January has come and Christ on a bike, isn’t it awful? We’re poorer than ever, back at work proper and our waists have gone AWOL. But no worries, we’re here to help you get back to living your best life. Channel your inner Instagram meal prepper and save yourself from squandering those last pennies in Pret by planning ahead and making this healthy-but-yum lunch that will sort you out for four whole days - and you might even squeeze your jeans back on too.
Packed with green lentils to keep you full and help get your digestive system back on track after a month of cheese and wine, there’s also a healthy portion of salmon (good fats, protein, blah blah) and plenty of veggies for various vitamins and minerals. A few nuts give it a crunch, and the herbs really make this with their fragrant zingy freshness even before the delicious Thai style dressing goes on and completely slays this workday lunch. Tupperware at the ready:
Ingredients:
500g salmon
3 carrots
½ cucumber
3-4 spring onions (optional depending on your own personal office onion breath policy)
150g dried green lentils
100g frozen peas
Handful raw cashews, pistachios or peanuts
1/3 small red cabbage
4 tbsp sesame oil
4 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
Fresh coriander
Fresh mint
Lime
Method:
1.Preheat your oven to 180C and wrap your salmon up into a loose foil parcel on a baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes then leave to cool.
2.Rinse the lentils then cook as per packet instructions, adding the peas at the last minute. Drain and leave to cool.
3.Make the salad by finely chopping the spring onions, cabbage, cucumber and herbs and grating the carrot. Mix it all together in a large bowl.
4.Crush the nuts and add to the mix.
5.When the lentils and peas are cool, add them in and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and even some dried crushed chillies if you like.
6.Make the dressing by juicing the lime and stirring in the sesame oil and sweet chilli sauce to taste.
7.Divide the salmon up into four equal portions along with the salad mixture and dressing. If you’re eating it over a few days, it’s best to keep the dressing separate in a little pot to prevent the salad going limp. And you’re done.
Like this? Then you might also be interested in:
Easy Lunch Idea: Don't Spend All Your Money In Pret, Make Morrocan Prawn Couscous Instead
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.