Falafel wraps are loved across much of the Middle East – and increasingly around the world.Chris Middleton/Smith Street BooksSprinting out the front door,busy herding sleepy-eyed children into the car,or just overly fond of the snooze button? They're all valid reasons for skipping your lunch prep,says Blue Mountains food writer Alexander Hart.
But it's easier to shake up your lunch habits than you think."You'll be amazed by the money you can save by preparing your own lunches,"he says."Plus,there's the added bonus of knowing exactly what goes into each and every bite."
Alexander Hart's new cookbook.Chris Middleton/Smith Street Books All you need is five minutes and five ingredients,plus Hart's new cookbook,The 5-Minute 5-Ingredient Lunchbox.
Falafel wrap
Falafel wraps are loved across much of the Middle East – and increasingly around the world. They make a filling vegetarian lunch. Falafel balls can be bought from the supermarket or from falafel shops,and are usually made from chickpeas or broad (fava) beans – or a mixture of both.
INGREDIENTS
- 3-4 falafel balls,roughly torn
- handful of torn cos lettuce
- ½ tomato,diced
- some Turkish pickled turnips,chopped
Japanese chicken and rice salad with ginger soy dressing
If you prefer a nuttier flavour – and a little more fibre – in your salad,opt for brown rice here. Micro herbs can be found in most good-quality greengrocers.
INGREDIENTS
- 150g (1 cup) cooked and cooled rice
- 100g shredded cooked chicken
- 50g snow peas,sliced
- large handful of mixed micro herbs
Ginger soy dressing (or use shop-bought)
Juicy tomatoes,salty,creamy feta and crisp,crunchy cucumber evoke memories of the Mediterranean in this simple couscous salad. A creamy,tangy dill dressing plays a perfect complement.
INGREDIENTS
- 150g (1 cup) cooked and cooled couscous
- 1 short cucumber,sliced
- handful of cherry tomatoes,halved
- 40g feta cheese,crumbled
Creamy dill dressing (or use shop-bought)
- 3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt
- juice and zest of ½ lemon
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped dill
- ½ teaspoon minced garlic
METHOD
- Toss the salad ingredients together with salt and pepper to taste,then tip into your lunchbox.
- Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.
Fresh pasta cooks in minutes.Chris Middleton/Smith Street BooksChilli tuna and stuffed red capsicum pappardelle
Fortunately there are now many varieties of fresh pasta available in supermarkets,which only take a few minutes to cook through. They are the perfect choice for getting pasta salads organised in five minutes.
- Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling salted water for 2-3 minutes,until cooked,then drain and cool.
- Toss with the remaining salad ingredients with salt and pepper to taste,then tip into your lunchbox.
- Pour the dressing over the salad just before serving and toss well.
This is an edited extract fromThe 5-Minute,5-Ingredient Lunchbox by Alexander Hart,published by Smith Street Books,RRP $24.99.Buy now