01 Nov Lunch box ideas

Deciding what to pack for lunch for both yourself and your kids can be time consuming and frustrating! Sometimes we can struggle to come up with anything so tend to opt for the processed, packaged foods. Yes this may save some time but unfortunately this is detrimental to our health.

Here are some quick, easy and delicious ideas to spice up your lunches with wholesome and nutritious food!

Frittata

Ingredients:

• 20g coconut oil or butter

• Palm size slice or turkey or meat of your choice

• 200g sliced mushrooms

• 80g baby spinach

• ¼ cup chopped basil

• 250g halved baby cherries

• 8 eggs

• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Method:

1. Whisk eggs and parmesan together. Season.

2. Mix all ingredients in a pan. Lift and tilt pan to spread egg mixture evenly.

3. Cook for 8-10 minutes or until frittata is almost set.

4. Wait until cool then cut into slices.

5. Will last three days in the fridge.

Capsicum boats

Ingredients:

• 1 red capsicum

• 2 tins tuna

• 1 avocado

• Squeeze of lemon

• 1 punnet alfalfa sprouts

 Method:

1. Cut capsicum into ¼’s

2. Mix together tuna, lemon and avocado place into the capsicum

3. Add alfalfa on top

Fish Cakes

Ingredients:

• 400 g  sweet potatoes, scrubbed

• 400 g cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets

• 300 gr of wild salmon quickly poached.

• 1 red chilli, chopped finely

• ½ teaspoon lemon rind

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 3 shallots, finely sliced

• 2 tablespoons ground chia seed ( help constipation)

• ½ cup chopped coriander

• 2 tablespoon cocnut or rice bran oil.

Method:

1. Cut the potatoes into quarters and cook for 15-25 minutesuntil they are soft. While the potatoes are cooking, steam the cauliflower for 15 minutes until tender.

2. Mash potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.

3. Place the cauliflower in a food processor or blender with the salmon, chilli, lemon rind and lemon juice and process until the mixture is well combined but retains some texture.

4. Transfer to the bowl with the mashed potatoes and add the ground chia, shallots and coriander. Mix until really well combined. Using your hands, form small patties approximately 6 cm in diameter.

5. Heat a pan with a little oil and cook the patties on a low heat for 3-4 minuteson each side.

6. Transfer to a baking tray lined with baking paper and place in the oven (160C) to keep warm.

7. Serve with a green salad.

Tip

For convenience you can do this with tinned fish the best are from Forever Living and are sustainably caught, use sardines or trout. You can grill the patties instead of frying them just brush them with a little coconut oil.

Brown Rice with Quinoa Patties. Vegetarian/Vegan

Ingredients

• Brown rice, cooked with salt, oil and turmeric

• Quinoa cooked with turmeric ( cook like rice)

• Pumpkin, preferably roasted (or oven baked or cooked) as a binder

• Sunflower seeds, dry toasted on a pan

• Fresh parsley, chopped finely

• Cinnamon, ground

• Nutmeg, ground

• Salt, pepper, chilli powder

• Polenta for coating

• Oil for frying

Method

1. Combine the ingredients in a large bowl and form patties.

2. Mix pumpkin together with soft warm rice, this will bind the patties nicely.

3. Season to your own preference.

4. Coat in polenta and shallow fry.

5. Serve with Salad Greens.

Tips:

Rice crumbs with chickpea flour can be used instead of polenta

When cooking rice, add an extra bit of water so rice is not fluffy but soft and sticky. Rinse rice before cooking but do not soak as soaking helps fluffiness, which we want to avoid here.

If you have stock, use stock instead of water for cooking rice and quinoa