Lunches

[taff]

I don't usually make sandwiches, I have two tupperware-type containers, and I make salads in both of them ( I do 12 hour shifts, so two meals are the norm - one is breakfast, one is dinner)
I put loads of different stuff in salad, borlotti beans in oil and vinegar and garlic, cooked potatoes in oil/vinegar/parselg/garlic ( are you sensing a theme?, rocket from the garden, toms from the greenhouse, rice salads, pasta salads ( all home made)
I usually get a few jars of anti-pasti from Lidls every couple of months when my suualy supply dries up, and mix a bit of something from each jar in with the pasta, or rice, a boiled egg, or whatever.
Any food left over from the night before will go in too, cooked veg ( just add oil and vinegar, lol), potatoes, etc.
Chop a few herbs up and mix them in too.
At least you know you always get something different.

[Meanqueen]

Picked a few bits out of my previous topic of sandwiches.

Take half a tin of chick peas, rinse the salt off and drain. Mash them up in a bowl, a fork is easiest, add chopped fresh spinach, and a chopped raw mushroom. Add a squirt of garlic puree, splash of toasted sesame seed oil (lovely nutty flavour), splash of lemon juice, mix into a firm but spreadable consistancy. Will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. It's lovely on those brown grainy bread rolls.
I'm going to try some more using different types of canned beans. You could add any leafy veg, herbs and spices of your choice, tomato puree, cream cheese, peas or sweetcorn, tuna fish, any chopped up salad items. I have just made some with honey and mustard dressing for tomorrow.

Todays sandwiches were, mashed adzuki beans, chopped spring onions, wild garlic leaves, and prawns, sprinkle of olive oil. Lovely.

My sandwiches for today were mashed peas mixed with cream cheese with garlic. I'm going to try mashed potato sandwiches next week.

I was near Sainsthingy yesterday and called in for some reduced price bread, it wasn't cheap enough, they don't knock much off. Then I saw they had 4 teacakes for 28p, so I thought, who says you have to make sandwiches with bread anyway. A few currants will add a new flavour to it.

Ilona

[taff]

Take half a tin of chick peas, rinse the salt off and drain. Mash them up in a bowl, a fork is easiest, add chopped fresh spinach, and a chopped raw mushroom. Add a squirt of garlic puree, splash of toasted sesame seed oil (lovely nutty flavour), splash of lemon juice, mix into a firm but spreadable consistancy. Will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. It's lovely on those brown grainy bread rolls.
I'm going to try some more using different types of canned beans. You could add any leafy veg, herbs and spices of your choice, tomato puree, cream cheese, peas or sweetcorn, tuna fish, any chopped up salad items. I have just made some with honey and mustard dressing for tomorrow.

Todays sandwiches were, mashed adzuki beans, chopped spring onions, wild garlic leaves, and prawns, sprinkle of olive oil. Lovely.

Ilona

That all sounds really mouth-watering...I'm a bit gutted I've already eaten now...

Forgot to add, you can forage for stuff too, if it's on your way to work, or at weekends or something.

[Bollybarb]

i reuse plastic containers from margarine ect for salards. i often cook extra pasta rice. ( I always weigh rice pasta as it saves on wastage)
How about intant noodle, just need some boiling water and a few mins to stand tesco cost 8p pack. can always be jazzed up with letfovers.

[Meanqueen]

Using tea cakes for sandwiches was fine, you don't taste the sweetness when you have your savoury filling in them. I absolutely love toasted sesame seed oil, I get it at Tosco about a pound a bottle, splash it on everything.

The idea of putting things in plastic boxes is a good idea, I save my margarine tubs, and any small plastic pots with lids. I get the dried papaya fruit about £1 a bag, and put some in a small pot for nibbles. I also take prunes in pots but they can be a bit expensive. Nuts in pots are good for nibbles. You could get 3 helpings of rice pudding out of a tin if you dispense into small pots.

Could you just eat a boiled egg on it's own? What about beating an egg up, soaking a slice of bread in it and frying it. Nice when hot but would it be ok cold if you wrapped it in foil? Don't know? What about a cold fried egg sarnie??? Could you make egg custards in pots without the pastry? Don't know?

Ilona

[wendy]

Usually it is a salad for lunch, with all and sundry that has arrived in the organic box.
Wendy

[saint-spoon]

I absolutely love toasted sesame seed oil, I get it at Tosco about a pound a bottle, splash it on everything.

Ilona

top ingredient.
I don’t tend to take sandwiches into work as a rule as I prefer more adventurous meals. Most recently I have been eating a lot of stir fried noodles with stuff. Several of our local multi-marts have had straight to wok ones really cheap but soaking dried ones work just as well. As for the method…(I cook this the night before and eat cold as a sort of noodley salad)

1. I chuck a coarsely sliced onion into a wok with a bit of oil (lightfry spray works well) and sweat down for a couple of mins.
2. bung in any leftover meat such as chicken or ham; alternatively add some uncooked bacon and continue to cook until it’s done. At this point I like to chuck in a big slug dark soy sauce which adds a lovely colour and richness to any meat in the pan.
3. chilli, garlic, capsicum, mushrooms, grated carrot, celery, and pretty much anything you want can go in at this point, fry it off for a while until just about cooked. Importantly add water if it starts to stick, this will also help the mushrooms cook down.
4. add the noodles and a big hand full of beansprouts (20p a pack in S-O-M recently). Cook until the noodles are warmed and the beansprouts start to wilt.
5. a coupel of teaspoons of toasted sesame oil and toss around for a great lunch.

This morning I added prawns to the cooled noodles and ate for breakfast (after my session in the gym) the sky (and your imagination) is the limit.

I also have couscous quite regularly, this is cheap to buy the dried stuff. Generally the packet instructions will be along the line of add boiling water and leave to stand before fluffing with a fork. I use boiling stock in place of the water and then mix through whatever I feel like to make a filling meal. Cheese cubes, olives, onion, peppers, cold meat or fish, a nd a good glop of olive oil are all fantastic. I have also rehydrated dried peppers and mushrooms in the water before adding which give flavour as well as substance.
Another good cheat is with spinsters savoury rice (sadsa 5 for £1 at the mo). Ad the packet contents and allotted amount of boiling water to the pan cover and simmer for 15 mins (the packet says 15-20. Turn off the heat and leave to stand until cool. On cool add the rice to a wok with your chosen mixture from above and mix it all up. Sesame oil is good here as well as I’m sure Ilona will agree.

[saint-spoon]

Oops forgot the egg bit, whisk a couple of eggs together with a pinch of salt and Chinese five spice and pour into a hot pan. Stir around to make an omelette (well cooked). Once cool slice thinly and add to your noodles, couscous or rice for added addedness.

[charlwood1005]

Usually I make sandwiches from home made bread, but any left overs go into a plastic box for a hot lunch to make a change. A treat is a yogurt or homemade bun.

[wendy]

Dave do you need adopting ? because I could do with you here.
If I die or leave, Spencer would die of starvation as he doesn't even know how to turn the stove on or the microwave !!!!
Wendy

[saint-spoon]

Dave do you need adopting ? because I could do with you here.
Wendy

oops... I am now blushing xx

[saint-spoon]

Out of interest June has got corned beef and pickle sandwiches (for lunch) and I have had couscous with onion, mushroom and peppers (breakfast) and cherry tomato and mozzarella salad with lime and olive oil dressing (lunch) (I’ve still got some fair trade limes left.) lots of random fruits also got packed.

[wendy]

Yours sounds a lot nicer than June's [sorry June]
Wendy

[smallholderwannabe]

I like salads for lunch too. I never get tired of salad because there are soooo many variations. A favourite is tomato chopped up with a bit of grated carrot and a dessertspoon of sultanas and a teaspoonful of cider vinegar. A sprinkle of sunflower seeds is good with it too if I have any. The cider vinegar seems to keep the tomato from going to mush and the sultanas plump up slightly with the tomato juice/cider vinegar. Yum! Works out at about 2 of my 5 a day.

Other days leftovers feature largely on the menu. If the salads are all fruit & veg, then I take a bit of bread to work with me otherwise I am ravenous by the time I get home and dinner is prepared. Sometimes I can't wait till dinner is ready and that can be dangerous for the waistline so the bread is a necessity.

[Nellie]

I'm with saint-spoon - couscous is fantastic for a packed lunch.

I use a pinch of Marigold bouillon powder, and half a teaspoon of Bart's Harissa (mainly spicy carrot and beetroot) - and then add chopped veggies and a few sultanas. Scrumptious!