Six Delicious and Filling Healthy Lunch Ideas

Hands up if you’ve started your diet or life-style change with a healthy breakfast and a plain salad lunch only to break it with a hangry binge come dinner? Right, happens to the best of us. Growing up, I always had a big lunch. That’s how Iranian’s do it. Kebabs or stews on rice for lunch and something light, a salad or a small sandwich for dinner. There’s no better feeling than sleeping on a light stomach and by night-time, your lunch will be burnt off and digested. This also goes for sweets or dessert. If you must have them, have them during the day. Here are 6 of my favourite delicious and filling healthy lunch ideas:

1. Brown Rice Onigiri

Fried brown rice balls. With salad. So easy. Brown a little onion with a little oil in a frying pan, add 1 cup of carrot/corn/peas mixture, fry little longer. Crack a free-range egg or two in it, mix in. Add two cups cooked brown rice. In a small jar, mix 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter, crushed ginger, crushed garlic, salt and pepper. Pour over. Cook until hot and steamy. Shape into balls using a plastic wrap. Serve with a nutty salad.

2. Frittata

Frittata is super filling and great for left-overs. Be creative with your vegetable, herb, cheese and nut combinations. Serve with salad. Recipe HERE.

3. Wholewheat Couscous Salad


Like frittata, couscous salads can have absolutely anything in them. Get creative with a colourful mixture of raw vegetables, nuts and seeds. Use wholewheat variety. Delicious! Recipe here, here and here. Boiled egg, optional. Truffle/bliss ball recipes here, here and here.

4. Grilled Fish, Tofu and Salad

This ones for those who eat fish. A big piece, pan-fried served with raw tofu on a simple green salad. Will keep you full forever. Okay, that may be an exaggeration but you get my drift.

5. Brown Rice Salad 

Basically a deconstructed brown rice onigiri. A delicious mix of raw and roasted vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and herbs. Recipe HERE.

6. Healthier Potato Salad

Mayonnaise free, potato salad. Dressed with avocado and yoghurt. Healthy fats and probiotics for the win. Enjoyed with a side of raw snap peas and cherry tomatoes. Recipe HERE.

 

Weekend Vibes

I started looking at what other foodies were tagging their Instagram photos with and this one, #weekendvibes seemed especially popular. So, I started using it and voila! 20+ followers! Hehe. Are YOU following my Instagram yet? The following are pictures from my weekend or vibes of my weekend or the weekend of my vibes?

And, I’ve started utilizing Instagram in other ways. Maybe you hardcore foodies already do this but I began searching particular places (as opposed to specific tags), like “Tottori City” and that way, came across many a delicious foodie pictures taken at quirky restaurants and cafes that I would have otherwise never have known existed. That’s how Yasuko and I ended up at Moco Lifestyle – so stylish!

The salad is simply a cup of cooked wholewheat couscous, mixed with a can of mixed beans (drained and rinsed), cooked asparagus, raw cucumber, juicy green sultanas, a splash of olive oil, juice of half a lemon, sea salt and ground pepper. Delishas.

Frittata For Dummies

I have the lovely Laura (aka Yoooya) from Belgium staying with me for a few days and I couldn’t be more grateful! Not only has she been absolutely lovely and great company but also, my lab mouse. Last night I baked us my very first frittata and she said it was delicious! Providing Laura actually meant it and wasn’t just saying it for free accommodation, you too, can create this deliciousness.

This fool-proof recipe can be easily doubled and adapted:

6 free-range eggs
1/4 cup of full-fat dairy (milk, sour-cream, creme fraiche, coconut cream or yoghurt)
sprinkle of sea salt and ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated mozzarella (or cheddar)
1/2 white onion, diced small
2 cups potato, peeled and diced small (or sweet potato, or pumpkin)
1 cup of spinach, torn (or broccoli or any other vegetable like asparagus, edamame beans, mushroom, etc)
handful of fresh mint, torn (or basil, parsley and coriander)
1/4 cup blue cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts

The trick to a good frittata says the internet, is to fully cook the add-ins so…

Beat the first 4 ingredients together in a large bowl then set aside

Next brown the onion (usually on medium heat with a little oil in a frying pan).

Add potato, cook until tender (about 10 minutes).

Add spinach and mint, cook for a minute.

Combine vegetables with egg mixture.

Pour into an oven-proof dish.

Top with torn blue cheese, pine nuts and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.

Bake at 200C for 20-22 minutes (keep an eye on it!)

Serve hot or cold but always with salad! 

lunch prep

TGIM here’s my lunch prep for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! A simple salad of wholewheat couscous, cooked broccoli, raw carrot, red onion, yellow capsicum and fresh tomato dressed with balsamic vinager, olive oil and lemon juice (simply mix all ingredients together and season – easy as!). Oh and my trail mix which apparently makes me a “bird” according to my Japanese colleagues hehe