Romanticise Your Lunch Break with These Three Nourishing Meals
A question I’m constantly asked is ‘what do you eat for weekday lunches?’ And I suppose this is a side effect of being a corporate girlie with a hybrid schedule. My colleagues are always amazed that I pack a home-cooked lunch box every day; I am less amazed, knowing it’s a necessity because I can’t always guarantee I’ll find a nourishing, vegan meal when I’m at work, competing with some 2,000+ people at the campus restaurants.
In fact, I’ve cooked and packed my own meals for lunch almost since day dot. I took them when interning at fashion magazines in London, when working full-time in London and Hong Kong, then fell in love with making a fresh lunch daily when I ran my own freelance copywriting studio. Cooking must be one of my love languages.
Anyway, to answer a very frequently asked question, here are three of the nourishing meals I make for weekday lunches. Romanticise your lunch hour! Pack one of these in a glass Tupperware, add it to your cutesy lunch bag with a cutlery set, some fresh fruit and a portion of nuts. Grab a book and enjoy a cosy break in the middle of the day.


Smoky Beans on Toasted Sourdough
One of my favourite breakfasts, I often eat this for lunch at home. It’s filling, packed with protein, and great to make ahead. The avocado mayonnaise (you could replace this with smashed avocado) adds a creamy, healthy fat. It keeps for up to four days in the fridge, and I actually think it tastes better after sitting in its sauce for a few days.
Ingredients
- 400g can of cannelloni beans
- 1 small red onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 200g tomato passata
- Handful of spinach
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 slices sourdough
- Optional: avocado mayonnaise
Method
- In a medium-sized pan, fry the diced red onion on a low-medium heat until beginning to turn translucent. Add the minced garlic cloves until fragrant.
- Toss in the paprika, soy sauce and tomato purée, as well as some salt and pepper.
- Drain the can of beans and add to the pan, stirring to coat. Turn the heat to low.
- Add the passata and spinach, and cook through until it thickens (about 8-12 minutes).
- Toast two slices of sourdough and spread avocado mayonnaise, if using. Top with beans.
Brussels Sprout Fried Rice
A new addition to my arsenal, this fried rice is delicious and a great way to use up leftover rice and vegetables. Again, it’s filling without making you feel lethargic – perfect for a working day. If you don’t like sprouts, you can of course use any veggies; broccoli, kale, pan choi, and even lettuce works great. This one transports great for office days.
Ingredients
- 175g steamed jasmine rice
- Handful peeled Brussels sprouts, halved
- 50g The Tofoo Co. tofu scramble
- Half small red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2cm ginger, minced
- 1 tsp kecap manis
- 1 tsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- Drizzle sesame oil
- 1 tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil)
Method
- In a wok, fry the Brussels sprouts flat side down in some oil.
- Once starting to brown, add in the red onion, garlic and ginger. Stir-fry until fragrant.
- Add your rice. Top tip: leftover cooked rice is best as it gives a great bite and crunch. Freshly cooked can also work, but cook it with slightly less water so it isn’t soggy.
- Add in the kecap manis, oyster sauce and sesame oil.
- Stir-fry until combined, then crumble in the tofu scramble.
- Once warmed all the way through, serve in a bowl.
Roasted Tomato and Garlic Orzo
I’ve raved about this recipe from Cupful of Kale for years now and cook it at least once a fortnight. Like the other recipes, this orzo tastes better overnight, it transports great for office packed lunches, and is a really wholesome, comfort food for midweek dinners too. For added protein, I like to top mine with paprika roasted chickpeas.