Using rhubarb in a savory dish is a simple kitchen power move sure to attract intrigue (and awe) amongst your coworkers. Here, it's sauteed in an aromatic concotion of olive oil with olives, fresh thyme and bay, and then spooned into a lentil-based salad along with other absolute flavour assets: rich caramelised onions and earthy goats cheese.
Rhubarb and lentil salad with goats curd, black olive and honey. Source: Sharyn Cairns
These flavorful little Middle-Eastern lamb patties are easy to whip up (they may just require a visit to your supermarket spice section) and can be used in many ways in a packed lunch: on a roll, in a pita pocket, in a salad. Whatever you do, be sure to douse them liberally in a tahini sauce or yoghurt.
This is like a take on Japanese 'katsu', which is itself a take on German schnitzel. What sets this one apart is the rich miso-tahini cream and garlicky kale. If you have leftovers of the crumbed chicken, try reinterpreting it into a sandwich ("katsu-sando" in Japanese).
Sesame chicken and sautéed kale with miso tahini cream. Source: Feast Magazine
Not knocking Fettucine Alfredo (at all!), but this pasta pretty much the other end of the health spectrum, while still being on the same level in taste ranking. It uses cauliflower puree as the base for its sauce, which adds a creaminess that is also light and refreshing, and uses nutrient-dense wholemeal or spelt pasta. Stay full for longer and power through that to-do list.
Wholemeal linguine with cauliflower, mushroom and pine nuts. Source: Benito Martin
Quiche is the ultimate gift-that-keeps-on-giving meal: it's simple to whip up, and will feed you for a few days (give or take a few depending on who coerces you to share it with them). This one is packed with plenty of greens, as well as fragrant dill and sharp feta cheese, plus protein-rich quinoa.
Quinoa quiche. Source: Alan Benson
The green tahini sauce is what really sets this dish apart, a blend of fresh coriander, flat leaf parsley, garlic, cumin, lemon juice, tahini and olive oil, which is mixed through finely shaved fennel. You'll probably have some of the sauce leftover, and no doubt you'll find many ways to use it: with eggs on toast, as a sandwich spread, salad dressing, sauce for other roast meats, swirled through soup.
Ocean trout with green tahini and fennel slaw.
The secret to this poached chicken's perfection is rather than cooking the whole chicken until it’s done, it's brought to simmer with aromatics, then removed from the heat and left to stand for an hour. This allows the flavors to infuse and for the chicken to cook gently, for maximum tenderness and juiciness. Once you've taken all the meat for your lunch bowls, use the bones for homemade stock.
Poached chicken and brown rice bowl. Source: Shane Delia's Recipe For Life
Nutty quinoa, sweet bursts of corn and fresh vegetables are united in force by a creamy and bright pea guacamole. A dish so pretty and healthy it's one to truly gloat about.
Aztec three sisters quinoa bowl. Source: Sharyn Cairns
Tacos are the envy of any lunchroom - and these ones have a flavour profile worth every bit of that envy: cabbage and cucumber marinated in dill, vinegar, salt and pepper; salmon coated with a chipotle chilli and lime mixture, limey avo. To master the lunch taco, keep your tortillas separate and wrap it all up at the last minute.
Roasted salmon tacos. Source: Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics
Love a burrito? Try it in bowl form. The chicken is a real asset in this dish, mixed with spices, lime juice, and crème fraiche then fried. And all up, it takes less than 30 minutes to prepare.
Food Lab's burrito bowl. Source: Food Lab
This salad is a texture and flavour bonanza, and is one of those salads with more "good bits" than salad: grilled chicken and asparagus, buckwheat, roasted hazelnuts, red grapes. If you think grapes sound odd in a salad, you won't after you try this one - they add sweet bursts that are the perfect balance for savory flavours.
Buckwheat, chicken and grape salad with hazelnuts. Source: Murdoch Books
Not only is this chilli full of nutrients and protein that will keep you full (and productive) for hours, it's FINISHED WITH CHOCOLATE. Don't be deterred by the list of ingredients, they're standard grocery store items. If you can't get piquillo peppers, substitute roasted red peppers.
Bean and vegetable chilli. Source: Royal Gardens on a Plate
This is like a bouquet of a risotto, full of vegetables of all colors and shapes, and garnished with fresh leafy herbs.
Summer risotto. Source: Food Lab
Why wait for the weekend to eat your favourite brunch dish, when you can have for work lunch? This version is gluten and dairy-free, and served with a sprinkling of pumpkin seeds to add extra protein (to keep you full) and omega3's (to keep your brain ticking).
Corn fritters with avocado salsa. Source: Michael Marchment
