couscous. Add the couscous to a large jug with a pinch of salt and pepper, the lemon zest, the remaining crushed clove of garlic, a pinch of the chilli flakes and the boiling water. Stir, cover and leave to sit for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Next add the remaining 1 tsp of olive oil to a small frying pan. Add the chickpeas, the remaining 1 tsp of cumin, the smoked paprika and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook over a high heat, stirring regularly for 5 minutes, until the chickpeas are warmed through and slightly golden. Turn off the heat.

Now it’s time to assemble. Divide the couscous between four bowls. Add the salad leaves, chickpeas, and flatbread slices. Place the cooked chicken on top, then spoon on the hummus. Sprinkle on the sliced spring onions and arrange the radish slices and tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with a good pinch of chilli flakes and the chopped parsley, then serve.

Vietnamese rice paper rolls, also known as fresh summer rolls, are loaded with veggies. It's a perfect quick refreshing meal or snack for summer months. Shrimps are great for these rolls, or you can replace it with tofu

Easy Rice Paper Rolls 

rice paper

shrimps,

carrot

cucumber

lettuce leaves

dried vermicelli noodles

mint leaves (optional)

coriander / cilantro (optional)

tbsp butter

soy sauce -

water

tbsp white vinegar -

Add all ingredients (except water) to a mixing bowl and mix until combined.

Slowly add water, 1 tbsp at a time, and whisk until creamy and smooth.

Make the sauce:

Finely julienne cucumber, carrot and lettuce, set aside.

Soften vermicelli noodles by soaking in a big bowl of hot water or prepare according to instructions on packet.

Slice prawns in half lengthwise and devein.

Prep the ingredients:

Fill a plate or a shallow bowl with warm water. Take a sheet of rice paper and submerge it in the water for 2-3 seconds to soften it.

Place on rice paper coriander (cilantro) / mint (if using), 3 prawns, lettuce, carrot, cucumber, and vermicelli noodles.

Fold the left and right sides of rice paper in, then roll firmly from the bottom upwards and seal the roll.

Repeat with remaining sheets of rice paper.

Serve rice paper rolls immediately with peanut sauce.

Make the rolls:

This is a hearty, delicious alternative to traditional chilli con carne that can be tweaked depending on what you have. Use butternut squash or regular potatoes instead of sweet potatoes. No onions? Try using a leek or a few spring onions. I’ve used cayenne pepper here, but paprika would be equally delicious. Also, you can use fresh basil in place of coriander, or leave the herbs out altogether.

Versatile veggie chilli

500 g sweet potatoes

level teaspoon cayenne pepper

cumin

level teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra for sprinkling

onion

mixed-colour peppers

mixed-colour chillies

x plum tomatoes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJzOp8s9oGw

A twist on the classic New York-style Waldorf Salad with chicken and a creamy, but low-calorie, garlic dressing. This is a little over 500 calories, so if you are dieting pair it with a lower calorie breakfast or lunch to make sure your intake is no more than 1200–1500 calories.

Each serving provides 515 kcal, 55.5g protein, 42g carbohydrates (of which 42g sugars), 12.5g fat (of which 2.5g saturates), 5.5g fibre and 0.8g salt. 

With a GI of 58 this meal is <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/diets/high_protein_low_GI_diet">high protein, low GI</a>.

New York chicken and apple salad

crunchy red apples,

½ lemon, juice only

level tsp runny honey

grams/5½oz

celery sticks, thinly sliced

spring onions, thinly sliced

Little Gem, leaves separated, roughly torn

x 150 grams/5½oz cooked chicken breasts, skin removed, roughly torn

1–2 tbsp chopped toasted walnuts

200 grams/7fl oz fat-free natural yoghurt

garlic clove, crushed

tbsp cider vinegar

level tbsp wholegrain mustard

2–3 tbsp chopped fresh dill

salt and black pepper

This super speedy supper is a great way to transform hardy winter greens into a deliciously silky pasta sauce. So simple, but, boy, is it good.

Super green spaghetti

g spaghetti

g Parmesan cheese

ricotta cheese

Make our healthy chicken and hummus salad bowl for a delicious budget lunch option. It can be thrown together in just 10 minutes and delivers three of your 5-a-day

Quick chicken hummus bowl

hummus

pouch cooked

baby spinach

avocado

chicken breast

pomegranate seeds

red onion

tbsp toasted almonds

Mix 2 tbsp of the hummus with half the lemon juice, the lemon zest and enough water to make a drizzly dressing. Squeeze the grain pouch to separate the grains, then divide between two shallow bowls and toss through the dressing. Top each bowl with a handful of the spinach.

Squeeze the remaining lemon juice over the avocado halves, then add one half to each bowl. Divide the chicken, pomegranate seeds, onion, almonds and remaining hummus between the two bowls and gently mix everything together just before eating.

This moreish Mediterranean-style vegetable stew is perfect for a super-healthy midweek supper. 

Classic ratatouille

red onions

aubergines

courgettes

½ a bunch of fresh basil (15 grams)

balsamic vinegar

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0lpBYnidrk

There’s something soothing about these delicious chicken balls and fragrant, veggie-packed broth. If you like, make the balls ahead of time and chill until needed.

Asian-inspired chicken rice balls & broth

brown rice

skinless, boneless free-range chicken thighs

lemongrass

lime leaves

sunflower oil

raw king prawns,

miso paste

pak choi

250 g mangetout

beansprouts

This incredibly easy store cupboard soup with crispy bacon is great for using up leftovers. 

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