Eat Smart, Eat Healthy…Time for Lunch!

Good morning from Carol’s Kitchen… we are warming up here as we are coming into our High Season soon although the nights and early mornings can still have a nip to them.. while many of you I know are feeling the winter chills as you have snow and ice…or torrential rain and winds…

Today I have some ideas for healthy lunches…which will warm you up …

It is quite difficult to think of what to suggest as when I worked in my last job although we had the heating on people were continually opening and closing the doors so if you were working on the ground floor it was a tad cold most of the time so a warm bowl of soup or a jacket potato was very welcome at lunchtime.

I always used to make extra if I made a stew or chilli and freeze in portions it was then easy to take to work and I know from experience that if I ventured out at lunchtime as I hadn’t bought anything in with me it was over to Marks & Spencer who do the most divine sandwiches and of course, all their yummy sweet things are by the till…Do I need to say more???

Not taking in lunch is a trap many of us fall into without realising, isn’t it? Plus it is more costly…

As I am at home and lunch is my main meal I generally have a stir fry they are quick to do and cook while the rice is cooking which Is why I like them…either way whether you are at home, at work or eating lunch on the go…I have something for you…

Fried Fish with peppercorns in black bean sauce.
Serves 1.

fish black bean sauce

  • 100 gm white fish cut into smallish pieces and rolled in rice flour.
  • Small onion roughly cut
  • 2 spring onion sliced
  • 1-2 chillies sliced diagonally
  • 1 stem of fresh peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp black bean sauce
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
  • Sm piece fresh ginger minced or finely Julienne
  • Fish sauce to taste.

Lets Cook!

Heat up the oil in a wok and shallow fry fish quickly on each side until it becomes golden brown, it will take around 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
In the same wok where fish is fried sauté garlic, chilli, onion and ginger.
Add green onion and peppercorns then stir-fry for a minute. Then add fish.
Add splash water, and black bean sauce and bring to a rolling boil, add fish and turn over once to coat with the sauce and simmer for 2 mins. If the sauce is thin you can add a bit of cornstarch/arrowroot slurry to thicken it.
Flavour with fish sauce and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Serve with steamed rice and a chilli dip( optional)

You could also make this at home and heat gently at work for lunch or microwave it.

Jacket Potatoes…Easy to do and will fill you up…If you have an oven at work then in your break pop one in the oven it will then be ready and waiting at lunchtime all you need to do is add your topping and… take a portion of chilli, baked beans, cheese, coleslaw, sweetcorn, caramelised onions and mushrooms to work and there you are lunch on the go…What is your favourite topping?

jacket-potato-2906023_640

My favourite topping is chilli be it meat or vegetarian chilli or cheese and coleslaw if it isn’t too cold as that is more of a spring/summer topping for me…

Soup is also very good...You make a batch at home and freeze it in portions it just needs reheating or take it to work in a thermos flask…

Yesterday I made a lovely mushroom soup …a new recipe and it needs tweaking my little taste tester told me what I needed to do….lol

It pleases me though because it means that he tastes the food and knows when it needs something else so that is good for a child.

Mushroom Soup…

  • 2 lbs of mushrooms…mixed I used straw, button, crimini and some small ones which I can’t remember the name of.
  • 1 onion sliced
  • 6 sprigs of thyme tied together
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 6 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of cream
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Let’s Cook!

Melt the butter and add the mushrooms and add a pinch of salt and cook until they give up their juices and reduce the heat. Cook stirring until the juice has evaporated and the mushrooms start to brown.

crimini straw button mushrooms

Pick out a few nice pieces and set them to one side for the garnish.

Mix the onions into the mushrooms and cook until the onion softens about 5 minutes.

Add the thyme and garlic and pour in the stock and water simmer for 1 hour.

Remove the thyme before blending the soup, if the consistency is still too thick then add more stock/water…Return to a pan and add the cream…Taste and season with salt and black pepper…

Mushroom Soup

 

I hope this has given you a few ideas about what to have for lunch…What is your favourite lunch?

I have added the link to a Chicken Noodle soup as it also has the recipe for homemade chicken broth.

Noodle-soup-Thai-chicken

https://carolcooks2.com/2018/09/13/thai-chicken-noodle-soup/

All of these you could batch cook every two weeks and freeze in portions and you would never have to worry about what is for lunch… Just add your garnishes and herbs if required…

Thank you for reading I hope you enjoy the soup …Or maybe you have already tried it…Do you love it?? Please let me know in the comments xxx

34 thoughts on “Eat Smart, Eat Healthy…Time for Lunch!”

  1. Pingback: CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…6th- 12th November 2022-Monday Musings, #Macaroni and Chickpea Bake , Health, Morbid Obesity, #Edible Roots…Grow your own Sea Holly and how to plan for those social Occasions… | Retired? No one told me!

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      Thank you, Sue.. Even though its hotter here Thais generally eat hot food… The noodle soup is lovely although soups are thinner here they don’t eat thicker soups x

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sue Dreamwalker

        I made a sweetcorn soup the other day, and added some cumin which wasn’t in the recipe.. it was a semi thin soup… and was a success with hubby, though he said not a patch on my tomato soup LOL.. 🙂

        Liked by 1 person

      2. CarolCooks2 Post author

        I love cumin and am sure it was a success but I agree with your hubby, Sue there is nothing like a bowl of homemade tomato soup xx

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  6. Pingback: CarolCooks2 weekly roundup…10th January-16th January 2021…Recipes, Whimsy, Music and Lifestyle Changes… | Retired? No one told me!

    1. CarolCooks2 Post author

      it’s made from salt-preserved soybeans, Dolly and is a cooking sauce rather than a condiment…I haven’t made it from scratch as I know a lady who does and sells small pots of it but you would get it from Asian stores as it is a common ingredient…Hope that helps …Have a great Sunday Hugs xx

      Liked by 1 person

      1. koolkosherkitchen

        Thank you for educating me, dear Carol. I have not found a kosher one anywhere, but I did find a recipe. Since it is made from fermented beans, and I ferment all beans anyway, I will try to make it myself and see what happens…

        Liked by 2 people

      5. koolkosherkitchen

        Dear Carol, I am asking for guidance: do you have a recipe for pickling red cabbage which is already shredded? It was meant to be a salad but due to miscalculation, I have about half a head already shredded and no use for it.

        Liked by 1 person

      6. CarolCooks2 Post author

        Dear Dolly…This recipe is fr a whole head but I am sure you can tweak it…1 sm head of red cabbage finely sliced, 2 cups rice wine vinegar, 1/2 in fresh ginger, 1 tsp mustard seeds, 1 glove garlic, half jalaoeno, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp salt…Place cabbage, ginger, mustard seeds and jalapeno in a jar. Bring to the boil rice vinegar, salt and sugar then gently pour over cabbage allow to cool slightly then cover..it keeps for about 2 weeks and I have kept it longer but I live in a house of pickers (everytime they open the fridge they have have some…Enjoy! Hugs xx

        Liked by 1 person

  10. Victoria Zigler (@VictoriaZigler)

    I have my main meal in the evening. But, whether for lunch or dinner, I love a good jacket potato. My favourite toppings are vegan cheese with chives and salad, or scrambled tofu with mushrooms and onions, or baked beans and vegan cheese, or vegan chilli, or just salad. I had jacket potato for dinner the other day, and ended up having it with vegan cheese and chives, a vegan omlet (scrambled tofu with mushrooms, spring onions, fresh basil and garlic) and sprouts.

    Liked by 1 person

  12. beetleypete

    Because I spent 95% of my working life doing shifts, ‘Lunch’ was something unknown to me. I didn’t developd that habit, and never acquired it once I stopped working. Mind you, my ‘breakfast’ is eaten so late, it probably qualifies.
    Best wishes, Pete. x

    Liked by 1 person

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