Whipping up a healthy lunch while working from home doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact, it can be quite a joy!
Here’s a variety of delicious, simple, and nourishing lunch ideas that are perfect for that quick WFH pit stop.
1. Posh beans on toast
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Canned beans
- Sourdough bread, sliced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic clove, minced
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Fresh herbs (basil or parsley)
- Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to cook:
Heat olive oil in a pan, add garlic and tomatoes, and cook until soft. Stir in the beans and heat through. Season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Toast the sourdough slices and top with the bean mixture.
2. Veggie nourish bowl
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cooked sushi rice, or quinoa, or glass noodles, depending on your liking
- Assorted vegetables (e.g., cucumber, avocado, carrot), thinly sliced
- Soy sauce
- Rice vinegar
- Sesame seeds
How to cook:
Combine cooked sushi rice with a splash of rice vinegar. Arrange the rice in a bowl and top with your sliced vegetables. Drizzle with soy sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
3. Avocado and ricotta on rye
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Rye bread
- Avocado
- Ricotta cheese
- Lemon juice
- Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Optional: chili flakes, fresh herbs
How to cook:
Mash the avocado with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Spread ricotta on a slice of rye bread, top with the mashed avocado. Add chili flakes or herbs for extra flavour.
4. Simple chickpea salad
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Canned chickpeas, drained
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Cucumber, diced
- Red onion, finely chopped
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to cook:
In a bowl, combine chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, and onion. Dress with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss with fresh parsley before serving.
5. Broccoli and cheese omelette
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Eggs
- Broccoli florets, steamed
- Grated cheddar or parmesan cheese
- Butter or oil
- Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to cook:
Beat the eggs with salt and pepper. In a pan, melt butter and pour in the eggs. Add steamed broccoli and cheese. Cook until the eggs are set and fold the omelette over.
6. Avocado and salmon rice bowl
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Cooked rice
- Smoked salmon
- Avocado, sliced
- Soy sauce
- Sesame oil
- Seaweed (optional)
How to сook:
Place cooked rice in a bowl. Top with smoked salmon and avocado slices. Drizzle with a mix of soy sauce and a bit of sesame oil. Add seaweed for an extra crunch if desired.
7. Tex-Mex ham wrap
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Tortilla wraps
- Sliced or shredded ham
- Grated cheese
- Salsa
- Lettuce, parsley, and tomatoes to your liking
- Sour cream
How to cook:
Lay out a tortilla wrap and layer with sliced ham, grated cheese, and lettuce (or other greens and veggies). Add a spoonful of salsa and a dollop of sour cream. Roll up the wrap tightly.
8. Ham and egg bread tartlets
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Bread slices or Indian style bread tartlets
- Ham, chopped
- Eggs
- Cheese, grated
- Himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper
How to cook:
Press bread slices into deep muffin tins to form cups. Add chopped ham, crack an egg into each, and top with grated cheese, salt, and pepper. Bake at 180°C until the eggs are set.
9. Hawaiian roll
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Multi-seed bread rolls
- Pineapple chunks in juice
- Ham, sliced
- Cheese, sliced
- Lettuce
How to cook:
Cut open the bread rolls. Layer with ham, a slice of pineapple, cheese, and lettuce. Serve as a refreshing, tropical-inspired sandwich.
10. Ham and cheese pinwheels
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- Puff pastry sheet
- Ham slices
- Grated cheese
- Mustard (optional)
How to cook:
Spread mustard (if using) over a sheet of puff pastry. Top with ham slices and sprinkle with cheese. Roll up the pastry and slice into pinwheels. Bake until golden.
11. Salmon wrap with tahini yoghurt
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- Tortilla wraps
- Smoked salmon
- Lettuce
- Cucumber, sliced
- Tahini
- Greek yoghurt
How to cook:
Mix tahini with Greek yoghurt to make a spread. Lay out a tortilla, spread the tahini yoghurt, then add smoked salmon, lettuce, and cucumber slices. Roll up the wrap.
12. Quick chicken hummus bowl
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Hummus
- Lemon (zested and juiced)
- Cooked mixed grains
- Baby spinach
- Avocado
- Cooked chicken breast
- Pomegranate seeds
- Red onion
- Toasted almonds
How to cook:
Create a dressing by mixing some hummus with lemon juice, zest, and water. Prepare the grain pouch, then mix with the dressing. Divide into bowls and add spinach. Drizzle avocado halves with the remaining lemon juice and place one in each bowl. Then, evenly distribute the chicken, pomegranate seeds, onion, almonds, and remaining hummus between the bowls. Mix gently before serving.
13. Gluten-free store cupboard fishcakes
Cooking time: 15 minutes (plus some prepping and chilling)
Ingredients:
- Potatoes, pre-boilded and cut into small chunks (You can also use instant mashed potatoes to save time)
- Canned tuna in spring water
- Lemon, half juiced and half cut into wedges
- Chives, snipped
- Egg, beaten
- Spring onions, chopped
- Gluten-free mayonnaise (optional)
- Gluten-free flour, for dusting
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Mixed leaves, to serve
How to cook:
Mash the boiled potato chunks in a bowl. Add the drained tuna to the potatoes, flake with a fork, mix in lemon juice, chives, and season. Combine with the beaten egg to form a cohesive mixture. Shape into fishcakes and chill to firm up. Prepare a spring onion and mayonnaise mix to accompany the fishcakes, if you wish. Dust the fishcakes with gluten-free flour before frying and cook them in a pan with olive oil until golden. Serve with the prepared mayonnaise, a wedge of lemon, and mixed leaves.
14. Avocado and beetroot toast
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Whole grain bread
- Ripe avocado, sliced
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- Small beetroot, cooked and pureed (or beetroot hummus)
- A handful of arugula leaves
- Black sesame seeds for garnish
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
How to cook:
Toast your bread slices until they are golden brown and crispy. Spread a generous layer of pureed beetroot on each slice. Arrange the avocado slices over the spread and add the cherry tomatoes on top. Place a few arugula leaves on each toast for a peppery flavor. Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Garnish with black sesame seeds for an added crunch and serve immediately.
15. Quick cherry tomato & basil pasta bowl
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:
- 100g pasta of your choice (quick-cooking variety like capellini, angel hair, or penne)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Garlic clove, minced
- Cherry tomatoes, halved
- A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
- Chili flakes (optional)
How to cook:
Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente, usually around 8-10 minutes for most types. While the pasta cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over medium heat and sauté garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Toss in the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to soften and release their juices, creating a sauce, about 3-4 minutes. Drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the tomatoes, tossing to combine. Stir in the fresh basil, season with salt and pepper, and if you like a bit of heat, a sprinkle of chili flakes. Serve hot, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese if desired.
As you can see, the key to a great work-from-home lunch is simplicity, flavour, and nutrition. Feel free to experiment with these ideas, swapping in your favourite ingredients or using what you have on hand.
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