Lunchables: Monday

This week I'm trying out something new for the blog. Since I'm working every day as a teaching assistant, I'm hoping to take my lunch in with me. Should be a good opportunity to use my fancy new box! I'll be posting each day's offerings here so stay tuned!

My new lunchbox!

Very handy having the cutlery included

Monday's lunch was a quick and easy stir fry. When I made dinner yesterday, I kept a small portion aside for a no-brainier lunch. Simple!

Love the little pot for sauces/dressings

Ready to go!

Prep Time: 5 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup aubergine, sliced into bite size pieces

1/2 cup zucchini, sliced

1/2 a small red onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 tsp garlic

100g ready to cook rice noodles

Coconut oil

Olive oil

Soy sauce

Method:

Add a half a teaspoon of coconut oil to a large sauté pan over medium heat. Place the slices of aubergine into the pan and sauté until browned and soft. Add a bit of olive oil if needed. Next add the zucchini and onion and cook until soft. Stir in the garlic and ginger and sauté for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant. Next toss in the rice noodles and mix with the other ingredients. Add a dash of soy sauce and toss to coat. Enjoy!

Tuna Fried Rice

This recipe has become my absolute go to meal for an easy lunch at home or on campus. It's cheap, quick and pretty healthy. Plus, the protein in the tuna and all the great nutrients in the kale keep my energy up and help me focus on my afternoon work - which is a massive help some days! I used tuna in sunflower oil and I have to say, I probably won't do that in the future because there is definitely a very specific taste (at least for me) that I don't think works in this. So, tuna in spring water or brine is probably best - although it might be wise to use a bit less soy sauce if you're using tuna in brine because that will leave a bit of a salty flavor. The amounts below are for one person but I usually make four portions at a go and keep them in the fridge for the week's lunches. I know the portions seem small but I'll usually have a banana or some other piece of fruit and maybe a cheeky chocolate along with it... :) 

Prep time: 10 min

Cook time: 10 min

Serves: 1 

Ingredients: 

1 tsp olive oil
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 of a can of Tuna, drained
1 handful of kale, torn into bite size pieces
1 spring onion, chopped
25g cooked brown rice
1/4 of a red pepper, chopped
Soy sauce, to taste
Sriracha sauce, to taste

Method: 

Drain the tuna and set aside. Add one teaspoon of olive oil to a frying pan and place over medium heat. After the oil has warmed, add the chopped garlic and saute until fragrant. Add the tuna and the kale and heat through until the kale has softened. Next add the spring onion, rice and red pepper. Once the ingredients have all warmed, sprinkle over the soy sauce and stir to mix thoroughly. Serve with Sriracha or other hot sauce to taste.