Exciting Lunch Ideas for a Healthy New Year

Every year, when January comes round, many of us start to consider adopting a healthier diet. Perhaps it’s the weeks of rich Christmas food, perhaps it’s just the dark and rainy weather. Either way, we all need to start introducing a bit more light and brightness into our diets come the new year.

Actually doing so is harder than it sounds. After work, you might struggle to produce interesting, healthier meals  – particularly anything you have to think much about! The solution is simple, however. Introduce exciting and interesting lunches into your diet, and improve your dinners one step at a time.

Perhaps the part of healthy eating that the most of us dread can be summed up in one word – ‘salad’. However, a salad does not need to be a boring part of your January lunches. Instead, salads can offer a range of interesting and exciting lunches.

Have you considered a Grilled Aubergine Tabbouleh? Use the BergHOFF non stick grill pan to get perfect char marks on your aubergine, and lay it across a tasty tabbouleh, herb and cucumber salad. Dress with a dark sauce, based on molasses or dark vinegars.

You could also try an egg and lentil salad with flavourful Tamari. Simply simmer lentils with carrot, onion and celery in one of our sauce pans for around 20 minutes. Add soft boiled eggs, watercress or coriander leaves and dress with a tablespoon of the rich Japanese flavouring Tamari.

If you’re looking to improve your diet during the winter months, you may also be looking to improve the amount of protein you consume. Protein is important in getting fit, particularly when you are looking to add muscle mass.

A steak and broccoli protein pot features wholegrain rice, flavourful ginger, healthy steamed broccoli and lean, protein packed steak strips. Use a BergHOFF non stick frying pan to get an even cook through thin strips of steak.

Finally, a sandwich doesn’t need to be an unhealthy option. Rather than just sticking some salad on your usual sarnie, why not consider a healthy new range of sandwich options?

Sandwiches don’t have to stick to the usual options. A pan fried chicken and avocado wrap gives you the range of nutrients and tastes to make a healthy, enjoyable sandwich that can fit in any January diet.

A tartine is a French classic – an open faced sandwich of roasted tomato slices, ricotta cheese and a blended sauce of pine nuts, mint, garlic and oil. While a tartine needs a little preparation, it is a delicious and healthy way to get a healthier and more interesting lunch.

Ingredients

1 tbsp tamari

1 tsp curry powder

¼ tsp cumin

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp honey

2 skinless chicken breasts

1 tbsp crunchy peanut butter

1 tbsp chilli sauce

1 tbsp lime juice

Sunflower oil

2 Little Gem lettuce hearts

1/2 cucumber

1 banana shallot

coriander

seeds from ½ pomegranate

Method

STEP 1

Pour the tamari into a large dish and stir in the curry powder, cumin, garlic and honey. Mix well. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally to make 4 fillets in total, then add to the marinade and mix well to coat. Set aside in the fridge for at least 1 hr, or overnight, to allow the flavours to penetrate the chicken.

 

STEP 2

Meanwhile, mix the peanut butter with the chilli sauce, lime juice, and 1 tbsp water to make a spoonable sauce. When ready to cook the chicken, wipe a large non-stick frying pan with a little oil. Add the chicken and cook, covered with a lid, for 5-6 mins on a medium heat, turning the fillets over for the last min, until cooked but still moist. Set aside, covered, to rest for a few mins.

 

STEP 3

While the chicken rests, toss the lettuce wedges with the cucumber, shallot, coriander and pomegranate, and pile onto plates. Spoon over a little sauce. Slice the chicken, pile on top of the salad and spoon over the remaining sauce. Eat while the chicken is still warm.