Let’s be honest, lunch is probably the highlight of your working day, so it’s understandable that you want to eat something nice. However, this can often be at the expense of both your health and your wallet. Instead, leave the overpriced sandwich on the supermarket shelf and take a look at these five clean eating lunches that will both satisfy your taste buds and benefit your health.
Salad wrap
This lunch option is just like any wrap or a sandwich, but instead of a normal flour tortilla or slice of bread, wrap the contents in a large lettuce leaf. Lettuce is a great source of vitamin K and has a very low calorie count because of the high water content it contains, making it a great clean eating option. By excluding bread products, the carbohydrate intake is significantly lowered and allows you to focus on protein fillings of your creation. Just as there are countless combinations for wrap and sandwich fillings, the contents of your healthy salad wraps can be equally exciting. You could wrap chicken and avocado in a leaf, or ham and pineapple, or tuna and sweetcorn, you could even wrap salad in a lettuce leaf if that’s what you're into.
Cauliflower crust pizza
Unlike a traditional pizza base, this adaptation is made from cauliflower, making it a great alternative to regular pizzas. To make the base, grate or blend the cauliflower into crumbles and microwave until soft. Then ring out the cauliflower using a towel to release excess water. Once cooled, mix in egg, mozzarella, parmesan and salt and pepper for taste if desired. Spread the mixture into the shape of a pizza base on a baking tray and cook until golden. Take the base out of the oven, spread on the sauce and your other chosen toppings and bake for a further 10 minutes. Cauliflower is famed for its anti-inflammatory properties and is high in antioxidants. Obviously this isn’t something that can be made quickly the morning before work but setting aside some time the night before to prepare this pizza will definitely be worth it.
Homemade vegetable soup
For a filling and hearty lunch option, try making your own homemade vegetable soup. Unlike some of the ready made lunch options in the supermarket, you get to control exactly what is included in your soup. So providing you only include vegetables and some stock in the soup, you should be safe in the knowledge that your lunch is packed full of goodness. The soup is simple to make, you can just throw whatever vegetables you want into the pan and cook through, adding stock and seasoning when necessary. For a smooth consistency to your soup, use a food processor to blend the ingredients together. It might also be a good idea to batch make the soup so that you can freeze it reheat individual portions for lunch. Enjoy your soup with crispbread, oat cakes or a slice of wholemeal bread for a nutritionally satisfying lunch.
Taco stuffed potatoes
These taco stuffed potatoes will fill you up for the afternoon ahead and prevent you from looking for a snack come three o’clock. You could use russet or sweet potatoes instead of normal ones. First, prepare the filling for the potatoes by cooking the beef, onions and whichever other vegetables you choose. For a vegetarian option - replace beef with soy mince or lentils. Hollow out some of the potato, to leave only a thin layer and the skin (which is full of fibre, potassium and vitamin C.) Then stuff the potato skin with sour cream, cheese and fillings and bake in the oven. This is another option that can be batch made and frozen to prepare for future lunches. Just heat up the stuffed potato when you need it and you will have a delicious, clean eating meal.
Quinoa salad
This is filling lunch choice, and depending on what you fancy, can be combined with lots of different ingredients. Quinoa has a low GI (Glycaemic Index), giving you slow release energy and making you feel fuller for longer - perfect for getting you through those long afternoons. In addition to this, quinoa is also considered a complete protein as it contains all nine essential amino acids, and it’s gluten free. The quinoa itself only takes around 10 minutes to cook (as it’s prepared just like rice) so once you have completed whatever other ingredients you are including in your salad, throw it all together in a tupperware, give it a shake and it will be good to go for tomorrow’s lunch. You can mix up the contents of your quinoa salad and include things like: meat, vegetables, nuts or even fruit - your taste buds will thank you for it.
