Lunches.
Spicy rice
This is always my FAVOURITE go to lunch. It barely even takes five minutes if you use packet rice which is ideal for lunch time. I always add cooked peas and sweetcorn, cucumber chunks and cashews and mix in some harissa powder and it is next level! Obviosuly you can add whatever veggies you’ve got that need using up and whichever spices you fancy.
Sweet potato nourish bowl
I am a massive fan of roasted vegetables so this is an all time favourite of mine. I usually do paprika roasted broccoli and sweet potato (about 15mins in the oven at 180C but depends how big your sweet potato chunks are) but you could do whatever veg you like. I like to pair it with quinoa (which you can buy in microwave packets to make it faster for lunch time) and rocket leaf salad. You could also add chickpeas, tofu, or avocado as these would definitely complement this bowl!
Vegetable couscous
This is a perfect lunch to make in bulk so you can take portions throughout the week. Chop up the veg you wat to use… I like peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, baby corn and green beans but anything goes. Pop these in a pan with a splash of water and stir until soft. Add about 300ml of water to 200g of dried couscous and cover until soft. Just mix in your veg and add your toppings (Squeaky Bean pieces and vegan mayo work well) and heat your portion in the microwave for one minute whenever you’re ready to eat.
Tuna pasta salad
This ‘tuna mayonaise’ topping for my salad is made with Good Catch Tuna style flakes (can be found in Tesco) added to some vegan mayo and sweetcorn. Mix this with some cooked pasta and serve with spinach, lettuce and cucumber. Top with chilli flakes and Lidl’s vegan Italian style cheese.
Peas on Toast
honestly, don’t knock this until you try it! All you need to do is cook some peas so they still have a little bite to them, add then to a jug with lemon juice, a little garlic if you like, and chilli flakes, and blend them up with a food processer for a couple of seconds so there are some whole and some a bit mushy! I normally use sourdough toast but any bread will work!
Peri peri tofu toast
Peri Peri tofu is my absolute favorite way to use tofu! honestly, if anyone tells you they don’t like tofu, make them this and they’ll change their minds!
So, slice your tofu into thin rectangles and coat both sides in soy sauce, plenty of peri peri seasoning and some sweet chilli sauce. You then just need to put them on a baking tray in the oven until they’re crispy.
We like to have this on a a slice of fresh bread or as a sandwich filling for a crusty bread roll. We always pair with smashed avocado, fresh leaves and sliced cucumber!
This is a signature recipe for us, so let me know if you like it!
Vegetable quinoa
Quinoa is cooked in the same way as pasta or rice so doesn’t take long at all! I always like to add it to veggies like peas, corn, broccoli, courgette that I can just steam in the microwave, and cucumber.
5 minute noodles
Also a fab option for the busiest days! Just grab a packet of udon noodles and cook them (usually can be in the microwave) and add some chili sauce and justpair with a fresh veggie you can steam in the microwave! Definitely a five min lunch!
Soup & homemade croutons
Homemade croutons are a great way to use up bread that is going stale. I just usually break the bread up into chuncks and coat in some oil, but you could use some garlic, parsley or any other flavours you fancy and then just pop in the oven until crunchy!
And for the soup, this is sweet potato, carrot, onion and vegetable stock just popped in the soup maker. But if you don’t have one, just boil up the veg in a pan and blend it up once they’re cooked.
Cauliflower & curry toast
In veganuary and veggie week at Lidl they sell a pineapple and curry spread and it is fab (always end up buying so many jars to keep in the fridge until they next appear!)
If you can find some I like to have it on toasted fresh bread with roasted cauliflower and chickpeas! Honestly, just try it!
Salad and alllllll the toppings
Salads are so versatile….the toppings you can add are literally endless, so salads should never be boring!!
This is inspired by a caesar salad so you will need romaine lettuce, cucumber, olives if you like them, tofu (i cooked this in the oven) vegan feta, cucumber, chopped avocado and pumpkin and seasame seeds.
And for the dressing I just mixed vegan mayo, plenty of fresh lemon juice, oregano, garlic in a jar. Then just added water to get desired consistency.
Sweet potato falafel wrap
Sweet potato falafel is my favourite falafel to make because it makes isn’t as dry as others. You can buy falafel from the shops very easily too, but if you want to you can make a lot at the start of the week and use it in wraps like this, on salads or with leftovers…see here for how I make it. I simply wrap it with lettuce, cucumber and a little vegan mayo but you could add spinach, carrot, hummus or anything you fancy!
Chickpea and bacon smash sandwhich
First cook some THIS bacon in a pan until crispy and chop into small bits. then soften the chickpeas in a pan with salt and pepper. Then add the bacon, some vegan mayo, some paprika and mash a little bit. then just add to your fave bread with lettuce! this is a new fave for me!!!!
Broccoli stem fritters
This is a great recipe to reduce your food waste because it uses the broccoli stem that usually gets thrown away after you’ve used the florets. See here for how to make them. Enjoy with hummus and salad or as a snack with a spicy sauce like salsa.
'Egg mayonnaise' sandwich
This is made with tofu which just makes the perfect substitute for egg and is so quick! Simply crumble a block of tofu (my favourite is tofoo) and mix in some turmeric, kala namak salt (this gives the eggy taste and can be bought online easily), vegan mayo and some cress. That simple!
Picnic lunch
Fresh bread and fresh fruit eaten in the garden or as a picnic in a park with friends is one of my favourite summer time lunches. Obviously you can eat this anywhere and at any time of the year you like but something about fresh fruit in the sunshine is next level. Tiger bread is one of my favourite fresh breads to choose….most of the time bread doesn’t have milk in but you can easily check the allergen label to be sure. And of course you can add your favourite vegan picnic snacks like sausage rolls, crisps and cakes too!
Pitta bread pizzas
Another fab recipe to use up your veg and only takes 10 mins. Pop the pittas in the toaster and chop up the veg you want in the meantime… here we have mushrooms, peppers, sweetcorn tossed in paprika powder. Add tomato puree as the base, the veg, some spinach and your favourite vegan cheese. Then just pop under the grill to melt the cheese and you’re done!
'Tuna' melt
Jackfruit (Juna) and Chickpeas (Chuna) also make fab tuna, if you’d rather make your tuna substitute than use Good Catch pieces. My personal favourite is chickpeas but it can make made the same way. First either drain the jackfruit/chickpeas (and then mash/pop them in a blender). Then add some mayo, mustard, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and sweetcorn. If you have a bit more time you can also add finely sliced red onion, capers and nori sheets (for a more fishy flavour). Then just add to a pitta bread and top with your favourite vegan cheese and melt it under the grill.
BBQ bagel
One of my favourite sandwich filling is Squeaky Bean BBQ chicken pieces, paired with lettuce in a toasted bagel. You could add extras like sweet chilli sauce, mayo or smoky vegan cheese. (This also works really well in a pitta bread or in a baguette).
'Tuna' salad
This ‘tuna mayonaise’ topping for my salad is made with Good Catch Tuna style flakes (can be found in Tesco) and add it to some vegan mayo and sweetcorn. Pair it with vegan feta cheese for the perfect combo!
BBQ pitta
As you may have noticed, I am big Squeaky Bean fan and this is just another way to use them. Pair with cucumber, spinach and cress in a pitta…it will barely even take 5 minutes!