Five lunches, all in one place. Three salads, a toastie and a wrap — all of them work just as well as a light dinner.
Chicken and asparagus salad with blueberries
The protein of chicken combined with the sweetness of blueberries, plus hazelnuts for crunch. Good as a light lunch or a vibrant dinner.
Ingredients
- 2 skinless chicken breasts
- Olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bunches baby asparagus, woody ends trimmed
- 2 large handfuls rocket leaves
- 2 × 125g punnets blueberries
- 125g thinly sliced salted ricotta
- 1 cup (150g) hazelnuts, lightly roasted and coarsely chopped
For the dressing
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to make it
- Slice the chicken into thin strips. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Preheat a frying pan over medium heat and cook the strips for 2 minutes each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Cut the asparagus in half and cook in a saucepan of boiling water for 30 seconds, until just tender. Drain and plunge into iced water to refresh, then drain again.
- To make the dressing, combine the vinegar, maple syrup and mustard in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Combine the chicken, asparagus, rocket, blueberries, ricotta and hazelnuts in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss to coat.
Serves 4. Per serve: 450 cal · 30g protein · 15g carbs · 30g fat · 5g fibre
Broccoli super slaw
Crunchy, fresh and quick. Works as a side dish or a light main, and it’s very good at a picnic.
Ingredients
- 2 large heads of broccoli, separated into finger-sized florets, stems and leaves finely sliced
- ½ red onion, finely chopped
- 1 red apple, chopped into small pieces
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp sea salt
- Pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Greek yoghurt
- Broccoli flowers (optional)
How to make it
- Chop and slice the broccoli, red onion and apple into bite-sized pieces.
- Place a small frying pan on medium heat and add the sunflower seeds. Toast, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
- In a large bowl, combine the broccoli, red onion, apple, raisins and toasted sunflower seeds.
- Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, and toss lightly to coat.
- Add the Greek yoghurt and mix until the florets are well coated.
- Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with broccoli flowers if you like, and serve immediately.
Per serve: 250 cal · 8g protein · 26g carbs · 15g fat · 6g fibre
Pumpkin, capsicum and spinach toastie
A wholegrain toastie that’s genuinely filling. If you can’t find pre-roasted capsicum, roast fresh quarters at 200°C until the skin blisters, then peel once cooled.
Ingredients
- 2 slices of wholegrain bread
- 100g reduced-fat ricotta cheese
- 240g mashed pumpkin, baked without fat
- 160g coarsely chopped roasted capsicum (not in oil)
- 50g baby spinach leaves
- Oil spray
How to make it
- Preheat your sandwich press.
- Lightly spray one side of each slice of bread with oil.
- Place the bread oil-side down on a board. Spread the ricotta over, then a generous layer of mashed pumpkin, then the roasted capsicum, then the baby spinach.
- Place the remaining bread on top, oil-side up.
- Cook in the press for 2–3 minutes, until the bread is golden and crispy and the filling is heated through.
- Cut in half and serve immediately.
No sandwich press? A hot skillet or grill pan works — just press the sandwich down with a spatula for even toasting.
Spinach and tomato pesto wrap
High in protein and quick to put together. Works for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¾ cup tomato, finely chopped
- 2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
- 1 cup egg whites
- Dash of salt and pepper
- 2 sprouted grain tortillas
- 2 tablespoons pesto — buy it pre-made, or blend ½ cup walnuts, 2 cups basil leaves, 2 cloves garlic, ¼ cup olive oil and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a paste
How to make it
- Spread a tablespoon of pesto over each tortilla and set aside.
- In a medium skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden.
- Add the tomato and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the spinach and cook until soft and wilted.
- Remove the veggies from the skillet and set aside in a bowl. Pour the egg whites into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook until no longer runny.
- Arrange half the egg whites in a line down the centre of each tortilla. Top with half the veggies, fold the ends up, and wrap it like a burrito.
Per serve: 280 cal · 20g protein · 22g carbs · 12g fat · 5g fibre
White bean and feta salad
About as easy as a recipe gets — everything into a bowl, dressing over the top. Budget-friendly and it keeps well.
Ingredients
- 1 tin white beans (cannellini or butter beans), drained and rinsed
- 300g cherry tomatoes, halved
- Handful of olives
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (optional)
- Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 100g feta, cut into 2cm cubes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the dressing
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (or cider vinegar)
How to make it
- In a large bowl, gently mix all the salad ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Stir the dressing ingredients together in a mug, shake them up in a jar, or add them straight onto the salad and stir through.
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